Lullaby hums filled their horse-drawn carriage under the moonlight as they made their way along the brick road through the tall forest. Esmeralda was rocking her newborn child and caressing his cheek with a tender touch. Smiling while watching him return her gaze with his heavy eyes struggling to stay open. She spoke gently with excitement gleaming on her face.
"Look at him. Head full of hair, matted black just like yours. Skin of light wood brown to match, perhaps a shade lighter. You're already your father's son."
[ Character Card:
Izeurik L.(Love) BloodHart
Alias: Izeurik B.(Blood) Love
Transcendent Level: Flat Stage 0
Dynasty: Blood
Species: Za'lantie Chimera
{Additional information. Chimeras are amalgamation of two or more species. Current amalgamations are human, panther, as well as a mutated Capuchin SpiderMonkey and Peacock from Fate's Mutation.}
Appearance: Black Dominican
Age: 6 hours
Bloodline: Eye of Supremacy
{Additional information, Eye of Supremacy. An amalgamation of the parents' bloodlines. This allows the owner to have greater control over one's mental and physical self, as well as conjuring illusions and constructs.}
Mutation: ZeroClimb.
{Additional information. Mutations give you inherit basic knowledge and means of activation. 'ZeroClimb' is a hyper mutation allowing the user to control which way their own gravity goes, to 'fall' in a desired direction. As well as the ability to conjure levitating skinny bone white hands fading halfway down the forearms. Allowing the user to grab things from afar or as a makeshift surface. Additionally can also pull bone hands out of the user's dark shadow to hold or pull a target under.}
Affinity: Psionic, Electricity, Dark, Moonlight, Earth & Water.
End of Character Card...]
Marcellus was watching the trees pass by while leaning on the window. Toying with the end of his thick mustache and rubbing it down to his soul patch. A sign of his deep thoughts and worry. For a moment all that he was pondering faded away as he accepted the welcome distraction from all that was happening. Turning his gaze away from the window he smiled at the interaction beside him while the moonlight illuminates his wife and child. The sight adds to fill his voice with a deep warm glee.
[ Character card:
Marcellus S.(Solacer) BloodHart
Transcendent Level: Bottom Stage 3
Dynasty: Blood
Species: Human
Appearance: Black Italian
Age: 30
Height: 5'10
Class: Vanguard
Rank: Chosen
Title: Honey Bear Barber
Bloodline: Body-Supremacy
Bending: Nature
Affinity: Earth, Fire & Water
End of Character Card…]
"I'm surprised even this much resembles me given the 13 months long pregnancy, and how you managed to postpone it for so long."
Marcellus let out a chuckle that was matched by Esmeralda's own. Marcellus brushed his fingers gently through their son's hair. Revealing strands of emerald scattered amongst the black. The color resembles Esmeralda's own long emerald hair that flows like a river with slight curls from the top, down to the middle of her back. Grinning through her hushed excitement.
[ Character card:
Esmeralda S.(Solanum) BloodHart
Transcendent Level: Flat Stage 3
Dynasty: Blood
Species: Panther Chimera
Appearance: French Dominican
Age: 30
Height: 5'7
Class: Barbarian Assassin
Rank: Chosen
Title: Ruby Beast, of The Crimson Garden
Bloodline: Illusionary Eye
Bending: Beast, Veil & Clouds
Affinity: Air & Psionic
End of Character Card…]
"It brought us much needed time, more time than expected. It was worth every moment and in more ways than one… He felt my will and surpassed it with one far greater. A will that burns as bright as Sirous itself."
"Merelda, My Love. Sharing adoring eyes such as yours, there's not a doubt he will be a force to be reckoned with."
Esmeralda's smile couldn't help but to grow a little grander with the feeling of pride. The joy of some shared resemblance caused her eyes to narrow with a possessive obsession. Sharing a moment of silence as they both gaze upon their child. His emerald eyes that were slightly clouded white stared at his parents with a new found fascination. Looking up into his mother's own slightly clouded emerald eyes, their irises were identical. The only difference being his iris was surrounded by pure darkness from his sclera. Then he looked over to his father's bloody-dirt brown eyes, that gleamed red in the moonlight.
A few parts of their son's body was left in mystery to them both, and could only assume it being a mutation.. His ears are big, round, and with a furry backside like Esmeralda's, yet curved into a slight point to the upper outer sides. Behind his ears stick out majestic hypnotic colorful feathers, primarily black with an array of blood red, emerald green, and ice blue. The pattern takes the shape of eyes in the middle of the feathers. A few smaller feathers that seem to always stick up out of the front of his hair seemingly appearing as a crown.
Their son also had two more smaller sets of eyes. His emerald green eyes set front and center, pupils resting with a predatorial vertical slit unlike Esmeralda's own round pupils. Down from the edge of his eyes on his cheekbones rested round deep blood red eyes shining in front of the darkness. On his temple was the last set of eyes. Icy blue with horizontal slit pupils. The Iris is so big you could just barely notice the white behind them with no darkness in sight.
