set me free, your heaven's a lie
#1
Do not archive -- this is a slow-going thread. Thanks! Smile

[html]
WARNING This thread contains: graphic violence and strong language starting with the 2nd post. Reader discretion is advised.






OOC: Ok, I'm just gonna NPC Bris so my posting is faster. XD They're walking along the shoreline, headed toward Inferni's southern border. Wink
Backdated to April 26th.



It was the perfect day for this, at least as far as Kol was concerned. Things had been going well in Dahlia; Conor was proving himself to be a capable leader despite his youth. The charcoal woman had no doubt that he would be able to overcome the stigma left behind by his murderous father. Thanks to the lilac-eyed boy, the war between Dahlia and Inferni had come to a peaceful conclusion. It was all that Kol could have hoped for the future of her younger sister.


The thought of Bris' recent coming of age only a few days before had prompted the journey the two sisters now took. Their paws padded softly into the wet sands of the northwestern beach between the Dahlian and Inferni territories. Side by side in lupine form, Kol looked like her lighter sister's shadow as their steps matched rhythm in the setting sun. Their destination was the southern border of Inferni, and a visit with Kol's old friend Anselm de le Poer. This time they could meet without the threat of war hanging over their heads, and it would be an opportunity for Bris to see that not all stereotypes were true. The girl's first taste of Inferni had been violence, and Kol was determined to show her that the clan was far more than just a vicious collection of monsters. Oh, there were definitely monsters among them, but they were the exception, not the rule.


Hell, even Kol's mind had been changed. A year ago, during the first war, the dark woman had been one of Haku's most loyal followers. She'd have given her life for the leader, and firmly believed that all of Inferni was made up of monsters and devils. Then she'd met Anselm, and she began to question what she knew. After that came the heightened conflict between her birth pack and their own longtime enemies, the Dawnrunners. Her experiences in that particular tragedy had cleared the woman's mind for good. She'd finally come to realize that the world was not all black and white, and that thinking it was had made her no better than the age old enemy her family had been battling for generations. The Dawnrunners believed Kol's clan was a scourge upon the earth, and that their righteous duty was to wipe the Stormbringers from existence. It was their zealousy that had opened Kol's eyes to the truth behind Dahlia's first war.


They'd come a long way in only a few months, the Stormbringer sisters had. Pushing the hardships of the past year to the back of her mind, Kol smiled down at her smaller sister, receiving a childlike smile of admiration in return. Kol had fought the first war for the wrong reasons; she'd fought the second for her sister's future. The brightness of Bris' mismatched eyes only made Kol certain she'd fought for the right reason this time. Now it was only a question of showing Bris the truth of the world: that nothing would ever be black and white.







Table by Tay




[/html]
#2
Sounds good! (WC: 413.)

[html]
<style type="text/css">
.table1 {width:401px;border:1px solid #262e39;background-image:url(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v121/ ... ybrid1.png);background-repeat:no-repeat;padding-top:280px;background-color:#000000;margin:0 auto}
.wrap1 {text-align:justify;margin:15px;font-family: arial;font-size:12px;line-height:12px;color:#1e4fbe}
.wrap1 b {color: #ff33a4;font-family:georgia}
</style>

It was inevitable. He knew the war was not over: not yet, not now, not here. It was too soon. Everyone knew it, for Haku Soul, the deranged demon still roamed the lands, and he still had followers willing to follow his beck and call. Hybrid knew that these wolves were his loyal servants, returning to avenge the deposition of their lying "king." But Haku was no king: he only fancied himself above the other wolves in his clan, above Inferni, and used this fake title to justify it all. When Inferni had exposed him for the lying, traitorous scum he was, he had been overthrown.


That did not matter nearly as much as the war itself. Hybrid had sunk his fangs into a wolf's flesh and now, he desired more. After the disastrous fight, Hybrid needed to defeat someone, or at least not fail in such a foolish way. He had her, he had her, and he had let her go. The taste of regret was vile and was the only thing he could taste.

But the war was not over. He could see the woman returning for one last bout. She had come to serve Haku faithfully, but Hybrid would ensure that she would be too dead to try. Too fucking dead to try.

"Wolf!" he bellowed, stalking closer. Long, coyote legs brought him to the two loyalists. He disregarded the white wolf, focusing solely on the dark woman whom he had fought earlier. This lighter girl had no place being here; she hardly even looked like a warrior. He refused to acknowledge her presence as pertinent or legitimate.


