Gridlock

[Anomaly]

"Honestly?" Oketsu says with a smirk, "Silly." The blades merge back into the aura that spawned them, ceasing to exist in Yuwain's hands. The grin on the blood drinkers face is truly manic as he makes a slight gesture with his left hand. Spreading his crimson tipped claws wide, he clamps his hand into a fist, as though crushing a fly.

It was foolish to think that spirit blades could be so easily turned against the soul that wields them. The other swords, still oriented on the templar, now surround him on all sides. It was a smart idea to try and rush through the wall of death, but now the beast mans bulk works against him. The crackling scarlet swords are far too close together to dodge and weave through a second time without taking significant damage. Like the embrace of the iron maiden, the swords close swiftly in from every direction.

The pale man just laughs. "Not a bad game, but I'm afraid this is where you say goodnight." In a sudden burst of speed, Oketsu crouches low and launches a powerful roundhouse kick to Yuwain's muzzle. If he dodges the blow it really doesn't matter. First blood, and possibly last, would be his.

[Mokkan Brushtail]

The blades vanished in his hands as he swung them towards Oketsu,
"Oh SHI-" was all he could get out before the kick landed, luckily the arc that the kick sent him in got his vital organs out of the blades' paths, but they still connected. Yuwain landed next to his spear,he grasped it with a weakening left hand, struggled to his feet, and stood defiantly in front of Oketsu.
"I, will not stand to see innocents slaughtered, I can't..." Yuwain fell to his knees. and stopped speaking, but still he glared at Oketsu. He willed the man to try and finish him, just to see how far his spear would go, the worst thing the man could do was walk away and leave him to live with this sorrow.

[Anomaly]

OOC (Good move using the momentum of the kick. That was a sticky situation, but I think you may yet turn it to your advantage)

As Yuwain sails through the wall of blades, small cuts and larger gashes appearing on his body, the swords fade out of existence. Oketsu's aura can only sustain itself outside of his body for so long, thus the blades end up doing much less damage than an actual sword would. As the beast-man lands some distance away, next to his original weapon, the pale man has to pause a moment to bank the fires of his spirit lest they burn themselves out completely.

"I, will not stand to see innocents slaughtered, I can't..."

Oketsu looks serious again for the second time today, "Then why engage in battle at all? What is the purpose to weapons if no one wants to use them? Whats the purpose to a warrior if not to kill? What is the purpose of innocents if it is not to be slaughtered? To blood, if it is not to be spilled?" He holds out his left hand and gestures, opening his mouth. A trickle of blood begins to fly across the divide from Yuwain's wounds, coursing into Oketsu's open mouth. He swallows but a little, then smiles again.

"If you really want to stop all of this, you'll have to become something worse than me." Rejuvenated, the vampiric creature's aura re-intensifies. "I'm just a weapon without a wielder. All I know is war...and innocence...is just another kind of victim." Taking the claws of his left hand he traces a deep gash in his right arm. A thick crimson flow drips slowly from the wound, trickling down his arm.

"Ο θάνατος πέρα από το θάνατο, δέχεται αυτήν την θυσία. Παγίδα!
Επεκτείνετε το φοβερό λαβή!"
("Death beyond death, accept this sacrifice. Ensnare! Extend my horrible grasp!")

The flow of blood falls like rain, pattering into a puddle on the ground. Oketsu slams his arm into the puddle, causing it to disappear up to the elbow. At the same time the blood that has been steadily puddling around the templar's feet pulses. From each of the tiny pools, a massive claw extends. The blood widens as the claws extend as if the puddles are holes in the grounds surface, scarlet cracks opening in the concrete. Suddenly Yuwain finds himself kneeling in the center of a red hand that closes tightly, attempting to hold, and possible crush him.

[Mokkan Brushtail]

[hmmmm...well this might be difficult.]

"What is the purpose to weapons if no one wants to use them? Whats the purpose to a warrior if not to kill? What is the purpose of innocents if it is not to be slaughtered? To blood, if it is not to be spilled?"

The Hand that got hold of him tried to press harder, but the gnoll was thick-skinned, and tough-boned, and not so easy to kill.
"The purpose of a weapon is to be ready, the purpose of a warrior to defend, of innocents to enjoy their lives, and blood to grant life. Untill you can understand that you cannot be considered a true warrior." With his good left hand Yuwain hurled the spear at Oketsu, hoping to distract his opponent into releasing him. Yuwain felt the beginning of a plan tickle his mind.

[Anomaly]

OOC(FINALLY...I was pushing for that. Thank you.)

Whistling through the air, the spear catches Oketsu off guard, this sudden attack coming from what he thought was a doomed foe. In mid-spell, no less, the blood mage has little time to block and zero time to dodge. With the gut-wrenching sound of meat being cleft in twain, the spear tip pierces his pale chest, shattering the bones of his rib cage and punching a hole out through his back. The momentum of the spear hurls the scarlet stained fiend backwards, yanking his arm from the puddle of his own blood, breaking his spell. The giant hand holding Yuwain shatters into a shower of blood that evaporates into the air as a soft red mist. As the pale man slams into the ground, the force of his fall slams the spear tip into a crack in the pavement, transfixing him to the spot.

Many of the crimson flames die away, leaving only regular smoldering carnage and a few sanguine puddles. One such pool spreads like a blooming rose from Oketsu, petals flowering in great rivulets from his bare chest in a steady pulse. All trace of his aura has subsided, yet the blood keeps coming showing that his heart is steadily pumping away despite at least one of his lungs clearly being pierced. In the distance, the first sirens can be heard fighting through the traffic to try and bring aid, a few helicopters hovering clear of the smoke heralding they're coming.

