Ymheshphilun was sleeping. Wait, sleeping? Seriously? The centipede sleeps? Sure he does! Especially after long and exhausting ordeals. Like yesterday, for instance. That left him so tired that he could barely move. And thus, the sleep. His zombie minions (all named Joe, apparently) were stationed around him, keeping watch. If something were to disturb him, they'd form a wall and say "Leave," all as one. It would be creepy.
Athxess arrives back at his camp only to see a large amount of zombies, The Drow just rolled his eyes a pulled out his katana saying in a irritated voice "who is going to meet their maker first."
Ymheshphilun's slaves didn't move or react in any way--an approach and possible attack with said katana would rouse them to action, but for the most part they were almost like statues.
Athxess slowly walked closer to his campsite. ready for an attack.
Ymheshphilun : The zombies did exactly what they had been programmed to do in this situation. They crossed their weapons and stood in formation between Athxess and the sleeping centipede. "Leave," they said, simultaneously, their voices mixing as one. The campsite was left untouched, but the zombies might have been standing on the border.
Athxess growls one warning saying "let me threw...."
Ymheshphilun's warriors, having given their one warning already, merely stood in formation. Archers, mostly out of sight until now, stood up and took aim with various ranged weaponry. They weren't planning on being a bother--really, they weren't planning at all--but if the Drow attacked, they'd respond in kind. Which would, of course, trigger a mental command that would immediately wake the centipede.
Athxess smiled saying "this is going to be fun,.." as he sliced the head off the undead directly in front of him.
Tsukiko had remembered that Athxess had offered to let her stay at his camp if she wished. And so she came, from within the forest. She had nearly forgotten how to get to it and made it to the lake they had gone to. Luckily she remembered the direction Arcas had tooken and back tracked to the camp. Through the forest she quietly jumped and slid as she paced her way back. She hears faint noises. And than a familiar scent. Closing her eyes she relaxes and allows the forest to come alive with blazing colours. Small creatures in reds and yellows scurried away. And than a large blue creature seemed to be heaving gently. Than ahead of it a spark of reds, a sword? But why isn't the holder showing. And than she noticed the shadows The dead. She opened her eyes and approached carefully from behind. She unsheathed her Blade of Twillight with her left hand.
Ymheshphilun : The archers opened fire--multiple assorted projectiles flew towards the man. Spears, arrows, crossbow darts, maybe even a throwing knife. The other undead warriors came alive and attempted to rush Athxess as one, trying to surround him and cut him down with their weapons--some didn't even have a weapon but rather just used their fists. The attacks came from all sides, near-instantaneously, by reflex--faster than the average voluntary response time. The centipede exhaled suddenly, the sound of a huge beast awaking, eyes glittering with malice. Something had stirred him. This something must be taught a lesson. He didn't know immediately, however, that this 'something' was Athxess—an ally, well sort of. Probably not after tonight...
Athxess growled as his second arm,went for his another katana then a third and the forth,now he was defending all sides at once. To deal with the flying projectiles he hardened a dome of air , this dome was stronger then steel the projectiles would bounce off and possible landing in other undead. The drow spun and foght with his four arms, making him a circle of death,but he was not done yet exery time he exhaled he let out a turret of fire making him almost untouchable.
Tsukiko had gotten close enough. And grinned. Just as she had suspected. The centipede. Now it was her turn to teach it a lesson, she licked her lips. And set her satchel, sheath and sword down on the ground. She could feel her heart beating so fast that for a moment she thought that it would burst out of her chest. She bit her lower lip and crept as silently as possible behind him. The creature had stirred and was going to do something. Was it her, or that which disturbed his army. To her luck, he hadn't seen her. And she jumped with the help of her levitation as high as possible to make it onto its back, and grab for his antennae. And tame the creature like he needed to be tamed.
Ymheshphilun's minions didn't fall after just one hit. Or even go down after they were set ablaze by the fire. No, the zombies could get nearly ripped to pieces but they would just keep coming. Athxess may have had four arms but his eyes could only face in one direction. Ym's archers, as the direction of the centipede, sneaked around behind him and opened fire again, hopefully unnoticed and undefended against. The centipede himself was just about to join the fray when--what was this? Someone had jumped on his back and grabbed his antennae. With a roar of pure, unfiltered rage, Ymeshphilun, the Scolopendra Primamplio, First and Only, jammed the tips of his antennae upwards, towards Tsukiko's head. They'd go for whatever orofice they could find--mouth, nose, ears, eyes. It didn't matter. Should they reach their destination, they'd try to keep going, up into Tsukiko's skull, reaching for her brain.
