Natural Disaster - Sir Kenneth vs. Nekoness

[Anomaly]

All of nature rages as dust and blood floods the atmosphere. The discharges of crimson ion energy from the Floating Fortress defense system is joined by the brilliant blue white bolts of natural lightning that dance from cloud to darkening cloud. Yet, even with the howl of wind mixing with the roar of battle, no rain falls. It is an omen from the gods that this is a good day to shed blood and not tears, a fine day to battle, without regret.

Guthrum arrives at the western edge of the floating fortress. The precipice on which he stands gives a peerless view of the carnage below. So many lives snuffed out. It is glorious. Behind him, a sudden change takes place about the Fortress walls. It's almost as if they melt away, replaced by an endless green maze of leaves and bramble. Roses, by many names and in many hues, smelling sweetly blossom before his eyes. Though thorns curl cruelly from the leafy walls it appears as though The Masters are inviting him in.

Without a second thought, Guthrum charges forward, ripping through the walls of plant, scattering roses petals and leaving them in shattered ruins in his wake. A flight of harpies, excited by this display and the possibility of fresh prey follows in behind him. As they try to fly through the twisting branches, tendrils explode from the hedges and snare them, digging into their putrid flesh. They drag them to the earth where they quickly disappear from sight as, screeching profanities, they are lost in the living wall that closes behind Guthrum...as if to say this one man would be tolerated...but no more. This one morsel of flesh.
---------------------

Peace. With all the chaos swirling outside, it is bizarre to find such incredible, all encompassing peace here. Yet that is how it has always been in this clearing in the heart of the realm of the Pillar of Nature. Perhaps that is why it is known as the Mother's Womb? Then again, it could be the primordial wetlands, warm with life that swell all about the clearing. The chirping of birds, the whine of insects, and the wet slithering of creatures wriggling through the mire mixes soothingly with the calm wind in the trees. The only thing that somewhat mars this paradise is the central Keep of the floating fortress that haunts the horizon. A twisted reminder that though nature is welcome here it can easily be swept aside by the force that shaped this island in the clouds.

Yet apparently oblivious to this looming monolith, and just as oblivious to the war raging just beyond the borders of her land, Aun Chori entertains herself skipping stones on the surface of the primordial waters. The peace of this place must have infected her, for even with the sure knowledge that her enemy is closing on her, she seems not to have a care in the world. There is even a smile on her cute little face. With a splash, the peaceful smile falters for a moment, before re-asserting itself. He is already here. Aun Chori turns, and faces the man who is knee deep in the muck that surrounds her clearing. If anything, her smile brightens. Her eyes flash like a kittens who has just laid eyes on a new toy. This was going to be fun.

[Nekoness]

Rose petals from the maze whirl in the air softly, revealing a green world of all possible and impossible plants and trees a human mind can think about. Fruit trees, wild plants, domestic flowers and unseen, marvelous plants create a fantastic web that captures the eye. The air is full of their scent, gentle yet powerful at the same time. The variety would fill your lungs with freshness and spin your head.

She raises her eyes, letting her gaze focus at the unwanted intruder. She discovers a muscular stranger only a few steps away from her slim persona. Smiling at first, Aun makes a step forward, ready to greet the newcomer but something stops her. It was a smell that came with him. Aun recognized this odor. The scent of blood and agony was brought by this man. It reminded her of all the things she wanted to forget, all the terrors she saw before.

A moment of confusion is replaced by a shadow of distaste. Her pale, pink lips are a thin line of silent anger. Aun doesn't like this barbaric male who enters her shrine of peace without any permission. It’s not enough for her to suffer this terrible smell in such a rude way, but also for her garden to be violated in such a rude way?

