Who's up for Steak?

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Closed to Revenant

Jensen couldn’t think of a stupider place to battle. The Grand Citadel was just one of those places he didn’t seem to understand. What the hell was the point of fighting if you could come back and live from it? This didn’t test anyone’s true combat potential, because the fear of death was never there. With that piece of knowledge that one could never die locked securely in the brainpan nobody could really push themselves.

He should know, he was immortal.

Yet here he was on his military leave from the order of the Knight’s of Apocalypse. Looking upon the large structure that provided the several different houses of carnage and destruction he felt something within him build up. Pride? A sense of adventure? No, it was just yesterday’s binge drinking that he purged all over the steps before he walked into the building.

The marble floor was really something to marvel at. Each portion of the tiles were hand crafted to a fine detail and probably local in Radansath, the curtains sown by Fallien hands, and the elaborate chandeliers had to have come from Salvar in Knife’s Edge. Each detail of the building had a piece of the world inside it, and rightfully it should. It was the world’s most premier fighting center. Sort of. There was the Cell now that he thought about it. And Gisela. Couldn’t forget Gisela. And of course, the Tournament of Champions. That was a real winner.

He approached the hollowed oak greetings desk, seeing a rather pudgy monk shuffle papers before turning and smiling to Jensen. Jensen looked upon the board and looked for an opening time he could fight pointing to the next half hour.

“I want to fight somebody fun. Somebody who wants to go all out in a bloody fest of blood letting, you bloody hear me?”

“Got it, blood. You got an idea for an arena?”

Jensen pondered this for a moment, thinking to a time he had fun in a fight while serving the Knights of Apocalypse. He remembered chasing a large troll, and by large troll he wasn’t exaggerating the already common knowledge of trolls being large. This was a large troll for troll standards. The beast ran and ran through a small town off the coast of Akashima, knocking down doors as well as bits of the archways until he blasted through a wall in some poor woman’s kitchen.

He and three other knights had been tailing this beast for four days and at last they got him to take flight, but after he killed one of their numbers. It was just him and a woman named Stephanie and the two of them cornered him making him flee towards a butcher’s shop. When he blasted through the double doors he jumped over two sets of roller bars and made way through the building. Jensen was in hot pursuit, but he had got caught up in the meat hooks, ripping large chunks of his flesh off in his chase. Stephanie had been able to dart along the chains like an amazon warrior in the jungle, laughing the entire time as she used one chain to wrap around the trolls neck where it impaled his throat.

The troll died chocking itself as it still tried to run away.

“I think I have an idea for a place. Why not a slaughter house? I want it littered with meat hooks on chains that hang from the ceiling, pressurized hoses for sanitation and roller bars that lead to imminent doom powered by those new steam powered engines I keep hearing about. For real fun let’s add a set of stairs that run up along the side, like a warehouse scaffolding so we can really go nuts all over the place. And for the shits and giggles of it all, let’s leave weapons scattered around the place on small folding tables, like butcher’s knives and heavy tongs! Sound fun?”

“Sounds a little overboard,” the monk muttered. “Not the worst place I ever seen. Someone once tried to do battle atop a rainbow. Ended with the two fighter’s going... at it.” he said shuddering at the thought.

“Were the chicks hot?”

“No, the guys weren’t.” the monk turned and began to write upon a piece of paper with a unique type of quill that he had never seen before. After a moment the monk handed him the paper. “You just place this on the pre-marked area of the door leading to the inside of the arena and the battlefield will be set up within half an hour. Then you can go in and have your fight. I shall arrange for someone…bloodthirsty as you wish it, to fight you.” Jensen pounded his fist on the table in triumph as he walked towards the door.

This should be worth a laugh or two. he thought happily.

((All bunnying of Jensen is approved by both parties.))

[Revenant]

A shudder rang up the length of William’s spine as the shadow of the Citadel of Radasanth fell upon him. And then, as if to make sure that his excitement was properly roused, it ran back down again.

Looking at the weathered exterior of the ancient building the revenant was struck by the feeling that despite its rough façade, there was something beautiful and seductive about the stone edifice which dominated this particular corner of Corone’s largest city. In times of more imaginative fancy, he imagined that he could hear the irresistible siren’s song that lured warriors to Radasanth from every conceivable locale in Althanas. Men and women, knights and sorcerers, everyone seemed equally susceptible to the Citadel’s reputation, caught like a wriggling fish in the building’s net and hauled in for slaughter.

