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Post by Professor Arachnus on Sept 8, 2023 8:34:41 GMT -8
Like dominos toppling over, the defenses and last shred of resistance by the Stalgasin Hive crumbled like so many other cities and worlds before it, pounded to rubble by the machinations of the Forge Master and his mechanical legions. Mecha-Arachnus for his part added to the pyre, his flame projector bathing the retreating Geonosian warrior caste in green gouts of alchemical flame. The destruction was pleasing to him. These organics offended his cybernetic sensibilities, they deserved to die if only for the crime of their unworthy existence. Metallic mockeries of the defenders descended in mass, swarming over the hive like angry wasps as they dragged terrified insectoids out of their holes and put them to the flame or sword, meting out righteous viral justice. The Professor could have continued all day, save for the fact that his communications suite began to bleep with a priority transmission from the Golbah Hive.Expending the last of his munitions, the spiteful spider-bot emerged from the top hatch of his modified MT-AT, quickly clambering across its mechanical surface. Lining up a shot on the Red Sage's battle-mech, the cyber-arachnid fired a magnetic grapple cord at Valefor's vehicle, striking the right shoulder. Without concern for the considerable height, the viral SD-K4 assassin lunged off the head of his spider-mech and swung over to his master's armoured red hulk. Scurrying across its surface, he crawled across the mech's head, stopping in front of the Fabricator's General's view as his plethora of glowing crimson photo-receptors locked eyes with his beloved creator."Master!" Screeched the Professor in panic. "We just received a priority transmission from the Golbah Hive. The queen has gone into labour! The Princess is coming!" By his calculations, if they left immediately they would just make it there in time to witness the birth.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
Posts: 1,192
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Dragus on Nov 24, 2023 18:36:08 GMT -8
Red dust billowed around the exterior of the Stalgasin Hive's entrance as a dark shuttle descended to the uneven dirt, extending landing gear at the last moment to impact the ground hard, releasing a hiss from the vessel's strained hydraulics. A mechanical whine sounded as the boarding ramp extended and slammed down next, exposing the dark interior and the two occupants that stood just within the shadowy confines of the sinister ship. The two figures couldn't be further apart from one another in nature. One was a raging muscular mass of pure aggression and barely contained rage, the other a cold blooded serpent with scales that swallowed light and an aura that wilted everything it touched. Fury and Famine, also known as Darth Garrax and Lord Dragus, the Fist of the Eternal and the Dark Apothecary of the Sith Eternal. The Wrathful One was garbed in a blood red cloak that invoked the image of spilt vitae, while the Hungering One was garbed in a robe comprised of the flayed faces of former attendants that had the misfortune to earn his ire. Both Sith strode off the shuttle, taking to the rusty red sands and briefly baking beneath the ultra-violet radiation of the unforgiving Geonosian sun."This better not be another waste of my time, wyrm." Snarled Garrax, puffing out his chest and flexing his arms in an attempt to intimidate his fellow Council of Seven member with his incredible musculature. The grey skinned Fist was like a sculpted slab of granite, strewn with dark veins and crisscrossed with old battle scars. He leered at his forced companion with bloodshot eyes of jaundiced yellow.Beside him the drake lord turned his snout, black lips splitting into a despicable grin that revealed rows of razor sharp incisors. The Blood Wyrm dragged a forked tongue over those glistening fangs, slurping up the scalding salivation that dripped from his sopping gums. "Trussst me, Garrax, you won't be disssappointed. Valefor'z massstery of the sorcerouz artz have produced a Geonosssian Queen unlike any I have ssseen before. The dronez she producez from her magnificent womb will ssswell the rankz of the Sssith Eternal and put to shame even the Acolytez under your command." There was a rhythm to the way the saurian Sith moved, his shoulders swayed one way while his overlong spike capped tail swished the other, always in sync despite the uneven terrain underfoot.Garrax snorted derisively. "It seems dishonorable to rely on beasts rather than soldiers. If you hope to impress me with more nightmares of the flesh, you will be sorely disappointed." There was a martial swagger to the Fist's stride as he followed Dragus into the Hive, an ease of posture that belied a killer instinct and mastery of the echani arts.For the most part the strange spire like hive seemed abandoned, for there were few signs of life as the two members of the Council trekked further into the dark depths, more like entering a tomb than a home to millions of sentient insects. Both knew