The thin girl keeps staring at the violator angrily. Unlike him, her attire wasn't made for battle. The young female does not wear armor, nor does she carry a guard to protect her. It seems like she did not anticipate such a possibility at all. Aun's clothes are those of a regular fashionable teenage girl. She wears a white T-shirt with a random Anime character on it and a shockingly yellow skirt with red flowers that barely reaches her slim knees. Her silky, black hair is collected into two long pigtails which are decorated with large, red hair clips. A pair of matching, varnished, yellow shoes finishes the unbelievable sight.

Aun makes a grimace, as one might expect to see on the face of an annoyed child, to show her displeasure. She half turns away from the man as if hoping for him to vanish. Sadly he's still there even when she tries to pretend he's gone. "I don't like your smell." she complained, her voice is unsteady from the excitement. "Why are you here? You have nothing to search for in my shrine. I would like you to leave now." She continued, squinting at him from time to time. A sea of leaves around them shook violently, reflecting their master's mood. Then everything lapses into still silence, as if awaiting a response.

[Sir Kenneth]

Upon entering Guthrum had removed his helmet and taken a deep breath, filling his lungs with air. For a moment he had remained where he was, taking in the scenery around him. Where he came from, the winter never ended and the barren frozen wastelands of his home were ever covered in snow. The Mother's Womb was the exact opposite. Even the air seemed to be alive and there was a strange feeling of tranquility which had urged him to lower his sword and close his eyes and take everything in fully.

The sight of a young woman in the clearing up ahead, had brought him back to reality though. He had put his helmet back on and had steadily made his way towards her through the muck. When Guthrum had first laid his eyes on the girl, he had not truly believed that she was the one he had come here to defeat.

Now that she was standing in front of him like a vengeful Goddess with what seemed to be nature itself on her side, he realised what folly he had made when approaching her.
Had he just charged her upon sight, she might have been lying dead by his feet now, but instead she was more than ready for him. In fact he had allowed himself to be caught at a considerable disadvantage. He was knee high in mud and the girl was outside of his reach, though still close. At this distance he knew that he would be not be able to move fast enough to make a succesful charge, and making the attempt would likely lead to his own demise. Instead Guthrum opted for another strategy.

"You are wrong" Guthrum replied with a smile which was hidden from Aun underneath his helmet. "I do have something to search for here in your clearing, and it seems like I have already found it!". Without making a sound Gaap raised his sword and pointed it at his opponent. "The Dark Christ wants your life" he said in a calm tone of voice. "And he has sent me to take it".

[Nekoness]

Aun's eyes leap from Guthrum's lips to his exposed blade, as its tip points towards her. The pathetic situation was kind of amusing at first. The thought of her threatened, by a stinky stranger no less, in her own home, her own lair. The idea he might be joking crossed her mind, and it took a little time to understand that he was indeed serious.

The slim teenager frowned at Guthrum, revealing her disgust. This man had no manners, breaking into her sanctum so rudely and now wanting to murder her without any valid cause. Whatever escaped his mouth passed through Aun's ears quickly and was forgotten even quicker. Still, hurt by previous traumatic events she had lived through, the youth would always make efforts to avoid any repeating of those scenarios. Yet, the weird conversation left the girl unstable, perhaps a little hurt. She just wanted to be alone, to recover from her past, but it seemed like peace wasn't an option. Even here, she found herself disturbed and her life at risk once more.

She turned away from the stranger and made her way to the crystal clear water she had been toying with near by. As she walked her expression turned more distant. She felt upset and her negative mood found its reflection in the surrounding world. In time Aun bit her bottom lip and cracked her neck, the plants around her transforming into darker versions of themselves. Previously colorful flowers and bushes grow large, poisonous thorns. Trees twitch, expanding branches now gnarled and deformed in every direction.

She just stands there, a lone, slender figure watching her reflection. Aun's long, silky pigtails half fall forward, partly blocking her face from Guthrum, hair covering the sadness in her once bright eyes. Only her shaking lips are exposed for him to see.

"I want you to leave...right now! You are…not welcome…here…" She breathed out finally without looking at the intruder. Anxiety spread over the small world of Aun. What was about to come would be a response to Guthrum's next actions. He has received his last warning and a chance to depart peacefully.

