Beyond the crimson dissonance of the Coarseblood’s mind, violence broke out as the mechanical weight of K-11 slammed into the crimson taut monster. His chainblade whirred violently, ripping deep into the creature's gut. Flames burst from the Rak’da’s steel jaws, bathing the air in searing heat and acrid smoke.
Morray and Serfet stepped back, regrouping as the Rak’da relentlessly drove the chainblade deeper, carving through the crimson flesh.
“Ugh, that damn lizard—” Serfet muttered, scowling as he shielded his eyes from the fiery clash as sparks and embers erupted in every direction.
Morray frowned as he studied the chaos unfold.“Great… another headache,” he mumbled under his breath, his tone tinged with reluctant amusement. He glanced sideways at Serfet. “Keep your distance I wanna see how the Lizard fares.”
Serfet nodded curtly, his gaze snapping back to the fray. Steel clashed against blood as the battlefield rang with the harsh cacophony of combat. Blood and molten fragments of the Coarseblood's form spattered across the room, the air growing heavier with every deafening strike.
The Coarseblood, while heavily damaged, unleashed a sudden explosion of crimson glaives. Razor-sharp constructs tore through the blazing air, forcing K-11 to fall back as the barrage red created distance between the two. The glaive whipped around blindly before swiftly retreating back into its crimson frame. Despite the carnage, the creature somehow had remained mostly undamaged except for the massive gaping hole in its belly.
Without warning, the Coarseblood jumped up, smashing into the ceiling. Fragments of metal and concrete rained down as the monster began to burrow into the ceiling of the pool room.
The three stood frozen, their eyes looking around the ceiling as its crimson frame disappeared.
Running away? No—that thing wouldn’t…Morray kept steady listening as the Coarseblood thumped above before the sound suddenly ceased, replaced by eerie silence.
“Brot—Captain is it running away?!” Serfet asked, panicked.
Morray glared at him, causing the younger ranger to focus on the ceiling again.
K-11 roared in fury, “COWARDICE!” its synthetic voice echoed, “Were my flames too hot, friend?”
CRASH!!!
A long crimson tendril exploded downward with terrifying precision. Morray’s instincts flared as he narrowly jumped out of its path. Good choice, brat… The thought flickered as more crimson tendrils rained down, slamming into tile floors with chaotic bursts before veering unpredictably towards their target. The tendrils slashed and shattered the floor in Morray's direction before suddenly switching targets.
“Ugh!” Serfet staggered back with a grunt, his uniform slashed by a razor-sharp tendril. He stumbled but managed to steady himself, clutching his side as the next wave tore through the room.
K-11 snarled in anger. “GIRA!” he roared, overpowering his synthetic voice. Cannon-like barrels emerged from the Rak’da’s spine, glowing faintly before unleashing a furious barrage of artillery into the ceiling above.
The air was filled with the deafening roar of explosions. Stone debris and metal shrapnel cascaded from above, filling the room with a choking haze of dust and smoke. Morray and Serfet grimaced, dodging falling shrapnel and writhing tendrils as chaos filled the room.
The room dimmed further, bathed in the sinister red glow of the crimson-shattered sky above. Dust swirled like ash in the crimson gloom, turning the pool room into an eerie red battlefield.
K-11’s glowing eyes scanned the shifting shadows when—SLAM! The Coarseblood struck from below!? A crimson claw ripped upward, raking savagely across the Rak’da’s armored frame. Sparks flew as the beast’s claws tore through the metal plating, forcing K-11 to stagger back.
Before the Coarseblood could follow through, a barrel emerged from its midsection, roaring to life as a slug of shrapnel erupted from its core. The blast hurled the Coarseblood backward, its crimson form crashing into the murky depths of the pool with a violent splash.
Not far, Serfet coughed, choking on the swirling dust and smoke as his vision blurred. He felt a firm grip pulling him away. “What the—!?” he stammered, twisting instinctively.
“Calm down.” Morray said as he dragged him away from the smoke, stabbing his gunblade into the wall, using it as an anchor. Perched over the scattered residue, they both looked down into the murk of the war-torn pool room.
K-11’s head emerged from the thick veil of dust, his glowing eyes flickering with rage. He swung his massive arms, scattering the cloud of debris. The Rak’da’s tail lashed out instinctively, cutting through the air in sweeping, blind strikes as it scanned the battlefield. Its movements were restless, its gaze darting above and below, searching for the Coarseblood in the swirling chaos.
