The Coarseblood emerged from the mist beyond the pipes, its deformed skull tilting as it sniffed the wet air. The damp, warm moisture carried a distinct scent, guiding its attention to a lone figure standing amidst the haze. The distant sound of waterfalls crashing around drowned out the sound of the Coarseblood plunging into the pool below. It stood emerging from the water as its body hissed and churned. There was a calmness to the creature as it followed the smell in the air—it froze. On the side of its deformed skull, its single golden eye swallowed the vision of Morray. The shatter crust scales split inward, its glare focused on Morray. The Coarseblood hissed, its head fighting itself as half its face cracked and aimed towards the door, where Bobby’s scent vanished while the other half turned to focus on Morray.
Morray studied the foul cracks and warped form of the creature. He slid towards the door, watching as the confusing convulsion of scales and fangs snapped together to face the doorway.
Peculiar…
The Coarseblood began to wade through the water, its long legs cutting through the water as it emerged. It stretched grimly taut in fading scales, revealing muscle and bone under the crimson facade.
Behind Morray stood a cart that Romm had brought, its contents gleaming under the faint light. Inside, packets of blood pulsed and bubbled, the liquid within undulating unnaturally. Morray smirked as he glanced inside, then reached in and grabbed a moist pack.
The red beasts talons rasped against the tile as it emerged from the pool. Its gaunt form towered over Morray as it let out a raspy roar. Morray didn’t wait for the Coarseblood to act.
With a blood packet in hand, he ran opposite to the door, making sure to let the golden eye watch before he squeezed the blood packet, leaving a trail behind that seemed to snap the skull back together as it slammed its claws into the tile floors. Screeching as it pursued Morray away from the door.
It was fast—but clumsy—the creature slid around, slashing blindly at Morray as he wove under and around the strikes. He was smooth. His eyes were calm, almost bored before they focused as he revved the gunblade, smashing the Coarseblood on the side of the face with the blunt edge, causing it to reel in pain before wildly striking down. Morray slid to the side, kneeling low, before unloading a slug of chimeric ammo into its lower jaw.
It screeched, staggering back and falling on its ass like a baby deer. It raised itself up and began another attack, but it froze. Wobbling on its legs, its head turned sharply to the side, revealing the golden eye. The shattered rim around it creased in a vile frown. It slammed its claws into its skull, causing the body to go limp before jittering its body back into motion. The golden eye had been swallowed by the crimson scales.
Morray watched studying the creatures state.
“Captain!” A voice called from behind.
Morray didn’t look back. “Stay back!” he shouted.
Serfet caught his breath. “But they’re bleeding out!”
Morray shifted his body, enough to glance back to see Serfet and Mera carrying two unconscious rangers who were bleeding from their uniform’s lower half.
By the fucking fifteen! He turned back to face the Coarseblood as its body began to convulse, its limbs thrashing around as a golden gleam slowly ebbed and surged from under the crimson cracks. “Get ready to run.” He said, charging a faint amount to Kyyr into his body as the Coarseblood swung its arms around—its claws, slicing the air around the changing body.
He watched crimson jaws burst and recede as the gaunt form convulsed, the sea of jaws slamming into a single point as its feral snout receded into a more flat bone-crushing form. Its horns twisting into more refined auricular organs.
Morray’s blue Kyyr surged through his body, illuminating the tubing that lined his uniform in an azure glow. His Kyyr spiked against the miasma of the Coarseblood.
The creature began to stand when—the world was upside down—its Kyyr sensors spun in the air as the edge of its visual perception caught a crimson glimpse.
The Coarseblood’s body fell to its knees, its shattered eye catching a glimpse of Morray looking back as a bright blue light smashed into its alien gaze.
In the fraction of now and then. Morray had decapitated the Coarseblood and turned to shoot the soaring skull, the crimson scales flying across the air as Serfet and Mera ran, leaving behind a trail of blood from the two rangers they’d found unconscious.
“Eeeeek! D-did you see tha—” Mera began to squeak before she tripped on the Coarseblood’s body, causing some of the ranger's blood to trail into the body.
Mera corrected herself, getting back on her feet. “Sorry sorry sorry sorry!” she shouted as she scrambled to her feet, carrying the bleeding ranger away from the scene.
Morray stared down at the lifeless body of the Coarseblood. Shame… No—!?