Not that any real slaughter happened at the Citadel. Enough blood was shed, and enough flesh torn to be sure, but the legendary healing skills of the Ai’Bron monks ensured that everyone walked out more or less intact. In fact, that was the hook that had lured William to Corone in the first place. Transformed into a living weapon by ancient, infernal magic, William had used the Citadel as a place to learn to harness and control his murderous urges.

The sea of innocent faces and blank, accusing stares always lurking in the back of William’s mind was a testament to how much he had needed that control.

But it had been weeks since William had last found himself on the brink of the Citadel’s gaping maw and as he passed the threshold, each and every one of the dark, whispered urges in the back of his mind simultaneously sang out is chorus.

“Welcome back, Mr. Arcus,” the pudgy monk at the oaken desk flashed the ragged wanderer a wary smile, as if he could sense the building swell of murderous desire lurking just behind those hard, dark eyes. “I take it that you are here to fight.”

“And why else would I be here?” William’s lips cut up into a curl that was more reminiscent of a snarl than a smile. Veins of blackened corruption burrowed like works through the exposed flesh of his face and arms, signals that the revenant’s molten, demonic power was rising.

“So,” sharp cracks reported from the polished marble floor slabs as William approached the table, drawn with each step by the strike of the revenant’s hard-soled boots. The monk only watched as William reached out and dragged his hands along the rough surface of the oaken desktop, eliciting a soft, raspy cry from the wood, “why don’t you tell me where to find my prey?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” the monk hastily replied, obviously ill-at-ease at how near to the surface William’s demon was while the revenant was only an arm’s length away. “In fact, I have just the opponent.”

Shakily, the monk scribbled out a note with his uniquely fashioned quill and then handed it to William. As soon as the revenant’s fingers closed around the scrap of paper, the monk pulled his hand away as if he had touch a hot stovetop.

“That way to…,” the monk’s instruction were cut off by a curt wave of William’s hand.

Wasting no further words or time with the receptionist, William stalked over to the archway which would lead him to his battle-chamber, slamming his note up beside the one already hanging there, and entered, not even stopping to read over the chamber’s details.

The chamber doesn’t matter anyway, he thought as the darkness of the Citadel’s magic engulfed him, only the fight matters.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jensen walked along the halls, his eyes scanning the portraits along each hollowed out section on his way back towards to the door of his forming room. He saw the admittance paper next to his, looking at how it was crumbled up in the middle. He shook his head walking through the door and looked up at his newly formed arena of mayhem.

First thing Jensen did was a low whistle of pleasure. The chains were all varied around the arena and located a different heights attached to the back wall where they could be adjusted by a complicated lever system from the second floor. The scaffolding as just one long bridge that rounded out into a circular area for the lever systems.

He leveled his eyes to the floor he was on, seeing two folding tables on either side of the room with a neatly arrayed stash of butcher’s knives and other slaughter house toys. The only thing missing was his opponent, and he licked his lips as he saw his foe looking at the match location with a disinterested eye.

Sneaking around the back and darting immediately into the shadows Jensen hugged the wall staying out of line of sight as he approached form behind. He lifted up his hand feeling the cold iron metal on his fingertips as he wrapped them around the large hook, dragging it along with him. He was careful not to make a sound as he moved, but he couldn’t be sure what the hell this guy was capable of. If it was a guy, that is. For all he knew it could be the world’s ugliest woman. Yet he didn’t care.

As he was within striking distance he felt his emotions swirl in his chest as he let out a high pitched squeal as he charged forward thrusting the hook down towards his foe.

[Revenant]

“Blood,” the scent of the arena hit William even before his eyes could register what he was seeing. Anyone who had spent even the smallest amount of time on the field of battle could never forget that hot, metallic smell. But the gentle clink of the blood stained swinging chains and silent, gruesome menace of the chopping blocks seemed more like a fevered mind’s imagination of what a raw, oppressive atmosphere should be and held none of the visceral feel of a true place of massacre.

A quick scan of the arena gave William no sign of his opponent. That meant the warrior who had thought up this farce had either not entered yet, or had done so and was skulking about in the dim shadows. Either way, it didn’t really matter much to the revenant. The man would show himself when he did and then the two of them would rip and tear at each other like wild beasts.

William absentmindedly picked up one of the thick carving knives from the nearest table while he waited for the appearance of his opponent. He took his time to turn the knife over, feeling the smooth, cold metal of the handle through the bandages covering his hands. Smeared swaths of dried blood covered the edge of the blade, and for a moment William could see the blade slicing into soft, supple flesh.

Giving as grunt of impatience, William tossed the blade back onto the table. He had never been forced to wait this long for an opponent in the Citadel to show himself, a truly frustrating fact. It was a that moment, just as William’s frustration reached its peak, that a shrill, high-pitched shriek cut through the stillness of the slaughterhouse.