[Sir Kenneth]

Guthrum saw the surrounding plants and trees twist and transform into something much darker and his opponent turn her back on him and walk away from him towards the pond where she had been playing when he found her. He heard her say something, but he paid no attention to what it was. A priest did not care for the bleating of the sacrificial lamb after all, and to Guthrum the girl was little more than that.

He felt the sensation of relief rush through his body. His opponent had forfeited a favourable position and the chance to strike first, and given him the opportunity to make the first move. He laughed to himself at Aun's folly. This would be the last mistake she ever made, he would see to that. She was the sacrificial lamb and he was the priest, and now he was going to let the dagger fall...

Guthrum clenched both hands tightly around the hilt of Gurthang and began his charge. His feet set into motion, first slowly because of the muck, but soon with a speed few would think possible for a man of his imposing stature. His weight and muscle propelled him forward over the necessary distance Aun's withdrawal had provided him, and now he was only a few feet away from her. With all the strength he could muster and with a fiercy warcry, he brought Gurthang down upon his her.

[Nekoness]

So this was to be his choice. That left no alternative for the strangely clad girl. A single thought passed through her mind as her opponent charged at her, "Why must I fight once again?"

Guthrum's blade kisses the air where Aun stood, but a few seconds too late. Faster than the wind, the young woman slips away from this mortal blow, and turns to observe her foe not but a few steps away. Her eyebrows give away the concern and confusion gnawing at her self esteem. She knows she has to fight him, but hates the necessity of shedding someone's blood again.

A complicated, but graceful movement of Aun's wrist is enough for her small world to activate the first of its elaborate functions. The ground shakes under their feet as it gapes open, releasing a massive surge of tangled branches that grow towards the sun. The blooming limbs begin to spread apart nimbly, like a flower unfolding. Pink and white sparkles dance, slowly exposing Aun's unbelievable weapon as it materializes. All she must do now is to reach out hand and grasp the huge object. The shining object trembles with tension in its owners grip.

What unfolds is an unbelievable sight. A young, small girl in fashionable clothes is going to fight against a well armored man, with only an enormous lollipop to protect her. The girl swings it easily around despite its obvious size and great mass. Her narrowed pupils move in Guthrum's direction, coldly regarding him. The grown man quickly becomes only a target for the youth. If this will shut him up for good, then perhaps she'll be able to achieve her lost peace once more.

She spring at Guthrum with the blinding speed of youth, using her lollipop weapon as deftly as a mercenary might use a favored war hammer. She aims for his heart, his head, and other vital points on his body as she leaps from side to side in an attempt to perplex her enemy. Her over grown hammer like toy seems to be a perfectly natural extension of her body. The ease with which she uses it testifies to the years of trial and her level of skill. Aun's moves are accurate and amazingly powerful for someone of her size. Right now she could be compared to a small tornado, spinning around Guthrum chaotically in her wish to put him down for good.

[Sir Kenneth]

With a surprised grunt Guthrum stumbled a few feet forward, opening his eyes wide for a mere split second when his target disappeared before his blow. He had not expected this girl to move with such grace and speed, it was as if this move had barely required any effort from her. "Perhaps she will prove a worthy opponent after all, rather than a mere sacrificial lamb" he thought to himself and could not help but smile. Slaughter did not rouse his spirits the way battle did, and Guthrum practically lived for battle! Before he was able to regain his balance though, the earth below him shook and he fell fast forward, face down into the ground.

With a growl he got back on his, turning to Aun who was now holding a mace of some sort. Guthrum found the shape and colour of the weapon to be highly peculiar. Perhaps it was meant to resemble something, but if that was the case, it was not something he had seen before. It was of no use musing over what the weapon might resemble though, and Guthrum didn't get any time to do so either. Before he knew it, the girl was over him, and quickly he adopted a defensive stance, using his long sword to shield himself from harm the best that he could.

