Head-on Collision

Images assault Cage's mind. Blue eyes staring at nothing, blood-stained clothes, a stroller, and finally, a bright, blinding light falling from above. The images remind Cage of the thumping in his skull, and he grits his teeth. No time for that now. He looks up into the darkness blanketing the slope, barely pierced by the crimson light of the stones behind.

Cage bends down, picking up one of those stones. He opens his jaw until it threatens to cramp, wedging the stone between his teeth. Kyro will not be there to pull him up, and he does not have time to feel around blindly for holds. Cage hears another guttural battle cry, and his heart jumps as it is overshadowed by a roar, deep and terrifying. The sound vibrates his hollow body. Cage steps up to the slope and begins to climb, hoping he will make it before something terrible happens.

More vibrating booms and roars sound as Cage climbs, the Rage Stone between his teeth lighting the way. Cage grabs a rock tight, and pushes with his legs, rising to a squat on the wall before reaching up again. The climb is difficult, and the fire burning in all three limbs is fed with each reach and jump. However, with the help of the stone, and the disappearance of that gnawing hunger, Cage knows he will make it. The real question is if he will make it in time.

Another thump. Another cry.

The sinking anxiety tightens around Cage's heart, and he quickens his pace. He may not be able to help much, but Cage knows he can do something. Even if he is merely bait for whatever Kyro is fighting, it will do. He remembers the black smoke that wrapped around the Rage Stone earlier and the strange feeling he had in that moment. Something sits inside of him, waiting. Cage can see a black space, and there, among the vast nothingness, the Rage Stone is there with a faint handprint staining its perfect sheen. Cage feels that he can reach out and touch the stone, though how the feeling rises is unknown to him.

A new light shines above Cage, and among the booms, roars, and cries, he hears flesh tearing outside. He reaches that opening and pulls himself through, faltering and rolling onto the platform. Sweat drips from his brow, and his chest heaves desperately for air. A thick liquid stains nearly every inch of his body as Cage lifts himself. He finds the platform covered with blood, which now drips from his hands. It covers the entire span of the platform like a puddle of oil, dark and stagnant, reflecting the crimson moon above.

Wide black eyes dart to the sprawling land before, and Cage finds Kyro standing with that massive sword held tight in his hand, his back to the volcano. The Rajin holds his free hand to his abdomen, and everything below is stained reddish-brown. His black hair that was once tied up now falls over his back like a black river, much like Cage's own hair. Cage can't see the man's expression, but it can't be anything other than pure horror, especially with the foe before him.

It's shouldn't exist, Cage thinks as the stone in his hand disappears with the black tendrils. The beast is massive, at least as tall as the volcano he stands on. A centipede, one with hundreds of legs sprawling from between smooth flat scales like plates of armor.

The centipede's front half is lifted vertically from the ground, and the exposed black underbelly is littered with deep gashes, revealing dark crimson flesh and black, oozing blood. Cage shivers as he cranes his neck to look up at the head. Beady orange eyes stare down at Kyro, glowing under the massive antennae as if lava flows inside them. Sharp, jagged mandibles like black swords jut from under those eyes, one broken off in the middle with a fine edge. The other is at least as large as Kyro himself.

The beast's head shifts and those lava-filled eyes pierce Cage's own. He freezes under that gaze. Help? Against this? He feels strong. Stronger than ever. But will that be enough? Will mere strength be enough for this thing? Though the centipede cares not for his troubled thoughts. It shifts its body to face Cage, hundreds of legs clicking together to carry its body.

Kyro stands below with furrowed brows, half-turning to see just what has caught the centipede's attention. His eyes widen as he sees Cage standing on that platform, half-crouched with a wide grin plastered to his pale face. The one-armed man is terrified, Kyro can almost smell it, but that grin makes him wonder again; is he insane?

The centipede suddenly lunges, the raised part of its body lowering in a flash towards that platform. Cage's eyes widen as those orange eyes near him almost instantly, a hiss entering his ears all the while. Those mandibles shift outward like a vice opening, and a massive mouth is revealed between, round and lined with razors disguised as teeth.