better, however, as their otherworldly senses probed the claw hewn corridors and felt the buzzing life that resided further in. They quickly found themselves surrounded on all sides, including above and below. Neither displayed any hint of fear. In fact, He-Who-Hungers was humming a tune on his bleeding lips, something he had learned long ago from a freakish woman with glinting spectacles and a chainsaw grin. They expanded their auras, projected a mixture of fathomless hunger and raw anger that discouraged even the Praetorians from barring their path. Garrax looked over at Dragus, eyeing his fellow Sith suspiciously. According to the Dark Apothecary they had been invited here by the Fabricator General, but so far as the Fist could tell, their presence in this place was quite unwelcome. The muscular Sith rested a hand on the hilt of his lightsaber, taking comfort in its presence."We're almossst there." Hissed Dragus pleasantly, intertwining his talons in front of his chest, mismatched eyes hidden by the hood of anguished flesh he wore over his scaled scalp. "Look there, the central chamber." Breaking his grip, the twisted terrorsaur extended a claw out ahead, pointing to a barren chamber nearly as pitch black as night, absent light save the amethyst glow of the reprehensible reptile's glowing ocular implant."I don't see...AGH!" Garrax hissed in pain as a sharpened length of serrated Sith steel dragged across the backs of his ankles, severing the tendons in one fell swish. The Fist collapsed as his legs betrayed him, arresting his fall as his arms shot out and stopped himself from slamming face first into the ground. He immediately rolled onto his back and faced the immediate threat, revealed to be the smiling serpentine Sith who had accompanied him thus far.Dragus licked Garrax's blood from the edge of the serrated tail spike capping his overlong fifth appendage, savoring the metallic tang before focusing his bloody right orb on the fallen Fist, bleeding in the dirt. "Oh my." Cooed the crocodilian coyly. "You ssseem to have ssstumbled over my tail. How embarrasssing. Siss, Siss, Siss!" The mad alchemist's sinister laughter was accompanied by crimson flecks misting from his bleeding maw.The Fist's eyes went wide, his nostrils flaring angrily. "You traitorous bastard! What is the meaning of this?" He plucked the silvered lightsaber hilt from his belt and ignited it in his right hand. SNAP/HISS! The blade shrieked to life, casting a red pall across the hive chamber and highlighting the cadaver clad Dark Apothecary in bloody twilight. Unfortunately for Garrax his apparent adversary was standing well out of his weapons reach, and exuding a strong aura of the darkside that suggested any attempt at telekinesis would be rebuked."You have my sssincerest apologiez, sssweet sssimple Garrax. Our esssteemed Fabricator General called in a favor, one of ssseveral I owe it would ssseem. According to the red winged one, he requirez a Force Sssensitive of consssiderable ssstrength." A leathery creak groaned from the fiendish fanged barabel's scaled cheeks as they stretched impossibly beyond the borders of his snout. "You were the firssst to come to mind. The Eye knowz the grip of your Force Choke iz unmatched. I'm ssstill visssiting the chiropractor after you lassst wrapped your filthy mind around my throat. You hadn't thought I forgot, did you? I am many thingz, Garrax, but forgiving iz not one of them."Garrax snarled and slashed out with his saber, striking nothing but air from his position on the ground. With the tendons of his ankles slashed, he couldn't rise to face the traitorous terrorsaur on even ground. His eyes darted from side to side, looking for any advantage, but seeing nothing in the large empty chamber. Returning his attention to his betrayer, he growled a threat through teeth grit with pain and a curling lip. "You're a fool if you think you will get away with this. When the Supreme Leader hears about this...""Siss! Siss! Siss!" Saurian laughter bubbled up as a wet gargle from the Famine Lord's throat, loud and cruel, without a hint of fear or mercy. Stalking closer, the black scaled barabel's bloody right eye was wide with a mixture of madness and mirth. He bared his glistening fangs, dripping ropes of steaming saliva onto the cold stone floor."The Sssupreme Leader won't be a problem for much longer, my dear and desssperately dumb former comrade. Hiz replacement iz sssoon to assscend the Eternal throne, and once more I will be free to pursssue the Eye'z great work. A tide of blood and death will drown the pathetic inhabitantz of thiz galaxy, and my children will take their rightful place az inheritorz of the new galactic order. Sssadly, you won't be around to sssee it. Ssso long, Garrax." Fading into the shadows, the Dark Apothecary stopped at the threshold of the chamber, offering the former Fist one last parting statement. "I never liked you. Not even a little."And then he was gone, leaving a wounded Garrax that stunk of spilt blood lying on the Hive floor. The Fist screamed in rage, venting his fury with a terrible shout."DRAGUS!!!"
