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Post by Raven8 on Mar 25, 2012 20:01:36 GMT -8
*Duo allows silence to remain in the air for several moments, awaiting Xyzillentz' response... but then none came*
Duo: Very well.... it is time for all of the evil of this world to come to an end....
*With that, the visage of Duo darkens, seeming to fade into the background as if time itself had frozen and focus was being taken away from the titan of light and justice.
The white mist across the ground suddenly stirs, fading to solid black as the endless expanse of the universe above lightens to a blood-red hue, bathing all in the area with darkness.... but a form of darkness that stands alien to Xyzillentz. This was not the darkness that darkloids command and take shelter in, rather something fundamentally different.... it had an inherent evil to it, one that was inhospitable to even the likes of Xyzillentz, one with was harsh and unfamiliar.... violent and untrustworthy.
And that is when it begins.
From the sky, from the mist, from the black visage of Duo.... a voice. A voice unlike any the toxic Darkloid had ever heard; it spoke as if in a constant echo, and spoke as if each word was being said by ten individuals with the same voice. A voice of insanity, a voice of fear.... a voice of absolute evil shrouded in a gentle tone* [glow=black,2,900] ?: Such a sad turn of events... wouldn't you agree?[/color][/font][/glow]
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Post by Snakeskin on Mar 25, 2012 20:16:13 GMT -8
...what? How was this possible? Some force stronger than Duo, it appeared, had come to interfere. But then if that were the case, and he was saved... why did he still feel so frightened, so anxious? The darkness and evil energy should have been invigorating, intoxicating... but instead they were oppressive.
Xyzillentz knew, of course, that this new arrival must be evil. And yet at the same time he realized why he was frightened - that didn't necessarily mean they were on the same "side". He would be more than willing to destroy or otherwise inconvenience fellow evildoers to advance his own cause, and he assumed this... collective of voices... was no different. The key problem, then, was of power. Power that Xyzillentz lacked, and which this unseen threat plainly had an unbelievable excess of.
Still, perhaps it was possible to appeal to him... or it. Perhaps all he wanted was a minion. Xyzillentz could live with that. So for the moment, he tried to bury his fear and speak amicably. He couldn't stop the hesitation in his voice.
"...Indeed. Quite unfortunate."
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Post by Raven8 on Mar 25, 2012 20:26:42 GMT -8
*The voice continues after Xyzillentz speaks, its location no more obvious than before, and no less oppressive...*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: But what can be done? How do you do battle against this monster and his cohords alone?[/color][/glow][/font]
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Post by Snakeskin on Mar 25, 2012 20:31:54 GMT -8
A small upward curl formed at the edge of Xyzillentz' mouth - almost like a smile. He was remembering Nightwind, and his supportive hand on his shoulder. He was remembering his battle alongside Energeist, and how they had worked to defend one another. He was thinking of AirMan, and their growing affinity for one another. When he spoke, he was slightly more confident.
"I'm not alone. I have friends and allies and fans. And even if I didn't, you're here with me now, aren't you?"
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Post by Raven8 on Mar 25, 2012 20:46:42 GMT -8
*As Xyzillentz speaks, the voice begins to laugh with a voice far deeper than it had been speaking, far darker.... as it does so, the mist seems to ungulate and swirl at the darkloid's feet, as if agitated by the laughter of the unseen being.... agitated... or frightened*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: Poor, poor child. Are you truly so naive? The very nature of the ones you remember is one of darkness, not of virtue. All but one would leave you in a moment if it turned to their best interests... and the remaining one only due to his own sick delusions.[/color][/glow][/font]
*The visage of Duo silently lights up once again, releasing an oppressive flash for but a moment before standing frozen in time once again, his massive fist set to crush Xyzillentz on a whim*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: ...and beyond that, do you honestly think that you would stand a chance against a being that can strip you all of your powers before you have a chance to move? For one who considers himself a strategist, you truly lack the ability to understand your opponent.... and your... "allies"...[/color][/glow][/font]
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Post by Snakeskin on Mar 25, 2012 21:00:37 GMT -8
Xyzillentz didn't bother giving this thing's ramblings about abandonment too much thought. He knew already, of course, the fickle nature of evil. The fact that alliances weren't always permanent was no big revelation to him. And besides, even his oppressor had stated there was one.
