Fantasy 𝕃𝕖𝕘𝕒𝕔𝕪 𝕌𝕟𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 - ɪᴄ

[Dicentra]

Heartless Theme

Night Of Fate

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  "Be Prepared" - The Lion King
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  Group 1: Xathos (1), Axiron (2), Leox (3)
  The static faded into a hush, and an almost unnatural silence filled the air. The members stood still, realizing the quiet was too profound - there should have been some communication from the rest of their team. At the edge of the maze, the trio hesitated.
  
  Suddenly, one by one, vines snaked around their ankles, yanking them back into the hedges. Despite their struggles, the vines' grip was unyielding. They were dragged relentlessly, unable to break free, until all three were pulled back into the heart of the labyrinth.
  
  Converging at the very center, the trio now faced an enormous, animalistic flower, its chest emblazoned with the iconic Heartless emblem. It appeared that this beast's tail was what had pulled them all back in. The creature bared its teeth at them, clearly upset by their intrusion. It smacked its tail against the ground angrily, shaking the earth beneath them.
  
  With a roar loud enough to echo throughout the entire maze, the beast turned sideways to face them, its immense form casting a threatening shadow over the trio. The tail, thick and sinewy, began to lash out like a whip, cracking through the air with a force that could shatter frames. Each swing sent a gust of wind that nearly knocked them off their feet, and now the tail was coming straight for each of the trio.
  

  
  
  
  
  
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  Group 2: Dauxine (1), Xirene (2), Zexal (3)
  First the static, and then, a hush - a quiet embrace. It was peaceful even in the long corridors of the maze - maybe even hopeful that they would get out soon enough. They moved with a cautious optimism, listening to the occasional rustle of leaves and the whisper of the wind.
  
  Then, a distant pattering, a sort of trotting, began to drift through the air. At first, it was easy to dismiss as a harmless creature or the wind playing tricks. But the sound persisted, growing louder and more distinct with each passing moment. The pattering transformed into a rhythmic thud, as if something with considerable weight was moving swiftly toward them. The sound closed in, echoing off the maze's walls.
  
  The trio exchanged uneasy glances, their previously hopeful thoughts dissipating into a cloud of dread. The trotting was no longer a distant noise; it was here, surrounding them. Before long stood the creature, a Heartless adorned with the emblem on its head, a bizarre amalgamation of floral features and sharp sickles in place of hooves. Its movements carved deep gashes into the ground as it shifted its weight. Despite its lack of eyes, it seemed to fixate on Xirene, then on the flower clutched in their hand, and back to Xirene again. With an agitated snort, the creature scraped its hind hoof against the ground, building momentum as it prepared to charge, driven by a primal urge for vengeance, perhaps in response to its distant kin.
  
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  Group 3: Xanthe(1), Valyrixis(2), Axrael(3)
  As they scrambled out of the deep pit, their hands and knees dirted from the effort, a disorienting static filled the air, threatening to distract them from their desperate climb to freedom. Each member fought against the urge to lose their grip, knowing that failure meant being consumed by the darkness below (again). But against the odds, they all managed to reach the top, gasping for breath as the warmth of the sun greeted their skin. The oppressive static abruptly ceased, replaced by a soothing silence that brought a glimmer of hope to their weary hearts. For a fleeting moment, they dared to believe that their ordeal might be nearing its end.
  
  Yet, just as quickly as hope had risen, it faltered. The sun, which had begun to revive their spirits, dimmed ominously. At first, they dismissed it as a passing cloud drifting lazily across the sky. But as they glanced upward, their eyes widened in alarm. High above them loomed a colossal shadow, blotting out the sun with its formidable presence. The realization dawned on them like a chilling gust of wind - this was no mere cloud. Whatever cast this shadow was massive and undoubtedly menacing, its intent unknown but its power unmistakable.
  
  Before them loomed a fungal knight, its massive weapon fashioned from gnarled tree bark, poised to strike with deadly intent. The weapon descended swiftly, aimed directly at the group, leaving them little time to react.
  

coded by weldherwings.