It seems as though the deadly struggle is at last over. Those who have not fled this scene of carnage begin to peep from their hiding places. All eyes turn to the psychopath that has caused so much blood shed...so easily brought down by the beast-mans spear.

Too easily?

"Αιματηρός Συγκομιδή"

The whisper seems to come from every direction, followed by a pulse audible over the wail of the distant sirens. An almost visible wave of force expands from the dying mans chest. The rich gushing krovvy reverses its flow, leaping and rushing back into the hole in the creatures cavity. Not just his blood but the ichor that drenches the pavement from his many victims, and some from those who yet live ,trickles quickly over the ground surging into the prone body. The body twitches, spasming, as it slowly begins to rise, sliding along the length of the spear. As the body jerks up the length of the shaft, leaving flecks of dripping gore like glittering rubies, the body hangs limply floating in the air.

The grizzly process continues until, at last, with the terrible hollow sound of the spear pulling free from the exit wound, a semblance of control seems to return to the body. It crouches on all fours like a beast, standing atop the tip of the spear, hair now hanging like limp rags before the horrid creatures face. "I told you already...I am not a warrior...I am just a weapon...without a wielder..." The head twitches, bones cracking in the creatures neck and all down the length of his spine as black tendrils spread and twine from his shoulders. The barbed tendrils twist and bend into a strangely familiar shape...like the wings of a dragon or some strange bird rendered in ink.

"Let me show you just what I mean." The black wings spread wide and the creature stands jerkily atop the spear like a dangling marionette. A sudden pulse of crimson light engulfs Oketsu's right arm. Torrents of vermilion energy course down the length of the arm, stretching from the body in a long sinuous flame. The energy consolidates itself, collapsing, shaping itself into the form of a sword. From the air the energy begins to draw matter to itself. Iron from blood, dust from bones, scraps of shed skin, and old leather. Lastly a clutch of disheveled crows feathers flies into the mix.

In a blinding pulse of blood-light, a massive kris bladed sword, easily seven feet long from serpentine tip to jeweled pommel, takes form in Oketsu's right hand. The feathers form a pair of raven wings closed round the sword hilt that spread wide, revealing a leering vampiric skull, hollow eye sockets set with flashing garnet-like jewels. The sword, the Blood Reaver, roars in a voice filled with rage and hunger. Or is it it's wielder? It's impossible to say.

All that can be said is that Oketsu rises, sword first into the air, wings spread as if mimicking his sword. He rises into the thick clouds of smoke, disappearing from view. The steady thumping of the chopper blades above is suddenly silenced...as six burning hulks crash into the traffic below. Each as they fall, for not can be said of the wreckage that results from their impact, can just barely be seen to be perfect halves of a helicopter. Falling swiftly with them, as if seeking to impale Yuwain in kind, plummets the Blood Reaver sword slicing through the smoke. Oketsu trails languidly behind.

"DIE!"

[Mokkan Brushtail]

[Dang I can't find a way out of this, in his condition he wouldn't be able to keep up with you if he dodged, all he can do is take the blow, and try and blast you with Sacred flow on his last breath....It was fun while it lasted, I'll just have to see if I'm able to make a new character.]

Awestruck the transformation of the figure seems to leave Yuwain transfixed, as though in seeing this hidious beast, he saw his own demise. Yuwain knew death awaited him as his oppnenet flew down towards him, but he was not going to die on his kness, struggling to stand, he rose and looked defiantly to the approching enemy. Taking in the energy he'd need for his final strike, Sacred flow. The thing Impaled him, and Yuwain let the enregy fly from his body, it healed the victims not yet dead, extinguished the fires, and would hopefully wound his opponent grieviously or more. Yuwain slid backwards down the blade, at peace, if he were to die now he'd die happy.

[Anomaly]

OOC(No no no, your character is fine. I'd suggest losing some of the unnecessary accessories and stream line him a bit, but I intentionally put everything of my character into his attacking ability. Your character could shred his body into pieces of confetti right now, but the positioning isn't in your favor. I'm actually really sorry that you've chosen to end it this way, there's still so much more to explore, but I'll respect your wishes. If not in the manner you might intend.)

As the blade slides home, a strange thing occurs. From Yuwain a massive pulse of force spreads in every direction. Though Oketsu is not particularly weak to such holy power, the shear magnitude of the blast is enough to send his body flapping like a rag in a thunderstorm. In one powerful pulse, the Reaver is expunged from the beast mans body, and sent rocketing from the pale marionette's grip. As the sword hurtles end over end away from the two warriors, it shatters into its base components, ceasing to exist.

Similarly, Oketsu's body, now once more fully in control begins to fall to pieces. The strain on the mortal form is too much, and he falls very near Yuwain, once more in a spreading pool of his own blood...this time with a disjointed arm, a leg removed at the knee, and a head turned at an angle totally unnatural. Yet in this posture a certain serene beauty touches the mad mans face. He is satisfied.

"Not bad, pup. You've still got time to grow." His voice is full of lethargy as he says this, his body sinking into the warm salt sea of blood. A Vampiric Sleep seems about to consume him. "Have fun explaining things to the authorities." A last crooked smile before he sinks completely. Not a victory or a defeat...a draw.

OOC(You've got potential. Don't give up)