(Disclaimer: As I have to upkeep with the matches, I'll post them out of order in a storywise sense. I'll probably continue posting in the tournament post itself too)
- Another of them? Here? How the hell do these pests manage to keep coming here?
A statuesque woman ambled about, a slight frown in her face. She had spoken with irritation and annoyance in her tone - and not without reason. She had been practicing new forms of magic, testing out combinations of glyphs, sequences of moves and the channeling of magic - all that she needed to get stronger. Luz had gotten worried about her in the last few weeks, after all, she seemed to ignore her own health in the pursuit of more power. But she needed to do that. She couldn't allow for her curse to get out of control again. She came dangerously close to harming Luz again.
But in the last few days, some of Them started to come for the Boiling Isles. It made Eda annoyed having to interrupt her training and testing to take out those interruptions. Initially, she was grateful for them - they provided plenty of opportunity to test the things she trained with, but they soon outgrew their usefulness and became merely annoying. After some ebony skeletons with stony swords had appeared and she had to be more careful than she expected, she started to consider the possibility of investigating the matter further.
This time, Their agent was different than the others. A large, hulking purple being, positively oozing with dark energies. Its mere presence darkened the environment, and she couldn't repress a shiver by the vileness of the power it irradiated.
The ensuing battle lasted longer than she'd like. The being couldn't match her at range - but it was quick, strong and, most importantly, teleported all around. She had to keep her reflexes sharp, or she could've been brought down at any moment of the fight. After finally blasting the being with the bang of lightning and the crackle of scorching fire, the being dissolved in darkness amidst screaming. She considered the possibility of contacting some higher authority for a second, remembering Luz's advice of a few days ago, but she quickly banished the motion. To rely on authority! She wouldn't stoop so low. They never helped, and they always had darker interests. No, let the Emperor and his cronies to take care of their own problems. She'd solve hers herself.
(. . .)
- C'mooon Olivia, this is the fourth island we've come to! Are you sure you haven't got lost again?
- Don't be such a bore, Gene! This is fun! Besides, aren't you glad you can finally master the God Hand, as intended? It was great to see you beating that purple haired gal! You should've seen the face of that Gavin fellow when you kicked her into the stratosphere!
- I wish I could kick you! Or even better, myself, so I wouldn't have to deal with this crap! I mean, sure, when I heard we were going to the beach I thought "hey, maybe Olivia isn't such a pain in my ass after all!", but then we come to the Demon Realm, straight up to the place these Four Deva punks can most easily kick my behind, and I can't even enjoy the local cuisine without having to punch someone's face in!
- Aw, stop complaining! All you have to do is to have fun with your work, Gene! Or you can quit, of course, but then I'll recover the assets which you work with. And I can't guarantee the removal will be painless...
The bickering couple arrived at the beach. Well, a beach in the vaguest sense possible - the waters were purple, the sky was red, pink and violet, often stained with the black and grey of smoke. The structures were vast, some somewhat alive, most disturbing, and immense bones jutted out of the ground, as if the carcass of a titanic beast had rotted away. It wasn't exactly ugly, but it was outworldly. No less unusual was the pair that washed up in the beaches - they had come from a ramshackle dinghy, and while the girl was fairly normal-looking, with her brown hair, easy smile and refined clothing, the unreasonably large hatchet she carried at the hip didn't tell any lies about how she would remove Gene's job. Gene was a large and muscular man, with tatoos, a large longcoat, white hair and, most strikingly, a metallic arrangement in one of his arms - the God Hand, the weapon that carried supreme power in the world.
- Okay, this must be the place. The Boiling Isles can't be that hard to find her... - Olivia mumbled, looking up ahead.
- I don't get why we need to find that Eda witch specifically. There's plenty of charlatans around here that can surely perform the trick or two we need to succeed, no?
- No, not really. See, most magicians here are bound to a specific coven of wizardry. That coven forbis the use of all magic aside from the one the coven is specialized in, which some people think to be some sort of a ploy by the Emperor t control people. And she's unique, y'see, she isn't bound to any coven, and can cast any sort of magic.
- I think that's stupid. That Emperor fella must be really insecure if he feels like he oughta control people's capabilities like that. I mean, if it was me, I'd say, "Oh, you wanna fight me? Sure thing! Learn everything you can! In fact, I can help you train! I'll kick your ass the same way and you'll learn who's the best!"
- The two of you are right, indeed.
Gene and Olivia both turned their heads to face the stranger. Up ahead, a statuesque woman with large, unkempt white hair watched them, a staff in her hands. Trailing behind her, an anxious-looking girl watched them intently and cautiously.
- I know, I'm always r- - Gene was swiftly interrupted by Olivia, who stepped ahead of him.
- Eda Clawthorne! That's you, isn't it?
- Exactly, kid. - She squinted. - But how do you know my name? I reckon never seeing you around here. Are you one of those strangers that have been appearing here lately, causing all sorts of havoc?
- That's precisely the thing we came here to talk with you about! - Olivia nodded enthusiastically. - I have some suspicion about what you might be talking about, and if I'm right, I think we can work out a solution for the problem. I require your aid, Eda!
- Well, I'm sorry, but I'm terribly busy at the moment. Besides, I like to take care of things in my own way. Now, if you really want to cooperate, we might talk things over later, but-
- Wait, wait, wait. I didn't come here just to wait for longer. As annoying as she was about it, - Gene glanced at Olivia, who merely whistled innocently at that. - I do agree the situation's screwed. We can't take any longer to solve this problem. I mean, Them chopping off arms of people is screwed up, but nothing out of the unusual I tend to see - and experience, mind you - but they've been horribly killing and maiming people all around. I'm sure this place won't be safe either, considering you guys don't seem to be exactly the sort of people who'd align with the Devas. Well, certainly not with Shannon.
- So what do you propose? - Eda arched her brow. - I really am busy, but precisely with that sort of matter. I have some ideas I need to test, and if correct, could prove essential to solve the situation. In fact, you could even help me with them.
- Forget 'bout it, Olivia has a few screws missing, - At that, Olivia threw him an annoyed look. - but she's got a solid enough plan to deal with, which is based on a certainty. Lemme tell ya, let's do a little bet. We fight. You win, not only we do as you say and obey your commands. We win, you hear us out and cooperate. Since we are working to a similar goal, this shouldn't be too hard. Do ya agree?
Eda pondered, while the girl besides her gave her a worried look.
- Eda... Don't be rash...
As if that just prompted her, Eda nodded.
- I accept it. But let me warn you - there's a reason why I'm the best around here.
Gene entered in a boxing stance, his feet swiftly moving across the ground as he started to do short leaps.
- I wouldn't have it any other way.