The blows of Aun's mace rained down upon his upper body with great speed and power. The long sword was no great weapon for defending, but Guthrum
made the best of his weapon, utilising it with great skill. He was not able to deflect every blow though, and a particularly nasty blow to his right side struck him clean. He felt a sting of pain and heard several ribs break under the blow, but Guthrum had experienced worse. He didn't as much as flinch and stood his ground, parrying Aun's next blow with the flat side of Gurthang's edge.

Bringing his sword down on the girl right now would be difficult. She moved and struck at him with great speed, and even if he was to try using his sword for offensive measures, she would likely land a killing blow before Gurthang was allowed to taste her flesh. But he did have other means of hurting her. Means she would not likely expect. The next time she swung her mace, Guthrum was quick to parry the attack and even quicker to retaliate.
With great strength and with a wide grin he brought his helmeted head down upon the unprotected face of Aun. This move she could surely not have expected...

[Nekoness]

Indeed, such a move was not expected. In her silent rage the young warrior had lost it, carried away, she was putting her energy solely into offensive techniques. She almost didn't see the powerful hit coming. Nimble as she is, Guthrum’s attack is unavoidable at point blank distance. She can't do any more than try to soften the thrust of her larger foe. The only defense left to her is to lift her arm in a desperate attempt to protect her gentle face from being smashed.

Guthrum smashes into the slender arm of the girl, sending the light weighted opponent sliding about ten meters away. Full of pain, a shocked squeal escapes her lips as she flies back, scraping against trees and bramble on her way. Aun’ s enormous weapon is dropped by her weakened hands, leaving her defenseless against the blade of her enemy. She finally lands in the softness of a clump of tall grass, covered with leaves and broken twigs, Aun lets out another cry of pain. Her pretty hair and fashionable outfit were no longer nearly so pretty, stained with moist ground grains and the life juice of dying plants. Whats worse, her skirt was lifted above her knee in her forced flight, revealing far more then any modest girl would ever show a complete stranger.

Her slim body shakes and her dark eyes open wide, tears flowing down her small face. Hurt and humiliated, unable even to cover on her exposed flesh. Waves of pain scythes through her arm when she tries to move it. Even to bring her body into a sitting position demands a lot of effort from the young female. Feeling her now dirty hair and observing her clothes in their current condition, Aun screamed in anger. "You..You.." she cried out loudly, her little fist is shaking in the air. "To ruin my perfect hair..my clothes!! My new clothes! Do you know how much money I spent on my new clothes?! Unforgivable..!!!" She continued to scream at him, still sitting in the grass, her body language that of a spoiled child.

Then she stopped for a moment, filling her lungs with air.Aun’s breathing is short and heavy. It seems she was partly broken by this single powerful attack of Guthrum's. But this is not the case at all. Who ever truly knew this girl would suspect she is only trying to buy a little time. Her mind already working on her next attack.

Aun’s thin lips murmur a pair of words, a soft whisper, summoning an ally to aid her in the battle. “Royal Doves.” Was all she said, which would make no real sense to any but herself. Perhaps she hoped her enemy would believe her knocked senseless. Yet in less than a few seconds her call is answered. From the trees all around the clearing, there comes suddenly a gentle flapping of many white wings bringing a huge flock of snow white doves into the air. None of those delicate birds were particularly birds of prey, no sharp talons or cruel beaks with which to rend flesh. However, such creatures as they have their own method of defense, and perhaps more sophisticated than one would expect. Certainly an unexpected attack from such graceful creatures as the royal doves would never be anticipated. As they flock above Guthrum, a chaotic rain of half liquid excrement rains from the skies, the acidic sludge deluging the ground where the proud warrior stands.

[Sir Kenneth]

Guthrum couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. He had figured that the headbutt would have been potentially fatal to the frail looking girl, had he just struck her clean in the face. He had not though, and now she was lying on the ground not many metres away. Broken (or so Guthrum believes), battered, and ready for the finishing blow. He had not killed her with his attack, but her weak defense had only postponed her demise for a few minutes at best.