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 180
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Post by Valefor on Dec 2, 2023 21:12:27 GMT -8
"DRAGUS!!!" There was no reply as the name loudly echoed across the dark chamber that existed beyond the bubble of light that emitted from his ignited saber blade. But as Garrax's echoing voice faded into oblivion, there was a thumping sound as the Spatharii Guards lumbered out of the main tunnel through which Dragus had disappeared. Their growls were deep and rumbled the air, summoning legions of much smaller shapes in the darkness. Hisses and growls of a lower pitch filled the air. All of which Garrax could only try and slash his saber at in the darkness, causing the shadows to shift and shimmer. The pair of Spatharii heads appeared at the edge of the purple glow, letting out visceral roars"Stay back!"The pair of royal guards growled deep in their throats, before turning their heads and focusing upon a single point in the darkness. Valefor strode into the chamber from between the two Necronids and appeared at the edge of the light. The Legionis Hastae held in one hand as a walking staff, whilst the Eternus Caestus adorned his left hand, with all six sparkling gems glowing within their settingsLord Garrax, how nice of you to join us..."You wretch! It is unwise to ally yourself with that traitor! You can yet absolve yourself of retribution..."Retribution?! Oh... my dear Fist... I see you have failed to understand the position within which you have found yourself...A much deeper growl echoed up from the depths of the pit upon which Garrax found himself upon the ledge of. Valefor smirked, hearing the voice of his daughter within his headSoon my dear...He stepped a few feet closer and focused his gaze down upon Garrax"I am not an enemy you wish to make, Fabricator-General..."Previously, I would have agreed... But not today...He reached out his left hand, the green stone of Had Abaddon glowing as the rock seemed to become liquid at several points around Garrax's limbs and wrapped around them like shacklesThat's better, nice and secure... There is no escaping your fate. With the Eternus Caestus completed, not even your considerable might can defeat me... Though, I admit Dragus' betrayal did help. Despite some of his faults, he is a lizard of his word and repays his debts...Valefor moved around Garrax, watching as the Fist of the Eternal tried to struggle against the earthen bonds that held him in place. Once upon the side away from the purple saber, He knelt down and brought his face close to Garrax'sYou know, for all his cunningness and conniving plots, Dragus can be manipulated just like anyone else. All I needed to do was call in a favour and his wretched little mind would guide him to you... I suppose I can count one more favour he owes me off the list."What is it that you want with me?"Why, nothing more than the truth, old friend...He reached his left hand out and wrapped the metallic fingers of his Caestus around Garrax's throat, just lightly enough that the Fist would feel them"What truth do you think I know demon?"Tell me, Garrax, does the name Quantum mean anything to you?There was the barest hint of an inhaled breath and the widening of Garrax's pupils, that told Valefor all that he needed to know. It had taken a great deal of work, research, and resources to finally begin tracking down his adversaries. But he was patient and had plenty of time to wait. Until finally, his search led him to GarraxAh, that look of familiarity... it is difficult to hide in such a tense situation, is it not? Did you really think I would not find any of you? But of course you didn't, your hubris blinded you... And now you are trapped here, like a little mouse. Just like you treated me...His grip upon Garrax's throat tightened for a moment, choking the man briefly, before relaxing his grip once more. Despite how many years ago it had all been, the memories and feelings were still fresh for the Demon Lord of HyporiTell me, little mouse... how does it feel? To be caught in your own trap?"This is madness..."Madness?! Madness was what you did to me, expecting to get away without repercussions! No, Garrax, it is you who will face what is coming for you...Valefor released his grip upon Garrax's neck and rose to his full height once more, the purple glow of the saber still illuminating the small areaWho else made up Quantum? WHO IS IT'S LEADER?! I can make things... painful....He pointed his palm down upon the Hand, the Stone of Endor crackling yellow with energy before lightning arced off of the metal gauntlet down into Garrax's torso. Valefor made sure to keep the burst of energy short, listening and watching as Garrax hacked up some phlegm and tried to catch his breath, before spitting on the ground near Valefor's feet"You want the truth? You're a fool, just like DraguuARRGGGHH!!"Another shock of lightning burst down onto Garrax, this time holding a little longer before relief came. Valefor tuttedDo not test my patience Garrax, I have very little of it for your kind... I suppose you don't need all of your appendages in tact...With a swift movement, the Hastae was flipped upside down and the crystalline tip was pressing down upon Garrax's crotchGarrax the Eunuch... Quite the ring to it..."No... no! stop! It was us! Vullorr, Melabor, Xazatar! We oversaw Quantum! But the Supreme Leader... He... He saw to your creation... SHIT!"Garrax closed his eyes as he saw the crystalline tip of the spear raise up, before hearing a high pitched whine ring out. Daring to open his eyes once more, the spear tip was lodged in the ground between his legsWas that so hard? Is the truth not so freeing? It all makes sense now... Why you holed up so often and all but disappeared when I joined the Eternal... You had me where you wanted me, and then Elarinya stumbled along not once, but twice... You could present yourselves as friendly faces, not shadows obscured by anonymity. Clever...He reached out with his gloved hand and pulled the Hastae free of the ground. His free hand remained closedI'm afraid this is the end of the line for you, Garrax...The Stone of Korriban glowed red moments before tendrils of magic wrapped up from the ground around Garrax, cutting off the former Hand's protests. Valefor then opened his right hand and dropped a single worm down onto Garrax's face, watching as the creature felt around in the darkness before disappearing into a nasal cavityFear not, your worthless existence to date will not go wasted any longer... Dragus was right, I have use of you for an experiment. You see, the Geonosians had a wide variety of members within their society. Necronids have a similar such structure, but there is one societal class they are missing...As the worm burrowed its way into Garrax's mind, he too would hear the initial hissing sound become a voice within the Force speaking into his mindFatherrrrrr.... Is it time yet?Yes, Zevene... Your meal is prepared...With a wave of his hand, the green stone glowed and caused the stone to retract. The lightsaber hilt fell limply from Garrax's hand as his body become paralysed. Zevene's massive form pushed up out of the shadows of the pit and started to tower over the Former-Fist and the Demon Lord. Since her birth she had grown considerably in size and power. She was Empress of the Necronids now, with several Queens serving her. Valefor turned toward his adopted daughter and reached out his hand which Zevene nuzzled the tip of her head againstShe is quite beautiful, wouldn't you agree Garrax? I guess not... You never much had an appraising eye for such feats. But no matter...Zevene pulled away from her father's hand and opened her mouth as she moved over Garrax's form. An inner appendage short forth then, with another row of teeth clamping down upon Garrax's chest. In a swift motion, his body was pulled up and into the Necronid Empresses mouth and disappearing down her gullet. Valefor regarded the lightsaber, calling it to himself as the purple blade remained litWaste not...He deactivated the blade and made his way through the darkness out of the Hive whilst Zevene retreated back down into her pit where she could continue subjecting Garrax to his transformation...
