Null In Void (HIVE)

Once ensnared by one ice blast, keeping your head above water (so to speak) became an uphill battle. The sprite was very versatile. He had the luxury of shattering entire sections of his body to crack the encasement. But this only delayed the inevitable. Pix wanted to strike back with pixels of his own, only an oppressive fug hung over his psionic control. It was like his mind was drunk; sluggish and heavy. He could not wield his element with the usual effortless flourishes.

Across the room of shadows and mirror light Pix sighted Quinn again. A fireball was launched at her. She wasn't moving as fast as he'd like, "Look out!" Another ice blast struck his head. Pix became a frozen statue. He had been transformed into a Pixicle.

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Ekmed always did possess an aptitude for keeping out of harms way. It must have seemed to his adversaries that the chamber was cramped and expansive, empty and infested all at the same time. A handheld device he possessed was manipulating ambient light, making the night seem darker than it actually was. An unnatural veil which cloaked figures instead of everything in equal measure. This, along with his God-given magic, ensured his acolytes the edge over these vagabonds.

Most religions boasted boons for the devout. The Priorhood made good on those promises.

An accusation unseen. The Prior tilted his head at this Kristoff's outburst. It appeared his attempts to unsettle the heathens was finally baring fruit. While the gods provided him with many an insight into the souls of mortals, Ekmed well knew these glimpses were limited. If the knowledge was unknown to the person themselves, then the Prior would also be clueless. He compensated for this flaw with a bit of cold reading. Else outright fibs. Only then could he be considered truly omnipotent.

Such was the time. Ekmed knew nothing of Kristoff's brother. Axle was as much a stranger to him as these HIVE operatives had been yesterday. But he would make do. The floating image of Prior Ekmed would approach Zero, "Do not worry. He is with Voids now. We saved him from the sins of your people." If only he could say that with honesty and veal.

Kris saw Quinn not moving so he lunged at her, getting her out of the way just in time, "You owe me." Kris grinned at her as he got up and kept fighting, intent on winning this fight, but then he say the prophet walk towards him, claiming Axle to be dead. "No.... No... No! NO! NOOOOOO!!!!" Kris slashed at the prophet and it was only a holograph, he then began a real killing rage, he killed anyone in his way, hopefully Quinn and Pix stayed behind him.

Then it happened. The acolyte in a position of power launched his fireball attack down towards Quinn. It was almost a sure thing to hit, a certainty that the HIVE would be down to just two. But the loud shriek from Pix, it did enough to make Quinn snap out of her frozen state. At the very last split second, did Quinn rapidly roll away across the floor to her left, slithering up onto a single knee. The fire attack left a scorch mark on the floor beside her, burning it's shape into the cold floor. From there, Quinn had only one thing in mind. She opened her mouth and spat out a rather gruesome looking ball of poison that caught the acolyte in the eyes. Immediately the foe began crying out in agony, nothing in comparison to the yell he cried out with once Quinn lunged towards him, driving her sword through his very heart. Quinn pulled the sword out quickly, and the acolyte collapsed to the floor; gasping for air, the very last he'll breathe in before dying.

It was in that moment that Quinn realized something - the shackles were off. This operation had changed, it had changed from being a task about logistics, to that of a task which Quinn was far more happy to be involved in - genocide. Stepping up to her feet, Quinn immediatly stumbled forward as a Zydon knee'd her in the back. As she turned around she had to quickly duck a few rabid forearm strikes before going on the offensive herself. An open palm slap, followed by striking the Zydon with the butt of her sword. Quinn then spun the Zydon around, and from behind would slice the Zydon's throat with a deeo cut of the blade. The Zydon grabbed his neck in agony, dropping to the floor. Another ran towards Quinn, to which she grabbed by the arm and flung him over onto the ground in front of her. No mercy shown at all, Quinn drove her sword down towards the floor, puncturing through the forehead of the Zydon - instant death. Whilst retrieving her sword, she glanced over to see Pix; he was such an open target, gawd. With the sword free, Quinn sheathed it on her back again and instead opted to take out her pistol. She fired a few shots towards the Zydon who had been blasting Pix with ice, none hitting, but causing that Zydon to retreat for the time being. Approaching Pix now, Quinn called out; "You alright?". How's she supposed to know whether Mario could handle ice blasts or not?!