 

[Zariel]

♛ZEXAL♛

The sound of trotting, growing louder and closer, caused Zexal to perk his head up. It wasn't a familiar noise, certainly not one that belonged to another member of the organization. But whatever it was sounded big.

Soon enough, something emerged from the corner ahead, rearing its ugly head into their path. A floral abomination lumbered into view, its body armoured with lethal spikes and scythe-like claws that scraped furrows into the earth with each step. Atop its head bloomed an ominous sanguine flower with a distinctive emblem at its centre.

The creature's head bent and twisted, its eyeless gaze locking onto Xirene, seeming particularly interested in the flower she held. The creature kicked its hind legs and charged like a raging bull.

"Look out!" Zexal exclaimed, his head snapping over to his comrade.

Fortunately, the Trickster was quick on their feet. With a swift roll, Xirene narrowly avoided the creature's initial attack, though, the tenacious thing was relentless, continuing its pursuit.

The silver-haired man narrowed his eyes.

"I'll try to grab its attention!" he said, swiping his arm in a wide arc, summoning a gust of wind that rushed toward the Heartless monster.

The powerful current of air crashed into the creature's hooked hooves, causing it to trip. And for a moment, it stumbled, teetering on the brink of collapse, yet, much to The Scholar's chagrin, it managed to recover its balance just before toppling over completely.

At least now, it turned its attention to Zexal, letting out an ear-piercing screech that reverberated through the maze. The man winced at the sound but remained focused, steeling himself before his next move.

Just as it was about to charge once more, Zexal was the first to strike, and lunged forward, propelling himself with a jet of wind that shot him towards the beast at the speed of a hurricane. He aimed his blade at the creature's leg, hoping to cripple it, but his strike was intercepted by the creature's sickle-like claws.

The creature retaliated with a series of rapid, consecutive slashes, that were difficult to parry. Using the power of the wind, Zexal blasted himself out of harm's way, dodging to the right, then to the left, and finally into the air, narrowly evading the creature's vicious attacks.

Now with the aerial advantage, he imbued his sword with his elemental power as he unleashed a fusillade of Wind Blades at his opponent. The creature roared in pain as the razor-sharp air sliced its spiked body.

Zexal glided back to the ground beside his allies, landing with a feathered step. His breath came in sharp gasps, but his mind remained as sharp as ever.

"That won't be enough... Gaaaah!" he spat, shrieking in pain. It was then that he felt a searing sting along his left forearm. Glancing down, he saw that his sleeve had been torn, and there was a gash along his flesh where the Heartless had managed to land a hit. "Darn it... The cursed thing actually got me. Heh!"

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[Steve Jobs]

♛XIRENE♛

“I just think that the flowers here have to have some similarities to creature like is, ” Xirene shrugged, inspecting Weylxfor’s head for signs of a pore or follicle. Unlike a daisy or poppy, an Iris without its petals had less of a face and more of a slit where its mouth and eyes were.

“Come on Zexal, I'll prove it to you when we get home. ”

Suddenly the ground shook in threes–first to alert the wildlife, second to reveal itself, and third to split the ground.

It was a Heartless bearing the head of a desert rose and an emblem where its core ought to be. The creature appeared to be a chimera with its equine body, spikey back, and shadowy pelt. Sharp sickles replaced flat hooves while its shrieks divulged killer intentions.

"Why is he mad at me?" they asked, throwing an accusatory finger towards Zexal, "he's the one who cut your friend open!" Unfortunately, the Heartless didn't seem capable of higher level reasoning so The Trickster had very few options open.

"Look out!" Zexal exclaimed, his head snapping over to them.

Xirene grabbed onto their diadem, barely rolling away from the beast before its lunge could make purchase. Of all the useless talents they had, running away was certainly in the top ten. Though Axrael outran him on most occasions, The Trickster knew how to make use of their dexterity.

They zigzagged across the grass, evading the Heartless’ strikes. The lashes across the ground made it easy to gauge the creature’s range, which meant that as long as Xirene kept a clear head, he could avoid massive injury.

