Eudaemon III: Rebirth / Act IV, Part 4

Story by Zerrex Narrius on SoFurry

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#26 of Eudaemon III: Rebirth


Huck grinned a bit, his face still a bit swollen as he lowered a massive missile launcher with what looked almost like a huge, oversized banana clip from his shoulder. He was standing on the back of a military jeep, and Albatross was leaning on the door with the sniper rifle balanced against his shoulder. A moment later, two other vehicles showed up, these with a gunner standing on the back and manning a huge automatic rifle on a tripod instead of a platform. The two jeeps were also stuffed with Dragokkaren soldiers... and then Huck called embarrassedly: "Uh... hey, Boss!"

"I already had to lecture... well, Mercury, I guess, but to you Mist and Shine... on leaders not running into battle." Zerrex said softly, but his voice carried as he walked over to the others, tilting his head as he looked from one to the other before smiling a bit more. "But I'll save that for later, since you just saved my ass."

"Fuck no." Huck snorted and shook his head, grinning as he slapped Albatross on the head, who glared up at him as he dropped the launcher almost carelessly, making several of the Dragokkaren soldiers wince. Then he sat down on the back of the slightly-raised platform on the back of the jeep, looking across at Zerrex amusedly. "Don't you start with that sick shit, Lord Zerrex. Those other giant's corpses are kinda hard to hide."

The reptile laughed a bit, rubbing the back of his head, then he glanced over to Albatross as the one-eyed reptile said quietly: "We're sorry for our behavior earlier, Lord Zerrex. We decided that we had to make it up to you... and at least offer you a bit of support. We've had scouts posted inside the city looking and watching for signs of you... but you hid yourself pretty damn well.

"Of course... when the riot broke out... we figured you had something to do with it. We got the details from some of the... children, they called themselves, and made our way into the city through our secret tunnel." He paused and then said softly: "I'm sorry about Queen Cherry."

Zerrex felt a pang... but then he smiled faintly and nodded quietly, closing his eyes and touching his chest. "She and... my daughter Cindy... are in here now. Along with Lone, too." He laughed faintly and shook his head slowly, murmuring quietly as he kept his eyes shut tight: "I didn't know what to do with Lone, after all... but I wanted to tear him out of the Empty One that had stolen his form and soul. So I dealt with Alone and his unit of soldiers... so I have just one more stop I need to make."

Albatross and Huck both nodded, then the latter Dragokkaren clapped him on the shoulder, meeting his eyes when the reptile glanced up at him quietly. "Alright Boss. You got my condolences too... but if it's any solace, we hear that Marina is alive at least, kept inside Narrius's mansion. They call her China Goddess sometimes, because no one's ever allowed to touch her and even the Patriarch treats her as fragile.

"Look, if you wanna go ahead to make that final strike and take her back, now is definitely the time to do it." The Dragokkaren continued, glancing around at the other soldiers. "Apparently the soldiers are even without any direction right now. Someone bombed the main communications building, maybe kamikazed it, no one knows shit right now with how crazy it's all been. But the last command they got was to withdraw from whatever combat situations they were in to protect the gates, protect the bases, and the vulnerable genetics and military facilities. We had a hell of a fight blasting through the fuckin' main gate after we blew it to shit, but after that? Smooth sailing. Didn't even try to chase us or fire more than a few shots in our general direction once we started headin' down the road.

"We took the scenic tour, you know, to check out the lay of the land... and we happened to pass by Narrius's Estate, in the palace district at the north end of town, before we saw felt the tremors from whatever the fuck happened here and let those three freaks of nature out. Completely unguarded... gates wide open... even the turrets are unmanned." Huck grinned widely, before he made a face. "One problem, though. There were RED Minions on patrol, Black Requiem's dudes... big, scary fuckheads that I was really really tempted to rocket, but this piece of shit is useless for anything other than long range."

Huck kicked the large missile launcher sitting beside him on the jeep, and the soldiers winced as Zerrex made a face himself, rubbing a hand through his hair as Albatross said bluntly: "You want to stop hitting the explosives, Huck?"A pause as the large Dragokkaren blushed deep red and looked lamely around at the soldiers, and then the blue-scaled reptile flapped his wings once before furling them against his back again and glancing over at Zerrex mildly. "If you want, we can bring you to the palace while these other two jeeps make lightning strikes at the facilities around here. We'll stir up some havoc, and then after we drop you at the Patriarch's mansion, blow a hole in the least-guarded area and prepare you an escape route through the Untouchable District."