Reacting to the sound, William instinctively spun to meet his attacker, cursing that his demonic power remained locked away. In the split second before Jensen struck, William registered the reddish-brown hair and flared black clothing, the dangling belt of weaponry, and finally, the chain linked rusted meat hook swinging down from the ceiling.

The tip of the meat hook easily pierced the tattered wool of William’s traveling cloak and, as it slammed home, a sharp pain blossomed in the meat of the revenant’s chest. Caught between the tool laden carving table and the piercing meat hook William found himself completely at the mercy of his attacker who, screaming “fuck you,” snapped a hard kick into William’s gut.

William moved to absorb Jensen’s kick as much as possible, though the restraining chain in his chest made the effort all but useless. The stale slaughterhouse air resounded with the wet, heavy sound of the Knight of Apocalypse’s boot meeting William’s flesh. Lifted by the force of the kick, William vaulted backwards over the carving table, roaring in pain as the restraining hook tore from his flesh.

“Bastard son of a whore,” William roared as the reeking, bloodstained floorboards rose to embrace him. Jensen, on the other hand doubled over in laughter as if William’s floundering was the finniest thing he had ever seen.

On the ground William writhed, the gash in his chest burning like a red-hot poker had been jabbed into him. He was used to pain however, and thankfully the thick layers of his cloak and the heavy wool shirt underneath meant that the hook strike had made little more than an annoying flesh wound.

“Is that it, boy?” William snarled, rolling back to his feet. His demonic power was surging now, boiling like molten fire through his veins, swelling his frame with strength even as it reduced him to a charred mass of burnt flesh and wet, raw meat.

Jensen’s laughter halted, but the condescending smirk never left his face as he spoke, “so this is where I’m supposed to cower in fear?”

William could see the twinkling mirth, and more than a little madness, played out in the boy’s eyes.

I’m not ready yet, he told himself, knowing that his transformation hadn’t yet completed. But the dark urge in the back of his mind refused to let him retreat. Needing some way to keep Jensen off guard William gripped the edge of the carving table, acting on the first thing that came to mind, and heaved it at the mocking youth.

Jensen easily stepped back and dodged the poorly hurled table and the plethora of bloodstained blades that sailed with it, waving his finger at William and making a “tsk tsk” sound as he did so. But William’s throw had served its purpose, driving the cocky young man back a couple of steps and opening the gap to give William’s transformation enough time to finish.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

“Well, guess I should be careful what I ask for…” Jensen watched the hulking mass of a human turn into something much less desirable to fight. Demons were never really his thing that he could recall, but then again how many demons entered the Citadel for glory? He suspected not many good ones and came to the conclusion that this guy was just a weakling.

His opponent’s transformation was a sight to behold. Long talon claws for hands, a brand spanking new set of eyes like tiny coals of fire, teeth that would make a dentist’s head spin off and a girth that all the ladies would want to run and rub their skinny twig like bodies with watermelon sized breasts against. Hell he felt like doing it, but more to see if this so called demon had any interest in self awareness.

Training from his order ran through his mind as he began to catalog and dissect the demon before him. Every type of demon had tell tale signs of what made them powerful and also weak. As he observed him he began the list of basics: was he made of ice? Nope. Was he glowing with infernal power? Yes. His conclusion? A demon. Jensen shook his head wishing he paid more attention in class instead of attention to his teacher’s bosom.

He dipped a slender finger down his waste like a stripper, fingering the loop in the center of one of his glaives as he began to spin up upwards until it matched with his neck. The iron metal felt cool against his finger tip and the air seemed to get significantly warmer than he remembered it being not moments before. He took his free hand and fanned his face.

“Well I do declare!” he said haughtily. “I have gone in stepped in it big this time!” he cracked a grin so wide it made his cheeks feel ready to split as he laughed at the seething hulk before him. “You really know how to turn up the heat, don’t ya fire cracker?”

He laughed again slapping his knee, but the jolt of motion in his body un-steadied his finger and the glaive ran off his finger, floating gracefully upwards and away from his fingers over William’s head and landing on the roller bars with the sound of metal clinking on metal before dropping onto the floor below. He gave off a forced chuckle as he ran the hand down the back of his head, grabbing a chunk of hair and pulling at it as he took a few pained steps backwards.