By now Weylxfor began regaining consciousness, though its vision remained woefully fuzzy.

“Wha…where am I?” The flower lifted a leaf over its head, rubbing its face before coming to an awful realization. A second leaf clutched the top of its head before a great whimper left its throat.

“My…my petals...”

"You want your flower back so badly? Be my guest!" Xirene yelled.

“MY PETALS!”

Weylxfor sailed through the air, colliding against the Deathbloom's face with a satisfactory splat. Shuddering, the Heartless scratched at its face to remove the flower, only to find The Trickster zooming away.

"I'll try to grab its attention!" Zexal announced, gathering wind around himself.

Xirene saluted him as they beelined toward their healer.

Wind whipped around the gray-haired Nobody, taking him to the skies and towards the Heartless. Unperturbed by its earlier stumbling, the Heartless clashed with Zexal. Combined with Dauxine's earlier shot and their own (admittedly) measly contribution, the Heartless ought to have been torn to bits; however, the beast stood tall.

"I thought you were supposed to be a genius, Zee," Xirene scoffed, using one of the maze's walls to stand up. "The nerve of you to underestimate that thing."

She brushed herself off and affixed her diadem, which somehow stayed in place during the entire chase. It was only a matter of time before the next attack and she was sure the Deathbloom was hungry for more.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[Dicentra]

♛VALYRIXIS♛

Many thoughts raced through Valyrixis's mind as she stared up at the beast towering before her. First, she marveled at her rotten luck: not only had she fallen into a literal pit, but she had also encountered one of the largest Heartless she had seen in quite some time. Second, she recognized the challenge of her sluggish speed against the rapid oncoming attack. Acknowledging her limitations, she quickly decided not to risk running out of the hole for better coverage. Instead, she ducked back down into the pit, hoping to avoid the deadly swing.

The mere gust of air from the weapon's swing above her head nearly dislodged Valyrixis from her precarious grip on the edge of the pit. She clung on for dear life, using the metal claws of her armor to dig deeper into the ground, anchoring herself against the force that threatened to send her flying. Despite her predicament, she quickly glanced around to check on her teammates. She didn't have much time to spot them, though, as the monster's next attack was surely imminent.

"Get ready for the next swing!" Valyrixis shouted as she hauled herself out of the pit and onto solid ground once more. The monster, due to its immense size, appeared to be gathering strength for another attack. Valyrixis seized the opportunity, leaping backward to create some distance. In one fluid motion, she drew her sword, the blade gleaming in the dim light as she prepared to face the monstrous heartless head-on.

With her sword firmly in hand, Valyrixis channeled her energy into the blade, setting it ablaze with a fierce, crackling fire. Before the beast could react, she dashed toward its towering legs. The monster was a giant compared to her, its head far out of reach, but its ankles were within striking distance. She aimed her fiery sword at the creature's ankles, determined to bring it down to her level.

With a sizzling hiss, Valyrixis's sword burned into the beast's thick muscle. Though the creature didn't topple from this single strike, she could see the damage was done. The scent of scorched vegetation filled the air, and the beast let out a pained roar, its movements slightly more sluggish as it tried to retaliate. Valyrixis gripped her sword tighter, readying herself for the next attack, knowing they had managed to wound it but still had a long battle ahead.

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[ZyncredibleHulk]

