...Loot. Hunting. Danger. A sharp grin cuts across your features. You like the sound of that! Perfect opportunity to test out your bad ass abilities, and you can check out your competition, too. Finding out what the Mavsey girl can do may well be more important than whatever you can collect from this Van-whatever.
But, of course, the raven haired noble is running some sort of scam. Nobles, especially the Elder Family assholes, scheme as easily as they breathe. You'll just have to keep your eyes open. Your blessed luck might help out… or it might end up abandoning you like it did with Malcolm. Only thing you can rely on is yourself. That's something you learned long ago.
"We do this," You meet her eyes evenly. You don't give an inch. "We split the bounty fifty-fifty. No bullshit."
She nods. "Fifty-fifty. No bullshit. Cross my heart."
"Lead the way, princess."
"The name's Alexandria, Ethan."
"Whatever you say, Alex." The fact that she already knows your name doesn't escape your notice nor does it surprise you. Only makes sense that Elder Families would scout out potential rivals ahead of the school year's start. Doesn't mean you're going to treat her like her shit doesn't stink.
She tenses for a half heartbeat. Are you going to get that fight after all? You fall into a makeshift fighting stance. Then she breathes deeply, and shakes her head. "Do you always do your damndest to piss people off?"
You smile. "It's part of my charm."
"Right."
And then she's off. She's sprinting into the verdant jungle, dodging around palms and bushes, and it's all you can do to keep sight of her shapely ass. She's fast. Maybe faster than you. Can't be sure whether she's going all out, but you are. Like hell she'll beat you out again!
For the second time today, you find yourself darting through the dense foliage of this death world. Eventually, it'll all blur together you're sure, but not today. Enhanced senses marvel at the cycle of life and death you spearhead through. Unlike your earlier travails, here and now all of the various beasts of the jungle scurry away from you and the Amazon.
At least, you don't think she's going to try to outright murder you. She doesn't seem stupid or stuck up enough to outright defy Santhrop.
As you sprint, you scrounge through every last thing you've heard about the Mavsey Family. They're known as the Daughter's of War because no one's ever seen a male come out of their family. Many consider them the strongest of the Thirteen, and they're infamous for their ferocity in battle and immensely powerful bodies. They are highly honored for their role on the frontlines against any who seek to attack the Earth. Not much else rattling around in your head. The parent's weren't exactly overflowing with information about the magical world.
Mere minutes later, Alex comes to a stop at the edge of a ridge. Over the ridge you see the air distorting. Steam billows up. Sweat trickles down your brow. A river of liquid magma makes its way down into a lagoon. You catch sight of what can only be the Van-whatevers. Dozens of the hulking beasts are swimming in the boiling water. A pair of particularly enormous creatures, probably males, snap at each other with maws lined with serrated teeth, gouge with horns, and spew mists of lava at one another.
That's a lot of carcasses. You lick your lips. This may be more trouble than you bargained for. Alex takes a half step back, and your decision is made. You're going to make some Vantutha boots!
Your eyes burn, and then you see.
Range between 5,000 to 10,000 lbs. Armor-like hide is resistant to attacks, but there are vulnerable gaps around the joints and eyes and ears. Vantutha live in small families. Highly aggressive to anything outside their family unit. Will often attack other members of their species over attacking humans. Top speed of 145 mph with exceptional acceleration. May stay submerged under the earth for up to thirty seconds. Travel speed is doubled when under the ground.
They see in thermal radiation and vibration through the earth. They have very, very poor peripheral vision, and irregular steps can throw off this sense. While immune to fire based attacks, a sharp application of kinetic force directly to the snout will stun.
As your sight returns to merely enhanced, you notice Alex is talking, "-I scouted here earlier there was only a family of three. It would be better to make a strategic retreat. Perhaps, attack a couple when they're separated."
You grin. A course of action is forming in your mind. "Do whatever you want, but I'm going down there."
She grabs a hold of your arm. "That's suicide, you idiot. You might be use-" She pauses. "I'm not going to let you throw your life away. It's too dangerous!"
"I laugh in the face of danger!" you quote the fucking Lion King like a boss, and you shirk away from her iron grip. "But, don't worry princess. I'm not going to die here!"
You take a lightning step away, and you jump.
"You crazy motherf-"
Hurtling through the air like a goddamn superhero brings a quicksilver grin to your face. Even the danger before you, can't quell the fact that you're doing magic!
You land easily ten feet from the two big alphas. They don't react to your presence. You're standing in their peripherals, and they're far too engrossed in trying to kill one another to pay you any mind. They clash thunderously, and the shockwave nearly knocks you from your feet.