"Wolf," he spat out once more once he was closer. "You are dangerously close to Inferni territory. I kindly suggest you get the fuck out of here and run back to Haku with your tails the fuck between your legs." Hybrid did not have time to joke around or make niceties. Hell, he didn’t even have time to consider his words. They tumbled from his scarred maw like a violent waterfall. The water crashed on the rocks below, a turbulent death trap for any stupid enough to venture forth. He eyed the dark Dahlian (no, now a loyalist, following her fool of a leader to her own demise) with clear distrust. He kept his fangs bared, forcing his words through yellowing teeth. His hackles bristled and he stood tall. They had been issued their warning. Hybrid would give them no more chances.


Table by Anu! Big Grin
[/html]
#3
[html]




His appearance was unmistakable. He'd come out of nowhere, with no warning, and Kol had recognized that ragged and tawny form immediately as he'd come at them in his battle-ready form. The black Stormbringer's violet eyes flashed with hatred as she shifted to protect the smaller form of Bris, and she took the time to shift to her midform while she waited for the inevitable confrontation. Bones thickened, muscle tightened, Kol's entire form grew larger as she forced herself into her secui form. She had no idea what the monster's intentions would be, but there was no way she'd let him get a finger on her sister.


"Who the hell is that? What does he want?" Bris' voice rose behind Kol in startlement and indignation, and Kol knew the girl intended to help if things got ugly. The older woman shot her sister a don't-even-think-about-it look, and Bris stopped her own shift before it had even begun. Kol knew what she was doing, and the younger girl resigned herself to staying in lupus form behind her. "I don't know his name, but he's one of Gabriel's little pets. Listen, if things get bad, I want you to run as fast as you can back home and get help, ok? Don't hesitate, just run." Bris nodded in answer, and Kol mustered up a weak but encouraging smile in return.


An irritated growl rumbled in Kol's chest as the male spat his words at the pair, her lip curling into a snarl. "The last I checked, these lands were neutral territory, dog, unclaimed by your master. What business is it of yours what we chose to do here? Get the hell out of our way and run back to Gabriel, just like last time. At least this time you won't need his voice to help guide you back home." She hadn't intended to be so confrontational in her words, but the rage she felt toward the red-eyed dog had nothing at all to do with Inferni. "Matter of fact, why don't you run home and fetch Anselm for us, since that's who we were coming to see? At least he's got some sense in his brain, which is much more than I can say for an obedient little lapdog like you." Behind her, Kol could feel the steady form of Bris, uncertain but completely trusting that everything would be ok.






Table by Tay




[/html]
#4
WC: 385

[html]

It was inevitable. He knew the war was not over: not yet, not now, not here. It was too soon. Everyone knew it, for Haku Soul, the deranged demon still roamed the lands, and he still had followers willing to follow his beck and call. Hybrid knew that these wolves were his loyal servants, returning to avenge the deposition of their lying "king." But Haku was no king: he only fancied himself above the other wolves in his clan, above Inferni, and used this fake title to justify it all. When Inferni had exposed him for the lying, traitorous scum he was, he had been overthrown.


The white wolf moved as the black one shifted. Hybrid only just saw her complete the transformation upon his arrival, and he silently cursed. The last time, he had been in his Secui form while she in her Lupus. This time, he would not have that advantage. He snarled at the white wolf, peeved that the dark woman had brought a kid to tag along. He intended to demonstrate that the battlefield – Inferni’s borders – were no place for such young children as herself. If Hybrid were to be honest, he would acknowledge that Inferni’s borders were no place for any wolf at all, no matter what their age. They were not welcome here. Inferni had just experienced a glorious war; but it was not yet over. They had thrown themselves at his mercy, and now they begged for justice with their words. The black wolf began to speak, and Hybrid felt his blood begin to boil. They were skirting dangerously close to Inferni’s borders, and now they were pretending it didn’t matter? Of course it did.


It looked to Hybrid like they had decided to come to the burnt, skeletal remains of Inferni and mock him. He would not allow this kind of insult to pass. Hybrid tensed at the word dog, not knowing why she would even pretend he was related to those sorts of vermin. She threw Gabriel’s name at him, but he refused to let this bother him. Apparently, she did not know the meaning of strategy. Hybrid had his pride, but he also understood the necessity of their retreat. If they wanted to win the war, they could not opt for foolish sacrifices.


