Summary:Limbo is not without its challenges. Or perhaps, Limbo has a lot of them. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Limbo: Year 3
Piotr might have noted that lurking in the Citadel is a big purple demon, with a horn on his head and wearing what seems to be a leather vest.
When they'd first arrived, he'd watched from the shadows and it seemed the others had never let him get near.
S'ym. That's his name. It wasn't hard to find out and if the demons that were asked can be remotely trusted, he had been Illyana's second in command. That was until K'nert bought the Rasputin and his consort here.
It's been another few months since they'd made their annoucement - Keiko was pregnant with the Rasputin heir and her time is drawing near.
She's walking up on the ramparts today, Piotr with her - it's easier to keep her safe that way - when that big purple appears and puts himself right in Piotrs way.
The smile that once was so easy to find on Piotr's face is gone. His lips are pulled into a perpetual flat line of thought or concern. A wariness. A watchfulness that takes most of his waking moments. Outside of the citadel, the King has impaled those that have stood against his rule - their bodies shoved into large poles that stand along the path to the castle to warn away any that threaten harm to the King or his consort.
When the large demon moves to stand in his way, one of Piotr's brows rises questioningly. He knows of S'ym, and his place under Illyana. It is why he has left him alone. It is a reminder that perhaps, she will return.
His hand doesn't reach for his sword, instead, his arms move, one hand settling against Keiko, as he waits for the demon to speak.
Keiko had gone almost as far with the demons who had attacked her. She requires those to strip the skin from their bodies and tan it so it can be used to sew clothing for her and Piotr, blankets or covering.
Such acts she requires done in the courtyard in full view of the others. A reminder that not only their King is strong and ruthless but so to is his consort - despite how soft she might look at the moment.
And soft she does look. Her belly nicely rounded, the rest of her figure fuller. It can't be long before she … drops.
She stops when his arm settles over her shoulder.
S'ym is chewing on a cigar as he stands there blocking Piotrs way. He doesn't anything until he reaches a hand up and pushes Piotr's shoulder, forcing the large mutant back a step.
And he can. He's strong. Just from that action, Piotr can tell that S'ym might be stronger. Or he might have been until the metal man had spent over three years in Limbo.
"I'm taking your place and your woman." the demon says.
It's quiet up here, it's why they walk here. At the moment there are no other demons to be seen. That doesn't mean they aren't being watched.
"Really, S'ym?" the growl in Piotr's voice is obvious as he moves to stand between the demon and his consort. "You're no Rasputin. You're no leader. You had your chance. Before K'nert brought me here." As he speaks, his body shifts from flesh to steel - and that armor turns gunmetal, the shiny silver that once existed as a beckon of brightness in the dark of battle gone.
"You want the crown, durak neschastnyi? You want my woman? You will have to come through me." comes the growl from the massive Russian. And he doesn't even give S'ym a chance to prepare, Piotr /strikes/, his fist slamming out to strike the massive demon. "Zhopu porvu margala vikoliu."
What a surprise Piotr is going to be when S'ym can take most of Piotr's punch.
"And you aren't King of Limbo. Just imposter." The big demon grunts, his eyes sliding over the form of the small woman beside Piotr. "She'll make good eating. Tasty."
Keiko growls, shifting restlessly under Piotrs arm. She doesn't move anymore than though and doesn't protest when the big man puts himself between her and S'ym. "You can try. When my King is done with you, he'll give you to me. I will need colour to dress our heir in when the time comes."
She is cruel but she has absolute faith in Piotr. Or at least, won't show any doubt on the matter.
Piotrs hit connects and S'ym grunts, takes a step back and continues to chew on that cigar. "My turn." His meaty fist rounds on Colossus, connecting with his temple.
Piotr pushes Keiko out of the way. He knows this won't be as easy as past challenges. There is a reason that Illyana took S'ym as her second. She needed strength to back up her rule. The type of strength that Piotr has - but without his scruples.
When the fist slams into the Colossus, Piotr growls and shudders, rocked with the strength of the punch. "Boszhe moi." he grimaces beneath the punch, shaking his head.
And it's on. Piotr's shoulder lowers as he slams into S'ym's midsection, driving him back into a wall, and collapsing it between and over them before he's backing up, preparing for the next attack, his fists slamming together in readiness for the threat.
Piotr is strong and Keiko stumbles as he pushes her but she backs up to give the two combatants some room. She slips a knife from her boottop and palms it, as the ink of her tattoes writhe a little.
She's still growling and that feral light shines from her eyes. A fight. How invigorating.