“40 degrees to your left!” Morray’s voice cut through the haze.
K-11 swiftly pivoted, but his reaction was a fraction too late. Crimson jaws lunged from the shadows, clamping down viciously on the Rak’da’s neck. K-11 roared in fury, reeling back as the Coarseblood tore away chunks of armor and wiring. Sparks erupted as mechanical components dangled from the creature’s maw, dripping with a viscous blend of oil and blood.
With a feral growl, K-11 countered, its powerful fist slamming into the Coarseblood’s side. The impact sent the crimson beast flying, but it landed with uncanny grace, its crystalline jaws sneering as cracks splintered further down its neck. The Coarseblood spat out wires and shrapnel.
K-11 eyes glowed with an animalistic glint as he revved his chainblade. They roared in unison, a deafening clash of ear-piercing symphonies as they rushed each other.
Claws tore into the tiled floor, fracturing it with every step. Their bodies collided in a brutal melee, weaving and twisting in a savage dance of violence. Claws slashed, teeth snapped, and fire erupted from K-11’s frame, engulfing them both in an inferno of rage. Crimson scales and molten shards of metal scattered across the battlefield as they exchanged punishing blows.
The crimson glow from the shattered sky above shrouded the two in a violent hue of rage and hate as they tore into each other.
K-11 swung its chainblade in a fierce arc before a sharp click echoed through the chaos. The weapon retracted mid-swing, folding inward as it seamlessly transformed into a massive gun barrel. BANG! A slug of incendiary shotgun rounds erupted with a fiery burst, hurtling toward the Coarseblood. The crimson beast twisted and weaved with eerie agility, narrowly evading the fiery projectiles.
K-11’s armor shifted with a mechanical hiss, revealing a railgun perched atop its shoulder. Without hesitation, the Rak’da fired, the weapon’s piercing shot followed by a delayed but thunderous sonic boom that reverberated through the room. The blast tore through the air, narrowly missing the Coarseblood as it darted out of range.
The relentless assault didn’t stop there. Another weapon emerged from K-11’s shoulder, a rapid-fire hailstorm of bullets ripping into the battlefield. The air filled with a cacophony of gunfire, each shot punctuated by the sharp clink of shattering crimson scales. Dust and debris erupted in chaotic plumes, obscuring the room in a suffocating haze.
From their precarious position, Morray and Serfet shielded themselves as best they could, their visibility reduced to a swirling nightmare of dust and flickering red light.
That Lizard might kill us at this rate... “Serfet, hold onto the wall yourself.” Morray said as he let go of Serfet.
Serfet barely managed to stab his murmur blade into the tile wall. “Give me a warning before you drop me!” he complained as he hauled himself up.
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Morray focused on the exchange, trying to find the best way to intervene when—silence?
K-11 growled, its glowing eyes darting around but there was no sign of the Coarseblood. The battlefield seemed eerily empty. His gaze dropped to the ground, spotting a burrow. Was it from earlier? Was it new? Was it reused?His slit pupils widened into circles as he processed the scene, scanning the pool, the ceiling—anywhere the creature might be hiding. Where are you?! His claws flexed. Below?!
The Rak’da leapt away from his position, landing heavily, but nothing followed. The oppressive silence settled like a vice, bearing down on him. His quills shuddered, twitching anxiously.
Morray, meanwhile, channeled his Kyyr as he looked around the room, but the vile Kyyr had vanished. This silent Kyyr…what a pain. Bloodlust.
“THE WALL BEHIND YOU!” Morray called out to the Rak’da.
K-11 spun to react, but it was too late. A crimson blade erupted from the shadows, hurtling toward him with lethal speed. The Rak’da raised his mechanical arm in defense, the hybrid of steel, micro-carbon composites, and Kyyr metals absorbing the brunt of the strike. Sparks flew as the blade collided, the impact jarring through K-11’s frame.
The blow sent him skidding backward, his claws gouging deep into the floor as he tried to steady himself. Before he could recover, the Coarseblood was upon him, a blur of crimson fury. Its claws and teeth sank into the joint where flesh and steel mended, tearing savagely at the arm. K-11 roared in pain, the sound vibrating through the room.