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 180
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Post by Valefor on Dec 13, 2023 0:55:41 GMT -8
It is an interesting prospect to consider how it would feel being swallowed by the Necronid Empress and passing through her body into her womb. Necronid biology, especially that of the Queens, is complicated. Some things interconnected in myriad and strange ways. But the important thing is that whilst Garrax was swallowed through her mouth, his paralyzed form ended up within her womb. It was here, that the metaphorical magic began. In truth it was a small sprinkling of magic and a lot of biological processes on steroids. The first and foremost thing to happen was the encircling of the Former Fist into a cocoon like egg.
As the Brain worm burrowed its way into his mind, Garrax was cut off from control of his own body. He could still feel, see, and hear everything happening to him. But he could do nothing to stop it. Something that would torment the man as he was forced to endure the unbearable pain of his skin being flensed with acid down to his muscles. Thick viscous fluid filled his nose and mouth as it sought its way to fill his body. Garrax thought that perhaps he might finally feel the sweet relief of death, or that his body might fight back. But neither thing happened. His body did nothing more than float within the fluid as it filled up his lungs, forcing him to feel as if he was drowning over and over again.
But his torment was only just begun as his body underwent a rapid series of changes almost all at once. bones felt like they snapped and broke, others seemed to increase in size, pressing out against his muscles that were too tight. Organs burst and the viscous fluid oozed through his veins. His heart felt weighed down and sluggish, unable to process the liquid that now filled its valves. But the worst pain was yet to come.
Had he the control, he would have been bent over and with hands clutching at his head as a migraine beyond any pain he felt struck him like a hot iron. That pain travelled from the front of his skull and then pulled back, moving about as his skull was deformed into a new shape. His torment felt like it lasted for days... weeks even as his senses were assaulted with pain without relent. As the last of his old visage was burned away and a new skin hardened over his muscles, the last and final remnant of Garrax was snuffed out like the flame of a candle. His last moments of existence were only pain and torture... As Valefor entered the chamber a few days later, wooden torches lined the path from the outer wall to the spot upon the ledge where a massive egg stood. Flames burned upon their torches, providing a flickering flame light by which the Demon Lord could see. His foot steps rung out and echoed across the chamber as he approached the egg and then came to a stop. His right hand reached out to touch the surface of the massive shellAn historic day...He is ready to hatch, Father.Zevene's massive form appeared up from the darkness of the pit and loomed over her latest pride and joy. Valefor took a step back, offering a smile to the Empress of the NecronidsA mother knows best... Come, let us see this newborn child of yours...Zevene moved about the egg, her claws running across and gripping the surface of the egg before ripping and tearing apart the cocoon. A crack formed before bursting open. The thick viscous liquid within rapidly spilled out across the cavern floor, carrying with it a humanoid like form. Valefor watched for a moment, the liquid stopping short of touching him as the head of this new being rested a short space from him. Zevene watched anxiously, his small fore arms seeming to fidget as she wondered if perhaps what she thought was a success, was actually a failure.
As Valefor was about to console his daughter, the body upon the ground twitched once, then twice. Then it seemed to hack up some fluid as it forced itself up onto all fours. Its head shook as it took its first proper breaths. It seemed to look about, though no eyes were apparent. Finally, the creature pushed itself up onto one knee and bowed its headMas.... Master....Its voice was frayed, but still held some semblance to that of the former Fist. A matter of little concern. Valefor stepped forward and placed his hand upon the creatures headToday, the Necronids have passed a new milestone. Geonosian society once had a variety of castes, filling various roles. You now have helped rebirth that tradition. Rise Arch-Duke Panik The Greater, Fist of Empress Zevene! You are special... You will act on your Empresses behalf and fight for her. I will train you how to do so... Come, we have much to do together...The newly named Arch-Duke gave a nod of its head, before rising fully to its feet and following alongside the Demon Lord as he lead the way out of the Hive once more...
