Venser VS Doulocel
Foundry of the Luektorem, 1439
As quickly as it happened, Nadine found herself trapped in a fate worse than death.
Her almond shaped eyed flew open, and gone were her natural gold color, it was now replaced by an inhuman, incongruously eerie blue glow.
She lay immobile, covered in cold sweat in a strange metal chair, a strange clamp attached to the back of her skull and a thick, spine like wire running from the clamp into the chair and connecting her to the very foundry of the Luektorem itself.
There was another wire in her back, next to the spine that claimed her into the Luektorem's hold, matching the other in the back of her head perfectly.
And she would smell dead flesh and bone, the dry acrid scent of a metal and bone world. Then there would be one who was looking up at her face with a snarl and a cold glare from four eerie, glowing blue eyes. Doulocel brought it's cat like skull face within several inches of hers, and laid a taloned hand on her shoulder. The movement had not seemed abrupt, yet she never had the time to react, or even to follow it with her eyes. The air temperature around them plummeted to an arctic chill in a flash.
"The contents of your mind will greatly benefit the work of The Luek, as it will mine. In stasis I dreampt of the ways I could fulfill the great work. Of a world remade, remolded, make perfect and anew. The Luek believes we must transform this world into what it once was... But I, have a different dream to make our world as it once was."
The pressure upon her shoulder was almost gentle, barely there at all. It was two inches from the artery of her neck. And then the sharp, bone like finger traced up her neck and to Nadine's forehead.
"I dream of collecting the brains of many sentient beings all networked together, so that we can create one shared dream of a new, perfect world. And from those brains the collected knowledge and power to do so... And the knowledge within your mind, of other multiverses that contain knowledge beyond this one. Such knowledge I must collect." The four armed monster said closing its eyes and relaxing for a moment.
"Let her fucking go, monster!"
Doulocel's eyes shot open and they let out a growl, stomping away from the captive Nadine and waling in the direction of the source of the yell which was accompanied by the sounds of metal clashing against metal and crackles of lightning being slung about. Taking a step forward onto the catwalk above the foundry they took a step forward, and then out of nowhere a puff of thick red smoke appeared above Doulocel, and out of it Venser, yelling with both hands on his green lightning sword.
"AUUGH!"
The four armed being ran forward and ducked down, causing the frenzied man to miss completely and land opposite of them. Whipping around and standing between Doulocel and Nadine in defense.
Venser and Doulocel faced each other from opposite sides of the highest catwalk in the center chamber, warily stalking one another, prowling along the walkway like jungle cats, Venser's lightning blade crackled and humming through the air as they faced each other, one of them waiting for the other to strike first, the four armed porcelain creature looming over the man.
"You reek of foreign magic... You are not from Laguna... Somewhere... Advanced." The four armed, cat like creature said, observing the magical green lightning that coated Venser's blade, with a grunt and a snarl they jutted out all four arms, and from within them four long blades that resembled the forelega of a preying mantis extended, glowing lilac lines prominently displayed on them.
"I will take you, and learn your secrets. Willingly or not."
"Come and get them then! Me versus you! I win... You let Nadine and I go. And you take your freak dolls and leave." Venser said, backing away sword pointed at Dolocuel.
"The girl? No... She has a genius... Such genius... She will share her secrets of interdimensional travel, and tell them to us. Just as you will."
Suddenly a Luektorem burst from a nearby panel and fired several bone shards at Venser, who quickly whipped back and dodged, a stray shard hitting his armored shoulder as Doulocel stomped it's way towards him and swiped with its blades, basked in magical lilac energy that would match Venser's lightning blade.
The man dropped to the ground and rolled away from the blow, which tore through the catwalk. Recognizing some of the structures similar to his original home, he reached out and trapped two support bolts in a green aura, ripping them out of the wall; with a shriek of stressed metal, the catwalk tore away from the wall, spilling the two into the depths of the cube. Doulocel landed on it's feet with a heavy thud on next tier of catwalks; Venser teleported and landed on the next-lowest level.
"IMPRESSIVE," Douocel admitted. "A foreign mage who can teleport and use magic without a catalyst... Perhaps a psionic, as well?" It kept observing the bearded man.
"You could do great service to the Porcelain Proxy..."
Venser teleported again; he appeared right next to the large creature, lightning blade igniting inches from the magic cyborg's chest. Doulocel reared; blocking and moving back as many more Luektorem of all races surrounded them now.
"Back away! This one is mine!"
The two watched one another carefully for a long moment, neither moving. Their magic embewed blades created eerie lights in the rising steam from the core below them.
"SURRENDER. ACCEPT THE INEVITABLE."
"My cock is inevitable!" Venser yelled.
At this close range the ragged abruptness of his movements was obvious, amply so, yet what he lacked in fluidity and speed he made up with the willful force of rage. The blade streaked again, an inch from finding its mark, but the four armed monster lashed forward in reckless disregard, flailing all four mantis blades like a mad butcher forcing the other to turn in defence at the last split-second.
"Hargghh...!"
The two furiously traded blows back and forth across the lower catwalk, with Venser madly dodging all of the blows as his life depended on it. The two began duelling back and forth across the room; Venser was so exhausted he could no longer teleport as it required him to focus his mind on a clear image of where he wanted to appear, while Doulocel of Luektorem showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever.
"SURRENDER!" Doulocel thundered again.
"No!" Venser shouted, lashing out with all his strength. Doulocel staggered as it parried the powerful attack with all four arm blades, before he stumbled back and threw out his left hand, blasting the four armed monster with a powerful gust of wind to push it back.
Green lightning crackling along his sword, Venser lunged recklessly; somehow, his strike slipped past Dolocuel's guard and struck a blow, severing an arm entirely. The magical cyborg let out a shriek as a blue bloody arm fell and the wound immediately cauterized.
With an incoherent roar of rage, Venser launched a vicious, all-out assault. Dolocuel was barely able to keep up with the blindingly fast pattern of attacks, and found itself forced all the way to the end of the gantry. Even though there was a protective railing around the gantry, Venser stepped back and breathed heavily, feeling exhaust began to set in. As Dolocuel approached again he lifted his sword and swung. And the slow, tired swing was all Dolocuel needed. One powerful swing connected with the man's wrist, shearing off his hand and the magical lilac energy cauterizing the wound. The bearded man screamed in agony as his severed hand spun away into down into the core of the Luektorem lair. He fell back, shouting profanities as he held out his left hand and absorbed all the mana in the air he could for one last stand.
He threw out his left hand and a stream of green lightning eminated from his fingertips at the three armed monster, who quickly crossed its remaining blades in front of itself, the magical energy eminating from the Luektorem blades obsorbed the powerful lightning as Doulocel stomped forward.
"Neugh! Nah!" Venser strained as the searing, blinding green lightning pierced the air and was obsorbed by the powerful magic of Old Kundaland, the bellowing rumble resounded as green and purple light filled the room. The man felt his strength slowly leaving him as the four armed monster retracted one of it's blades and curled its hand into a fist, breaking Venser's guard.
"Fuck!"
Venser didn't even have time to react before Doulocel brought a mighty fist smashing down into his face, and then everything went black.