“Well, that’s embarrassing,” he muttered. “Call it a draw?” He said holding his hand out for his foe to take. The beast was on the attack, it’s claws aiming for his throat as Jensen turned tail and ran for it. The Knight sprinted as fast as he could, his lighter frame working to his advantage as the demon didn’t seem to have any agility to it’s form. He mentally filed that information away as he turned a corner around a set of roller bars, but his foot slipped on one of the knives that the Revenant had thrown at him and he landed on his hip with a sprawling motion. Fingers touched the cool concrete floor as he pushed with all his might to be off like a loosed arrow. As fast as he thought he was his tail coat wasn’t and William’s fists wrapped around the poor leather pulling Jensen back with a mere tug.

He felt his feet lift from under him and his belly constrict in unpleasant ways as he flew backwards, his hands and legs perpendicular with each other as his back slammed into the set of stairs just by them. Pain racked up the spine of the Knight of Apocalypse as his world flashed white for a moment. He woozily looped one finger into the hole of his throwing knife and came up letting it go towards his foe as he regained control of his body, getting up and using one arm to grip the side of the stairs metal guard pole and leaping over it, running up the steps with a heated fury.

Be careful what you wish for, Jensen… he smiled to himself. Like hell I would…

[Revenant]

“That’s more like it,” William snarled happily, swatting Jensen’s throwing knife out of the air with a casual backhand. The clang of the iron blade rebounding off the revenant’s blackened claws sounded through the slaughterhouse like a shot from an Aleran pistol.

“Run rabbit, run,” the revenant called at the fleeing Knight of the Apocalypse. Watching his ascent, William had to admit that while the fight had started off on a sour note, he was beginning to warm up and enjoy himself. There was something primal about a hunting game of cat and mouse.

Jensen rounded the first leg of the spiraling staircase, and William knew that there was no way that he would be able to catch up to the younger man. Honestly, he had no intention of chasing Jensen into the rusty grates and steam pipes ringing the second story scaffolding. The near maze-like conditions up there would have heavily favored Jensen’s smaller, lighter frame and William wasn’t about to handicap himself like that unless he absolutely had to. What he needed was some way to remove the advantage and bring Jensen back down to his level without killing the man. His dignity burned like the gash on his chest and just killing Jensen wouldn’t sate his sadistic urges. No, William was going to drag Jensen’s death out as long as possible.

“You think you can hide from me up there?” William taunted, moving over to get a grip on the fallen carving table. It took all of the enhanced strength that his demonic power gave him, but by tapping into that strength William was able to lift the table and, roaring like an enraged bull, send in flying through the air towards the stairs. Laughter, short and barking poured from the revenant’s lips, a mockery of Jensen’s mirth, but a fresh stab of pain told William that his exercise had torn the gash in his chest open.

But the cost had been worth it and the heavy table flew across the room like a wounded goose. Seeing that the makeshift missile was rapidly approaching, Jensen gritted his teeth and poured everything he had into one last burst of speed to hurtle to the top of the last row of stairs. A split second before impact Jensen reached the last stair and dove onto the open scaffolding. Wooden splinters exploded around the Knight as the carving table came apart. Metal screeched in protest, the force of the table’s impact warping and twisting the girders and handrails, leaving the staircase completely unusable.

The last remnants of the table clattered to the bloodstained concrete and for a split second the only sound in the slaughterhouse was the soft clank of the swinging chains.

“Yoo hoo,” Jensen called, breaking the silence as he waved a middle finger through the slotted grates, “missed me, asshole.”

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jensen laughed as he pulled back his finger, looking at the expression his foe held for him with pleasure. He added a quick raspberry before looking along the flooring of the scaffolding as he pondered just what, what he could do now? He saw the controls for the hooks not seven feet away and he made a quick move towards it with sadistic tendencies for his demonic colleague.

Looking through the metal cracks of the floor behind him he estimated which hook would be a good choice, and then with a shrug he pulled out his punch knife. It was his steel trustworthy companion he held in high regard when battling and it served him loyally for years. In this instance he slammed it repeatedly into the controls, his other hand twisting dials and pulling levers into the 'on' position. Before long the sound of chains whirling in the empty air picked up in his ears as his symphony began to play a beautiful overture to madness.

The Knight turned towards one last grouping of controls and switched everything on as he laughed wildly, punching the controls to fix them permanently on allowing the grinding machines motion as the roller bars began to spin wildly into life with a low hum. With every tool at his disposal locked on he lifted his arms up in supplication before he lowered them like a conductor, playing the lyrics in his mind to the screams of William.

Something broke underneath him a few feet as he twisted in a jump looking to see William’s talon like fingers break through the weak metal flooring. As it retreated another set of talons got closer to Jensen and he hollered out his mirth in a mighty chuckle as he dashed forward towards the swirling chains and hooks, the metal links swirling faster and faster as he whooped in hysterics.