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 180
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Post by Valefor on Mar 17, 2024 16:27:23 GMT -8
The great Arena of Justice had undergone a number of repair and rebuild works since the Sith Eternal had claimed Geonosis. The Nercronids had been busily working away to restore the natural arena to its once former glory with new reliefs carved into the walls of the arena floor. Where damage incurred by the Clone Wars and subsequent invasions had been incurred, spitcrete had been used to rebuild those missing sections. CAT Necronids had busy for months undertaking the work needed, but now the Arena was restored and the rows upon rows of seating filled to the brim. The higher echelons of seating were filled with Necronids, beaing the lowest ranking but also invited to celebrate the opening of the Arena. But as you moved down and closer to the ring side, varied members of Sith Eternal society filled the seats. Governors, Mayors, Ministers, and a whole array of other political apointees were split between ring side seats and some of the private balcony's. Many Sith Lords and their Apprentices were given granted private boxes to better enjoy the entertainment.
Lord Valefor meanwhile, as the host of the event, was up upon the main balcony overlooking the arena. While an event had been needed to officially unveil the restored venue, he was not particularly pleased about the circumstances and people involved with the current one. There were certain advantages earned by not being apart of the Council, but current events were one of the disadvantages of being separate of the Council. When Astera had reached out regarding her proposed wager with Dragus a couple weeks back, he had initially tried to push back to ensure better terms. After all, this fight was going to happen whether he liked it or not, but he was going to make sure he did not face retribution. Each side provided access to something valuable and losing that access would be very unfortunate.
He strode to the front of the Balcony, with Darth Astera on his right side and Dragus on his left side, whilst members of the Legios Cybernetica worked security. Sure, the greatest threats at the moment were the pair of council members against whom his robots would be outmatched. But the Crimson Lord was not about to be caught unawares by anything more primitive and low powered.
As he arrive dto the microphones, he gave a quick tap-tap sound test as he picked the microphone up, his voice echoing throughout the Arena:: Thank you all for coming out to the official re-opening of the Arena of Justice! I am joined today by Darth Astera and Lord Dragus! In the east corner, Nu-Mag! in the west corner, Nu-Jake! They represent the forefront of cloning technology for our many armies! Two Clones Enter, only one shall leave victorious! ::The crowd cheered loudly as the pair of steel gates on opposite sides of the Arena lowered and the competitors took to the field
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
Posts: 1,192
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Dragus on Mar 23, 2024 18:37:45 GMT -8
A few steps behind and off to the left side of Lord Valefor, the Villain Crocodilian somehow managed to appear both pompous and primitive simultaneously. His right claw grasped the Staff of Corruption, essentially a gnarled branch of Pzobian oak topped with a nightbrother skull encased in cortosis alloy. Fiery orange flame jewels glistened in the skulls eye sockets and green wisps of spectral vapour hissed from a glass globe wedged between its jaws containing raw spirit ichor blood fracked from the bedrock of Dathomir. The curling razor digits of his left claw grasped a Sith iron chain that served as a leash for a frog-dog that drooled a congealing slime on to the floor near the dread draconian's foot talons. As for Dragus, his black scaled form was layered in a rainbow cascade of different silks that seemed the uniform of a merchant prince or Tatooinian sultan of the sands. Even the blade capping the end of the overlong tail that swayed serpentine behind his saurian form had been replaced with a curved khopesh, like the hooked stinger of a scorpion. A collection of mismatched talismans hung from his neck, seeming to weigh the reptile's neck down until he walked and stalked with a hunch, placing his weight upon the wicked totem clasped in his right claw. The Dark Apothecary's black lips peeled apart to reveal glistening daggers stained pink, blood seeping from between those serrated saw teeth, spilled from where their lethally sharp tips pricked his gums. He was smiling as he stepped forward, coming closer to the side of the red winged ruler of this world.
"I do ssso love a good show." He hissed with a phlegmic gurgle, puffing purple wisps of smoke from his flaring nostril slits, the exhaled narcotic vapours that bled from a Sith gold pomander hanging beneath his snout. This particularly fragrant incense was a combination of ryll spice from the slave mines of Ryloth and hallucigenic black mushroom from the poison marshes of subterranean Dragusblight, its smoke staining the vitae dripping from his lips with black specks of tar. "We can't thank you enough for hosssting thiz event, my dearessst Valefor." A crimson mist flecked from his flapping lips, the pitter patter on the floor somewhat obscuring the sinuous groan of a palanquin crafted from rancor bone and sinew carried aloft by six fur covered and broad shouldered night ewoks with demonic red eyes that flickered like flaming coals, brought behind the scheming saurian scientist who wasted no time in resting his rotten rump on its sinew bound bones. Grimaces appeared on the hooded fuzzy faces of the tree-kin who seemed to struggle with the tyrannical terrorsaur's modest and certainly reasonable weight. "I can promissse you..." He leered lecherously at the Forge Master's muscular back. "...my Nu-Jake won't disssappoint."