Cage glances at Kyro with wide eyes, and meets the Rajin's gaze. With all the strength in his legs, he bursts into a sprint, heart beating through his chest as the centipede closes in from the corner of his eye. He reaches the edge and leaps, arm and legs flapping through the air as the platform explodes behind him.

Kyro stares up at the one-armed man as he flies through the air. Since when can he jump this far? However it came about, it is a good thing, Kyro thinks as he reaches an arm out and catches the feather-light body of Cage. The Rajin turns, sparing no glances at the centipede as the muscles in his legs twitch and he leaps through the air.

Cage watches the centipede as he's carried over Kyro's shoulder, the black land below zipping past as they fly. The black armored creature raises its head, rock tumbling from it and crashing to the now decimated slope of the volcano. One second too late, and Cage would have been a pile of flesh on the ground.

A moment later, Kyro lands, bending his knees to absorb the shock of the fall. Though some of the leftover force sends the Rajin's shoulder deep into Cage's stomach, and he nearly vomits.

"What in Betor's name are you grinning about? You could have died there," Kyro wants to yell, but the sudden weight on his body halts him. The stone's effects are wearing off. Slightly blurred vision and a thumping in his brain accompany the fatigue. It's always like this on the comedown.

"Me? You were the one doing that," Cage says, straightening his back as he finally catches his breath.

Kyro scoffs, his grip tightening around the blade. His habit is showing again. Kyro's fellow soldiers had always been unsettled by his grin during a battle. That didn't stop them from taking advantage of his weakness though. He looks to the centipede, and its body is now raised again as it waves its head to and fro. It's looking for them.

"Kyro, the cave," Cage says, left arm pointing. The platform is destroyed completely, the rubble of black rock looking like another part of the volcano's slope. That opening is caved in, and through the tiny cracks lava drips out slowly. It seems that the bank of lava in the volcano was just above that cave, but more importantly...

Kyro can't see much that far away, but he can see the bright lava trickling through where that cave had been. He looks at Cage. He doesn't have the bag. The Rajin clicks his tongue, "Blast it," he curses.

"I'm sorry," Cage says, "I dropped them when you yanked the rope. I didn't think I would have time to gather them again."

"I wasn't the one that yanked it," Kyro sighs, meeting those orange, burning eyes as the centipede turns, those legs clicking away, sounding more like a long and disturbing crunch than clicks, "It's fine. We may find more on the way back to the stem," Kyro responds, taking a firm step forward. He will think of his punishment after dealing with this blasted centipede.

Cage's eyes shift between the Rajin and the centipede, one walking forward and the other clicking along in its approach. Cage remembers that nearly empty space inside him, and that black smoke. Maybe, just maybe, if he can somehow use that smoke to fight, he may be able to help. Though he suddenly raises his brows as another idea enters his mind, "Kyro!" he calls.

Kyro spins quick, scowling at Cage, "What!?" he yells, surprised at his own outburst. Though his lips part as he notices something happening with Cage's hand. Those tendrils, black and eery with their creeping movements come from Cage's hand, coagulating in his palm. Kyro stands frozen, the mere presence of that power making his skin crawl.

That clicking reminds Kyro of the impending battle, and he spins his head to look at the centipede. Those long black legs scurry across the land, dipping and raising over the uneven rocks, almost as if the creature is gliding, "Whatever you're doing, be quick!" Kyro yells, sweat dripping from his brow.

"Here!" Cage calls, tossing something to Kyro. The Rajin catches the smooth and sturdy object, opening his hand to find a rage stone glowing with that familiar crimson light. A large one. Kyro grins, glancing at Cage and bellowing a haughty laugh, "Haha! That power may be useful yet!" he raises that massive sword, putting the stone to the serrated edge. He shaves a thin piece from the stone and throws the leftover back to Cage, "Put that back where you had it!"