His instincts caused him to jump back from the body. The nearby blood was gone. The headless body jerked to life, pulling itself away from Morray—like some gigantic spider—it crawled away and onto a wall, its neck twisting in his direction, revealing a single golden eye within its throat. Its ardent glare looking deep into his own.
Intriguing…
The Coarseblood grabbed its shattered head, slamming back into place as it crawled up, its claws digging into the walls as it reached the ceiling. CRASH. One of the hanging white lights was thrown in his direction.
Morray moved swiftly, tracking the mangled body as it swung across the ceiling, tearing through wires and lights, sending a cascade of debris crashing below. He sidestepped the falling shrapnel, raising his weapon to retaliate. A volley of electric slugs tore into the creature’s footing.
The creature hissed in a garbled tone, its voice echoing unnaturally as it leaped back into the shadows of the Danger Castle, vanishing into the maze of twisting tunnels.
Something changed... that eye…
Morray didn’t hesitate as he followed behind, using his Kyyr to match the distance as he scanned through the maze of tunnels.
Inside the Danger Castle, the Coarseblood reassembled its head, the single golden eye melting back into its body as it slowly climbed out of the Danger Castle, scanning the lounging area. From the shadows, it stared at the trail of blood that had lured its lesser half away from prey. It gave a low hiss as it studied the trail before landing on the container Romm had brought. Its shattered brain processed its encounter with Morray. Its crimson-scaled face smiled as saliva dripped from its mouth—hissing as it meshed with the moisture in the air.
Morray scanned the array of tubing as he masked his presence. Jumping lightly between tubes, he carefully climbed around, scanning for the creature.
That eye. It was thinking…
In the distance, he heard movement. The pitter-pattering of feet against the tile floor. He turned, jumping away from the maze—when THUMP. Not far from him, he could hear the sound of the Coarseblood clawing away from him towards the entrance. Twisting his body, he controlled his Kyyr and pulsed throughout. Bursting forth after the crimson beast.
Not far, Alice looked around in terror. Fresh blood led into a newfound darkness that separated her from the light beyond. She was trembling and unsure, her eyes darting around as the sound thumping echoed from within the labyrinth. She huddled within herself, looking around, when her ears caught something else.
Behind her, the soft muted echo of boots scuffing against the tile approached. She turned fear surging through her but—
Huff huff, “Oh—hey!” Sey’s voice gasped for air. “Oh man—climbing up that nasty slide really hurt my elbows and knees…”
“Miss Sey!” Alice muttered, lowering her guard.
Sey straightened out, “Phew, glad to see you’re okay; Captain Bern was really freaked out.”
Alice looked away. “Sorry... but listen, Bobby is still in there! With that thing!”
Sey gave her a warm smile. “W-e-l-l, I got notice a little ago that they got him out! And he’s alive~”
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Alice wobbled in relief , sliding onto a sitting position as she began to tear up, “Thank the Fifteen…”
Sey kept smiling, but her demeanor changed as the hollow roar of the Coarseblood thundered throughout the pool room. Now her demeanor wasn’t that of a serious senior looking out for Alice—no, she found herself huddled in terror next to the younger girl shaking in her boots as she looked around trying to find the source of the noise.
Alice recoiled as the bloodsoaked Sey grabbed on, “Eh—Miss Sey, a-are you okay?”
Sey looked at the puffy-eyed Alice, pushing herself away. “Uhhh, yeah! You know, j-just m-making sure you’re not hurt!”
“Right…?”
“Anyways, Miss Alice, we should get out of here! You know because of the Coarseblood…”
Alice looked at her confused, her eyes widening in terror. “T-that thing... was that?”
Sey looked down at the rattled girl, AH! Oh NO. I shouldn’t have said that. Oh no oh no oh no—if they manage to fix up Mr. Gira, she’s gonna hate him! What do I do? What do I do? What do I—
“So that was Gira…” Alice muttered.
Sey waved her hands around, “Ahh, well yes, but he’s not himself, s-something’s wrong, and….uhh.”
Alice looked towards the exchange of gunfire and roars that echoed from the other side of the Danger Castle. “What happened to him?”
On the other end of the pool room, Morray had intercepted the creature. Smashing into the side of its crimson skull with Khao Kratai. The thunderous knee strike sent the Coarseblood reeling as it regained its stance; it slashed in response, but Morray weaved under the blow.