Resting his sorcerous staff across his lap, the mad alchemist attached the leash of his drooling pet to the arm of his hovering seat and brought his scaled palms together in a loud clap, signalling the small army of servants he had brought with him to the event. Chestnut furred ewok maidens carried fishbowls of pickled eyeballs and platters of extravagant hors d'oeuvres featuring Mon Calamari caviar and fried gungan legs. The Famine Lord helped himself to some of the briny ocular orbs that popped like grapes between his powerful jaws, bursting with vinegar jelly, the remaining tissue catching in pockets between what seemed like endless rows of teeth. "It iz my pleasssure to provide refreshmentz to sssate our appetitez. I myssself am absssolutely famished." A scantily hooded night ewok hedge witch approached the ruinous reptilian and offered him a soot stained bottle, which he raised for inspection before the amethyst lens of his left eye implant. With a sweep of his hook tipped thumb he cleared ash from the label of a bottle of aged Hiitian wine he'd seized from the ruins of Bonadan's capital after he'd put its people to the torch in a massive funeral pyre for some and an unpleasant execution for others. He handed it back to the ewok who opened it and began to fill glasses for the three Sith.
As the rust rimed portcullis groaned its way in protest into the ground, NJ1-749 raised a naked hand to block the harsh rays of the sun glaring down from above as he emerged from the darkness of the arena bowels. The muscles beneath his tight and vein strewn flesh rippled with tension as hormones flooded his bloodstream, enhanced with a recently induced concoction of alchemically altered steroids and combat stimulants. Stripped from the waist up, it was as though the clone had swelled to twice the size in the week between the challenge was initially issued. A luminous green steam blew from a nose that had been broken and reset several times in the last few days, those unnatural fumes hinting to the nature of the substance the Dark Apothecary had introduced to the Nu-Jake in an effort to gain an advantage in the match. What little hair remained clinging to his red scalp hung in loose patches, turned salt and pepper grey like the stubble on his sweat glistening chin, jaw clenched tight to expose teeth that had been replaced by iron pegs. The blood in his veins ran hot as his flushed skin turned red as he sighted his opponent across the arena sands, causing his sandaled feet to plant themselves and send him muscle bloated body forwards into a feral sprint towards the Nu-Mag. His eyes were wild and foam spilled from his lips, his hands stretched towards her and fingers flexed into claws.
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 180
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Post by Valefor on Apr 8, 2024 19:29:21 GMT -8
Of all the council members, Dragus was the one he had spent the most time dealing with. A number of ventures had proven quite profitable in their immediate conclusion while others had much more long term benefits. It was the pay off that almost always made some of his more trying character traits a bit easier to put up with. But today was a little more vexing than most. He knew Dragus well enough to know that what ever the Dark Apothecary had planned was not going to be strictly within the spirit of the terms Astera had laid forth. It was also true that the Lizard Lord was not very humble about his prospects. He was always the worst when he was trying to surreptitiously brag Yes, well when two members of the Eternal Council want something, who am I to deny their wish... He gave a roll of his eyes, his back having remained toward the pair of Sith Lords. But he spared them both a glance as Dragus boasted of how good a show his Nu-Jake would put on for them all. It didn't take long after those words left the lizards wicked lips that the shambling mass that had once been a Nu-Jake came out onto the field. There was a time when such a sight would have buckled Astera's knees and drained all colour from her face. But instead, she merely walked closer to the balcony's edge, holding a glass of the Hiitian Wine. To say he was impressed by her composure and the confidence on her features was underselling it Your confidence betrays you Dragus... But you will find the scales of this fight aren't quite as unbalanced as you might have hoped... Astera was certainly coming into her own power a bit more than when he had built the Eye for her. It was almost a little terrifying to see her like this. It was also why he was glad she was on his side and not his opponent
NM1-010 strode out onto the hot sand and the sun beating down upon it. She was garbled in only a simple cloth toga intended primarily to protect her modesty. But otherwise she seemed unarmed and unarmoured. But looks could be deceiving. Whereas Dragus had been overt about his changes, Astera had been much more subtle. Her changes had been focused internally, reinforcing bones and sinew. The charging Nu-Jake was about to be in for a surprise if he expected to just crush her with a single charge. She stepped backwards as he closed in and reached his diminutive hands out to try and grab her. She kept moving backward, dodging this way and that so as to keep her movements unpredictable. She let off a couple jabs at his elbows and head
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
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Post by Dragus on Apr 11, 2024 5:17:06 GMT -8
Blinded by bloodlust, the Nu-Jake didn't slow for a second as the Nu-Mags fist struck his head with meaty thwacks and crunched into his elbows with sinuous cracks, his mind altered state leaving him oblivious to injury while any resulting pain only served to incite his hyper-aggressive state further. In fact, his flesh seemed to ripple beneath her strikes and swell after each firmly delivered blow, almost as though he were still undergoing some form of metamorphosis. Beneath his flushed and veiny flesh, the clone's cells were multiplying at an alarming rate, causing him to physically enlarge as the fight went on, inducing further growth pains that only seemed to produce more savagery from the alchemically altered super-soldier. When he threw a clubbing swing of his bulging left arm, or gripped his hands together over his head in a downwards hammer-swing, each progressive assault came just a bit closer despite that he was slower than the slender Nu-Mag. His arms and legs were quite literally lengthening with each blow, making his range of attack difficult to entirely predict even though his slower movements somewhat telegraphed his incoming strikes.