He threw his head back and laughed as he slowly walked towards his opponent with his sword lowered. It was a roar of a laughter that was carried on the wind to the canopies of the tallest trees, and in return an echo rang from above him, filling The Mother's Womb with the sound of his laughter several seconds after he stopped. "I didn't expect much of you woman, but I didn't expect it to be THIS easy" he said, making no attempt to conceal the contempt in his voice. The weak would fall by the band of the strong, and thankfully Guthrum had proven himself to be the strongest.

But much to his surprise and great annoyance, something Guthrum had not expected occurred. By the power of the word alone, the girl seemed to have summoned a flock of white doves. For a moment he stood there, just looking at the approaching flock of birds, completely struck dumb with surprise by this unexpected sight. His puzzled expression quickly changed to smile. Or it would have, had the first bird droppings not hit his shoulder that very second.

He let out a snarl as the excrements of doves burned through the thick leather of his armour, and into his flesh. He quickly brought up Gurthang, holding it high over his head in an attempt to shield himself the best that he could from the acidic rain of bird droppings. The stench was almost unbearable and he had to strain every neve not to throw up. His vision blurred, but whether it was due to the foul odour or the great pain of the bird droppings slowly raining away his skin and burning its way into his body, he did not know. The pain was excruciating and for a moment he was left completely helpless, unable to hear or see what was going on around him. There was one voice he did not need his ears to hear though: The voice of his master.

"Let go Guthrum" his master said to him in a gentle tone of voice, much closer to sounding like a plea rather than the command Guthrum knew it to be. "Leave the pain of your mortal shell behind for a moment and let me lead your hand". In his mind, Guthrum sent his thanksgivings to his master before he vanished from his mind, to return when Gaap no longer needed his body. The body that had until that very moment housed the soul of Guthrum, opened its eyes once again. His vision was still somewhat blurred and in front of him, he seemed to see his adversary twice in front of him, but little did it matter to him now.

He threw back his head once again. This time not to laugh, but to let out a fierce, defiant warcry. Overcome with berserker rage, the demon-possessed Guthrum threw himself at Aun, stabbing and swinging his sword wildly. He hardly felt the pain of the purulent sores on his upper body and his broken ribs, he paid very little attention to. All he cared about now was the slaughter and with complete disregard of danger, he let his sword fall down on Aun as fast and as often as he could.

[Nekoness]

At first the cruel man smiled. He thought he could already taste the sweet flavor of victory. But when the majestic birds began to drop their stinky, acidic excrements on him, causing him such clear pain, that smile quickly vanished. The expression that replaces it is shock as he tries to shield himself from the attacks from above. A pitiful and helpless gesture though it was. There was no way for him to lift his body up to the skies and slay the doves, or stop their insulting down pour, unless, of course, there was more to him than just the brutal strength he had thus far displayed.

When his eyes opened once more, they were not the eyes of a mere human, but something far more potent. Aun could not recognize the nature of the creature that glared at her, yet a chill went down her spine when the warrior sent out his war cry and charged forth, blinded by killing lust. Whatever possessed her foe, one thing was certain, it had no friendly intentions towards the girl. The fiend with his great sword wished fervently for her demise, and would most certainly cut her to pieces. She could see blood thirst in his wild eyes and the nimble, wide arc of the blade.

Surprised by the sudden change in his inner and outer appearance, Aun leaps back. The next few minutes sees her forced into a series dodges, dives, and rolls all meant to get her as far away from the sharp sword of Guthrum as possible. The sword and its owner truly seemed as one, moving without pause in their pursuit of Aun's flesh. Only her short, painful panting broke the tense silence while the two danced the deadly waltz of predator and prey. Meanwhile the Royal Doves ceased their attack, possibly out of ammunition, but more likely to avoid hurting Aun by mistake. Even the twisted branches ceased trying to snare Guthrum's legs, going back to their static condition.