An answer was not forthcoming. While Pix may have had particular insight into the matter of pixelisation verses cryokinesis, he was not in a position to make his knowledge known. Quinn would be met by her reflection. Beneath the top layer of ice was the petrified shape of a sprite caught in the middle of reassembly. It appeared HIVE were down to just two.

Two more acolytes fell to Zero. One caught in a hail of bullets and the second failing an ambush from above. It did not matter. There were always more followers. More Elites Ekmed could pluck from the army ranks on protest that they were far too pious to toil for mere mortal purpose. A hint of doubt had crept into his apprentices as their comrades were slaughtered. The self-conflagration of one of their own had also shaken their resolve. They were psionic beings and the Prior could sense their reluctance. He pitied them. It must be horrid to live without the surety of mind Ekmed possessed. Those servants were dying so that Priordom could triumph gloriously over the infidels.

Ekmed's hologram hovered in the vicinity of Kris' destruction. It was tinted with divine aura and added about a third to the Prior's height. "You have suffered a great deal, my Sibling. What was done to your chosen brother was cruel but necessary. For you hath sinned. Every day you abominate your Creators by ingratitude. All they want is your adoration! Your devotion. Your repentance. It is not too late. They take but They conversely reimburse. Axle can live! He can be saved in your light. It requires one thing of you. The one thing you never did in your wickedness. Pray, Kristoff! Pray to the Voids." The acolytes would suddenly withdraw. They relocated outside, surrounding the building.

Kris breathed in deeply before looking at Ekmed's projection, trying to find a source, "You know, you're a coward. You hide behind your false gods and your light show, sending men to die for you, why? Because you're scared, you're scared of what will happen when I kill you, you don't believe in your gods. Your people have slaughtered the people of Earth for no reason. We never knew bout you, then one day you just appear and kill anybody in your way. You are cowards, all of you. Prove me wrong, come out and fight me, man to man."

"Not in the talking mood? Strange, for you". Looking from her own reflection looking back at her from the 'Pixcicle'. Quinn glanced around the room, trying to seek out any straggler Zydons. But it seemed as if they had retreated somewhere. Perhaps planning their next attack? Who knew? Quinn certainly didn't. A look back towards the ice sculture that Pix had become, in the distance, Quinn could spot one of the Zydons ducked behind a pillar, part of him sticking out. It was the one who fled from before, but he appeared to be alone. A sigh, Quinn looked at the frozen face of Pix, starting to talk to him. There was no way that she and Kris would transport him back to base like this, and slicing the ice with their swords didn't appear to be wise. Maybe talking to him will work? Get Pix to awake from his icy slumber and break out himself? Maybe, the pixel anatomy must be so very confusing. So the plan; talking. "Do you think I should go over there? Kill that Zydon? He doesn't look so tough. I reckon I can take him, what do you think? Think his magical spells can beat me, huh? I think I'll go over there...". Pause. "But first, let me take a selfie!". In an odd turn of events, Quinn would all of a sudden take out her phone and start taking selfies of herself with the frozen Pix. Various posing included, with the standard pouty look to it all. But then, out of nowhere came a ball of ice, hurling through the air towards Quinn. Fortunately she hid behind the Pixcicle, and the ball of ice flew past, smashing into the wall and crumbling into pieces. Quinn with her pistol now fired again, causing the Zydon to flee yet again, to the outside. A sigh; "Seriously, Pix... Tiberius' won't be fond of a statue dedicated to you".

This wasn't right. The Prior had preached to Kris in order that he may be overawed. That the lowly Human would question his beliefs and kneel before his better. And yet instead for one time in his life of misleading the oppressed, Ekmed felt a twinge of fear for his immortal soul. How could he be scared of death? He who has never doubted all these years! His mind was made and yet it faltered. A contradiction had rendered him base. The Prior resolved to put his life on the line and fight the heathen. Surely then the Voids must reward him with victory.