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 180
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Post by Valefor on Apr 18, 2024 17:07:58 GMT -8
Despite the growing size and strength disparity between herself and the Nu-Jake, Ten remained resolute in the fight and determined to win. Lady Astera had pressed upon her the importance of this fight and the underhanded tactics with which Lord Dragus would trade to win. This growing mass of flesh and muscle was just evidence of the warnings she'd been given about what the fight would entail. Of all the people in the Sith Eternal, it was the Serpentine Alchemist that would have offered up something worthy of a real fight. This fight wasn't just about who the best of the Eternal's gene-forged clone soldiers was better, it was a live test of the Nu-Mags to see how they adapted to changing battle field conditions.
With his in mind, Ten made use of her speed to keep out of range of any direct attack from the hulking brute. It was a tactic which saved her from an instant death being crushed by the wild strikes being thrown around by the Nu-Jake. However, even a miss or near miss was proving quite problematic as debris was being flung about. A number of stone pillars that had once littered the arena had chunks missing from them or had been brought down entirely. But Ten still dashed in when she saw openings and got in a strike or two where possible. Given the unstable nature of his genes right now, she could use it to her advantage. After all, at some point the beast would become too big and slow to move under his own weight. Right?
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
Posts: 1,192
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Dragus on Apr 27, 2024 7:07:40 GMT -8
Maybe? Truthfully not even Dragus was entirely sure what the end result would be as he spied glimpses of the fight from their box seats, which had erupted into chaos as the Director became enraged by the Dark Apothecary's obvious treachery, leading the reprehensible reptile to retreat from his precious Winter Rose as she hurled bolts of Force Lightning in his direction. For his part, He-Who-Hungers did his best to keep Valefor positioned between himself and the infuriated Lady of the Sith. "Cheater!" She screamed, her terribly beautiful features were illuminated by the cobalt coloured blade of her permafrost crystal powered lightsaber, that wept a hissing curtain of frost as she cleaved it through the air towards the ducking draconian. The Hungering One held up his empty claws in a placating gesture. "Nonsssense, my dear. The Nu-Jakez have alwayz been able to do that." Unquestionably another compounding lie. Honesty was a practise the Great Devourer considered to be best avoided. Dragus dived into roll that carried him behind the Fabricator General's wide wingspan, tucking his snout out from beneath the Forge Master's legs just beneath his loin cloth, his maw open wide in surprise as another bolt of lightning was tossed his way.Down in the pit, NJ1-749 continued to grow. Splintered and fractured bits of bone speckled its stretched leathery flesh, while yellowed nubs of spine protruded from its back. The knuckles of its massive hands calcified and the corner of every joints emerged from its armour hide thick skin in bony spikes. Monstrously modified by alchemy, the Nu-Jakes cells exploded in rapid generation, thickening his swollen form into solid slabs of muscle. The special steroid introduced into his system prior to the match was a variant of the combat stimulants used by the Umbaran Militia, enhanced with alchemy to produce gigantism in the subject, increasing the size of its musculature and levels of raw aggression. The trade off was a diminished mental capacity. The mutant looked dumbly down at the ground where its fist has just impacted the dirt, confused what had happened to the small female with the intoxicating aroma causing a reaction in its lower extremities. He bellowed a snarl and smashed both hands into the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust that caked his enflamed flesh in Geonosian clay. Ropes of drool dripped from the corners of his slavering iron peg filled mouth as the Nu-Jake panted hard, its swollen heart beating dangerously fast.Meanwhile a large oblong shadow began to loom over the stands of the arena as a massive airship appeared in the sky. The sinister blimp was thirty meters long and comprised of a armour-weave canvas bag. The air sack was inflated with cyanogen gas and contained a few hundred Celegians shackled to pain inducing torture devices that delivered electric shocks every time a signal was sent from the enclosed brass cupola below the balloon, invoking a reaction from the enslaved aliens repulsor-like lift ability. In the control centre, a verminous figure that was half mechanical/half mouse manipulated the controls of the airship, causing it to hover in place as it floated above the centre of the arena. Transparasteel port-holes along the sides of the cupola snapped open to expose the crooked snouts of tinker-rats and warlock enginseers belonging to Clan Rustrot. The chief of which, known for his technical genius among the warring rodent clans of Dragusblight, was Skaltera