"I'd appreciate that quite a bit." Zerrex said softly, then nodded firmly as Albatross smiled slightly and extended a hand, the Drakkaren reaching out to clasp it and pump it once firmly. "Let's break some skulls, Albatross."

"Hell yeah!" Huck shouted, pumping a fist in the air and yelling: "Hey, soldiers! You ready to raise some havoc?"

"From hell, sir!" shouted back the unit of Dragokkaren, thumping their feet against the floor of the jeep and all of them grinning up at Huck.

The reptile nodded firmly at the reply, clapping his hands as he paced back and forth, then shouted again: "Who are we fighting for, soldiers?"

"Hez'Ranna!" They called back in perfect synchronization, and roared to the sky as Zerrex grinned and shook his head slowly, and Drake said amusedly in his head: This is one way to cause a distraction...

"What do we want? Come on you pussies, raise your voices high, show some spirit!" Huck yelled again encouragingly, flapping his arms and grinning wider, and the soldiers clapped thrice before shouting back a single word that made Zerrex close his eyes and tilt his head up with a soft sigh, as if a gentle breeze had just blown over his features. Freedom...

Then the soldiers gave another loud, brazen cheer, and the Drakkaren opened his eyes as Albatross bowed to him and Huck slid to the side of the platform, nudging the rocket launcher over and sitting down with a grin to Zerrex, nudging him teasingly with an elbow as he adjusted his unsurprisingly-dirty military uniform and saying cheerfully: "Never thought our first date would go like this, huh? And after you kicked my ass."

"Funny. You said the same thing to me, first mission we worked together." Albatross said dryly, as he climbed in to sit on Zerrex's other side, and making the Drakkaren snort laughter as the jeeps twisted carefully around to take on a basic convoy formation, the jeep that Zerrex sat in with the two rebel commanders in the center position as they drove quickly down the empty streets of the locked-down city. Huck rolled his eyes, then Albatross turned his attention to the reptile sitting between them, glancing down at him curiously. "And you are much smaller than I remember."

"I have the same genetic enhancement as some of the children." The Drakkaren replied, rubbing the back of his head and coughing a bit. "I can shift my size up and down at will."

"Kick-ass." Huck grinned stupidly down at him, his eyes widening as he looked down at the reptile curiously. "So, like, can you um. Change the sizes of different things-"

"Huck." The blue-scaled Dragokkaren rolled his lavender eye, and the other large reptile gave him an injured look as Zerrex snorted laughter. "But I suppose that certainly comes in handy for infiltration and whatnot."

Zerrex nodded a bit as he glanced ahead down the road, watching as they rolled around a corner before frowning slightly and looking up at the other males thoughtfully. "I thought Narrius stayed in his Estate all night. Is there any information on where he's gone or hiding-" A pause, and a wince of pain as he touched his head. The other two looked at him with concern, and the Drakkaren rose a hand, laughing faintly. "Sorry. It's... the strain on my body from all the battles I've been doing today. I've gotten a touch beaten up."

The commanders nodded sympathetically, then Huck threw his arm around Zerrex and squeezed him against his side, looking down at him with a smile. "No problem, Boss. But no, we got no clue what the hell is up with the Patriarch..." he frowned slightly. "Intel from the children, before we sent them off to our various little checkpoints, encampments, and the main base - 'cept yeah, I'm sure there's still plenty of them hanging out around the city in hiding somewhere - tell us that he left with a full military escort, plowed his way through friend and foe alike, and headed to some Enforcer-guarded facility in the military sector. The giants were probably just a distraction to take the eyes off him."

The Drakkaren made a face, then he sighed and nodded. "Outflanked again." He paused, then sat back a bit, then frowned a bit and asked, looking embarrassed: "Do you... have enough resources to supply the children? I know that having too many soldiers is... just as bad as having too few... and that they'll make it even more obvious where the base is and all that..."