Despite packing enough strength, its long gaunt limbs were slow and they dragged across the air in an awkward gait. The Coarseblood lacked mass. But it cared not; the golden glow shifted under the cracks of its face as it went low, swiping at Morray’s feet.
Morray smirked, grabbing onto the leg, using its force to swing himself to the side of the room. Landing on the tubbing, he charged Kyyr into his legs and, amidst the swift exchange, exploded into the Coarseblood. Slamming his gunblade into its chest, the blade slicing deep into its core as Morray revved the gunblade’s motor as a surge of chimeric lightning burst from the barrel. Sending the Coarseblood flying into the glass wall that separated the pool room and the main building.
The glass barely held as the Coarseblood collapsed forward, landing right next to the cart full of blood.
“Alright kid. Let’s see what you’re really capable of!” Morray shouted as he pointed at the blood packs. “You’ve been a disappointment so far,” he brushed his hair as he looked down upon the battered Coarseblood. “Don’t make me regret this.”
The Coarseblood awkwardly stood up and looked down at the packets of blood. Its crimson skull cracked as a grotesquely wide smile formed. Without hesitation, it slammed its head into the container; its long tongue writhed inside, slashing the packets and absorbing the blood within the sealed containers.
Morray watched with a bored look as the Coarseblood’s body began to grow. Its spindly limbs tearing free of the remaining human skin as it blossomed into a beast of gore and blood. Crimson scales glistened under the bright fluorescent lights, each movement revealing the crystalline nature of its muscles .Its coarse muscles rippled as it twisted its elongated neck, rolling its shoulders in slow, deliberate circles.
Morray’s eyes lit up in a blaze of excitement as the crimson monster of the twin stations stood before him. In a flash—centimeters from his eyes—a crimson blade flew. Time seemed to slow as his crimson-gold eyes registered the eruption of movement. He twisted sharply, narrowly avoiding the blade as it sliced across his forehead, a thin line of blood marking its path. Repositioning with quick, instinctive steps, his gaze darted around. Where? His thoughts raced. Then, a shadow loomed—from above!?
The Coarseblood slammed Morray into the tile, cracking the floor under the weight of the impact. His body bounced upward as another claw smashed into him. Blood erupted from Morray’s mouth as he tensed his muscles, catching himself against the tile. He tried to move away, but the Coarseblood grabbed him by the ankle. The Coarseblood raised him into the air—greeting him with a toothy smile before slamming him violently against the floor, swinging Morray back and forth like a ragdoll. Tile debris flew in every direction as the ground cracked from the weight of the attack. Morray was then swung around in the air before the Coarseblood’s body coiled, its torso twisting as it brought his body against its head. Then, sliding its talon, scratching the tile, it planted its claws, cracking the floor, before pushing forward and throwing Morray into the same glass wall, sending him flying into the adjacent hallway beyond the pool room.
Morray’s body slammed onto the wall across the glass. “Maybe that was too much blood…” Morray muttered as he slid down from the crater his body had created.
“Dearest brother!” Xizu called out, rushing over to help him up.
“I—” Morray coughed blood, “I’m fine.” He said as he stood up, brushing the blood from his mouth. “Sis, this kid’s 210% worth the trouble.”
Xizu looked at him with an annoyed look. Before sighing, “Just don’t get eaten!”
“Yeah yeah,” he waved his free hand. “Serfet, you’re joining me.”
“Ah—I? I am?” Serfet asked, pointing at himself.
“It’ll be good training~ Just don’t let him bite any of your limbs off.” Morray said, brushing the dust off his body.
Serfet sighed. “Aye, aye, big brother...” he grumbled, grabbing onto the hilt of his sword.
Morray looked around. “What are you lot still doing here? Evacuate. Now,” he commanded.
The restless rangers nodded, but a few remained. Morray looked at them disappointed. He let out a deep exhale, turning to Bern. “The Krreat branch will be getting a good dose of me in the coming months,” he said, pointing at himself.
Before Bern could answer, Morray had jumped back into the pool room. The Coarseblood was smiling ear to ear. Cracks spreading from the creases of its condescending grin. It threw the gunblade at Morray, who caught the weapon with dignified grace.
Serfet landed behind, gulping as he positioned himself behind Morray.