His hands were slightly sticky as they clung on Esmeralda's finger. His feet are similar shaped to his hands and slightly sticky all the same. Tiny strings coming from them that were red, and or white. Reminding them both of spider webs. His two long matted black furry tails swayed hypnotically out of the blanket that was the length of his full body and a half. The tip of both tails split it off into four long digit paw hands. Small feathers blended and buried into the black fur that could spread out to the left and right sides ending with a point at the tip. A mixture of a tail and a long thin expanding fan. Bright emerald colored patterns showed all over the tail, a pattern similar to the feathers. Only adding to the seemingly endless shaped eyes that held the sight of a hypnotic predatory gaze.
Esmeralda's eyes quickly got watery while cherishing her boy until they could no longer hold the tear from sliding down her medium sandy skin. Marcellus didn't hesitate to caress her cheek to tenderly wipe it away. her voice stutters under the weight of their reality.
"Thank you, Marcel..."
As their smiles slowly faded, in unison they looked up to the empty seat in front of them. Focusing on the ever-silent ghostly figure who they've grown to know over the many years of randomly popping up. He sat there with a face full of sorrow, yet a slight smile of joy. They had their suspicions of who, but it was only on the moment of their childbirth hours ago when the ghostly figure was there to witness, seeing that they were one in the same. Every sliver of doubt vanished. As skilled as she was in the veil, Esmeralda knew it was no ghost. After moments passed, a look of contentment covered all three of their faces. They didn't know how but, they both knew at least their son would survive the night. Looking at one another with a sense of purpose. With newfound confidence Esmeralda spoke first.
"Are you ready, Lover?"
"Right behind you, My Love. As always."
Marcellus replied without hesitation with a grin of confidence and a look of certainty. Esmeralda made sure to tuck in their baby tight within the blanket. Pushing a note in between the folds along with a magical black, emerald, and ruby pattern beaded necklace. Activating her skill, bringing forth emerald light with her fingers that sprinkles over the child. Dampening all noise other than her own for him to hear and she begins to hum once more a lullaby.
Marcellus used his hand to comb back his slightly-straight curly hair that fell down to his shoulders. Then he kicked the door to the carriage wide open. Following through with a fluid motion he dashed out, don in his lavish attire. His clothes are lightly padded and armored. A metal plate for his chest peering out from underneath his shirt, reflecting the moonlight that adds to his graceful entrance to the fresh night air of the forest.
With one hand pulling out an energy pistol and the other donning his sword. A second later several small explosions knocked down the approaching trees in front of the first carriage. Forcing the horses to neigh excessively and immediately stopping their march. Startling the driver, the mostly heavily armored guard beside him, and passengers alike down to the carriages that followed. In the mix of the guards and passengers surprise, Marcellus body pulse with mana. Purple energy from within expanded out to coat his body in a very thin transparent layer. Some of the energy drains into the handles of his weapons when they reach. Causing the edge of the sword to start glowing a light purple, growing brighter with more energy that drained.
Afterwards, Marcellus begins firing his energy pistol through the underbrush. A beam of light with each trigger pulled. The first shot that disappeared in the tree line elicited a cry of pain as hooded figures with black cloaks began rushing out with weapons of their own, most of which now glowing with reddish-orange energy.
The mostly heavily armored guards quickly hopped down and got out of the other two stylized green and red carriages along with the passengers who had lavish lightly armored clothing as well. All was prepared for a fight. With skilled proficiency immediately everyone coated their body with their mana. Donning energy and kinetic weapons of their own from pistols, rifles, swords, spears, and more just in time to meet their assailants. Just as quickly, they realize their fate. Their assailants continued coming, outnumbering them easily 1 to 15 within moments as more approached like an endless wave, half of which coating their own body in the reddish-orange aura as well. The rest pressed a button on their belts to create a similar effect through their tech. Yet no one wavered at this revelation.
As shots began firing, Marcellus and his allies took a defensive position. One of the light armored allies hopped on top of the carriage, spreading their arms wide and activating their skill to establish a perimeter several feet away from them. It seemed to have no effect until a barrage from miniguns began unleashing against the ally forces. A shield appeared at the perimeter line to block high velocity rounds with precision.
A few of the assailant's arrows and other slower projectiles pass through without fail. Two allied shield wielders launched forward activating their skills combining their shield barriers. Arrows bouncing off, earth spears shattering and fireballs exploding against the barrier. One shield wielder hopped on top of the carriage for added protection with a sphere barrier for their ally.
As the melee assailants dawned closer most of the projectiles ceased. The ground shook as several assailants tried bending the earth to take control of the land. A ringed barrier of spiked earth around the perimeter as one of the lightly armored allies kept them at bay with their own earth bending. As allies returned fire the assailants showed no hesitation to step on and over each other as they rushed forward and were struck down.
Marcellus continued firing his energy pistol until they were halfway towards them. Activating his skill the color of his gun changed into a reddish-orange energy. When he held down the trigger his energy rounds turned into a liquid flamethrower. It showed a little effect against the assailant barriers but did well to obscure their view and cover the ground.