His left boot hit the scaffolding guard rail as he launched himself out into the whirling dervish, his fingers open wide as he gripped one of the links of chain and began to spin in rhythm with the insanity of the flight. Jensen let his lips part open wide as he cried out in mirth, the bellows echoing in the room. Slowly he let his finger slide down the chain allowing his flesh to be ripped off piece by piece until he gripped the steel hook. His body felt a small push upon him as the apex of his swing made his hair flow outwards behind him. William was below him, then he was gone all in the same blur and back again as he moved further towards the edges of the arena. His feet kicked up as he ran along the wall, the chain lowering to offer more slack for his weight.

When he turned back around and saw William he shouted to the demon a vulgar war cry as he released his chain, his punch dagger held forwards as he zoomed forward like a firework, ready to explode as he neared his foe. The seconds passed like hours as his grin widened and widened, William’s face contorting into a snarl of rage as he turned, his demonic claws reaching for him.

The two met with a harsh impact, William absorbing the blow with a shuddering gasp as the dagger impaled his upper shoulder, but he didn’t drop his grin as his other free hand gripped Jensen by the throat.

“I caught you rabbit,” the Revenant breathed, his breath hot and vile and spoken with a guttural primeval tone accompanied by a softer humane voice. It was as if two spoke as one, both the human and the demon relishing in the opportunity to destroy Jensen.

In response, Jensen choked out a laugh, his eyes full of passion for slaughter while his fingers wildly reached for his throwing daggers.

[Revenant]

“Oh I don’t think so,” William spat, seeing Jensen’s frenzied reach for his daggers. Like with the carving table, the revenant heaved with all of his supernaturally enhanced strength, pivoting hard and slamming Jensen into the cool, hard concrete. The young Knight landed amidst the scattered butcher’s tools with a crack. To William’s annoyance, though it seemed like all the air left Jensen’s lungs in a single breath, the mocking grin never left his face.

Already enraged by the burning pain of his wounds and the smell of hot blood pouring like a fountain from the deep wound in his shoulder where Jensen’s dagger remained lodged, the sight of Jensen’s casual, laughing face drove William over the edge. The roar that escaped his charred lips was like the bellow of a mindless beast as he drove his fist into the hard flesh of Jensen’s midsection once, twice, three times, completely ignoring the savage, screaming pain of his wounded shoulder and chest. The third strike worked out the incoherent rage and William pulled hard on his mind, reining in his berserker rage. His left arm twitched uncontrollably, a ruined mess at the shoulder, and Jensen lay writhing on the floor in pain, gasping for air like a fish on the beach.

“Not laughing now, eh rabbit,” William breathed heavily, each word laced with the heavy pain that he felt in his raw, bloody shoulder. Seeing that Jensen wasn’t going anywhere just yet after his breakdown, William reached up and, gritting his jagged teeth together hard enough to draw blood, tore the offending dagger from its fleshy sheath. There was no gentleness or precision in his extrication, just a quick pull that sent the offending blade soaring across the slaughterhouse trailing fresh, molten blood. His arm, already severely injured by his loss of control, hung uselessly at his side.

“Fuck it,” the revenant spat, ducking around a swinging meat hook that had spun too close, “I’ll heal, and it was worth it to wipe that shit-eating grin off your face.”

Still lying defenselessly on the cold floor, Jensen’s eyes lit up and his blood flecked lips split into a wide grin.

“Grah!” William roared but before he could move in for the kill Jensen hooked his fingers around the hilt of one of the discarded cleavers and flung it forward. His throw was well aimed and on the mark, striking William squarely in the center of his chest.

Surprised, William staggered back a step, bracing himself against the killing blow. It took a second for his mind to register that the cleaver, horribly balanced for throwing, had hit sideways.

“Missed me asshole,” William laughed painfully, mimicking Jensen’s earlier taunt.

“The fuck I did,” Jensen wheezed, pointing towards the barbed hook hurtling across the floor towards William.

“Wha…,” William jerked around, too slowly, barely registering the advancing hook before it ripped into him and jerked him off his feet.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jensen breathed heavily as he felt fresh wind being lifted into his lungs, one tender hand touching his ribs just to make sure they weren’t cracked or broken. While body was still in one piece it was fractured in several places not to mention a wallop of bruises all over his arms and back. Despite the raspy, ragged wheeze he made his lips never faltered that smug bastard grin. This was just to much fun not to smile at.