"Then one it is, and that will need to be enough. Even if he is deluded. Mind games can be a very powerful, useful tool." He paused for a moment, a bit of auditory venom added into his voice when he resumed. "Obviously, you know all about that."
Even as he was being bombarded with these attempts at instilling doubt and misery, Xyzillentz was latching onto another line of thought - analyzing his opponent, as he always should. It was clear now this was an opponent, one seeking to compromise him mentally.
"And no, I don't think we'd stand a chance against Duo. I'm not that idiotic. But I also don't really care. There are worse things that could happen. I will always strive to accomplish my goals, but I can recognize and accept defeat. It's all a matter of perspective... of how to handle it."
This was becoming something of a game - a frustrating one, certainly. But the frustration and anger were good. They gave him drive and focus. They burned away the cloud of melancholy.
"And I can see that you're quite powerful yourself, and I've no illusions of defeating you in combat. But if you're going to try and destroy me through mind games instead of just pissing me off and wasting our time..." his eyes narrowed into a sneering glare. "...You'll need to try much harder."
He wasn't thinking, at the moment, about how easily that could backfire. He was eager and ready to go. If this was the end, then it was about time to get on with it.
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Post by Raven8 on Mar 25, 2012 21:20:43 GMT -8
*The voice laughs yet again, the mist reacting in a similar manner as before in the wake of the creeping insanity*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: Come now.... you misunderstand my intensions. I simply wish for you to understand the gravity of this situation.... you stand as the proud beginnings of a lobotomy of all that you hold dear. Your desires, your goals, your very nature... all as dead as the void into which you stare. Just immagine the wonderous feeling of knowing the desires of your heart, but being trapped within a body unable to do anything about it. An eternity of unfulfilled desire and unreachable goals.... will you some day simply give up, or will you spend the rest of your endless life wishing for death in a world free of all chance for its sweet embrace?[/color][/glow][/font]
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Post by Snakeskin on Mar 25, 2012 21:57:56 GMT -8
"Yeah, I guess that would suck ALMOST as much as your attempts to fool me." Xyz' anger didn't let up. Just how clueless did this clown think he was? "I KNOW about psychological warfare, and this is a painfully transparent attempt. Is this your first time, or are you just out of practice? Because it seems like you could use some pointers."
He stepped forward towards the shadow of Duo, for the moment using that as a reference point to the entity that seemed to be surrounding him. "For example, let us examine the gaping flaws in logic you've just produced. Let's say this is the end of all the delightful evil I so enjoy. If that's the case, then what about you? If this IS in fact Duo and you've so easily frozen him in place, then you're powerful enough to survive, evil lives on, and my only regret is that its torch-bearer is so pathetic at it. The only way for you to fulfill this bleak little prophecy of yours is by destroying yourself, which I'd like to point out is an action which, at this point, I FULLY CONDONE."
He made a sweeping gesture towards "Duo", flailing his arm out precisely and rapidly. "And this isn't terribly believable now that I've heard you talk. The only force powerful enough to fight Duo and win would be Nebula Grey, and even THAT'S a stretch. And you're clearly not Nebula Grey, because as previously stated, you SUCK AT BEING EVIL. And besides that, controlling my body as you've mentioned is quite clearly something YOU would do, not Duo, because it's EVIL and SADISTIC. And I can respect that, but don't be so da** OBVIOUS about it. You saw me questioning myself, making mistakes, and thinking things over and assumed I was an idiot and a screw-up. But that describes YOU, not ME. In your attempt to ruin me you've begun to reveal yourself. So just give up on this painfully incompetent ruse and finish removing the veil. At least if you're sexy I might find some redeeming value in this encounter."
That felt GOOD. It was a long and unwieldy rant, but it was just what he'd needed. And even though he knew that whoever this was could and quite probably would utterly destroy him physically, he felt confident he'd come out on top where it counted. And he was satisfied.