But Aun was not ready to submit yet. Her seemingly frantic jumping in attempt to save her life has a secondary purpose. Wherever her legs land, even for the briefest of moments, they leave a sticky residue afterwards. Very soon a semi-transparent web weaves around Guthrum's body. The clay-like, half liquid substance thickens quickly, hardening into an extremely strong obstacle.

Hurt and dirty, but most of all Aun is quiet angry. Guthrum will pay for ruining this shrine to nature, her shrine, Natu's shrine. When the blond beauty left, she asked Aun to guard the green clearing, Natu's favorite place to rest. Natu never told her why she had to leave so urgently, but the burden of the guardian was gladly accepted by Aun. Natu was always nice to her and now it was time to pay back her kindness and live up to her role as guardian.

Using the time bought by her webbing Aun, still clutching her hurt arm, examines the area in search of her weapon. Unfortunately it still lies well beyond her reach. Not wasting a single precious seconds, Aun projects waves of psionic energy in her enemy’s direction, each one stronger than the pervious one. The attack is aimed to shut down Guthrum's nervous system. Her heart beats faster, yet she slows in her flight, hoping her double cross attack will be enough to stop the berserker for good.

[Sir Kenneth]

The pain. It would have been nearly unbearable to even the strongest of mortal warriors and without a doubt strong enough to kill most lesser men. To Guthrum in his current state though, it mattered very little. Gaap did sense the pain, but it caused him little discomfort. It merely told him that the body of his host had suffered a grievous wound at the "hand" of the birds. A wound he might not recover from. Dying as Guthrum might be, Gaap could easily keep his body alive through sheer strength of will alone for hours to come. Surely that would be long enough to finish off this annoying chit.

Though the state of Guthrum's body did not bother Gaap the slightest, the skill of Aun did. Whereever he let Gurthang fall, it seemed as if his opponent was constantly one step ahead of him, and the blade bit into thin air. He took some satisfaction in that Aun was struggling to evade his blows and did not have the strength to retaliate, but soon it dawned upon him that she evaded his attacks with increasing ease every time he struck. At first he put this down to the circumstances of the fight. The health of his host body was failing and his vision was still somewhat blurred. This could easily be the reason why, but he was confident that he would prevail and Gurthang would taste flesh eventually. It could also be that the berserker rage was simply wearing off. The demon drew upon the last reserves of energy he could find in the dying Guthrum and with power even he found impossible for a mortal man, he made an attempt to cut his opponent in half at the waist.

It was then he realised that his movements were not slowed down by the decay of his shell or the abating rage. They were hindered by something. Gaap screamed furiously, fighting desperately to free himself from whatever was holding him back so that he could reach Aun who had taken flight for now in search of her peculiar mace. He tried to run, but movement became harder with every step he took and before long he was struggling just to place one foot before the other. Struck by a sudden lack of balance, he crashed to the ground, landing heavily on his face and chest. The impact from the fall pressed the air out of his lungs, and as he was gasping for breath, desperately trying to get up on his feet, he could taste the blood flow from his broken nose and down his jaw. With great effort, Gaap managed to free his right arm of the hardened net and stretch it out in direction of Aun. Wheezing under his breath, he uttered a word of power. A word of power so old that it was second only to the word of creation. What rises must also also fall, and the word he spoke while pointing a finger at his adversary was simply: "Rot..."

As he said the word the thick grass in front of him began to rot and crumble away. The strange energy that caused the grass to die, moved in direction of Aun at a brisk pace, letting everything fall into rot and decay in its wake. Thorny bushes writhed like snakes as they rotted away and flowers lost their petals and turned from rich green to sickly yellow. A large dragon fly was caught in flight by this wave of death, and it took but a few seconds for the insect to rot away, leaving behind only an empty husk. Gaap was not sure if this incantation would reach Aun. This body was weak and almost drained of energy, and he had just barely managed to make the spell happen. He did however hope that atleast it would be enough to keep her away from him for now...