With a horrifying crack, the Coarseblood ripped the mechanical arm clean off. Sickly purple fluids and viscous blood sprayed into the air, painting the scene in grotesque hues. K-11 wailed, a guttural mix of rage and agony, before summoning enough strength to lash out with a powerful kick. His leg connected solidly, sending the Coarseblood hurtling backward.
The crimson beast caught itself against the wall, its claws raking into the surface as it steadied. Its jagged, crystalline jaws were soaked in purple blood dripping from its teeth as a wicked grin spread across its face.
“Serfet, stay back. I can’t let that lizard die.” Morray said as he dropped down lightly despite his weapon.
“Wha—?” Serfet started but held back his urge to question his brother. He knew that if anyone could slay the red beast, it was him. Morray fought with a burning desire, whether it was to kill or to overwhelm.
The Coarseblood’s auricular receptors twitched as it turned to face Morray. It let go of the wall as its face cracked, revealing the searing golden glow within. And it spoke?
“Pitiful half-blood dreg,” it snarled, its voice a coarse vibration that echoed without its jaws moving. “I will give your life substance by turning you into a red stain.”
Half-blood… Morray’s expression remained unreadable, though his sharp gaze gleamed.“So you recognize your kin?” he asked.
The Coarseblood didn’t respond. Instead, it let out a vile roar as its stance changed. Morray merely shrugged, his lips curving into a faint smirk as he slid fluidly into his own combat stance. His crimson-gold eyes flashed, and in an instant, he was gone.
The Coarseblood reeled in confusion before the cold edge of Morray’s sword sliced the monster in half. The beast’s torso separated with a sickening crack, its upper half convulsing in shock. Alien organs pulsed as they unleashed a frenzied barrage of crimson blades, slicing toward Morray in chaotic arcs.
With seamless precision, Morray parried the incoming strikes, his blade a blur of motion. He countered with a devastating slash, severing the Coarseblood’s left arm. In the two seconds between their brief exchange, the Coarseblood somehow now lay in pieces, but it was yet to be defeated.
It gritted its jaws as it exploded in a storm of crimson blades. The deadly shards spiraled outward, a chaotic flurry meant to drive Morray back. But Morray pressed on, his blade a streak of light as it sliced through the barrage, deflecting the chaos with practiced precision. His sword struck true, carving toward the beast—but the Coarseblood twisted at the last moment, leaning away. The blade grazed its upper body, leaving a shallow mark.
With a roar of defiance, the Coarseblood unleashed a wave of malicious Kyyr. The dark energy rippled outward, a suffocating aura that slammed into Morray, sending him skidding across the floor. The creature's severed halves surged toward each other, reconnecting with a sickening snap—but its severed arm remained detached, twitching uselessly on the ground.
Morray slid in place as he built momentum again, ready to strike, but the Coarseblood erected a crimson wall from the discarded arm. But Morray disregarded the wall, cleaving through the barrier with ease.
But then—nothing.
The Coarseblood was gone!
Morray’s eyes widened as a crimson claw shot upward, aiming to pierce his chest. Instincts roared to life—he twisted his body mid-air, the attack grazing just past him as he narrowly evaded the strike. Momentum carried him to the wall, where he landed with practiced agility before springing away, repositioning himself to gain the advantage.
The Coarseblood wasted no time. It lunged toward its severed arm, seizing the appendage by the wrist as crimson blood poured from the jagged stump. The monster swung the limb in a wide arc, the blood solidifying mid-swing, turning the arm into a bloody scythe. The crimson monster retaliated as it spun the scythe with perfect control. The bloody scythe spun and swung. But how? By physically spinning its own wrist, of course.
The scythe’s spinning edge screamed through the air, striking out in chaotic patterns. Morray advanced cautiously, his blade slicing forward, but the Coarseblood parried with a sudden twist, deflecting the strike with brutal efficiency. The crimson monster continued its relentless assault, spinning and slashing in a flurry of unpredictable arcs.
Morray’s icy composure never wavered. He stepped back, retreating smoothly to assess the creature’s movements. It was completely random. He changed posture, his shoulders relaxing as he flashed his Kyyr, his crimson-gold eyes glinting in the penumbra of the red gloom.