A fog would surround the hologram and from inside the true Ekmed would emerge, smaller of stature, like a deity that had descended to Earth to speak on mortal terms. Two of his acolytes would arrive behind him, landing with heads bowed. Wanjack would pull back his hood revealing a crest of white hair. The mask stayed put, "You shall always be proved wrong. Actions have consequences. If you refuse to pray you will continue to lose that which you treasure." The Prior reached out his hand. A light befell Quinn and the Pixicle. There came a cracking sound, barely audible at first but increasingly frequent, "Understand this. The time for forgiveness is drawing to a close." The ice statue would break apart into a million pieces.

At roughly the same time the Elite acolytes outside would launch fireballs at the observatory. Ekmed would use his control to help the fires spread until they coated the outer wall of the building with fierce fury. Windows smashed in with explosive force, flames licked hungrily at any sustenance they could find roaring like a beast. And the Prior would ready his staff. "Bow down to me! And I will resurrect both Axle and your friend!"

Kris was taller than the Prior, something that would intimidate most of his other enemies, but the preacher thought he had the protection of his gods, just as Kris believed he had his own protection. Kris bowed his head and spoke, "Если я пойду и долиною смертной тени, не убоюсь зла, потому что Ты со мной; Твой жезл и Твой посох, они успокаивают меня." Kris then raised his head and slashed at the preacher with his sword, "I know your kind, manipulative, egocentric, a victim of little man's disease. I'm going to enjoy killing you." Kris then rushed the Preacher, slashing wildly yet with precision, if one full force hit got to the target, the target was dead.

Quinn had heard the cracking noise behind her, as the ice statue that Pix now was cracked. By the time that Quinn had looked around, the ice statue was in pieces. Thousands of small shards of ice, the leftovers of Pix. This was not good, not good at all. He was supposed to be the leader when Tiberius was not around, and now. Even if they do report back, they have a casualty to report - something that both Kris and Quinn will probably get the blame for. But there was no chance to rethink, to refocus or process what had happened. Quinn looked up to the roof, as fire could be seen starting to spread around the building's top level.

"KRIS!". Quinn would call out, hoping he would hear her. "Don't kill him". If there was anyone in the room that could perhaps put Pix back together, it may just be Ekmed. Hopefully Ekmed could 'hold off' Kris for a while, give Quinn a chance to deal with the two acolytes and then step in, before Kris does something stupid. Quickly, Quinn spat out a blob of poison that hurled it's way through the air, hitting the armour of one of the acolytes. Slowly, the poison began to burn through the army - though all Quinn wanted was their attention. A two on one contest? Bring it.

Ekmed was indeed a step above all the king's horses and all the king's men. He also fancied himself better than this earthbound practitioner of malign arts. So what if murder was Kristoff's trade? So too did the Prior dabble in the dispatch of terminated souls. They were both slaymongers. Only difference being Ekmed did not presume to decide who could live and who could die. The Voids decided for him. It just so happened that their opinions sat well with his imminent needs. They were telling him now that Zero must join them. He must leave this plain of existence and be judged for his transgressions. Chief among which would be his disrespect of their chosen Prophet.

At the first strike Ekmed went to parry with his staff. The collision caused a gout of coloured smoke to eject from a hidden compartment. The smoke quickly moulded to Wanjack's body-shape. An unusual property for a gas but not unheard of in Zydon society. As Kris continued his attack the Prior would levitate backwards from his silhouette, leaving it as a momentary distraction. He had no intention of fighting on the assassin's terms. The two acolytes who joined him would fire ice beams. These would be directed by the Prior's psionic abilities to erupt from inside the smoke clone.

This strategy was already put in jeopardy, however. The glob of poison caused the acolyte to panic. He quickly threw off his chest coverings and redirected his attention to the snake girl. For a moment the acolytes looked at each other in question. Together they stood some chance. But to both follow would leave the Prior without quick access to ice. Wavering only once, the stricken Elite flew at Quinn. Fireballs spat from his palms.

Kris quickly realized what the preacher was trying to do, so he jumped back and took out two pistols, blasting one of the acolytes in the head and in the chest. Kris would then point his pistols, looking for the preacher, "So, back to hiding? How scared do you have to be? Do I scare you? Do I make you fear for your life? I wouldn't blame you, I scare myself sometimes. Tell me, how often do you realize you're wrong?"