Athxess growled as he felt more projectiles hit it dome of protective energy,and the Drow kept spinning like a top of death. And due to undead being vary flammable they would be reduced to ashes rather quickly ,while making scales erupt upon his skin to protect from the few attackes he did not defend ageist,and soon ath's back was too a tree so he did not have to worry about his frist blinde spot the second was because of his eye patch, so ath undid it reveling his cockatrice's eye witch would turn any who gazed at it to stone,but it would not really effect the undead.
Tsukiko struggled to keep his antennea from reaching her holes, being that her right hand could barely grip and her left hand..well was barely healing from a burn. How stupid could she be, she should have covered her head before doing this attempt. She bit her lips as he tried to get into her mouth. She leaned her head back as he forced his way towards her ears. She tapped into the strength of her dragon, the surge of strength gave her a better chance to fend him off from trying to reach her unprotected holes. She grunted as she struggled with him. But did not let go. She knew too well that if she were to let go, it was over for her. She was determined to ride him, or atleast stay on him for as long as possible. Blood began to trickle down her mouth, as she accidentally pierced her lips. And to the obvious was not paying attention to the fight below them.
Ymheshphilun's undead had to be fresh--long-dead bodies weren't suitable for him to use. So really they weren't as flammable as some would think. They used this to their advantage--flaming zombies with weapons and whatnot, swarming from all sides. A couple of them climbed partway up the tree and then jumped down, trying to land on top of Athxess and use their body weight to drop him to the ground. Even should they both be cut in half they'd attempt to grab him and pull him down. The projectiles just kept flying, hammering again and again on the shield, wearing down on it. Hopefully soon it'd become too tiring to hold up and then the arrows and slung stones and what-have-you would make it through. The centipede, after a lack of success with invading Tsukiko's head, changed tactics. Instead of pushing upwards, he pulled to the right. Hard, and suddenly. His hope was to pull the woman off of him. Should this be successful, he'd immediately turn towards her and attempt to snatch at her with his main crushing claws, the appendages rapidly applying pressure should they hit, escalating to possibly bone-crunching in seconds.
Athxess screamed out "Arcas!" while at the same time another turret of fire came out of his mouth.The Scale covered drow knew that undead were climbing the tree he could feel the vibrations of them , and his shield was wearing out so athxess charged into the horde as he focused his four arms,and there weapons in front of him shredding a path threw the undead and as soon as he thought he was going to be overwhelmed. His bear arrived charging threw the army like dolls to get to his master ,who hastily mounted his bear, athxess notted his sevrial cuts and gnashes in him,good thing he did not feel pain,and good thing they were already healing. Athxess noted to himself:i need plate mail. As his bear started to rampage threw the undead going for the archers,annoying little buggers.
Tsukiko felt the great tug to the right. Her right hand let go, but it was too late. Her left hand had let go as well, She was flung into the air and hit hard against a tree. High up on a branch, her limp body stayed. The impact had taken her by surprise. She was out for the count. All her hopes of riding the centipede, flushed away by just one damned tree. High above the ground she dangled, threateningly to hit the ground if the branch were to break. The creature came at her. In all this, to her this was nothing but an innocent ride. But maybe to him insulting. No matter, if she passed on in his clutches, it would have been the greatest few minutes of her life...
Ymheshphilun wasn't going to kill Tsukiko--that would have been far too easy. No, he'd much prefer to eliminate her will by slowly torturing her with agonizing visions--sort of like last time, only worse. But now she was stuck up in a tree. How was he going to get her when she was up there? He pondered on this while his minions were swept away like flies from food. He eventually decided that he'd burn the tree down. A blob of black sticky stuff flew from his mouth. When it touched the tree at it's base, it exploded, raining sticky flames everywhere, beginning to burn slowly through the tree trunk. He watched Tsukiko alone, his three eyes staring emotionlessly up into hers. ~Why did you have to do that?~ he asked her--her only, Ath wouldn't be able to hear. ~Now I've got to punish you.~ His tone was almost regretful, as if he was saddened by her actions. But of course that was just a ploy, meant to add weight and scariness to his words.