His pleasure in this debauchery only caused William to grow more agitated, wanting nothing more than to wipe that smirk from his face. Though the crazed knight was to exhausted to laugh anymore, he defiantly smiled with bloody lips and busted nose. This obsession, this singular goal to destroy the enthusiasm in the warrior of the end times had only been his downfall as a spinning meat hook pierced the flesh of the Revenant dragging him forward by his feet as he clawed with his one good hand wildly.

Wheezing his amusement and pointing an accusing finger Jensen rolled to the side, letting the demon pass by him as he got to his knees and drew in one deep breath. His lungs felt on fire but he pushed this pain aside like any warrior would. He would not be denied this opportunity for carnage.

He pulled out the remaining two daggers he had left and began jogging after the beast as it clawed at the steel chain to try and break his flesh from it’s cold vice like hold. As he jogged his breaths became pained but steadier as he picked up the pace, feeling something bubble up within his stomach. Before long Jensen’s chest was on fire with agony, but the laughter returned to his lips as he gave chase to his prey in a full run.

He reached the Revenant and jumped upon his back stabbing both weapons into his wounded shoulder region. With his full weight upon William he dragged his flesh downwards eliciting that beautiful sound of exquisite pain from the demon‘s lips. The flesh broke free from its bonds spraying them both in hot molten like crimson liquid. He couldn’t stop relishing in it as he fell to the ground with the beast rolling on to his side and lifting up on his blades tearing them free in a smooth motion as he nipped onto his feet spreading his legs wide as he slid on the spilt blood a few feet away.

Jensen looked upwards towards the demon who’s fiery eyes locked on the immortal with a driven blood lust. In response Jensen let his laughter die down to a smug smirk as he stood up and dropped his daggers back into his belt.

“It’s terribly rude of me to start a fight without introducing myself.” The immortal chuckled as the demon reared itself to it’s full imposing height.

“I couldn’t possibly care less for your name, Rabbit,” his guttural tone echoed within his own throat, the two voices mixing as one before coming out like a twisted chorus of angels. Jensen shrugged as the beast made way for him lifting his one good arm out to the surrounding area. “You have fallen into a hole, little rabbit. You hit a corner and now have nowhere to flee.” he laughed at this, enjoying the moment as Jensen took a quick take of his surroundings and merely let his lips purse into a confused look.

“I’m sorry, but you just don’t get things easily, do ya?” He asked, his eyes scanning the room before he let a toothy grin widen in his lips. As he thought, this irritated the Revenant as he stepped closer, making sure not to let Jensen have an escape route. “You really can’t catch onto things, can you?” he repeated as he lifted himself to full height.

“My name is Jensen Ambrose, Senior Knight of the Apocalypse,” he bowed low to his aggressor, one arm looping in front of his stomach and the other stretching far behind his back as his fingers widened. “And this rabbit may yet pull itself out of the hat!” he joked as his fingers gripped a rotating meat hook, his cries of mirth echoing in the slaughter house as the howls of frustration from the Revenant matched his pitch.

The chain adjusted for his weight giving more slack and the Knight smiled as he released his grip on the hook, free falling a few feet into a tight roll before he opened up into a low slide underneath the roller bars, grabbing his glaive in one motion and coming back up on the other side of the roller.

With weapon in hand he lifted it up and aimed taking a deep breath and holding his tongue out to the side of his mouth like a challenged dog before letting the weapon swirl in the air after his opponent. He knew his shot was probably wide as his chest heaved in pain, and he coughed violently as blood spit up from his lungs and out his mouth. He chuckled to himself before laughing fully and heartily, wiping the back of his hand on his lips and seeing the blood on his hands.

He looked to the roller bars and the grinding machine with devilish intent as he came up with an idea to end this silly game of fox and rabbit.

[Revenant]

Weariness was settling on William’s shoulders like a heavy mantle. Perhaps it was the annoyingly intractable exuberance of his young opponent, William always hated fighting these mocking, braggadocios types. Perhaps it was the fact that his body was weeping molten crimson from half a dozen places. More likely than not, it was a combination of both. Whatever the cause, the result was the same. The world spun slightly with every move of the revenant’s head, whirling chains and grinding machinery swirling together in blurry shapes that filled the world just outside of the focus of William’s attention.

Not much left, his mind panted, mirroring the pain and exhaustion his body felt. William wobbled slightly on his feet, and try as he might, could not manage to find the ability to focus. A fresh, sharp pain in the side of his cut forced that all back, reigniting his anger and brining the world back into sharp focus.

“Huh, I didn’t expect that to work,” Jensen wheezed in amazement at the sight of his glaive sticking out of the revenant’s gut. “But I was aiming for your head. Isn’t anything going to go right today?”