"Well, good luck bombing it." Albatross said mildly, then he shared a grin with Huck as Zerrex looked back and forth curiously, before the Dragokkaren continued calmly as the other reptile rocked giddily back and forth with his childish expression just widening: "It seems that the children haven't just rioted here, but communicated using Narrius's wide-range radio network to broadcast the... passing of Queen Cherry and the rise of a certain Lord Zerrex to the entire nation of Hez'Ranna. There's fast-tracked reports of revolts through every major town, and we've even hacked into Narrius's radio frequencies to confirm... his generals are so frazzled that they haven't even bothered to code their messages in some cases."

"His entire network has collapsed from the inside in one night... his military infrastructure just took a major blow at his only weak point and fell apart." Huck said cheerfully, then squeezed Zerrex amiably again, winking down at him. "Pretty good for our young rookie savior. Now his entire military force has been left scattered and damaged, half of his artillery batteries have been destroyed, his facilities have been trashed and his generals are completely disorganized and panicked. Even if he orders a full-out attack against us with his long range weapons, we'll pick it up fast enough to counter... and we've even blown holes in the Great Wall protecting the city to drag out some of his portable technologies."

The smaller lizard nodded slowly, resting back a bit on the platform as they twisted around another corner, and then glanced up ahead to gaze thoughtfully over a pair of shattered gates, dead corpses of soldiers littered around the gaping opening as the rolled easily through. Zerrex noted that the high turrets on either side of the gate were undamaged... but the soldiers inside were slumped dead over the sides, and he had no problem guessing that they had been the neat work of Albatross.

They drove on in relative quiet for a short while, switching to more serious topics and instead discussing tactics, times and what they should do before Zerrex checked over his armament: kwaibar, revolver, and Cherry's whip, with plenty of additional rounds for the second. He'd lost his handguns sometime during the brawls he'd gone through and the other junk he'd been carrying on him, likely when he'd gotten into the fight with the giants.

Together, the three decided that the Drakkaren would take a total of two hours to make it to the Untouchable District after they dropped him off: the jeeps would concentrate their attacks on blowing holes in the surrounding gates and doing a 'mad jackal' operation, tossing grenades out of the vehicles at random to sow confusion in the ranks of the enemies and distract them from their actual aim, but without actively making too many attempts to damage the opponent's military forces or even their buildings. It seemed almost ridiculous... but it would also give Zerrex a fairly obvious path to follow to reach back to the Untouchable District, which would likely take a good forty minutes or so on foot to reach, and up to double that if he tried to do so stealthily.

He nodded at this, then glanced up to the side, and his face turned stony as the jeeps rolled to a halt in front of the Narrius Estate. It looked just like the old Estate from his past memories of home, but enlarged and with an entire extra wing on one side, and a few extra floors piled onto the original building. Both Huck and Albatross remained quiet, looking at the reptile as he stared at the mansion... and then he smiled grimly as he stood and hopped off the back, glancing up at the two Dragokkaren commanders and saying softly: "I'll see you in two hours. And if I'm not back by then with my daughter, assume the worst... I'll either catch up to you later, or you guys will just have to manage without me."

"Yeah, but I doubt it'll be the last." Huck replied with a bit of a smile, then he nodded firmly down to lizard and struck a rigid salute. "You take care of yourself, Boss, and kick some ass."

"We'll be waiting for you, Lord Zerrex. Watch your back." Albatross added mildly, and Zerrex nodded in return to the two before turning away and walking through the open steel gates and down the pathway towards the double doors leading into the main hall of the Narrius Estate. He paused to stand quietly in front of them with one hand gripping the handle tightly, bowing his head forwards and closing his eyes as he listened to the jeeps driving off, engines roaring as they left him there to face his next challenge alone.

He did know, however... that he at least had something to go back to. And he was infinitely glad that the rebels hadn't made an enemy of him, despite their actions against each other: it made it easier to bear this weight somehow, as he quietly squeezed the golden handle of the ironwood doors, his gaze flicking down slowly as he murmured softly: "Just let my daughter be alright, and I think I can survive this hell... let me take her to a safe place, let me get her back to the rebel base... and I think I can make sure everything will be okay."

