The Heavenly Ruins

[YOLF]

Orcus
Early Morning

The man who had said it was long dead, and Orcus's life here was proof of it. But that made it no less true. Hubris was the greatest chain that tripped those destined to tragedy down the rotten, filthy hills of hell. But those who allowed it to control them were no less than cowards, willingly looping the chain 'round their necks. Was it better to know what invited the fall, and to guide your path away from it like a sheep that scorned the sheppard; or to live and fail greatly, and perhaps rise from the mounds of trash and sin one day and break the chain upon the flensed, scorching knee of reprisal?

It was pointless to offer words in response, because this fight would decide the answer. Aruna did not know it, but she could offer him no greater gift.

The instant the tip of his weapon found empty space, Orcus twisted the haft in his hands and swung in a vicious crescent. The reflexive retaliation filled the space around him with killing will, and anyone who wasn't quick enough, regardless of their intent to make distance or the utter disappearance of their presence, would have tasted the black edge. "And we were having such nice talk," he said. The savage grin that stretched on his cheeks couldn't be helped. "I'll do you one better."

The demon's eclectic magic was everywhere, but not sound, sight nor scent announced it. And yet Orcus heard the voice clearly, and its echo bounced for a sliver of a second off the faded pillars that circled the arena, before disappearing into the deeper shadows between each pair in the misty shades that preceded the twilight that would soon arrive from over the horizon. Like a shark only needed a drop of blood in the ocean, Orcus, swifter and more certain than a bat, only needed that slip.

His wings cut the air with a whistle, carrying him after the hidden Aruna.

[yinsukin]

Aruna

"I see where the bravado came from, such a fine warrior," she said, her voice coming from just behind him.  Her dainty famine arm had shifted into a sharp claw radiating with the power of light.  If Aruna's voice didn't tip him off to her presence, the bright light would.  The light was so encompassing that it evaporated the concealing properties of the coat, without negating the spell altogether.  As she thought, none could hide within the light.  The claw threatened to dig into his back and blast it with holy power.

In reality, Aruna only needed to get distance from the first strike.  The second she cleared the first attack, she transformed into a rock, landing on the ground.  With his attention to the sky, the demon shot up completely silently, activating her arm just as she stepped within his range.  That wasn't all. A portal opened on the woman's face and chains flew to grab hold of Orcus's body.  Because of the distance, the blast would hit first, then the chains afterwards.

[YOLF]

Orcus

It was more than warning enough. His wings screeching, Orcus twisted mid-air to face her, bringing up his weapon in a graceful ascent. The haft crossed the length of his torso and struck Aruna's wrist, pushing it away. As the chains materialized, the decimating light blasted past his shoulder, and Orcus discarded his two-handed grip to intercept the biting links - with a snap, all of them were wrapped around his forearm and caught in a gluttonous grip.

It happened in an instant, like two thunderclaps, and his retaliation followed like a flood. Cackling, he inverted the direction of the halberd and swung the blade under the chains, towards the demon's belly.

Bravado was for fools, and while fools could be mighty, Orcus had no need to be one to make Aruna realize that her carelessness might cost her the contents of her guts.

[yinsukin]

Aruna

The chains began drawing from Orcus's magical power reserves, feeding off of his magic.  Aruna's mouth curled into a smile as she felt the intensly powerful magic flow into her body.  "Oh..."

This maneuver was far better on fighters who were already grounded, less time to react.  In the past few battles, the power of the light was enough to grant her a chance at victory.  However this time, it exposed her intent too much.  If she had simply used her arm as a blade, that would have been the deciding blow.

The halberd slammed into what should have felt like cold hard metal.  Spikes had emerged from her belly, ripping apart the thin cloth that hid her already mostly exposed skin.  The follow through from the swing sent her flying back into the ground.  The light faded and darkness covered her body, causing her body flung like a comet to disappear into nothingness.  There wasn't even a crash that accompanied her fall.

 More chains emerged from the portal, attempting to grab hold of his other arm.  Meanwhile, even more chains emerged from the ground, threatening to grab his legs as well. 

[YOLF]

Orcus

Umbral and luminous currents swirled from Orcus through the chains, and his lips twitched at the enfeebling sting. The joy he found in the resistance put up to his deadly swing did not falter even when the spikes shattered at the apex of the halberd's arc and Aruna vanished into traceless darkness again.

The primal effortlessly circled the portal and severed the chains with a flashing hew. When the next set flung itself from the ground, he shot away and spun around each of them. They reached for his legs like hooks, and he danced with them like they were the furthest thing from a burden. If they were leading him somewhere, he allowed them. He zoomed through the air in a clear route, without gaining distance from the earth.

"So annoying, these darlings," he cooed. "We could go for a while, but I wish for expediency. Show me the power that could rip me to shreds, Aruna."

[yinsukin]

Aruna

"Oh and smart too," her voice echoed.  It seemed to come from everywhere, yet no where.  "Taunting me to grant you an opening is smart, but I desire survival above almost all things."

The other issue was that Aruna was fully aware of the pros and cons of her own arsenal.  She was an assassin first and a fighter second.  It was foolish to show this man all of her cards.  She had already made that mistake with Zeke, she wouldn't repeat it.