♛Axrael♛

Axrael stood dumbfounded about the creature he saw in front of him. Axrael has seen plenty of heartless before but this one seemed different. Well it obviously was bigger than all he's seen but the size didn't bother him it was the sheer ominous aura radiating from it. He was scared as much as he was out of breath just from seeing it. After Axrael gathered his thoughts he stood firm, grabbed his sword and prepared to attack with his group. Before Axrael could think the monster lunged at the group Axrael dodges the first attack with dart like look in his eyes this is go mode he has to go all out in order to protect his friends and the people he cares about with what looks like a flash of light he strikes his foe aiming for a vital but only slashing his chest. Looking for his teammates but struggling to see in the dust Axrael begins to worry but he can't let down his guard for a moment if loses focus. The group could suffer because of his carelessness and he couldn't bear to see that happen and looks at the cut he gave the creature and noticed it hasn't really done a lot of damage but before he could even think more on that. Axrael notices Valyrixis with such power and force behind his fiery blade bolt for an attack on the monster’s ankle delivering such heat that even Axrael was starting to sweat a bit. Axrael then started to wonder how Xanthe was doing even though they didn't have many interactions and he all around kind gave him a dark and mysterious kind of vibe he was her friend and was worried about her well being so the KeyBlade Wielder looked around frantically for his comrade is the hecticness.

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[mogumogu]

♛Leox♛

Leox trying to not look lost in the maze, was walking a little faster than Axiron and Xathos. Leox noticed the flowers and vine creeping in on them from the sides and behind so he yelled at the two "Guys, I think we really need to pick up our pace. It looks like the maze doesn't want us in here for too long." Leox winced in pain as he noticed one of the flower looking thing bit into his arm. Leox quickly grabbed it and ripped it from the wall and threw it to the side. Leox heard Xathos say something along the line of him being able to see something down the corridor to which Leox just sprints towards, leaving the two to try and catch up.

When Leox, when reaching the clearing, saw some shadow figure standing there. Leox stood still as he waited for his eyes to adjust as the light was very dim. The figure looked like it was something out of some fantasy book. Looks almost like a big hound with a head of a flower, its body made of it's roots and tail of another flower. Leox also noticed a pungent smell emitting from the heartless which almost made Leox vomit but quickly was able to recompose himself.

When he noticed the other two finally beside him, Leox cracked his hands and whispered "We need to kill it to move in, right?" To which Axiron and Xathos both nodded. Leox preparing to run at the beast, quickly willed the earth to envelop his whole arm. Leox smashed the ground around the beast and made some platform directly above the beast and Leox quickly went onto these platform and looked directly down at the beast to which the beast looked back at him. Leox jumped down and punched the beast to to which Leox assumed it was it's face but the beast countered with it's thorny tail, hitting Leox's chest and leaving a big and deep wound. Leox winced at the pain and quickly ran back to the others to catch his breath and regroup.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[mizton]

♛ Dauxine ♛

It wasn't often that Dauxine found herself in the field.

Whether it was a lack of practice or discipline, it tended to be her mind that faltered the most when it came to making split-second decisions. In today's instance, when met with a charging quadruped Heartless, Dauxine flailed. Like it were a burglar, she flung whatever was in her hands—her healing staff— towards the path of the massive beast.

It was odd. In the moments prior; when she'd been ambling such rigid twists & turns of a maze they'd all found themselves in, humoring Xirene's speculation of the nature of the flower-being she held in her palm; never did it cross her mind that the crackling static & distant trotting might've been a sign of danger. It was only when her allies beside her took cover did Dauxine think to, as well. When Xirene rolled off to a side of the beast's lane, Dauxine could only dive toward the other to cower.

With hands now freed from the decidedly unnecessary weight of the only item that could channel her—a healer's— healing abilities, Dauxine was able to bring her hands over to cover the top of her head & dampen the sounds of strife with hiked shoulders. Were it not for the beast's pawing or Zexal's sharp gusts of hurled wind, an ear close to the woman's form might've even heard her self-soothing: "We're fine... We're okay... We'll be okay."

& they were!

By that point, The Scholar had managed to momentarily curb the creature's murderous appetite. By appearance, it resembled a hibiscus if its petals ended in barbed tendrils. A fan of flowers more so than monsters herself, that was all that Dauxine really took note of; it was the sight of Zexal's major gash that instead held her attention when they'd reconvened for a brief moment there. Like a fire'd been lit under her boots, the healer sprang to a sudden stand in seeing the injury.