Brassclaw. Officially banned from setting foot upon a Forge World during a brief encounter between the Vermin and Demon Lord upon the narcotic soil of Kessel, Skaltera was technically keeping true to the order, keeping the soles of his feet far above the Forge World sands in the safety of his rodent designed blimp. The Chief Warlock Enginseer and his cohort of mechanically inclined mice used the distraction of the Geonosian Games to sneak onto the planet, slipping out of the armoured hangar of Maw upon the Dark Apothecary's arrival, all to carry out the Verminlord's desire for revenge against Lord Valefor.Glass globes began to drop from the open port holes of the hovering blimp, falling to the ground where they shattered in the arena stands, erupting in expanding clouds of luminous green gas that sowed panic and chaos among the gathered crowd. Known as Famine's Breath, the modified trihexalon vapours caused Geonosian lungs to melt in their chitin covered chests and blood to weep from every orifice as the insects began to drown in their own bug juices. Yellow rubber-suited ranat jezzails with thick goggles over their beady eyes fired cortosis bullets from smoking Sith iron flintlock rifles, targeting arena viewers indiscriminately. The arena below where the Nu-Mags and mutant Nu-Jake dueled vanished beneath a growing green cloud.
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Valefor
The Sith Eternal
Posts: 180
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Post by Valefor on May 1, 2024 20:33:41 GMT -8
Despite the commotion going on around him, Valefor had mostly stayed in the one spot whilst observing the ongoing fight down below. Calling it a duel was disingenuous to the Nu-Mag that was now being forced to face the trickery of Dragus. Every now and again the Crimson Lord took a step to keep himself out of the way of the attacks that Dragus was trying to put him in the way of. Thankfully, despite her fury, Astera was doing her best not to hit him. But that all came to a head as Dragus' face came peering out from between his legs. Valefor shifted his left hoof off of the ground and pressed it down upon the Apothecary's back You are a most elusive foe to the truth... His attention was drawn down to the Arena, just like the crowds, as the Nu-Jake's ongoing transformation took a new turn. What seemed like the final transformation took place before everyone's eyes, with Astera having stopped her attacks now that Valefor had pinned Dragus down for a moment. Despite the beasts inability to find the Nu-Mag 010, Astera was able to track the poor woman's escape and movements around the arena trying to avoid being crushed to death by crumbling architecture or the beasts growing fists. Without any proper weapons, she would be well at a disadvantage against the beast that now appeared in the centre of the arena. Loss was a vastly growing prospect, and one Astera was considering a further breaking of the rules to provide her fighter a chance.
However, before even that concern could become more than a thought, all focus was pulled from the arena up to the object that was emerging in the sky above. It was almost impossible to miss the brass blimp as it filled more and more of the view. If there had been any doubt as to its threat, they were cast aside as the port-holes opened and the familiar snouts of Ranat's poked out of them. Valefor ground his hoof into the Reptilian's back, sensing that something crooked was about to unfold.
Sure enough that calamity started to unfold as the green gas was unleashed upon the arena stands. hundreds, if not thousands, were killed within those opening moments.
The Demon Lord's right hand curled into a fist as he stood shocked for a moment by how brazen the attack was. Gassing an entire arena filled with Necronids and members of the Sith Eternal was bold, and nod or would go unanswered Brassclaw... He growled the name before turning his focus upon the Saurian Sith Lord beneath his foot So help me Dragus... If you had any part in this, Astera will soon be wearing a new pair of boots... He lifted his foot and set it down upon the ground as he moved a few steps forward toward the edge of the balcony. Stone flew about as the bullets chipped away at the arena where the shots did not land buried within flesh. His wings spread out before he launched up into the air and placed himself right in front of the cockpit of the brass blimp. The Desidia Stone started to glow a brilliant yellow as the Demon Lord of Hypori raised his right hand and held it palm out toward the blimp I treated you too kindly Brassclaw... A mistake I will not repeat... Strands of lightning leapt from his claw tips and palm, arcing out across the open air and toward the brass cupola
As soon as the gas had started to roil down along the stands, Ten had made sure to keep as far away from the Nu-Jake and the cloud of death. But that had quickly become impossible to avoid both. Just as she was about to charge into the gas, a panel in the ground collapsed beneath her and the Nu-Mag found herself falling into a pit and the floor closing back above her head. Leaving the mutant Nu-Jake to face the gas and fight a foe that was no longer there
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