Hybrid snarled again when she continued to speak. He snapped at her, giving her his last warning. After this, there would be no turning back. If she chose to venture so close to the clan, discount his warnings and refuse to leave, he only had one option: she had to be removed.


“I gave you a warning,” he stated. Then he attacked. He charged right for Kol, teeth bared and ready to strike. He kept his head down, dodged to the side farthest from the white wolf, circling closely, and whipped his head around, throwing himself at her neck with his fangs bared and claws ready to strike.


Table by Anu! Big Grin
[/html]
#5
[html]



OOC: Feel free to PP where you need to luff!

She was ready. As he came at her, Kol managed to bark out a demand to her sister. "Bris, RUN!! GET OUT OF HERE!!" Behind her, she could hear the swift turning of her sister's paws as the white streak of wolf turned and ran in the direction they'd come from, sending up a howl for help as she fled. Kol had no idea if there was anyone else in the area, but for both their sakes, she hoped so.


There was no time for words as the mangy hybrid connected with his target. Kol ducked her head as he came in low, his fangs reaching thirstily for the blood of her throat. She twisted her larger body to meet him, her claws stretching to find purchase on any part of him she could, her fangs clenched together as she tucked her chin down to protect her neck. Sunlight glimmered off the black woman's earring as she twisted in the dying sun, bound and determined not to give the male the advantage he'd had in their last meeting.


Kol cursed silently as she grappled with the red-eyed demon, her rear paws sliding precariously in the loose sand of the beautiful beach. The sand could prove useful if she could get into a position to blind her opponent again and give herself a chance to flee, but both of her clawed forepaws were occupied with simply keeping the male away from any vital points. If she broke away, he'd be on her like a bullet. The coyote mix was smaller and more agile than even Kol's sleek form, and the advantage of strength her otherwise realtively unimpressive secui form provided wouldn't be enough to oppose that speed. For the moment, the black Dahlian was at a stalemate; she couldn't break away, and she couldn't overpower him. All she could do was keep him off her with all her strength, and hope that he'd tire before she did and she'd be able to get him down or get away.






Table by Tay




[/html]
#6
[html]

Just as soon as the woman realized what was happening, she shooed her friend away. Just as well; Hybrid did not want some other woman interfering with their fight. He had issued his warning, and now, it was war. These Dahlian’s should have known better than to poke their noses around recently lost territory. It was foolish and it was stupid. Just like the stupid wolves they were. He would not have expected any more or less.

As Hybrid leapt for the woman, she moved to defend. She brought her claws up to meet him and protected her neck by pulling it in close to her body. Hybrid snarled in reply, annoyed that she had thought so quickly and anticipated his attack. Although he connected with the woman, he did not inflict the damage he had intended to. Her claws found their mark, drawing thick lines on his left shoulder. Hybrid tried to twist out of it, but found her claws were lodged in tight. Hybrid responded by snapping at her forelegs, trying to bite down hard enough so that he could rip her paw clean from her leg. He twisted and moved, trying to dislodge her claws from his fur by refusing to stay still and by trying to bite at her. He brought one of his own clawed paws up to swipe at her belly, trying to extend his reach enough to inflict damage of his own on her.

Table by Anu! Big Grin
[/html]
#7
[html]



OOC: Wow my fight posts suck lately. -.- I'm too happy with my life to write with rage!!!


With Bris gone, Kol focused on the fight. Hybrid was out for the kill, not the wounding, and the woman felt her blood start to boil as the intensity heightened. She'd managed to block his try for her throat, but she snarled in pain as he bit down hard on her left forearm, her vision blurring for a minute as blood poured down her black fur. Her grip on the male's shoulder loosened as her paw went numb, and she felt his flesh slip from her grip. Her opponents smaller form was proving an advantage to him, as he twisted and turned too quickly for Kol to keep a good grip. Both forearms were slashed and dripping with blood from the male's ever-gnashing fangs, and the woman's vision filled with red as she forced back the pain.


