A Bounty to be collected in Neverscale Beach {open to any}

[Seth_Rahl]

((This thread is open to any, but please keep in mind that it is formost about the hunt for a mark, or a bounty monster.))

The wind moved softly across the desolate beach, and for the first time in many days Ifrit felt alone. He had been sorrounded by noise and brawls so much that his ears had habituated to the sound of civilization and had forgotten the peacefulness of being alone.

Ifrit closed his eyes, savoring this feeling. How had longed for a chance for his muscles to relax, to let go of the blade upon his back.

But he couldn't do that yet. There was still one more life that his blade had to claim.

Ifrit opened his eyes and looked down at the piece of paper the recruiter in Scara Brae had given him. The monster he was after was supposed to be some giant sea serpent, one that had given this place its desolate feel and reputation. Supposedly, all those before him who had gone to slay it had been slain themselves.

He shredded the paper with his claws, his face expressionless. He had no need for it anymore. His blood red eyes scanned the beach with a scrutiny that would put a hawk to shame, but yet nothing changed in the scenery.

Come out, come out, wherever you are...

And he started walking down the empty beach.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


3 hours later...

Ifrit kicked up sand in irritation. He had been walking this beach now for what seemed to be forever had not seen even one sign of the beast. Not a single sign.

He wished in the back of his head that he had not ripped up that paper just a few hours ago so he could make sure this was the place, for their had been nothing that seemed dangerous or even inhuman here, except himself.

The demon swordsman gritted his fangs, something he was doing more and more often these days. He decided right there that he was going to go back to Scara Brae and choke the living hell out of that lying, two-faced recruiter, if he was even in the town anymore.

He brushed the sand off of his pants and lifted Beowulf from where it had been resting on his shoulders back into its sheath. The wind was picking up, and it was growing dark. Ifrit knew that there wasn't any sea serpent out here, but he didn't know what came out at night.

Without looking back, Ifrit strode back into the woods, where the trail to Scara Brae lay. But, if he had only taken a second to double check there was nothing there, he would've have noticed the pair of giant, yellow eyes that glowed beneath the surface of the sea it self.

[~*Almighty*~]

The sun had begun its daily retreat into the horizon. A golden glow cast its radiant beams over the rim of the ocean. Waves tread and retread their paths, lost in a dreamy circle of endless ebbs and flows. The paint on the sky had dried into its evening magentas and brilliant golds and reds. This evening was one like any other for the frosty haired man walking down the shoreline. He held in his hand a scratched, old parchment with an image etched roughly on its surface. His newest mark had made a home in this oceanside paradise. Of course, that naturally made it much less of a paradise than eyes would give way to. Arcturus could only sneer at the thought of a sea monster living on this sandy oasis.

"Scara Brae sure has changed..." he huffed. "Sea monster...never seen, let alone fought one of them...I always thought they were just a myth...hey. Who's that guy over there?"

He squinted and focused his vision on the faraway silhouette of a rather large-looking fellow. Arcturus' comparatively diminutive size made him wonder whether or not the fellow in the distance was of demon descent, which was a very viable possibility, considering the strange relationships that develop in this even stranger world that they lived in. He had a strange glow about him as he too strode the beach. It was quite obvious that the two that crossed were working toward a common objective. This demon man was also in search of this massive serpent, the snake of the ocean, that stalked this sea. Arcturus decided that he needed to confront him, and perhaps ask for assistance in slaying the damned coily sea beast.

He began his advance as the sun began to lay to rest in the darkness of night. The chariot of night, emissary of black, had made his crossing of the sky, and dusk gave way to dark. However, it seemed as if the demon had lost his patience, and made his decision to disembark on the conscription given to him. Arcturus found himself to be much more patient and waited longer yet to see if his mark would surface. And lo, as the demon walked away, two searing gold eyes cast their eerie glow on the crest of the waves.

With a sudden seismic shake, Arcturus found himself struggling to maintain his footing, the ground in a blind fury. The forces at work were greater than Arcturus had first imagined when he took on this purse. "No amount of money is going to be worth this, I can just tell." he somberly spoke. It was likely to be verified in the moments to come, as out of the water the coiled figure of the serpent began to rise before the man. He scattered the water everywhere, turning the calm ocean waves into a torrent of visceral rage. All that was seen was a shadow of the large figure, and two lightning gold eyes, glaring at its next delicious course: Arcturus.

It wasted no time as it made a speedy lunge at the swaying bounty hunter. The ground was still shaking violently as the beast made its way closer and closer to the target of its razor edged fangs. Arcturus had only enough time to bounce away as he caught his composure just before the beast managed to dig its teeth deep into the sand, causing a giant wall of the granulated matter to scatter in all directions. Arcturus felt the ground shatter into quaking fear as the serpent made impact with the rough particles. He decided it was best to call for help.

"Hey, Demon! I got a problem here that you might be intertested in helping me solve! Now get over here before I'm the next dinner course!!!"

[Seth_Rahl]

"Hey, demon! I got a problem here that you might be interested in helping me solve! Now get over here before I'm the next dinner course!!!"