Athxess saw the centipede finely so he yelled saying "call your minions off,now" then seeing Tsukiko and the way he looked at her yelled out "She is Mine, leave her be." as the bear kept charged at the tree so Ath could get the women he loved.
Ymheshphilun turned, just a little, when he heard the shout from Athxess and the charging bear. The centipede pondered his actions for a split second--he was curious as to why he'd said to call off the minions, when obviously they were strewn about the place--before deciding on a course of action. He backed away, turning towards the charging, massive bear, getting out of the way--and then, right as Ath and his steed came close enough to grab Tsukiko, he charged the side of the bear with all his might, all fifty feet of length and thirty-eight hundred pounds behind this motion, blazing forward at nearly impossible speed. His intent was to steer the creature right into Tsukiko--instead of letting Ath grab her, instead the bear would smash into her and topple the tree, should he be successful, bringing Tsukiko down to his level. It wouldn't take much at all for this action to be accomplished, just a slight turning. A creature the size of the dire bear had to have a huge amount of inertia--once it got going, it probably couldn't stop well. Hopefully Ym's tactic would work--if it did, he'd grab her and race away into the darkness, slithering between trees with the grace of a serpent, finding a hidden entrance to his tunnel network and plunging below ground, collapsing the tunnel behind him as he went. All this was, of course, if he managed to steer the bear those few precious feet to the side.
Athxess was already going to jump,but when he saw the centipede move out of the corner of his eye he decided to do it -right away- just as the bear is hit, and running into the tree, making it fall , Tsukiko with it right into athxess' four armed grasp, the bear on the other hand was anything but happy, he gets up the War bear attempts to slash at ym with its sword like claws, the drow leaps away from the ungodly sized creatures, and he simply started running
Ymheshphilun counterattacked the bear as it slashed at him, scraping his armor deeply. His body flung itself around the bear, reaching out with every single pincer claw on his body, attempting to rip at it's more vulnerable skin, bring it down with a combination of weight and deadliness, claws and jaws and leftover minions trying to tear at it's hide. The centipede was going all-out, crushing in on the bear. If he couldn't have Tsukiko, he'd have this. Or so was his reasoning. The sword-claws dug at him, certainly, but Ym was well-protected and just as large as the bear.
Athxess has left with tsukiko,time for the bear to get out of there. Arcas let out a large roar, and the bear was a smart creature he lifted up his arms to the cetiped could get to the rips but leaves his paws free and with theses paws,and his teeth he attmptted to rip right threw the centipede,it ignored all the pain it was having and dug and tore and one spot while struggling useing the bug it self to bash at his tattered army.
Ymheshphilun crushed inward on the ribs as the bear lifted itself up, using every bit of his strength to force the air from the beast's lungs and weaken the attack that suddenly dropped upon him. The Primamplio was really at the wrong angle on the dire beast for teeth to be used but the claws still found their mark, reaching down for two plates, trying to pull them open. In response, the centipede snapped them shut and made a sawing motion--oh, the pain this caused to the Chilopod, but if the action worked then Arcas would be a very declawed bear. Still Ym ripped and tore with his own claws, even as he continued to constrict--the bear was probably short on breath, bleeding from what would seem like a hundred wounds, and without effective weaponry. The army fell away without too mush hassle, but Ym remained mostly unfazed by that part. It was the claws (hopefully claw fragments by now) that really hurt.
Athxess ;;; Arcas' claws were stronger then most any thing that could be throw at it the whole breaking thing,was not going to happen by anything.The bear was loseing alot of blood and he was short on breath but a cornered injured beast is a lot more dangerous, The bear felt life leaving him but he was going to make Ym regret ever fighting him, now he went for most damage as possible and the bears claws being in and under the armor now he pried at it with all the animosity Dire bears are infamous for.