He bowed his head forwards in thought for a few more moments... then sighed and quietly pushed his way inside through the doors and pulled them closed behind him, stepping into the luxurious entrance hall and looking around in distaste at the elegant carpeting, the pictures on the wall, and almost shivering at the malignant air that filled the place. He could feel his father's presence emanating from every tile, every fiber of the building... and it disgusted him. All he wanted to do was get through here, find his daughter, and then get out as fast as possible... before his eyes flicked upwards as he saw a dark shape on one of the balconies above move.

It turned liquid before the reptile could get a fix on what it was, transforming into a boiling blackness that arced through the air, leaving a long tail behind it before falling to the floor below in the space between the twin staircases leading up and reforming into a crouched, silent Dragokkaren clad in a plain suit, with black, liquid scales that quickly solidified and burning red eyes that flicked up to meet Zerrex's emerald... before the creature fell forwards with a snarl, grasping its head, features shifting and changing and the eyes flickering as a strange buzz filled the air.

A moment later, Requiem stood and opened his eyes, back to the cold sapphire Zerrex had once known... and his body shifted a bit, features changing slightly to better mimic his old, hard face as he walked forwards and straightened the dark lapels of the black-energy suit he wore, looking both disgusted and filled with deep self-loathing as he murmured softly: "My apologies, Zerrex. I didn't want to have to meet you under these circumstances... never dreamed that brother would return, nor that he would have become so... demented."

Zerrex nodded almost stiffly; not from dislike, but simply trying to maintain control of himself as he glanced over Requiem's black-scaled body, murmuring softly: "I am too. I never wanted to fight you to begin with... and I certainly don't want to do it again, especially in these kinds of circumstances."

"Yes... with so-called 'powers' that are a mockery of nature, even more disgusting than guns and of the cheap products of the same science that produced such abominations to begin with." Requiem replied in a mutter, then he shook his head slowly and winced, the darkness over his body becoming semisolid, writhing along his form as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath as black liquid dripped from him like melted wax, before his body stabilized and locked back into shape.

He gave a faint smile at Zerrex's expression of sympathy and horror, raising a hand and shaking his head a bit. "It's not your concern. My body has the same sort of properties as Drake, who I can sense inside of you, complete with his physical essence locked back into place." He paused, then tilted his head forwards. "I feel... different mixing energies as well. I can recognize them, but they're hard to place... a lot of my memories are fuzzy from the nephilim that's binding my body together but also attempting to control my mind." A pause and a snort of disgust. "Like I'd ever allow myself to be controlled by a two-bit science project... I'm deeply hurt by how much brother has apparently not only undervalued me, but also you, by trying to seal and control us both with test-tube grown ghosts."

Fuck that! Drake snorted, raging quietly in Zerrex's head, but the reptile shoved him mentally aside as he replied in a calm voice, the faintest of smiles playing about his muzzle: "Father never has appreciated us, Requiem. I'm sorry, but it's true... and this is just the proof." A pause and a glance upwards. "Then again, I guess he's never appreciated the world, either, which he's wracking just as much hell on.

"But to answer your question, yeah. Cherry... Cindy... and even Lone." He quietly tapped his chest, lowering his muzzle a bit and looking more at the Dragokkaren's feet than his face. "Their energies, their... souls, are inside me. They were... too damaged from Narrius's experiments, too twisted up, and I couldn't bear to let even that jerkoff Lone live on as Alone." He smiled a bit and met Requiem's eyes as the Dragokkaren looked at him softly, with a sympathy he didn't feel he deserved: his uncle's situation was worse than his own, after all. "So it's the water nephilim inside you, is it?"

"Apparently also the last... you seem to have gone through the other nephilim fairly quickly." Requiem said softly, and Zerrex blinked a bit as the Dragokkaren smiled slightly. "It's the reason you were able to remove their souls... they were likely already jarred loose from being forced to share room with the nephilim, and Drake can control the flow and energy of the lower-functioning experimental creatures. Cherry was sealed with fire, and regulated by some sort of device Mengele used... Alone had electricity, and he and the nephilim were transferred every now and then to another body, another Empty One that took on his form, and the nephilim aided in that process... and Cindy had both light and darkness in her." He stopped, then added quietly: "You have my deepest apologies from me, for being unable to stop them from doing the terrible things I've heard rumored had been done to her. She was a beautiful person, and always so innocent, standing above the seas of blood that the rest of our family seems to be drowning in."