In an instant, her hand hovered over just inches above the lacerated forearm. Her eyes left the wound's sight only to search for her previously discarded staff. With a scan of the area, there came a realization that it'd landed behind the flower beast's—the Deathbloom's—hind legs. At the guardian who stood between her & her ability to heal her ally, furrowed her pink brows for but a moment before returned her regard of Zexal.

An attempt was made, definitely. A soft light gleamed from her palm but, without a spout, the rosy flecks of magic were as indiscriminate as rainfall & shot out in all directions aside from where she'd wanted; a healing mist instead of the shower her staff allowed for. There might've been slight relief on The Scholar's part, but nothing enough to close the wound. With a frown, she turned to Xirene beside her & told her, "We have to get my staff."

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[Nano]

♛Xanthe♛

Had Xanthe known their little saunter through Wonderland would involve a maze, falling down a pit, and having her eyes scarred by the hideous lamellae of a shroom when she had expected the sun, she would’ve made up whatever excuse it took for the organization to leave her cloistered in her room that morning. Excluding The Elder, there were eight (eight!) other members of the organization present. Surely none of them would miss her presence. Except maybe The Scholar, but what did any of that matter when they ended up separated anyway.

To make matters worse, Grumpy McFungus here poised itself to strike the moment the three of them popped their heads out of the pit like little moles. If you weren’t invited, the least you could do was have the manners to give a polite greeting instead of trying to smash someone’s head in with a club.

A quick flip and a roll granted Xanthe safe passage through the fungiant’s legs and away from its unwieldy weapon that would no doubt crush a bone or three were anyone foolish enough to take a direct hit from it. The gnarled tree bark groaned under its strong grip as the club sent violent tremors rippling through the ground, and The Replica didn’t need a second warning to quickly get back on her feet.

The shadow beneath her sprung to life, splitting into tendrils that creeped up her legs and wrapped around her body like black ribbons. Within the dark haze, her skirts and the frills of her sleeves were pulled taut to her body, and as the shadows began to morph, one arm reached forward to grip the long handle of the axe wavering before her. Before the behemoth could recover from the recoil of its first swing, Xanthe took two steps forward and a leap. She soared higher and higher, enough for the axe she held poised by her side to become level with the back of what appeared to be the head of the Heartless.

The torque of her body added to the swing of her arms cleaved through the haze, revealing the armored figure within. All soft edges had been eliminated, leaving behind only a black carapace which shone coldly in the sunlight. Her first rotation sent the head of her axe swinging into the collection of bright amanitas crowning its body, while the second rotation forcefully pulled her weapon out of the Heartless’ body and allowed her to kick off of its back.

Though The Replica hadn’t gone in with much of a plan, she pretended that she struck with similar intentions as The Kingpin who’d likely sliced at its legs to knock the Heartless down. Aim for the legs in the front and the head at the back to knock it prone. Of course, of course.

As she fell, Xanthe made sure to do a quick scan of the condition of the other two. The Kingpin was as poised as ever while The Keyblade Wielder… Oh, what had him so concerned this time?

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[lycanplant]

♛Axiron♛

Axiron stayed in the middle of the three as the trio walked along the hedge top. Xathos continued taking the lead with the intention of leading the three to the other six members. Leox stayed in the rear, but this time remained close to the group. The maze was slowly growing silent, even those rampaging winds from Zexal were nothing more than a breeze. The only consistent noise was the hedge leaves rustling. Why were the others so silent? From this vantage point it should be easy to spot any one of the other six– but it was if the others were swallowed by the foliage labyrinth. With each petal-weighted step forward the silence grew ever louder, ever deafening. That comforting sound of leaves rustling in the breeze started to become ominous. It must be the lucid effects of this dream like wonderland, where the leaves gave the aura of being stalked. No, that wasn’t right. It was deathly silent except for the rustling of leaves. A calm before the storm. Leox was the first to react, grabbing a gnawing flower by the stem and ripping off of his arm. Axiron tried to respond in haste but was found to be immoble– they weren’t stopped by fear but the very hedge they had considered safe. Vines and flickers of yellow petals ambushed the trio from the depths of the hedge, pulling them into a hedge filled nightmare. The shock of being pulled through what seemed like miles of bush broke their concentration, ending the effects of their levitate ability. The vines that snared the trio abruptly whipped them into an open area. By reflex they twisted their body to land on their side. Using the momentum of the slam to roll right back onto their feet. A deafening roar followed several more slams and flickers of yellow. A titan of a heartless towered over the three, angry its territory had been invaded. Keen on defendings hedge domain. They never thought a dandelion, a common plant associated with hope and wishes, would become the predator of this horrid nightmare. This wonderland was making them wonder why the hell they came here to begin with.