Oh great, more fire. But this was nothing new now, it was fairly predictable. If that's how the Zydons want to go down, in a predictable fashion - then that more than favors #TeamHIVE. Quinn was quick off her mark, but so where the projectiles of fire, They each came close to catching her, aimed for the feet of Quinn as she ran. She avoided two fireballs, but the third caught her on the ankle - but not a direct hit. It caused Quinn some pain as she tripped, hitting the floor. Some discomfort, yes, but this was not the time nor the place for whining - only the strong survive. Quinn would pop the hips as she swiveled around to her feet. Immediately more fireballs were coming her way, as to be expected. Quinn would launch an attack herself, spitting out another ball of poison towards the elite. But that wasn't it, no. Because Quinn then launched her sword through the air towards the elite like a spear. The sword ripping straight through the blob of poison that seemed to coat the weapon - how effectively is anyone's guess.

Still, there was still the matter of oncoming fire. Quinn backed up quickly, looking down at the floor as though she was searching for something. Aha! With no weapons in use, Quinn picked up the dead body of a Zydon she killed before using both hands - an unhuman shield for the fiery attacks.

Quinn's makeshift barrier absorbed the fireball impact. Her sword shot through the air and sliced her opponent across his arm. At first the Zydon did not register anything amiss, and prepared his next attack, then all of a sudden his neck muscles constricted. The acolyte fell out of the air clutching his throat. The Prior felt another life force pass and trembled behind his curtain. His remaining followers had retreated outside, leaving him alone with a pair of assassins who had annihilated his best fighters. And he knew he would die then, because he had doubted. The knowledge made him angry.

"Blasphemer!" A telekinetic force would latch onto Zero and slam him into the ground face first. Both pistols would be ripped from his hands and disappear across the room. This was swiftly followed by a bolt of pure psionic energy aimed at Quinn. The psionic attack could travel through the recently deceased brain of his acolyte, making it no longer an effective shield. If struck, Ekmed would perpetuate this cruel wave of mental agony, a form of torture he used in his inquisitions. The Prior was visible again. And he was demented, "I do not fear death! You project that which you see in yourself!"

Tendrils of flame shot through windows and other openings, coating the ceiling with living fire. As they crackled and burst there began a wailing sound. The lament of lost souls in eternal torment. Faces began to form. Ghostly visages of people expressing agony and woe. Screaming; forever screaming. "Look upon your brother! His new kin! Sinners all! As they smoulder into oblivion! Their destiny is in my hands! I am inexorable! I know not this mortality! I command you go! Join the realm of woebegone!"

Zero would once again feel the telekinetic force upon him. He began to levitate upwards. An infernal fresco awaited. Direct admittance into this place Humans called Hell. But in all the fuss, Ekmed had missed a blip of psionic energy. A pile of ice crystals dragged along the ground and dog piled each other until a general shape of an upper torso emerged.

"Kris!" Pix couldn't be killed by shattering. Who knew! "I could feel him in my mind! He's telepathic! He knew nothing about us until we came here! Axle's alive!" While telepathy was not strictly true, the logic was all the same. Ekmed could not have done as he claimed. He lacked opportunity. Axle was fine.

Kris was smashed around the room then lifted into the fire on the ceiling, this would normally be a bad thing but Kris took the energy from the heat to give him the power to push off the ceiling and out of the telekinetic grip. When Kris landed, his body had smoke coming off it and he was bleeding profusely, he looked like he was pulled straight from Hell but the assassin was still standing and he had a wild look in his eye. Kris ran at Ekmed, completely unarmed and with full intent to kill.

Dead Zydon's can be used to block many things. Melee weapons, projectiles, fire and such. But they can't block mental, psionic attacks. Before Ekmed had launched his attack, Quin had a plan all set out in her mind. She would throw the dead Zydon away before proceeding to retrieve her sword and use it to gut Ekmed like a fish. But this, this did not happen.

Quinn did throw away the Zydon, discarding the body as though it was a piece of trash. But that's when the plan changed, that's when the psionic bolt struck Quinn. Immediately Quinn fell to the floor, to her knees. Both hands covered her head as she seemed to be experiencing mental anguish, yelling occasionally to; 'get out of her head'. There was nothing Quinn could do now, and the longer Ekmed's attack lasts the worse it gets.