"Thank you." Zerrex murmured quietly, then he glanced down before looking back up, hesitating a bit before finally finding himself unable to resist, as Narrius tilted his head curiously: "Is Marina..."

Requiem laughed dryly and nodded slowly. "She is... she's alive and been kept... healthy." The Dragokkaren seemed hesitant to say more however, looking down and lacing his fingers together before he looked up and added mildly: "I was always told to watch her and protect her. Brother had such little interest in taking care of her, but that was probably for the best... and yes, he did order experiments upon her body... and she is changed, but she is..." He glanced down, then looked back up and smiled faintly. "At the periods like this, where I can break the nephilim's hold on my mind, I used to sit with her, and we would talk. It would be like talks I wish I had with you, Zerrex... and I have always done everything in my power to protect her, but I fear it was never much."

The Drakkaren nodded, swallowing a bit and meeting the dark Dragokkaren's sapphire eyes as he said softly: "You were always more of a father to me than anything else, Requiem... and always a good one." He paused and glanced down, rubbing the back of head as the tall creature looked startled, then softened and gazed at Zerrex with compassion before the reptile managed to ask in a hesitant voice: "What did... Narrius... he said something about using her to continue the bloodline..."

"She's... pregnant with his child." Requiem glanced away, and Zerrex felt a deep pain tear his chest as the Dragokkaren looked down and murmured softly: "I'm sorry." A few moments of silence passed... and then he glanced back up and sighed softly, continuing in a gentle voice: "She's less than a week away now from the child being viable enough to remove from her body... and to be placed into a genetic chamber for alteration. My brother wishes to create a perfect being of sorts, that he will train and who will serve him as a... 'true son,' in his words. I am sorry... I am so very, truly sorry, Zerrex. For his harsh words and worse, despicable actions.

"But she does not want the child... she says it festers inside her like a monster or a demon." He shook his head slowly, then pointed up and to the right, and Zerrex followed his gaze to an archway at the top of the stairs that bridged into a hall. "She's at the end of the corridor at the top of the stairs... through a pair of unlocked doors, waiting for you to save her. When you see her..." Requiem struggled for a few moments to find the words, then he looked down as if embarrassed, speaking quietly: "I've never said it to her, but give her my love. And Zerrex... you too, I love as my own. You're family, and more... you've always been my favorite student, and you've always been admirable, in my eyes." He paused, meeting his emerald eyes quietly with his own sapphire. "And I know it makes this all harder, but it is something I don't want to back away from saying."

Zerrex nodded, then he dropped to a kneel and lowered his head, closing his eyes and bowing respectfully. "And I thank you for that... it means... so much to me." He paused, then looked up and smiled faintly as Requiem's lapis eyes met his again. "So is there anything else? Or are we going to have to move on to the more unpleasant business now?"

"You've always been so goddamn impatient." Requiem murmured, then he shook his head slowly before brushing at his chest as Zerrex stood and laughed quietly. A moment later, he closed his eyes, before saying softly: "But you're right. If I keep on with these speeches, I'm going to ambush you by accident when the nephilim takes back over. I just want to say again, that I'm sorry for how things worked out."

"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself." Zerrex said softly, then he paused and slid one foot forwards, raising his hands in a ready position as he murmured quietly: "And I'll gladly pass your words on to my daughter. I'm sorry that I have to kill you again."

"Don't get cocky now." Requiem opened his blue eyes, smiling slightly as he rolled his shoulders, his suit vanishing into his body as the dark liquid rippled over his form, leaving him standing sexless and powerful, his eyes flashing as he spread his arms and said clearly: "Zerrex. I'm afraid this battle will be different from our last, because you'll be fighting the nephilim that's usurping my memories instead of me: it will use every tactic it knows, every cheap trick at its disposal to attempt to destroy you. Don't underestimate its skills, since they're born of mine, and improved by its filthy powers. I'm sorry this fight can't be fair and even."