As they pull back, you find your footing. You take a sprinter's stance. And you cross the intervening distance in a blink. You strike out with a pair of well aimed punches. Your punches land squarely. It's like striking layers and layers of reinforced steel, but it you'll be damned if the sheer power of your punch doesn't feel absolutely amazing.
Both beasts freeze. In the next instant, the bigger of the two dies as you shove your fist through one of its eyes and into its brain. It gives one last kick as you close your fist inside its grey matter with an audible squelch.
Blood drenches you. You can feel the smaller Vantutha charging. You make to twist out of the way, but you needn't have bothered. A well toned leg lashes precisely across its snout. Wind rushes from the force of the blow. The second alpha dies a moment after being stunned. Alex has killed the thing in much the same way you did the bigger bastard. Though you note blood doesn't stain her nearly as much as you. She still gleams.
Show off.
No time for that. The other Vantutha are going apeshit. They're viciously killing one another in the laguna. You can see the beach's surface furrowing ever so slightly. At least two are targeting you and Alex.
"Below," you warn.
"I see it."
Both of you jump clear just before the beasts emerge from the gore. The new arrivals, much smaller than the alphas tear into the carcasses in their mindless fury.
"Hey, those are my boots you're ruining, cocksucker!" you roar. You pick up nearby rock and it lands like a grenade against the hide of one of the offending beasts. Beside you, Alex groans. She doesn't look like she's hurt. "Problem?"
No answer.
Whatever.
The Vantutha is charging underground again. You roll to the side. Magma pours from its maw. You backpedal and it sears the land where you just stood. This one is faster and maybe smarter than the big bastards. Doesn't matter. Biology is biology. You strafe to his peripheral. Your steps are uneven. He loses sight of you. Before you can take advantage, a shadow passes overhead, and a stampede of the damn things force you back.
You and Alex scrabble back onto the ridge.
The Vantutha aren't chasing you anymore. They're busy fleeing from the honest to god Dragon now sitting on the beach… munching on your pair of boots. Looking at it, the Dragon seems both far too large to fit on the beach and like it belongs there, no, like it owns the beach.
Red gold scales fairly shimmer in the blazing light of the binary suns. More. The scales are the essence of those same suns. It lets out an ear piercing roar and jets of white flame cook the alpha. The weight of Serrated claws scythe through thick armor plate like they're tissue paper. Raw magic permeates the air. All the while, the predator's eyes bore into you.
You fall to your knees as your head threatens to explode. Then it's gone.
My apologies, it has been long since I spoke with a student. I was… overeager. Marked One. Come closer. You and I have dire matters to speak about. The thunderous, alien thought reverberates in your mind.
Run? No. Fighting? Hell no. Ignoring it? Good way to die. The Elder Family Amazon is frozen in place. Literally.
You walk down the ridge. The majestic creature fills you with utter awe. This is a thing from myth and legend. Even the mundys told tales of Dragons…
All ruminations stop as you come face to glorious face with the Dragon. Our time is limited, Marked One. I can only evade the Schoolman's sight for a short time. Though you know it not, you are important. The Beast has Marked his claim. The Nemesis knows of you. The Sundered rise once more. The Herald sounds his call. War readies its blade. Still, others stir. Things are coming to a head. Forces that have been conspiring for aeons are moving. And I, who fought at Nezmyr's side, am chained here.
A collar of shining, protective light appears about its serpentine neck. But, you blink and it disappears like smoke and shadow. No, the scales, the physical form of this creature is the chain. This is a being of light and beauty and power forced into its current, diminished capacity. You know this for a truth. You can feel its rage as a physical presence. You do your best not to cringe.
I would have the Schoolman's binding undone. I would soar through the heavens once more. I would fight! Ethan Jameson, give me your word thrice as a man, as a mage, as a being of light and Our Lord that you will see me unbound, and I will gift you with a seed of my power. Your kind are limited, and I, even amongst my brother's, was accounted as skilled. None shall see the seed I bestow upon you, but perhaps it will protect you from darker hands. Undoing my prison is no easy task, but you mage's are a resourceful lot. And I believe you are uniquely suited to accomplishing this. Still, I cannot and will not force you. Should you turn my offer down, it will be as if none of this happened.
You have questions, but no time. Ask me one thing before you make your decision.
What is your question?
[] Who and what are you?
[] What kind of power does this seed offer?
[] How do I break your prison?
[] What is this shit about me being Marked?
[] Write-in.