Reaching into his pocket, Morray produced a pair of dice. The Coarseblood edged closer, its movements chaotic yet deliberate. He held the dice loosely, his fingers steady despite the tension. Odds or even... The dice clattered to the floor, rolling with quiet finality. Two ones. Morray’s lips twitched in a faint smirk. Lucky enough.
He charged Kyyr throughout his body but felt the energy waver as the Coarseblood got closer. Trying to dominate me, huh? Cheeky brat. Morray smirked, unshaken. Instead of retreating, he began to walk forward, his steps deliberate and calm.
The Coarseblood’s scythe swung erratically, crimson arcs carving through the air. The sound of its wrist grinding as it spun was grating, unnerving. But Morray seemed unconcerned.
The Coarseblood’s smile faltered. Its head tilting slightly as it observed Morray with a hint of confusion. Yet as Morray drew closer, the creature’s confidence returned. It shrugged internally, its smile returning as the scythe began to swing in patterns as it picked up its pace on approaching the seemingly suicidal Morray.The weapon’s motion stirred the air, sending a mild breeze brushing against Morray’s hair.
Still, Morray didn’t falter. His smirk grew. Each step he took brought him closer, until the scythe’s spinning arcs seemed poised to strike him down. The Coarseblood’s smile widened again, malevolent and sure, as it brought the scythe down in a vicious swing.
But Morray was ready.
With a fluid motion, he dodged, slipping under the strike with unnerving ease. Before the creature could react, Morray’s gunblade found its mark, the cold steel digging deep into the Coarseblood’s lower jaw. He pulled the trigger. BOOM! The explosion ripped through its head, sending crimson scales flying in a grotesque display.
The Coarseblood staggered back, its headless form shuddering. But its resilience was relentless. Before Morray’s eyes, its skull began to regenerate, the crimson tendrils knitting together with sickening speed.
But Morray didn’t allow it to further reform as he surged forward, his blade slicing through the writhing mass of its frame. The Coarseblood erupted into a sea of red scales, its tendrils bursting outward in a violent spray of malicious Kyyr. The chaotic storm threatened to overwhelm, but Morray’s blade struck true, slicing through the writhing chaos.
In the midst of the carnage, Morray caught sight of the golden eye, and another? A gray-black eye stared at Morray amidst the carnival of red scales. He jumped back.
Serfet, who had been quietly studying the fight from the sidelines, tilted his head in confusion. Swallowing his questions, he watched the Coarseblood fight to reconstruct itself.
It slowly began to stabilize when something horrifying occurred. An extra arm ripped out from the crimson monster's chest. Then another! Then jaws?! Serfet gagged as a second head tore its way out from the malformed torso, twisting grotesquely as it emerged.
Morray instinctively stepped back as another Coarseblood erupted from the main one’s gored chest. The main Coarseblood’s head reformed as it let out a screech as it clawed at its emerging twin.
“NOT THIS LACKWIT!” The original Coarseblood roared, its voice dripping with rage as it drove its claws deep into the other Coarseblood’s neck.
The newborn Coarseblood didn’t hesitate as it pushed forward and unhinged his jaws, slamming them into the golden-eyed Coarseblood’s throat.
The twin creatures were illuminated under the red gloom from the shattered-night sky. As one Coarseblood began to consume the other. The room fell into an uneasy silence, the air thick with dread. As they all watched in silence as the scraping, scratching, cracking, and sloshing sounds resounded through the pool room. They watched in horror as the dominant Coarseblood snapped and twisted the other's limbs, before consuming the crimson scales piece by piece. It’s gullet pulsed grotesquely with each bite, the writhing counter Coarseblood failing to fight back.
The grisly process dragged on, stretching a painfully long 10 minutes before there was silence from the Coarsebloods.
Under the crimson glow, only a single Coarseblood remained. It stood tall, like a grotesque statue, its malformed body still dripping with viscous remnants of its defeated twin. Slowly, its head tilted upward, its jagged form casting twisted shadows as its massive claws reached aimlessly toward the celestial wound above.
Though it bore no eyes, there was an unsettling sense that it was taking in the beautiful celestial interplay.
Then, without stirring its jagged jaws, it whispered. The voice was soft, serene, and haunting, resonating through the stillness like a fragile echo.
“How pretty,” Gira said.