Given renewed purpose by Jensen’s attack and determined not to squander it, William snarled, “what about this?” The revenant grabbed a passing meat hook and pushed it outwards, swinging it right into the path of the grinder that the young Knight of the Apocalypse was using for cover. The rusted metal struck the teeth of the grinder with a metallic screech, the grinder gripping and tearing at the metal in a shower of sparks which flew out at Jensen.

Temporarily blinded by the spray, Jensen cried out and backed up, throwing a hand up to cover his face from the stinging barrage. With no time to waste William charged forward, using every ounce of strength he had left to slam into Jensen, locking the hardened bone of his claws once more around the youth’s scrawny neck and squeezing.

“I told you there was nowhere left to flee rabbit and I meant it,” William screamed and squeezed even harder, causing Jensen’s face to turn an ugly shade of purple. Expecting resistance, expecting an attempt to flee, and weakening by the second, William poured everything he had into holding Jensen from backing away. But what the demonic warrior didn’t expect was Jensen to kick out and lunge forward, driving his full weight into his captor.

Caught off guard, both men tumbled onto the rolling belt that slowly fed into the beating jaws of the grinder. It was the one thing Jensen could have done to get William to release him, but as the revenant brought his hand away from the young knight to pull himself off the path to doom Jensen reached up and held the claw in place.

As wasted as he was, even William’s supernatural strength couldn’t dislodge the death-cling of his opponent, and the last thing William saw before the roar of the grinders blotted everything else out was Jensen’s silent, choking laughter.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jensen couldn’t help but cackle wildly as his opponent ran right at him, his intent clear as day to rip whatever happiness the knight had left in one final move. What the Revenant didn’t count on was that Jensen literally couldn’t have cared any less. He wanted to show this demon that he feared nothing when one couldn’t die. His bloody dance with death had neared its climax as William wrapped his talon fingers around the knight’s throat with sadistic intent.

He choked out his laughter, unable to believe the beast would take the bait so easily as he gripped back, one hand lodging itself to the wrist and the other to the neck as he spat blood into the face of his foe to clear his burning windpipe so he could laugh even more. The pure joy in this mindless destruction made Jensen’s life sing with anticipation as his ears picked up the metal crunching sound of the grinder that had recently chewed up one of the metal chains.

Realizing that his life was suddenly in danger the Revenant went past fight mode right into flight as he narrowed his eyes in determination to escape this death trap. Yet when he found resistance to his movements his molten eyes widened a fraction as Jensen’s orbs beamed with exuberance at the coming calamity.

No words were exchanged between the warriors, both just increased the pressure on the wind pipe of the other to choke the life out of their opponent before the imminent end to the battle drew near. Defiantly Jensen kept laughing wildly into the face of his foe, feeling his enhanced strength crush his windpipe like he would a twig after several seconds of applied pressure. When his wind pipes no longer could produce sound or air he just put all of his entire being into keeping that damnable smirk on his face.

Soon they hit the grinder, it's teeth crunching into William first as he hollered out in torment as his head was chewed apart spewing his molten life all over the two. Jensen's world exploded all at once into a flash of red hot surging agony before instantaneous blackness consumed his life.


~*~*~

Several Days Later

“Jensen?” a fair voice called out in the infinite blackness. Pain surged through every nerve and the Knight of Apocalypse had incredible difficulty focusing his thoughts and actions. It took a little encouragement from the maiden voice, but after a few minutes of terrible pain Jensen’s eyes softly fluttered awake. He looked upon a beauty that he honestly felt a strange attractiveness for, but his eyes scanned her every feature. Long elegant face, sharp cheeks and angular features. Long golden sun blonde hair draped down her face and in the edges of the curls he found two pointy ears.

Bile instantly filled his mouth as he turned softly to his side, preparing to puke as the elven nurse moved to his side. “You must be careful, your body went through quite a shock.”

“Get your grubbin nature humpin fingers off me!” he spat, feeling his head roll around the room at a pace he couldn’t keep up with. The elf retracted her hand for a sliver of a moment, before she gingerly touched him again. “I SAID GET OFF ME, POINTY EARED KNOW IT ALL NARCISSIST!”

“I’ve heard worse insults from bigger men than you, human. Now silence yourself and calm down. I’m your registered nurse and you need time to heal!” she spoke forcefully as she pulled on him. Like a spoiled child Jensen whipped his fingers and slapped her hands away.