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Post by Raven8 on Mar 30, 2012 9:02:36 GMT -8
*The voice remains silent for a few moments, the mist at the toxic Darkloid's feet suddenly rising and becoming uneasy as if with a mind of its own. It then rises up and overtaks Xyzillentz like a tidal wave, effecting him in a manner similar to a gust of wind, as if it were nothing more than the outlash of the impotent anger of a small child. The voice then returns, noticeably more flustered and angry than before, yet also more distant*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: How sure are you that you WILL leave here as you are now, in spite of all you've seen?! How willing are you to gamble that the Duo that you see is fake and that nothing I've said will come to pass?![/glow]
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Post by Snakeskin on Mar 31, 2012 16:06:10 GMT -8
He had him now. He was sure of it. There was still anger, and plenty of it - but also confidence and pride. Clearly, whatever this foe was wasn't accustomed to being found out. That was a nice ego boost.
"Considering how flustered you are, I'd say I'm EXTREMELY certain that's not Duo. I'm not saying I'll leave here in perfect condition, because you are obviously powerful, or even that you won't do some of what you described. But here's the thing - you TOLD me about it. So it's not surprising or scary anymore. It'd suck, sure, but I'd just need to deal with it. Which you've made a LOT easier."
He smirked, laughing internally at the bizarre nature of the situation. It was doing wonders to ease away the self-doubt he'd felt not too long ago - obviously the exact opposite of the outcome his aggressor had been looking for.
"You've clearly got potential and plans and some interesting abilities, but you need more practice. And even if you CAN do all sorts of crazy, sinister, sexy things to me, you've already screwed up your plan beyond repair. So why even bother? It would be much more satisfying and useful in the long run to take this as a learning experience. Hell, I'm calming down now, I could give you some tips. Just drop the act and show yourself so we can have a conversation, face to fiendish face."
He knew that was a bit of a stretch, but he felt that he had an advantage and he ought to press it. And besides, he was still terribly curious t see just who or what this REALLY was. Maybe - and this, he felt, was incredibly unlikely but totally tantalizing - an alliance could even be formed. They could learn a thing or two from each other.
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Post by Raven8 on Apr 2, 2012 20:02:47 GMT -8
*With that, a sudden change occurs…. The area suddenly becomes almost tranquil; a stark contrast to the violent tossing and waving of the mists and winds just moments before. It’s then that the voice speaks once again in a different tone. The frantic sound entirely gone from the voice, it returns to the slightly uncaring and playful confidence that it had when first breaking the darkness*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: …heheh… perhaps you were worth the time after all…. [/font][/color][/glow]
*With the sound of the laughter of the voice, the mist quakes again; reacting in perfect unison. The entire area then darkens as a tremendous force waves through the void…. then the entire reality begins to break, almost as if Xyzillentz was awakening from a dream. The scene returns to Pride Park, where the toxic Navi finds himself standing somewhere strange; in the exact center of a small tomato patch just outside the walls…. with one of the red fruits held in the palm of his hand*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: ….it’s a shame, though. In spite of all of your talk, you gave up trying to analyze what was happening the moment you thought you knew the answer.[/color][/glow] [/font]
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Post by Snakeskin on Apr 2, 2012 20:18:41 GMT -8
Xyzillentz cocked an eyebrow. It wasn't terribly evident since his are hairless, but he did so nonetheless. Tomatoes? Really? Obviously this interloper had been probing his mind. But this was what he came up with? Sure, he was a bit on edge - he was well aware of the terrible fate that would befall him were he to ingest one of these forbidden fruits - but it was not much in the way of a grand finale.
"Really? Because this fits in with the established pattern pretty well. You try to scare me or fill me with despair and hopelessness. And I'll admit I'm impressed you found my weakness. Hell, I'll even admit this is almost frightening. After all, the allergy attacks these things give me are... unpleasant, to put it mildly. But I'm also curious. I've grown much stronger since my last one. I do wonder, sometimes, how my victims feel. Being able to experience my own vile venoms and torturous toxins will satiate that. And besides, there's something alluring about being so helpless against yourself... as you can clearly appreciate."
Xyzillentz shrugged. "I don't really see the point, though. If you make me eat it than your game is at an end and you have still failed to crush my spirit as you so plainly wanted. If you're just trying to intimidate me with mind-reading shenanigans, I must make it clear that I don't have many f***s to give about that or anything you do. I know you're powerful, the issue is your stunning inability to use that power in an effective way. And as I've said, I'm more than willing to discuss these finer points of evil with you if you show yourself."