The heartless was massive. Its body made from the very same vines, branches, roots, twigs, and bark that composed the walls of the hedge maze. Its head consisted of a massive mane made from dandelion petals, with the petals contorting into razor sharp canines– fitting this soulless heartless lacked any eyes. Roots turned into claws on each four feet. The only semblance of a normal dandelion was the tail, the very same flower that pulled the trio from the top of the hedge. That normal looking dandelion tail was the cause of the slams and the earth rumbling. Had the comforting rustling Axrion heard this entire time was the lion in front of them stalking the three? Disguising its movements as nothing more than leaves rustling in the wind. There was no time to ponder the nightmare fuel flower. Xathos lived up to his sovereign title, drawing the attention of the heartless. Engaging in a duel with a creature several times the nobody’s size. Was this to protect the others or be the center of attention? He was no tank, but took to arms beautifully. Keeping the heartless’ attention away from Leox and themself. Axiron quickly started to move, running away from the perceived face of the beast. That’s when the smell it them. As the beast slashed, clawed, and slammed its tail wind was created with each movement. A rancid, rotten odor started to travel across the open space: advanced decomposition. Beyond the stages of rigor mortis, where the flesh melted from the bones and blended into the soil. It was a smell so abhorred in nature that the memory was ingrained into their very soul. The three were not just the dane-lion’s meal, but substance to main this entire hedge maze. They wondered when this nightmare would be over– a reminder to never go down a rabbithole. Leox smelt the pungent odor at the same time, but fought through it. Bending earth to his will creating a rock solid gauntlet around his arm. Earth started to float from the ground forming various platforms. With Xathos and Leox taking mid and close range combat, it was best for Axrion to go long range. They used the floating earth to climb up higher. Jumping from earth platform to hedge wall, making use of their rock climbing skills to scale the wall. Xathos and Leox were doing a marvelous job keeping the heartless undivided attention. They transformed their weapon into bow form and pulled out a broadhead arrow. Using their gravitational pull to instantly draw the arrow back to its maximum and then a little further. Saving their remaining strength to breathe, focus, and find their mark. Like any lion this heartless had powerful claws, muscular arms, and defined shoulders. The shoulders moved with every swipe, and they used the motions to target right between the shoulder blades. Finding the heart of the beast. They waited for the optimal time– this was their one shot while unnoticed. The lion reared up and slammed both front claws down, pinching its shoulders back and together. Axiron found their mark and released the arrow. It shot through the air like a firework, its cream piercing through the beast’s roars and landing dead center. The creature whined in pain as the broadhead made quick work of the vines, but the arrow lost momentum as it started to hit thicker bark. It was stuck half way into the beast’s back, not deep enough to pierce the heart. Axiron quickly transformed the weapon from bow to sword, running along the hedge tops once more. “Keep its attention!” Axiron called out to Xathos and Leox.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

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[khai.]

♛ᅠXATHOSᅠ♛

It was all too sudden; not enough time for him to have made sense of what has happened.

Something had latched onto his ankles, ornery and voracious, and the moment he had felt its grip dig onto his legs, the next second had him preoccupied with the ground on his back, dragged by the feet across turns ever-winding. A hiss escaped Xathos' clenched teeth, the burn that he felt on his dorsals peripheral to the urgency that overtook his arm, securing his hold onto his weapon in spite of his skidding.