“You just caught me on a bad day, leaf licker,” Jensen whispered as he pushed the blankets off his body. The nurse tried to restrain him but he just kept fighting her off until he placed two feet on the floor. The cold tile sent signals up his nerves and he felt his entire body wretch with pain as he shook violently. Despite all this he pushed himself up as his arms and fingers made a tingling sensation like one who awoken from a numb feeling.

“Just where do you think you are going?” she asked marching around the corner. Jensen woozily took a few steps, feeling his body and testing its limits. For what he wanted to achieve he had the strength. That’s all he cared about.

“Listen Bush Fucker,” he muttered. “Where is my opponent’s bed?”

“After all the insults and slurs you tossed at me you expect me to help you?” her voice hinted at amusement. Jensen gave her a death glare before moving forwards. “Sit down, I’ll grab you a wheelchair.” she insisted. Jensen’s hand lurched up like he was about to backhand her, but one elegant finger pushed his hand aside.

“I don’t need your charity,” he spat angrily, feeling his world spin as he woozily took a few steps towards the door. He finally realized he was in hospital clothes, feeling his rear end get a fresh breeze. Well, all the better for the filthy elf to look at. His fingers fumbled with the knob on the door before he ripped it open with a wide swing, leaning on the archway as his eyes scanned the hall.

Jensen was used to coming back from death in this state, and each time never felt better. Once he had his arm cut off and when he returned back from the dead he felt numb for days in that part of his body. Once he froze to death and his body continuously shook with eternal frost as he sat in saunas to warm his bones. No matter what he came back feeling worse for the wear, but the pain would fade in time and he would be back to himself all over again.

In this inebriated state he shuffled down the hallway like a zombie, his shoulder running along the wall making a soft scratching sound as he looked for the room where his opponent would be resting. He hit a door, and looked at the name on the checklist. He saw the one thing he was looking for on the checklist, and the accompanying warning sticker next to the room number made him pleased as he fumbled his fingers with the door.

There he was, on the bed sleeping peacefully. The man who had dragged Jensen down into the pits of hell for a wild ride. He owed this man so much, teaching him things he didn’t think he could learn and giving him one amazing experience he would forget only by the passing of time. Yet he knew his curse to live forever was his fate, but he wanted to make sure one thing was clear to the demon and the human.

“Listen to me,” Jensen said angrily as if the Revenant had already started a conversation. “Shut your damn mouth and listen to me.” he groggily made his way to the bed’s arm rest and leaned heavily upon it. “I know your human form is asleep, dreaming peacefully or having a psychotic nightmare of the events that just unfolded. For all I know you two are dry humping each other in the ass, whatever floats your boat.’

“Yet I want you to look at me, LOOK AT ME!” Jensen screamed as his fingers lined the Revenant’s face, forcing it to face the knight though the eyes never opened. “I want you to remember this face! Remember this shit eating grin every time you close your eyes! Each moment of your peaceful slumber I want my ugly mug smiling at you, laughing hysterically in defiance! I want my face BURNED into your retinas for all eternity. When you sleep I want my laughter to be your lullaby! You hear me?”

He gave him a sadistic grin, his stomach lurching back into life as his chest heaved in pain. His throat burned as if it was being choked all over again by the Revenant’s talons. Yet through all this pain Jensen let out a wild, hysterical laughter that immediately drew in the citadel guard and doctors.

They grabbed Jensen and pulled him away from William, causing the immortal to laugh all the harder and wilder as he called out to the Revenant. While they dragged him away back to his room he laughed and laughed until he couldn’t anymore, but his smile never, ever, once faded as he chuckled himself to sleep.

[Taskmienster]

Who’s up for Steak? :: As requested, I’m going to be putting light to no commentary. I’ll be splitting your scores right next to each category. Any questions, concerns, or comments can be sent to me via PM.



Continuity Enigmatic :: 6 | Revenant :: 5

Setting Enigmatic :: 5.5 | Revenant :: 6

Pacing Enigmatic :: 6 | Revenant :: 5.5

Dialogue Enigmatic :: 4 | Revenant :: 6

Action Enigmatic :: 5 | Revenant :: 5.5

Persona Enigmatic :: 5 | Revenant :: 5

Technique Enigmatic :: 6 | Revenant :: 5.5

Mechanics Enigmatic :: 6.5 | Revenant :: 8

Clarity Enigmatic :: 7 | Revenant :: 7


Wild Card Enigmatic :: 6 | Revenant :: 5.5


Score:

Enigmatic Immortal :: 57
Revenant :: 59

Rewards:

Revenant :: 525 exp | 125 gold
Enigmatic Immortal:: 160 exp | 75 gold

[Taskmienster]

Exp and GP added.