Ymheshphilun really hated to admit it, but those claws were going to open up his plates and rip them away if he didn't do something. Gathering his energy, Ym did something he really disliked doing--it hurt, and left him slightly incapacitated for a second or so. As the pressure on his body built, Ym focused. A surge of electricity flowed through the inside of his form, racing along his nervous system, taking mere instants to reach Arcas' claws. The resulting energy surge had to be several thousand volts, and several amps--this charge was used mostly to rid his body of parasites, but when used against targets inside his body it would nearly disintegrate them. The claws, being to strong, probably wouldn't be harmed by it but the shock would hopefully do damage to Arcas' brain and body functions in general, as well as just blasting the claws right out of him. Ym went rigid during the shock, his claws convulsively tightening on the bear's body. The pain was intense, but hopefully this solution would be successful.
Athxess The bear roared in pain from the shock, but onley by sheer will did it keep prying the flesh around the claws sizzled and blistered, his fur smoked, but the fresh and exiting hell this bug produced egged the bears animosity on, nothing in heaven or earth was going to stop it.
Ymheshphilun : With a pain-filled scream of pure agony, the plates the bear had been pulling on broke. There was an explosion of caustic ichor from the wound, a wave of a burning tar-like substance that would quickly begin to eat away at flesh. Ym's claws and constriction only tightened at this--surely the roar and shock and effort of the ripping had exhausted the air in Arcas' lungs by now. Ym would make sure he wouldn't inhale--the pressure on his ribs and diaphragm would probably be too much. Still that acidic blood poured from the wound, still the centipede hugged Arcas in a death grip. The bug refused to let go.
Athxess ::Arcas did not need another breath, the burning he could deal with and whats pain when your so close to death ? SO the bear started biting away at the exposed flesh his tongue and eyes being burnt but the teeth would live threw it and the claws came back to tear at it as well.
Ymheshphilun didn't have enough time to charge another blast as the claws and teeth came for the wound. The centipede knew by the bear's lack of intake that it knew that it was close to death, and that it was no longer going to stop because of pain. Death was the only thing suitable for the monster now. So even as the bear mounted a final attack, Ym mounted his own. His main crushing claws released their grip, reared back, closed to form deadly cones, about two feet long--and then Ym stabbed them towards Arcas' torso, hopefully penetrating something valuable--and then once inside, the centipede would open his claws and twist. The size of the wound created by this attack would be tremendous. His own exposed area would be slowly growing as this happened, the acidic liquid flowing into the bear's eyes and nose and throat, hopefully burning up his insides as well. The pain of Arcas' claws and teeth ripping at him was going beyond agony now--something was going to have to give, and soon. The combination of agonized beasts ripping frantically at each other could only lead to one victor.
Athxess Arcas kept digging as he felt the Centipede impale him, and when the cone opened the bear started eating the cetipede never letting his muzzle out of it as he ripped and tore he felt death comming,he felt his bodt slowing he was going to die in the next few second but the centipede would know and have nightmares about him as he ate the bug
Ymheshphilun could also feel the bear slowing... but it wasn't just his prey that was losing this battle. Ym was tired beyond belief, his crushing coils and snapping jaws holding on as tight as they could go even as the bear ripped and shredded at acidic flesh. The pain was unbearable (pun entirely intended, though meant perfectly seriously). This was going to take a long time to heal, if Ym survived this. His claws continued driving themselves deeper into Arcas, snapping and twisting, reaching for the vital parts, trying to kill it as fast as possible.
Athxess ::: Arcas felt his death was here and with a his dieing movements and moments the bear dug both claws as deep as possible and pulled out making the hole big as posssilbe and shoved his mussel even into it biteing at whatever he could reach and as the bugs acidic blood seeped over his shoulder he heat beat stopped and the bear died with his jaw locked deep into the bug.
Ymheshphilun : Perhaps the only reason Ym was still alive but the bear was not was the location of the wound. While Arcas had dealt a huge amount of damage, it wasn't near any really vital organs. Whereas Ym knew exactly where to target and struck there as hard as possible with his final attack. Now there was another problem, though--Arcas' teeth and claws were inside him. After a brief, semi-clouded consideration of the action, Ym decided to leave it there, at least for now--while it hurt extremely badly, it wasn't tearing at him any further and it was keeping his insides in. Eventually--in the morning, perhaps?--Ym's insides would have congealed enough to be able to pull away. But for now, he'd stay right there--and start eating. The action would help restore his strength, and he knew that if he fell asleep now he might never wake up. So, without further contemplation... om nom nom. It was a messy affair, and slow going, and barely scratching the surface of the monster's size, but it was enough to keep him alive.