Kol claws scrambled to gain purchase on any part of him she could, and as he pulled back ever so slightly she lunged toward him with her fangs. Her aim was his own dark throat, but she howled in pain as the move left her underside unguarded. The male's bloodied claws raked across her upper belly and torsoe, and she snarled loudly as she felt them catch on her ribcage. Suddenly it was more difficult to breath, and Kol grew desperate as fire lanced through her chest and blood flowed down her underside. The black Dahlian forced herself to gulp in breath as adrenaline fueled her strength and she tried again to rip at the Infernian's throat with her fangs, her claws wanting nothing more now than to tear her adversary to shreds. It was clear that this fight had come down to her life or his, and if she was going down, it wouldn't be without a damned good fight. She wanted to take a piece of him with her, be it an eye, an ear, his nose, hell even his pride would do. Of course, ripping out his throat or his heart would be her ultimate prize, and that was what she aimed for.







Table by Tay




[/html]
#8
That is both good and bad! XD Haha, sorry for the wait on my part! Job hunting = omg ahjerthjkgf. (WC: 309)
[html]

It worked! All of Hybrid’s attempts to shake her off had worked much better than he had ever anticipated. Coincidentally, as he struck her stomach, the woman chose to release her grip and move in closer. Her attempt to bite at his neck ended abruptly as she was suddenly overwhelmed by pain. Hybrid grinned viciously, and then turned his grin into a savage snarl. Kol moved closer, giving him the leverage he needed and he drew his claws up her stomach and tore in to her ribs. He tried to dig his claws in further as she thrashed in pain and tried to force himself closer to her. However, as Hybrid advanced, she also tried her own attack. Hybrid felt her teeth brush past his neck. Then, as she recoiled and tried again, he tried to duck out of the way. He tried to move in closer, but only ended up moving in to her attack. This time, he felt her hot breath on his neck and her teeth digging in to his flesh. Hybrid tried to evade the attack, but was ultimately unsuccessful. He felt her teeth dig in to the flesh near his left ear, tearing the base of his ear right out.

He responded by turning his head to face her, snapping ferociously at her. He gave one last yank with his clawed paw, bringing it up to defend his face. As he snapped at her and tried to bite her face, he also swiped at her neck in an attempt to cut her throat and end her movements. The pain was beginning to wash over him and he could feel the blood drip down his neck and on to his shoulder. The two points of contact, the shallow bite on his neck and the deep gash near his ear, were horribly painful and horribly distracting.

Table by Anu! Big Grin
[/html]
#9
[html]



OOC: I'm gonna have Bris come in once Hybrid's thrown Kol in the water. XD


Kol felt like her chest was being crushed by boulders. Her breathing became erratic, the breaths she was managing to gulp down were short and painful. The dark woman's head began to swim, slowing her reaction time and derailing her concentration. The mangy dog's last attack at her belly had definitely hit something major, and for the first time fear began to well up in the Dahlian's heart. She'd fought for her life before, but she'd never been on the verge of suffocating in the middle of the fight.


Kol fought desperately to control her breathing while still fending off the male's brutal advances. His jaws were narrowly avoided, but one dodge was too slow, and she felt his thick claws rake across the side of her neck. He'd missed her jugular, but blood poured down her collarbone and chest, and she felt her limbs starting to grow heavy. Time slowed to a crawl as her legs began to shake, her breaths becoming more and more labored and shallow. A red-black aura began to close in on her vision, and Kol fought desperately to stay conscious as she willed herself forward for another attempt to let her fangs meet his throat.






Table by Tay




[/html]
#10
[html]

She refused to give up. Although Hybrid could understand her will to fight, he did not like it any more. Even though he had been in a similar situation -- fighting for his life with every tooth and claw, it certainly made things more difficult for him. He then realized he was beginning to admire her prowess; this was unacceptable. Had she been a coyote, it would have been understandable, for coyotes were fearsome warriors. But this woman was a filthy Dahlian wolf. Even though they had faced one another before, he should not be trying to admire or respect her. Self-loathing gave him renewed vigour, as Hybrid became more determined to win this fight and prove to himself that he was the more fearsome warrior. It was she who should admire him, not the other way around.

Hybrid roared in triumph when he felt his claws rake across her neck. He felt her body begin to sag with fatigue. He pulled back his clawed paw and ducked low, trying to push her over on to her back. At the last moment, he felt her teeth close around his neck, scraping his windpipe. He wheezed and tried to push her back again, attempting to use brute force to topple her over. He tried to meet her bite with one of his one in an attempt to bite out her eyes.