“We’re gonna flow into the Soras Escrima.” Morray said as he revved his gunblade.
Serfet nodded as he unsheathed his Murmur Blade.
“Let’s put this glorified vampire to rest.” Morray said, switching into an aggressive stance.
The Coarseblood rolled its neck as it lowered its jaws, its long, spiky tongue dripping acidic saliva onto the tile floor. It paused, tilting its head and letting its wrist go slack, twisting its body in a grotesque mimicry of Morray’s stance.
Morray smirked. Alright, you red bastard.
They stared into each other, tension rising when——with a burst of motion, Morray surged forward with an explosion of motion, feigning an attack on its legs. The beast reacted immediately, slashing its claw to intercept the gunblade before it could arc toward its neck.
Sparks flared as steel clashed against talon. The ground fractured under the force of their blows, tiles splintering with each strike.The Coarseblood’s claws tore through the air in relentless swings, smashing into the floor and narrowly missing Morray as he darted in and out of its reach, countering each assault with precise dodges and parries.
Serfet took a deep breath, his foot tapping until he found the tempo of their exchange. He slid in beside Morray, his blade flashing as he slashed at the beast. He moved seamlessly behind Morray, weaving through the chaos as Morray parried the crimson strikes. Their attacks synchronized, each one exploiting the openings between the Coarseblood’s ferocious swings, their movements a fluid dance of steel and precision.
It hissed. Jumping back as crimson tendrils erupted from its chest, lashing in deadly waves. One tendril slashed across Serfet’s chestplate as he was pulled back by Morray.
The two tried to regroup, but there was no respite amidst the relentless assault. Crimson blades speared through the moist air, forcing Morray to swing outward, evading the attack and repositioning instead of defending.
But Serfet tried to block the volley, only to find himself vulnerable. The Coarseblood rushed behinds its blades looming over him in an instant, its massive claw descending in a brutal slash. The young ranger was sent flying as blood sprayed from his arm. He hit the ground hard as he rolled across the floor, crashing into the wall, splattering blood as his bad arm smashed into the white tile.
The Coarseblood didn’t let up; pressing its advantage, it lunged forward with a crushing bite. Serfet panicked as he tried to crawl away, his hands slipping on his own blood. Meanwhile, Morray fired around after round of Kyyr-infused slugs into the beast's spine. The Coarseblood flinched with every impact but refused to relent as it rushed Serfet, its jaw’s wide open.
Serfet turned, terror gripping him as the gaping maw of the Coarseblood approached. He shut his eyes as he braced for death. When suddenly! From above, a massive metal glaive plunged into the Coarseblood’s skull. The creature fell limp for a second, its body crashing into the massive metal pike. Then, with a grotesque convulsion, it ripped its skull out of the metal glaive. Splitting apart, flesh and scale peeling back as its split face released a garbled, distorted howl.
The Coarseblood's body shuddered violently, its fragmented head twisting and mashing back into a semblance of shape, the jagged edges slowly snapping together like shards of crimson-shattered glass.
Serfet staggered to his feet as he pressed his palm over his bleeding arm. With a reluctant grunt, he ignited the palm of his hand with basic fire Kyyr, to cauterize his wounds, the searing pain forcing his teeth to clench.
Before he could fully recover, a sudden silver flash caught his eye. He looked up just as K-11 descended, crashing onto the battlefield with a force that shook the ground. Dust and debris exploded outward as the massive Rak’da unfurled its tail, the motion fluid yet imposing. K-11 was armed with all sorts of guns and weapons that lined his shoulders and spine. Its metallic claw now replaced with a massive thundering chainblade.
“Crimson one! We meet again!” K-11’s smooth, synthetic voice echoed, its tone carrying an excited edge as the battered Coarseblood faced toward him.
Serfet stumbled out from behind K-11, jamming a Kyyr Booster into his arm with a sharp wince. “Ouch—thanks, big guy,” he muttered, tensing his muscles as the booster’s effects kicked in.
“No worries, pathetic Vileblood. I shall aid you in glorious combat with the crimson beast.”
Serfet nodded with a weak smile. “Swell,” he said, rubbing his arm before locking eyes with the crimson beast.
The Coarseblood staggered, its fractured skull weaving its sinewy brain matter with its crimson scales. Within, the golden glimmer pulsed as something stirred within the crimson prison of its mind.