Once they were finally close enough the shield barriers went down, and weapons swung. One of the assailants had no disguise on. Her height slightly surpassed Marcellus' own. Large obsidian-colored horns were a little forward on the side of her head, nearly as big as her head itself. Her hair was dark blood red with pure white strands. It was straight and thick. Would have hung to her cheekbone if it wasn't combed back. Her skin was a silk pale white with black dots clustered around like full body freckles. A long thick tail that slowly thins out into a big blunt arrow tip.
She wore little armor, yet thick and heavy like the spear she wielded. Showing more skill than the others. She jumped high up into the air, spinning creating a spiraling fire wheel with her spear, before quickly diving towards Marcellus. Marcellus coating his sword with fire met the blow head-on creating a wave of flames and all directions. As the fight began, most strikes were dodged but every time they deflected each other's blows, sparks and miniature fireballs flew covering the battlefield in flames, staying ablaze on the concrete or igniting the surrounding trees. A few assailants getting hit in the crossfire. As they collide once more their weapons sparking and grinding against each other as they lean into it. Leaning her head even closer to speak. Her face became less serious and more welcoming. Smiling with excitement. As she spoke, small constant smoke trails left her mouth. Her voice was gentle and sincere.
"Hello Marcel, I mean father-in-law. Nothing personal, right?"
[ Character card:
Shyrranir S. Dragon
Transcendent Level: Peak Stage 2
Dynasty: Dragon
Species: Dragon Chimera
Age: 100 (20 in human years)
Height: 6'1
Class: Butcher
Rank: Awakened
Title: Prime Dragonborn, Executioner
DNA seed: Dragon
Bloodline: Internal Love-Fire
Bending: Volcano
Affinity: Psionic & Fire
End of Character Card…]
"Hello, Shyrranir. Nice to see you again, I would be remiss to say it didn't feel a little personal. I also must remind you; I'm not your father-in-law."
Marcellus decided to indulge her mannerisms as she continued mimicking his speech pattern and formal demeanor as she always did. He responded gently and formally while they were struggling for dominance. They're blades pushing back and forth between their faces. Shyrranir feinted heartbroken at his words. Pushing free from their struggle, slashing at each other a few more times before colliding into their tug of war once more.
"Surely you must be trying to kill me with your tongue since you cannot with your blade, Father. Why must you deny our marriage? Don't you want a strong bloodline? I'll be fully mature just as he comes of age. I can raise him right with all the love he needs and deserves after I put you both to rest. I'm strong enough to protect him, unlike you, so just surrender so I can make it painless."
Marcellus couldn't help but to let out a small chuckle. Shaking his head in dismissal and doubling his efforts. His blade glowing a deeper fiery red. The ground cracked as he pushed the edge merely inches away from her neck that burned from the heat.
"You really want to have this conversation now? Despite all of this you're still trying to earn our blessing? You still haven't changed at all, Shyrranir. You chose your family, and we chose ours. With all your well-meaning desires, you're still under their heel. You can't even protect yourself. Even now you show you're still conflicted, using a spear. Should have brought your axe if you wanted to put us to rest."
Shyrranir's face drifted to one of sorrow and regret before slowly turning back warm and welcoming once more. Increasing her own strength to match, cracking the brick road beneath them more while pushing the blade away from her neck.
"You're about to die, Father… If not now, then when? My axe would be so barbaric, and overkill. How could I do that to my mother and father-in-law? How could I look him in the eyes if I did such a thing?... He will be mine and you are my family, but I won't lose all of you… If I didn't side with them then we would all be dead… I'm just trying to save what I can…"
Despite how serious Shyrranir tried to maintain her voice, sorrow continued seeping through with each word said. Her grip tightened on the spear as she pushed more with her weight to him, doubling her efforts with a new wave of determination. Marcellus smiled warmly. The same smile she was all too familiar with that made her feel like everything would be okay. Using her momentum Marcellus slid to the side and used the brief moment as Shyrranir regained her balance to knee her in the gut and fired a blue energy round at her knee, concealing it in ice. Knowing what's coming next Marcellus jumped back as she activated her skill, a small burst of concentrated heat that immediately shattered the ice and melted the bricks beneath her.
Her knee was still dark blue from the lingering frostbite. Not missing a chance Marcellus immediately lunged forward. Right before his sword met her neck, she deflected it to the side, using the momentum he spun around. Firing two ice rounds to stall her counter strike as she dodged before sword and spear collided once more in a tug of war.
"Oh, sweet Shyrin… Little Shysheir… Even though we do not agree with your path, we understand it. We only wish you had more faith in us. Me and Merelda, we bear no hatred towards you, and when I put you to rest it will be without hatred. But… it is possible I may die, and this might be the last time we ever speak… so… I'll grant you my blessing, give you a proper middle name and allow you to share our last. Because even though you're not worthy now, I know one day you will be. I will even allow you to keep Dragon as your birthday present if you so wish to… so… Shyrranir S. (Sol) Dragonhart… My daughter. I hereby formally adopt you as my own and if my son should accept you without manipulation then you will have my blessing. Although you're not allowed to even seek him out until it's time. Now let's stop this talking and prove to me it's not a mistake."