Bucking his legs only had tightened the assailing tendril's clutches, stubbornly pulling him deeper and deeper into the labyrinth—as if swallowing him. No, them. He found Axiron and Leox being dragged alongside the sovereign, their silhouettes bleeding into the blur of the horizons barely recognizable as the vines pulled them faster and faster. Blade brandished, his inability to wrest free from ensnarement provoked a bastard cleave onto the assailing green. The bite of his steel cut true, digging into the flora's stem.

A smile flashed, his satisfaction was also slashed in kind, as he heard a guttural roar roiling in the distance as if in response to his attack. The growl was deep, the timbre running through the grass and right into his core. Realization gripped the skies of his eyes, gaze intense from adrenaline. They weren't being haphazardly dragged by a stray monster. This was a predator. No, this was the labyrinth.

"Brothers!" The blonde bellowed, shouting with his chest to alarm his comrades. He could feel an infernal energy closing in fast as the hedges seemed to open its maw to them; its heart. "Brace for battle!"

Just as the friction he had sustained across his back almost broke skin, the vine that choked his ankle relinquished its clasp. Dust clouds lazily rolled, trundling past stray blades of grass freefalling in the air as the group eventually found their footing back. As each man stood, Xathos' brows furrowed deep as he brushed off dirt that hugged his person with dancing droplets that raced across every stained bracer, fabric, and metal. Clean, first and foremost.

He chuckled, incredulous and amused, eyes trained on himself before he cast them towards the heart of the maze—a twisted four-legged Heartless that bore the petals of dandelions as its mane. The vine he had hacked prior slithered back, coiling and twisting into its sister appendages as it began to form what appeared to be the beast's tail. In the sparse light, he could see formidable musculature formed by similar brutal vines, all twitching and undulating as if it were the monster's own bizzare tendons.

Its cruel mouth opened, the lion rearing back before casting a roar that rattled not just the party but also the hedges around them, thrashing its tail onto the ground. Xathos stood tall still despite this display, glancing at his fellow warriors, pleased to see them just as unfazed. "It is an honor to fight alongside those as courageous as I." With elegant, trained motions, the sovereign—the vanguard—Xathos gestured to the boss; a simple sword dance that formally invited the beast to a duel. "I promise you. We will show no quarter." he grinned.

With a loud and lavish en garde! from the sovereign, he launched first. He tastes glory. He yearns for a fight. Moisture hissed past him, rushing just as the beast met his initiation with a pounce of its own. Grinning vindictively, he lurched downward onto the ground, a saber of water launching forward in his place that sailed across air, plunging into the skin of its unsuspecting target. Underneath the massive beast, Xathos pierced its exposed belly, leaving behind a shallow but nasty slice across its gut as he slid further out.

That caught its attention. Xathos, splattered in its own ichor, merely shot it a cocky smirk. Finger taunting it to bring it on as he began unleashing his three Gymnopédies, the monstrosity began to indiscriminately launch itself onto the Nobody, each claw and baleful bite seething a fetid stench that permeated the area. Training burnt into every part of his body, Xathos continued to parry, riposte, and dodge its attacks as he felt the ground beneath his boots crag and shake.

Grass seemed to crunch into bare rock as Leox entered the fray, eliciting a pleased expression from the blonde as he saw his comrade land a decisive haymaker onto the side of the Heartless' head, a heavy rock gauntlet concussing the beast. He pressed the advantage without hesitation, following up the disciple's blow with lacerations on his end. Making use of the uneven terrain, the fourth weaved into unorthodox vantages to continue his attack; with every heavy strike that would cause the lion's attentions to fix onto the more fragile fighter, Xathos would rend and tear into his target until its rancor focused on him instead. . .

. . . until a shrill whistle pierced the skies, culminating into a harsh crackle as a large arrow impaled itself right between its shoulderblades. A hand hurriedly wiped the sweat on his brows, vision tracing where it came from until recognition claimed his features, just as the monster had also reared its head onto who had shot it. "Axiron!" he shouted elatedly towards the high vantage they had climbed. Understanding their words, he was already rearing to return the favor.

