Doc Doctor

ALL HOPE IS GONE (Xavier Vs. Auz)

@Xavier Bloodbayne

Auz bobbed and weaved unpredictably as each rod flew at him, just to be safe. None followed through though, instead splatting down on the ground. So Xavier could control his blood independent of his body. Suspecting that the blood on the ground might shoot out or act as some kind of trap, Auz reversed his steps and began backing away to force the encroaching Xavier to leave his trap behind, if he wanted to get closer that was.

"What kind of ploy is that!? You think I'll step on your blood or take my attention away from it, eh? Huh? Oi? Yeah?"

ALL HOPE IS GONE (Xavier Vs. Auz)

@Xavier Bloodbayne



So Xavier was switching up his game, getting serious. Auz realized that he might as well throw out all the stops as well. He drew his gauche dagger and suddenly pitched forward with the blade leveled at his left eye. The pommel hit the ground and a length of sharp steel plunged through Auz's eye socket and into his brain. Death was instant, more or less. He appeared soon after, the lurid red ropes of blood coagulating back into his form, brandishing his longsword. Auz wasn't going to just be fast now. He was going to be fast. It was true that when he died he became more powerful, and also that he could only die a limited number of times to each individual that killed him. Thing was, Auz himself counted as an individual.
He tossed his sword up and caught it by the end of the blade with both hands, left over right, wielding it as if it were an improvised warhammer.



The Mordhau style. The ancient art of not giving a fuck about holding a sword the wrong way, all the better to bash an enemy's skull in using the outrageous force concentrated at the long, narrow ends of the crossguard. There was of course a technique to holding the blade in such a way as to not get your hands cut, but having a sturdy pair of gauntlets helped too.
The mercenary crept towards Xavier, moving slow and with his weapon held poised up above his left shoulder. Auz's eyes glinted sharp and steely, taking everything in with a steady calm that he hadn't displayed before. He had a better reaction speed now. He could perceive motion more easily and could afford to keep the heat on the burner low for the moment, so to speak.

ALL HOPE IS GONE (Xavier Vs. Auz)

@Xavier Bloodbayne

I'll post sometime tomorrow. Just got home from work, it's late, and I'm dog tired.

Adventurer's Quest Stop And Cafe (Always Open!)

@ineffable

Suliss accepted the sustenance and sat down on the floor whilst the others prepared for a quest, managing to eat and drink efficiently without at all pulling his hood back.

"I shall accompany them."

ALL HOPE IS GONE (Xavier Vs. Auz)

@Xavier Bloodbayne

Auz was cut in twain. As could have been expected, he was back in a quarter minute. When he reappeared it was five yards in front of Xavier, and he was belly laughing.

"HAH!! I expected more of a reaction out of you! What, do you get guts thrown at you on a regular basis? Ha hah ha... Well, I guess I shouldn't expect an answer. You sound like you've deep throated a troll!"

ALL HOPE IS GONE (Xavier Vs. Auz)

@Xavier Bloodbayne

Auz fell to his knees, grasping at his guts as they piled out. Poor bastard. There were likely bigger fish to fry for Xavier though, such as how many painkillers it'd take to be able to enjoy drink for the next few days. Perhaps if-!!

A loop of intestine flew through the air to lasso Xavier's neck. It was stupefying in its gall, utterly unexpected by virtue of the nuts required to do such an inane thing. Auz howled in agony from between gritted, bloody teeth, gaping eyes bulging in opposite directions. If he succeeded in wrangling Xavier, then with nigh improbable effort he'd try to haul the man in and strangle him, Auz using his own intestines as a noose. Not that it'd actually work, of course. The tensile but squishy guts weren't fit for choking out someone with superhuman durability. Still, it was worth trying. Auz knew he was going to die anyways, might as well go out in the craziest way possible.

Adventurer's Quest Stop And Cafe (Always Open!)

@ineffable

Suliss carefully rose, making sure there were no slapstick traps around. He'd have to play ball with these sheep and keep his cards close, biding his time until a way to gain power presented itself. But how can you fool natural order? Suliss hissed out a sigh. It didn't matter. He wasn't short on time. If worst came to worst, he'd probably be allowed to steal the body of another villain.

For the time being, he'd adapt and be... Friendly? It was an alien thought, but he could do it. It'd be like a monkey trained to do math. It could put a 2 in front of 1+1, but that didn't mean it knew what it was doing.

"Coffee and a cup of pottage... And wouldst thou tell me what thy companion have gathered for?"

ALL HOPE IS GONE (Xavier Vs. Auz)

@Xavier Bloodbayne

Auz was no bundle of nerves, but a polished warrior with hundreds of years of experience in killing. Perhaps if the trick had been attempted earlier on when the difference in speed was greater, it might have surprised him.

Auz by now knew that his foe had a tough hide, but not an invincible one. He also had learned that his opponent could harden parts of his body at will. Such a foe walking towards a sword with his chest bared? A ploy. Then again, Auz had no qualms about walking into a sword swing. He had lives to spare. It was worth it.

Under the new circumstances of Xavier's split second bum rush, Auz screwed in his heels and bent his elbows right before the longsword met its target. Sword hit metal. Xavier's cleaver swung. Auz's blade glanced up the chest and plowed towards the jugular notch, following the contours of the body like a well-aimed uppercut, the swordsman's arms fully extending. It was one thing to turn away from a stab aimed at the chest from a human standing four feet away. This time Auz was 58% faster and his sword could very well have been allowed to reach flesh before any evasive maneuvers had been made.

Xavier's defences could likely follow the blade's path, but Auz was using two arms for this stab, not one like before. It had some extra spice on it. Perhaps not a killing blow, but if it was further deflected by blood or metal it might sever one of Xavier's sternocleidomastoid muscles, those tendon-like fibers forming the neck's entrance, the ones you can feel at the front of your throat if you turn your head.

Regardless, Auz took the cleaver to his midsection, armor rending and blood flying. His purple-red intestines hung out in heavy, sopping loops. Ribs were snapped, abdominal muscles sundered. It was pretty gnarly.

Adventurer's Quest Stop And Cafe (Always Open!)

@ineffable@cloudystar

Suliss accepted Skylar's hand and rose to his feet. His voice came out as if he had a cheese grater in his throat, toneless and harsh.

"Give to me the flesh of thy champion... Their essence will- SSSSSS!!!"

Suliss at that moment slipped on a beer puddle and pitched forwards, banging his unseen head on a table. The ominous figure clung dazedly to the table, hissing and growling uncouth syllables that a human voicebox probably couldn't have imitated. Suliss at once understood the situation.

This universe was governed by a different set of laws than what he was used to. Here, cosmic threats were subject not to equality, but comedic relief. At this thought, a familiar mortal word did manage to slither out of his mouth.

"Fuck."

Adventurer's Quest Stop And Cafe (Always Open!)

@ineffable
Great, and don't worry about Suliss derailing anything. Every evil thing he tries to do will be countered by horrible, hilarious luck. And a cat.