S'ym grunts again as Piotr's shoulder connects and again when the wall collapses over them. Not that it has much effect, he just seems to shake it off as he stands.
This demon is a little smarter that the others, it's not just a straight out attack. He circles, trying to turn Piotr, trying to make an opening to his Consort. Does Piotr see the danger when S'ym steps in again, drops his shoulder and tries to tilt the metal man over the rampart?
Piotr has had years of training. At times, it's no longer a matter of thought, it's a matter of instinct. He is not going to let S'ym get near his Consort. As the demon moves, he moves with him, the pair of them circling.
When S'ym collides with him, Piotr realizes that his situation is precarious - he's on the edge - S'ym is looking to knock him off and leave him alone with Keiko. That can't happen.
Before he can even think about it, Piotr's hand has the soul-steel sword, and he's slammed it through S'ym's leg, impaling it into the rampart wall as Colossus uses it as leverage to keep from going over the side.
His hand reaches, grabbing S'ym by the horn. And he crushes his fingers into it.
It's not a good idea to leave any demon alone with Keiko at the moment. She's strong and stubborn but she's pregnant. That's not a good combination.
Piotr must know by now though, that S'ym is as strong if not stronger than him. Something that doesn't often happen - its not happened in Limbo all the time they've there, in fact.
The soul-steel blade seems to cut through S'ym like a hot knife through butter … it was always effective against demons but that, is unexpected. It leaves the purple pinned at the moment, howling in pain imagined.
When Piotr grabs that horn, S'ym yanks his head up even as the howl continues. Hand to hand, Piotr is going to trouble … that sword though …
Piotr is thrown, but his hand is not leaving the soul blade - he learned his lesson in the last excursion against a massive demon. One that is now pinned to the castle wall and rumbles his disconent.
As he is wrenched way, the sword is yanked from S'ym's leg and both it and the owner of it slam against the ground as Colossus bounces a few times before sliding to stop as he hits against a wall.
Pushing himself back to his feet, the massive Russian rises to his feet, and his roar of anger comes with an unexpected effect. His body, all of that smooth skin, morphs and changes. It takes on more of a medevial appearance. Hard lines. Spikes. Plating. Eldritch, all of it as it slams around Piotr in a protective shell.
Spitting out a globe of blood onto the rampart, Piotr's lips pull into a feral grin.
He charges at S'ym, the blade drawn back at the howling creature, and he drives, holding the blade with both hands as he leaps towards S'ym, preparing to drive the blade directly into the demon's chest.
S'yms howls change to a barking laugh as Piotr goes tumbling. With the blade out of his leg now, he's not in quite as much pain. With Colossus tumbling that he's got an edge.
Or he did. Until Piotrs metal shell goes spiky and all medevial.
Pulling his fist back to throw another punch, S'yms not quick enough to move out of the way. Piotr's blade runs him through - oh so easily. Ichor spills everywhere, coating the blade and the Piotrs armour.
The purple demon hangs there, screaming in pain as the life fades from his eyes and he goes limp.
That has never happened - not when Piotr has used the blade like that. It's been effective but never that effective. And what of Piotr's soul, locked in that blade that now takes demon lives so easily?
"My King?" That's Keiko, standing behind him. Not approaching yet.
"I should behead you. I should hang your head in my chambers so you can watch me mate the woman you tried to claim." Piotr's rage is there, on the surface, beneath all that anger, all that armor. His soul? It's all in that blade as he twists the blade hard within S'ym's chest, and he yanks it out, waiting for the creature to return. To force S'ym to swear fealty. Because no demon truly dies in Limbo.
Keiko's words are not heard. She's never seen him like this before. So raw, so angry. The soul that was once that of an artist is now twisted into one that wants to cause incredible pain in the most creative ways possible. 4
S'ym is going to take a while to recover. Piotr can hang him in Courtyard or in the dungeon until he does. Then he can kill him again, swear him to fealty or just make an example of him.
S'ym challenged and S'ym was defeated by the Limbo King.
Keiko hasn't seen Piotr like this and her hand touches his arm. "Call your Guard, my King. Have them contain him. We can have our fun with him when he returns."
Returning to his human form when he feels the touch of Keiko's hand on his arm, Piotr twists to face his pregnant Queen. "No. When he awakens, he will know." And he presses a hard kiss to Keiko's mouth before he pulls away. She can see the bloodlust in his eyes - she can probably smell it on him - the pheremones. The lust. The want.
He enjoyed it.
Reaching down, he plucks S'ym's cigar and glances at it. "Damn things will kill you." he snorts, and then sticks it in his own mouth before he turns to look at Keiko. She /might/ be in trouble tonight.