Ifrit's hackles rose immediately. He was in no mood for anyone to speak to him like that, no matter who they were. He snarled and, without thinking, turned around and extended his palm. "BURST!!" he screamed, and a broiling mass of shadow and fire launched from his palm in the direction of the voice.

With horror, though, he noticed that he had shot at a man wearing a steel fighting Gi and with white hair that seemed to fit in with snow. He also noticed that the monster he had been hunting was right there, attacking the seemingly harmless man.

Tired as he was from the fireball, he raced as fast as he could alongside, running at his full speed. It was just about the hit the man when Ifrit grabbed him by his Gi and threw him to the side, causing the fireball to hit the sea serpent, which had emerged from the sea itself, straight in belly.

"Well, at least that hurt it." Ifrit thought outloud, forgetting the man for a moment as he unsheathed the massive, demonic sword that was on his back. The sea serpent howled, but as the smoke cleared from the wound Ifrit saw that it merely seemed to be a scratch upon its powerful, serpentine belly. "Guess not." he muttered irritably, and dragged Beowulf across the sand as he stalked towards the giant serpent.

[~*Almighty*~]

"BURST!!" cried a voice from the distance. Arcturus clearly and easily could discern one thing: that was a spell. However, it probably wasn't aimed for the Serpent that stood before the man. "Aw shit! I pissed him off!" yelled Arcturus as he began to brace himself. The blast was most probably to be one of great pain, and the bounty hunter was not in the mood to be injured before being eaten. "This is gonna hurt..." he huffed just before the moment that would have been impact. However, a saving grace came in the form of a guardian angel...or just a very quick moving demon man.

Arcturus was suddenly ripped out of the way of the blast of black fire that would surely have dealt him grievous burns and pain. The demon had apparently had a very rapid turncoat upon seeing the situation that Arcturus had been unfortunately pinned into. The vigilant man had been uncomfortably hurled into the sand, and as he wobbled to his feet, dizzy from the sudden impact with the grainy material, he spit some of the junky grit from his mouth. He decided it only proper to give thanks, saying, "Gee, that was a quick change of heart. Thanks for saving my arse. Now, would you like to help me collect the bounty? You're probably here for it too. Killer gets the bigger split!"

Arcturus wasted no time bursting into action. Thanks to the demon's quick maneuver, the dark firebolt had managed to strike the serpent in the center of its coily form, which no doubt caused it vast suffering. It also, with all fortune, had weakened the no doubt tough outer scales of the aquatic monstrosity. Arcturus whipped his wrists in a quick motion, and two blades suddenly broke forth from the covering stealth of his bracers. Tempered steel, harder than stone, and very durable, not to mention sharper than dragon fangs, were in the form of deadly edges that came out of his wrists. The bounty hunter then squatted down, and sprung forth with all strength, causing a jump that erupted sand from its place as he rushed with break-neck velocity toward the stricken point on the beast.

Connection! The blades hit their mark precisely! The two edges gnawed their way into the monster's flesh, greedily thirsting for its blood to lubricate their razor edges. A vicious howl could be hear from the agonizing serpent, readily being sliced by the assailant that fought against it. Arcturus began to twist the blades as they dug deeper into the writhing wyrm's skin, and it raged as he jumped away. Immediately, blood in its deepest crimson could be seen pouring from the woeful wounds that Arcturus had managed to create. "Wow, that fire's something special. It'll come in handy when that beast's head is putting dinner on my plate. Let's go!"

[Seth_Rahl]

The man with frosty white hair yelled something at the devil swordsman, but Ifrit ignored him. He was too caught up in his own thoughts as he stared up at the sea serpents massive form. Now, how will I bring this bad boy down? Ifrit contemplated this, and just stood there as the serpent began bearing down on him with a dark, hungry look in its three eyes.

Suddenly a black blur rushed passed him and caused the wind to blow forward. The man that Ifrit had rescued had launched himself at the serpent with what seemed to be twin knives in his hands. "Damn that fool!" The swordsman cursed. "He's gonna get himself killed!"

To his surprise, however, the man's knives managed to pierce the plates covering the creature's skin, and blood gushed forth from the small wound. The man cried a call of victory, and said to the astounded demon swordsman, "Wow, that fire's something special. It'll come in handy when that beast's head is putting dinner on my plate. Let's go!"

Ifrit smirked. The kid had guts, that was for sure. But, unknown to the man who stood grinning next to the wound he had made, he had barely scratched the beast and had also attracted its attention. Suddenly a blue glow began forming in its jaws, and the swordsman's senses tingled. "Get down!" he cried, and launched himself in the way of the blast that he knew was coming.

It shot too high, though, and the sand exploded about ten feet from where Ifrit and the man were crouching. "Alright," said Ifrit impatiently to the kid. "...either we do this together or not at all. As long as we have time, who are you?"

[Taskmienster]

This thread has been sitting for a full year. Since no response has been made to create activity I am going to be moving this. If you would like it to be reopened please feel free to PM myself or another admin and they will be able to move it for you back to Scara Brae.