The beast's line of sight on the iconoclast was obfuscated, or rather, threatened by Xathos' swords; a triumvirate of vorpal water whose tips were all trained onto it mercilessly. "Eyes on me." he cracked.

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[Dicentra]

Heartless Theme

Night Of Fate

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  "Be Prepared" - The Lion King
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  Group 1: Xathos (1), Axiron (2), Leox (3)
  With vicious fangs bared at The Sovereign, the beast released another battle cry, a guttural roar that echoed through the clearing, challenging its opponent. The arrow lodged in its back bent its spine inward, a testament to the force behind the shot. Yet the creature seemed more enraged than weakened, its eyes locking onto The Sovereign with a primal intensity.
  
  The beast, sensing the challenge from its onlooker, leaped back to gain distance, preparing for its next move. The ground shook as it landed, and it used the momentum to its advantage. Pawing at the earth, the heartless charged up, muscles coiling in anticipation. The air crackled with pressure as the creature readied itself for a powerful pounce, its every movement a display of raw, untamed power.
  
  With one more war cry, the Heartless launched itself at The Sovereign, its roar reverberating through the air like thunder. Its claws dug into the earth as it propelled forward, leaving deep gouges in the rocks that Leox had dismantled earlier. The sheer power of its leap sent fragments of stone flying, and each mark left behind was a testament to its ferocity. The creature's eyes burned with a malevolent glow, locked onto its target with stubborn focus. It bounded from one rock to another, its powerful limbs propelling it with a fearsome grace. The Heartless was a blur of movement, a lorry of rage and power hurtling towards Xathos, whose taunt had clearly struck a nerve.
  

  
  
  
  
  
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  Group 2: Dauxine (1), Xirene (2), Zexal (3)
  Deep gashes traced against the beast's legs as the winds summoned by The Scholar sliced through the air with deadly precision. The rest of the attacks, however, barely scratched the surface. The creature stared down with its presumed eyes at The Sage's staff, seemingly more confused than hurt by the airborne baton. Meanwhile, the attack from the flying flower inflicted more emotional damage than anything else.
  
  Between the howl of the winds summoned by The Scholar, the screech of the flying flower, The Sage's cry of fear, and the beast's own guttural wails — the area surrounding the trio erupted into a discordance of chaos. The creature, momentarily distracted, flailed its head wildly as the flower slapped against its face. Bereft of arms to fend off the assault, it thrashed about, its roars echoing with what could only be interpreted as what might have been its version of "ewww". Each frenzied movement sent shockwaves through the ground, temporarily rendering the beast vulnerable in its frantic attempt to shake off the unwelcome embrace.
  
  
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  Group 3: Xanthe(1), Valyrixis(2), Axrael(3)
  The knight stood tall, its immense size making it seem more like a small tower than a heartless. Each of its movements was accompanied by a groan, a sound akin to unsettled earth. It remained mostly still, almost sentient in its economy of motion, conserving energy for its attacks. As Axrael's sword slashed against its chest, each wound exposed spores that sprayed out. At first, the follicles seemed harmless, but with each subsequent slash, they grew more numerous.
  
  The air gradually filled with a yellow haze of spores, creating an increasingly concerning atmosphere around the combatants. With each breath, the burning sensation in their throats intensified, as if they were inhaling smoke. If nothing was done quick — their eyes would begin to water, vision blurring as the irritants took hold.
  
  The attack of spores only intensified as the battlists' blades connected against the beast's soft hide — each strike released more of the smothering cloud. The monster, massive and formidable, finally began to falter. Its ankle was stricken, forcing it down onto one knee, while a deep gash marred the back of its head. Despite these grievous injuries, it remained unyielding. Half-grounded but far from defeated, the creature swung its massive arm in a wide arc, aiming to sweep the combatants off their feet. The sheer force of the movement sent a shockwave through the air, dislodging loose debris and anything that stood in the arc's way.
  

coded by weldherwings.