Table by Anu! Big Grin
[/html]
#11
[html]



OOC: *nomnomnom*


She was too slow, just too damned slow. Kol's will to live raged against her suffocating limbs, momentarily forcing adrenaline through her body and giving her a briefly renewed vigor. She could feel her chances, and time itself, ebbing away in the blood that soaked her black fur, but still she refused to give up. With every fortuitous defense she managed to make against her opponent, she could feel the frustration and rage emanating from his body.


It's strange where one's mind wanders when the realization sinks in that one's last moments are at hand. As she fought desperately to inflict as much damage as possible, Kol's mind went eerily calm. A clear conclusion passed through her head: if she truly were meant to die here, she had no final complaints. It was better to go out a warrior, protecting what she held dear, than to be finished by some freak accident or crippling illness. No, the Stormbringers were warriors at heart, one and all, and if her enemy was worthy enough to claim her life for his own, then so be it. She'd lived as best she could, and those she loved were safe. It was all that mattered, in the end.


The black secui's feet skidded as the brute pushed her with all his might. Kol's legs trembled with the strain, but still she fought back. As content as she was if things were to end for her here, she was not about to make it easy on the hybrid. There was a strange whistling sound coming from the set of wounds to her torso every time the Dahlian took a breath, a sound accompanied by a pain the likes of which the woman had never felt. Kol was under the distinct impression that her own body was now working against her, as everything seemed to be trying to break her will. Her violet eyes flashed as Kol's fangs connected with the male's throat despite her body's sabotage, but it wasn't as successful as she'd hoped.


As the male fought back, Kol gasped in pain as his fangs found her face, very nearly ripping out the very eye he'd injured in their first encounter. This time, Kol wasn't entirely sure he hadn't ripped it out. Pain seared through her head and she howled as she lost connection with the male, stumbling back as she fought to see with her one remaining good eye. Whatever had happened, her left eye was either gone or irreparably damaged; she was partially blind. Blood poured into her right eye as well, the male's fangs having scored deeply across the length of her forehead, and she snarled in frustration and agony as she struggled to blink it away. Red liquid clouded her entire vision, and for a moment she lost sight of her enemy. That eerie calm returned as Kol's ears twitched at every sound, trying desperately to pinpoint everything around her. Fate loved irony, and the Stormbringer highly doubted her foe would grant her the same chance at retreat that she had granted him when he'd been the blinded one. Then again, did it really matter?






Table by Tay




[/html]
#12
380. *noms Jassy while Hybrid noms Kol!* :3
[html]

He had been bred for this. He had been wrought from violence, with Venomous’s rape of Asphyxia and his sister’s revenge against her father. He had lashed out at his own mother just as his sister had murdered their father. He had threatened Asphyxia and revelled in the beauty of her foolishness. The first war had been due to her blunder and she had brought violence to Inferni’s borders. Oh, how Hybrid had revelled in that! And now, as this warrior was grasping at her last few breaths, he could see that this was all he could do with his life. He could admire his work as his opponent struggled to survive. There was such beauty and elegance in an adversary’s dying form. The victory would only be sweeter knowing he had faced her before and knowing she had been bred and nurtured for the same purpose. Hybrid was not sure if he had been born this way, or if he had been moulded to fit a greater purpose. Perhaps he was a part of the balance that demanded blood for life and chaos for every semblance of order. Perhaps this was all too damn poetic and the only thing that really mattered was the taste of blood and the dull clink of tooth against claw.


It was then that he felt it: her resistance and his success. She prevented him from pushing her over and clawing out her belly, but she was not impervious to his teeth. From her reaction, he had caused considerable damage to her eye. They separated and Hybrid was able to see that one of her eyes was not working. He grinned, knowing this would be a great advantage. She now had one hell of a blind spot.


Hybrid did not waste any time. Once they separated, he moved again, aiming to push her over or tire her out. Although his muscles were beginning to ache, it appeared as though she had taken more damage than he had. Although his neck and ear ached, it would not completely prevent him from finishing her off. Quickly, he moved again, weaving in to the blinded side to push her off balance. He ducked low, snapping at her legs and her underbelly, trying to remain out of sight.


Table by Anu! Big Grin
[/html]


Forum Jump: