in the Briars [locked to those involved]

[darknessblazing]

In a sea of blood red roses, something threatening has appeared.

Granted, there are those that would argue that a rescue team suddenly bursting through a Nexus portal into someone's rose garden is the threatening thing -- but no, not this time. The little group is the one being menaced

Comments

[not_a_shadow]

A curse escaped Enzan's lips as he sheathed his sword, summoning a handful of minibombs instead.

"We have to go through them without getting caught up!" he called, tossing a few to Dark Blues (carefully, so they wouldn't explode). "This might be enough to distract them, but we have to run!"

With his free hand, he reached for his father's hand. He was the most vulnerable here. "Ready?"

[pale_night]

:: Master? ::

:: Those are Guardians. If we get past they can't follow after us -- and if we hold ground here, they may not move too far from the doors. ::

Blues considered the situation for a moment, with a pang of dread.

:: Master Blaze is no doubt already coming to meet us -- ::

[darknessblazing]

One Guardian snapped its head around -- lured by the bombs that Enzan threw -- and lurched a few steps in the direction of the explosion.

The other, hit both by Dark Blues' own bombs and a slash of Shuuseki's blade, crashed to one knee in a spray of pixels, roaring ...

And the doors burst open.

A figure in baroque, glittering black armour, inky hair coiling like snakes, smiled venomously at the group and lifted a massive blood-black sword; and even with the difference of years and madness, there was no mistaking the features.

"Time to bleed."

[injuue_27963]

V2 fell silent from all his yelling and studied the group for a moment. Shuuseki and Dark Blues were easy to spot, but the third person?

Another Blues, sure. But...different? Could it really be Enzan and Blues?

[not_a_shadow]

Enzan summoned a few more bombs and tossed them at the remaining Guardian for good measure. Then he pulled out his sword and held it at the ready.

Somehow, he knew. Maybe he had suspected it the whole time. Maybe it was in Blaze's voice... but he knew. And it both enraged and horrified him.

"You have someone who belongs to me," he replied. "Give him back, Enzan."

[not_a_shadow]

Speed was something Enzan could handle. The force of the blows were another. He took the first one; rattled, he used an Area Steal to get around the second, aiming a cutting blow for Blaze's neck.

"I'm going to get him back if I have to cut you away from him," he hissed.

[darknessblazing]

The Guardian roared under the onslaught from Suuseki and dark Blues; clawed at empty air, and burst into a shower of pixels.

Unfortunately the second launched itself at Shuu, having been knitting itself together -- and they both disappeared in a burst of light. Teleport? Server transfer? Impossible to tell. Around Dark Blues, the air shimmered with the hint of further cyberforms about to transfer in ...

Whirling in place, Blaze brought up an arm and pivoted, allowing Enzan's strike to bit deep into his rear shoulder -- and V2's fused form.

With a yowling laugh, he countered the Areagrab with a Poison Seed; and dove again at Enzan as the briars around them turned long-thorned and venomous, draining life from whatever they touched.

"Try again, useless child."

"Or shall I force you to fight the precious doll instead?"
"

[not_a_shadow]

"Blues, no!" The fusion blurred, nearly breaking. Enzan was unable to do anything about V2 pushing him into the ground; all he could do was try to hang onto Blues.

Please stay with me. Please!

[pale_night]

The fury echoed with flashes of remembered agony; Blues knew only too well what Blaze was likely to have done.

:: End this -- ::

Blues seemed to have only two goals; to reach V2, and to rip out Blaze's throat. But he stayed with Enzan for the moment ~

[injuue_27963]

V2 yelped and grew very tense, his back started bleeding from the wound created by Blaze. He had to ignore that for now and quickly brought the sword up and then back down on Enzan's blade.

"Kill me!" V2 sounded more angry now but his voice softened, "Trust me."

[darknessblazing]

Blaze snarled, and the blade snapped out again to pierce through V2's shoulder like a razored skewer.

"Don't tempt me, toy."

"get rid of him and be done with it."

[not_a_shadow]

"I don't understand," Enzan whispered, unable to tear his eyes away. His knees gave out, but he barely noticed, sinking to the ground in slow motion. "I don't understand..."

[pale_night]

:: Master Enzan? ::

Blues tried to ease a bit of control over the fusion to keep Enzan from collapsing altogether, his anxiety leaking obviously.

:: What don't you understand? ::

[darknessblazing]

Flinching reflexively as V2 touched him, the newly-arrived Blues pressed a still-shaking hand against the wound even as he huddled lower over Blaze's unmoving form.

As he heard Enzan's whisper he flinched again, violently.

[injuue_27963]

V2's arm returned to normal and he quickly move to hug Blues from behind.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."