Xyz smushed the tomato in his hand and let the juice dribble down his arm. It was rather tempting to lick it - he'd gotten his own curiosity worked up talking about his toxins. It would also be an opportunity to test Nightwind's masochism hypothesis. And most of all, it looked like blood... sweet, flowing, sanguine blood.
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Post by Raven8 on Apr 2, 2012 20:47:02 GMT -8
[glow=black,2,900]?: ….heheh, once again you simply miss the point. But no matter.[/glow][/color][/b]
*Laying on one of the branches of the tree near Xyzillentz, the form of a slender Navi can be seen, one leg clad in silk, crimson cloth with pointed shoes and golden rings around the knee can be seen hanging down. Above, the form of a jester-like Navi of similar clothing with a black mask lays as if either bored or half asleep*
[glow=black,2,900]?: …and there’s no more need for acting as though you’re going to meet your doom at any time. The game is over, you won this round. Killing you would be such an anti-climactic end to it all. Have you no sense of showmanship?[/color][/glow][/font]
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Post by Snakeskin on Apr 2, 2012 21:06:22 GMT -8
He ignored the voice's bluff - he understood exactly what was going on. Or at least, he was fairly confident he did. "On the contrary, showmanship is one of my specialties. I just wasn't sure it was a shared trait. Though I'm thrilled to see it's something we have in common."
The snake turned his head to get a better look at the navi. It was not at all the appearance he had been expecting. But he couldn't claim to be displeased. "Remember how I said being sexy might redeem you a bit in my eyes? Well, I suddenly like you a lot more." The outfit was a bit goofy, but he didn't mind. At least it wasn't layers upon layers of boring, heavy armor. And he looked mischievous - always a major turn-on.
"I'm guessing you're not really interested in socializing with someone as physically weak as me, but my invitation is still very open. I do admire your abilities and I'm certain you can have quite a bit of fun with them when facing an opponent who is... less aware. And hey, maybe someday I'll ask you to give me a sample of that body control mumbo jumbo. If you can read my mind I'm sure you know I meant it when I said it sounded hot."
Xyzillentz winked. He dropped the smashed tomato to the ground, but did nothing to remove the juices from his suit.
"I'm curious about two things, dearie... first and most simply, your name. Secondly... what do you think of me, hm? I like to keep track of my public image."
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Post by Raven8 on Apr 2, 2012 21:41:52 GMT -8
[glow=black,2,900] ?: Heh... you still don't understand, do you?[/color][/glow][/font]
*The Navi suddenly fades away, appearing behind Xyzillentz, now suddenly coming across as far more imposing than a moment before*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: In all the time that you took feeling proud of yourself for discovering my little game....[/color][/b][/glow] *One of the diamonds on the crossbar on the Navi's back lights up. All at once, Xyzillentz finds himself standing at attention, his body no longer responding to anything he desired*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: ...I was able to take full control over every fiber of your being. You were so sure of yourself that you didn't expect a thing, allowing me to embed my control into your very core. You're nothing more than a puppet at my whim now....[/color][/glow][/font] *The Navi then gets directly into the paralyzed Xyzillentz' face, the smile on his black-masked face wide and sardonic as he stares past his mask, gazing with crimson eyes directly into the center of the Toxic Navi's being. Yet, something more than the Navi himself looks into Xyzillentz. The more playful, though dark, exterior of this Navi reveals something through his eyes. Within him burns an absolute evil so profound that only one name could be given to it. Within this Navi exists the unmistakable presence... of Nebula Grey himself*
[glow=black,2,900] ?: ....so please, feel all the pride you like for the job you did today....[/glow][/color] *the Navi then takes a step back, Xyzillentz' body suddenly freed from the control as the toxic Navi collapses on the ground*[glow=black,2,900] ?: As for my name and my opinions.... I am Caliga. And you have managed to catch my interest. How... unfortunate.... for you. Perhaps next time we meet, I'll do more than play on a whim..[/glow][/color] *With that, Caliga fades away... but at the same time, a strange image appears on the back of Xyzillentz hand*Dominus Captivus The crest of Caliga’s favor; grants access to his power when darkness is at its peak…. be it a blessing or a curse.The user is granted two additional program slots, one hidden program slot, and one accessory slot. However, the items within these slots are active only during the user’s first activation of Dark Soul and for a maximum of three turns.
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