Cage nods, catching the stone. Those black tendrils wrap around the stone, and it disappears a second later. He looks up at Kyro, who throws that shaving back like it's nothing. Whatever the Rajin plans to do, he needs to be quick. That massive centipede comes closer by the second.

Kyro takes a deep breath, that grin still plastering his face and growing by the second. The stone flows through his veins, opening a familiar world of strength to him again. His grey eyes meet the orange of the centipede as it bolts closer, those mandible opening once again.

Kyro bursts into a sprint, heading straight for his opponent. His bare feet leave the ground, and he falls to his back, sliding beneath the centipede. He raises both legs, leveraging his back against the ground and kicking up with all of his strength. His feet slam into the soft underbelly, causing the centipede's front half to rise, its head pointing toward the sky.

Kyro rises to his feet, white mist-like energy flowing from his hand and covering his sword. He squats, grunting as he leaps straight into the air. His blade extends a few feet, and as he sails upward, he flips the sword into reverse grip, ripping the blade through the centipede's underbelly.

An eardrum-bursting screech thunders through the area, and the centipede jerks its body forward, slamming into Kyro and sending the man flying towards the ground. Kyro crashes against the black rock, rolling until he finally rights himself to his knees.

The centipede returns its front half to the ground, black blood gushing from the massive gash and onto the ground. It rushes towards Kyro in a frantic, erratic dash, those mandibles snapping together again and again.

Kyro stands, taking a deep breath. He half-squats in a battle stance, glancing back at Cage, who is several meters away, watching with wide eyes. At least he has the sense to know to back out. Even if he did try to help, Cage would be killed and eaten instantly.

Kyro returns his eyes to the approaching creature, every muscle in his body tightening as he holds his sword in both hands. He grits his teeth, that misty energy covering his blade again. The centipede slams into the Rajin, that blade sinking into its face, its mandibles surrounding Kyro on either side.

Kyro activates his Vas, and the blade explodes forward, growing to ten feet in length, severing every organ in its path. The centipede releases a gurgling sound, like its choking on meat, its many legs twitching and scampering. The blade returns to its normal size, and Kyro rips it downward, slicing the bottom half of the centipede's face in half.

Kyro pants, staring down at the dead creature, wiping black blood from his cheek. The centipede's face melts on the ground, black blood leaking from its severed mouth and pooling around it. Kyro glances back at Cage, who walks up, staring at the dead creature.

"I guess two people is enough," Cage notes as he steps up beside Kyro, "or one."

Kyro hums, glancing at Cage with a raised brow, "One is never enough. Come here," he responds, waving for Cage to come closer. Kyro takes his sword and cuts the limp sleeve from Cage's leotard.

The Rajin stretches the thick material over the gash on his stomach and ties it around his back, glancing at Cage as he finishes, "How did you know to give me the stone?" Kyro asks. Without that stone, he would have been killed. Rage Stones make him stronger in every way, but when he is experiencing withdrawals, the effects are reversed.

"It was just a guess really. I didn't have any other way to help," Cage says, "What do they do, anyway? Is that where the white stuff came from?"

Kyro huffs, "Yes, but not as you think. Rage Stones strengthen one's body and mind. The 'white stuff' is Vas, physical magic which comes from those two things. The Vas comes from me, and the Stones strengthen it."

"Vas?" Cage furrows his brows, "After talking to me, you think I know what that is?"

Kyro sighs, replacing the sword on his hip, "No, I suppose not," he speaks soft, looking around at the black land surrounding them. Kyro's grey eyes skim across that river of lava some ways off, and he grimaces. Mavyl's image enters his mind, a toothy grin plastered to his blue face.

Kyro looks at Cage, then the carcass of the centipede, "I will tell you as we walk, but first, touch it," he points to the carcass with a stone face.

Cage cocks his head back, "What? Why?" he asks.

"To absorb it. If you absorbed the parasite, then perhaps you can do the same here," Kyro says matter of factly.