Chains continued to emerge from both portals, more and more conjured from the dark void.  Rather than the front, Aruna appeared just in front of Orcus, matching his flight path with her own.   Her arm transformed into massive blades.  Although this time she was still completely invisible.  One threatened to pierce his chest, the other came down on his shoulder, threatening to separate it from his body.

[YOLF]

Orcus

It was too much to hope for an opening, and perhaps too much to desire that Aruna would out herself. As long as there was no sign to follow and she did not strike, he truly could avoid the chains forever, and fail to as much as disturb a hair on her for just as long. But as Aruna motioned to attack, Orcus felt the resistance of the air shift above him.

His right wing swept up and knocked away the blade that would have severed his shoulder. Metallic ringing pierced their ears, Orcus's whole body jerking back, but the second blade plunged in, slipping between his lower ribs. It jutted from the front with a crunch, and the primal's eyes went wide.

Then his empty hands blurred, bolts drawn for this very heartbeat released, and he seized the sword-arm slick with blood in an unbreakable vise. His voice was a wanton, predatory slur. "There you are."

To the left and right of Orcus, four black edges in total glared at Aruna with droplets of violet caught from the stained horizon. She had only that instant before the black mist that revealed them pulsed and the swords shot in unison at her.

[yinsukin]

Aruna

All Aruna had time to do was remove the blade from his chest.  Blades were flung into her body, piecing her skin.  The darkness covering her body evaporated, revealing the face of the redheaded demon girl.  "Very good Orcus," she said, her mouth creeping into a wide smile.  Blood trickled from her lips and stained the blades that entered her body. "I think you have proven yourself a valuable asset."

The chains begun retracting back into the portals and Aruna let herself fall from the sky towards the ground.  The girl closed her eyes, allowing herself to be taken by fate.

[YOLF]

Orcus

He let the blade slip free, laughing through the convulsion that followed it. Blood painted the air, but Orcus turned his tumble into a dive, and before they could meet the floor of the ruins, caught Aruna at the waist like a feather.

"Tell me then, Aruna," he said, bringing his face close. "What do you require?"

[yinsukin]

Aruna

Aruna felt the warrior's strong hands wrap around her wide hips, her entire body growing limp in his grip.  The second they hit the ground, it sprung back, a dainty hand gently stroking his cheek.  "Nothing that you would ever give me," she said, staring at him with a gentle gaze.  "Do you hold me as a key to be handled gently or a woman to be helped?"

Either way, she was a simple object of his desire no matter the kindness he showed.

"God gave fire to humans, the power of light, the harsh power of growth and destruction.  Just as the sun exists as a gas ball of immeasurable destructive power yet grants the earth, the single target of its love, everlasting potential and happiness, so too does the light grant its user the ability to grow its dream.  I firmly believe humans never should have gained this power, for they were curropted by it."

Just as Asmeal was.

"The graces have been spread through the city.  A spark can be put out, but a flame once big enough is a war that needs to be won."

Then she smiled at him, the blood that was running down her chin dropping onto his arms.  "But you don't really care about that do you?  You just want to know how to become a god right?  Or do you merely want to know how to kill one?"

[YOLF]

Orcus

The immortal did not breathe for as long as she spoke, drinking in every word and glance. He righted Aruna, and the swords that skewered her dissolved into mist.

"My, my, you fail to acknowledge the breadth of my talents, or you slight me for my glowing temperament. I should be outraged, either way."

Shaking his head, his lips thinned into a stony line. "There are many ways to topple a throne. Name your price, and tell me of the Graces. You knew the one who shed them, did you not?"

[yinsukin]

Aruna

Aruna let out a giggle and caressed his cheek with her small hand before placing her finger in between where his lips parted.  "Oh you misunderstand Orcus," she said.  "I understand your talents well and truly from our bout.  Such a girth of magic and skill with hands...  No, the lips of a man such as yours only touches a woman such as I after he has mastered his craft and learned how to please."

The finger touching his lips went back to her own lips and a forked tough licked his saliva off of her finger.  "How do I know that once you get the power within me that you won't leave in my hour of need or pawn this off to other women?"

[YOLF]

Orcus

The primal held his silence for a moment longer, then burst into giggles, a boisterous sound echoing to her face. "Dear demon, you would know, because I would never leave you and the Grace you carry without first tearing it out of your back through your wings."

He continued, flashing his eyes like embers at her and his teeth like fangs. "And right now, you're quite whole. Does that not prove my sincerity?"

[yinsukin]

Aruna

The demon smiled, her red eyes fixated on the face he made when he said the words "tearing it out of your back through your wings."  In that moment, she realized that despite her conditioning and training to avoid danger as much as possible, she could never resist flirting with it.  That is probably why she smiled.

"It proves your patience," she said.  "A demon such as myself knows how much the flavor of pray sweetens when they achieve the right kind of high.  Sometimes the satisfaction of the meal is built on the labor of the hunt itself."

[YOLF]

Orcus

His features shook like she had affronted his honor. He seemed to swoon at it, and Aruna could tell she had hardly been a slight more theatrical in her life, whether from mortal or immortal.

"My, dear demon, you mean to say I am in just as much danger from you as you are from me," he said. "Birds of a feather, aren't we?"