The Drakkaren snorted and grinned coldly, rolling his shoulders slowly, and then he held out his hands: he felt excited and anxious... and he could feel Drake squirming inside his head, hungry for the battle. He couldn't blame the creature: Requiem would be more than a challenge, especially with the water nephilim in his head calling the shots and forcing the Dragokkaren to use abilities and attacks he otherwise would never touch. It was both terrible and wonderful, a new chance to once more prove himself: a new test to pass that he knew would leave him in pain, but would also give him the satisfaction of showing that he had indeed mastered his body... and the quieter happiness of being able to honorably place Requiem to rest.

He closed his eyes, then rolled his head on his shoulders and opened them as he straightened a bit, shifting his stance slightly as the Dragokkaren tilted his head with interest, Zerrex feeling his own darkness writhing across his form before forming a tighter armor on his body, as he said clearly: "It's still fair and even, Requiem... you have your tricks, I have mine." He paused, then added quietly: "Now let's finish this, uncle. Again we have to meet on the field of battle... but we'll face this cruel joke and overcome, as we always have. And I won't let this mockery continue."

"I'll be counting on you then, Zerrex." Requiem said clearly, before he closed his eyes and snarled, head shaking back and forth... before his face twisted and became almost blank of features, and when he opened his eyes again, they shone crimson as the water nephilim, Black Requiem, stared across at him furiously.

He saw hate in those eyes, and cruel intelligence, and the Drakkaren snarled as he tilted his head and called darkly: "So you're the freak that's dared to try and take over a true warrior, huh? Just like with Lone, I'm going to enjoy crushing you to the ground and tearing you apart, bit-by-bit, piece-by-piece." He stopped, then shouted in a raw, angry voice: "I won't let scum like you play games with true soldiers, who live, breathe, and die for honor, not just for power and self-indulgence!"

Black Requiem merely continued to stare, however... then suddenly grinned callously and split down the middle as it seemed to step in opposite directions. As it broke apart, its body filled in the other half of its form, until two versions of the dark creature stood side by side, a few sparse droplets of dark water rolling across its form as it rippled before settling again. Zerrex merely snorted at this, however, then he held out a hand and the greatsword of dark energy came into being, making the creatures hesitate as the reptile said coldly: "You're not the only special monster here anymore. I've got a nasty little friend myself, I'm afraid, who I think is starting to finally get along with me."

Bite me. I just enjoy watching you kill things. Drake mumbled, almost seeming strangely embarrassed... then he winced as the pair of dark Dragokkaren set themselves. Zerrex readied himself, holding the huge dark blade out on an angle as the dark nephilim added: Look. My energy won't be as effective on these creatures as the giants you took down outside. They're made of the same stuff as I am, an amorphous jelly capable of taking solid form-

Don't talk about jelly. You make me think of lubricant, and masturbating with you around would be awkward. Zerrex murmured in his head, which shut Drake up and let him clear his mind, smiling slightly as he tilted his head forwards and said calmly: "Showtime. Come to me, or I'll go to you."

The two Dragokkaren immediately lowered their heads, snarling, then charged forwards before one grabbed the hands of the other and leapt forwards: his partner spun him towards Zerrex as the first Dragokkaren flipped and performed a twisting double-scissor kick, but the reptile easily ducked under this before snarling and bringing a hand up to smash through the body of the dark-liquid creature, the other easily holding the dark sword in a defensive position across his body.

Both of them grinned viciously as the standing Dragokkaren leapt backwards, releasing his partner's hand as Zerrex's fist and forearm ripped through his stomach... and then it simply exploded above him, splashing dark goo over the reptile's body and causing the reptile to stagger backwards. He gave a cry of disgust as he felt the black sword dissipate back into darkness, the oil-colored liquid that had splattered over his body clinging to him like goo and then seeming to become heavy: a moment later, that heaviness was joined by a feeling of agony as the thick splotches of goo over his body shot spikes through everywhere it had managed to splatter, causing Zerrex to cry out in agony as he fell forwards to his knees, weighed down and his muscles torn apart by the dark gunk.

Black Requiem grinned wider, then charged forwards, drawing its arm back as its hand turned into a straight, flat razor, its arm in the center of the rectangular, meter-long blade as it hardened instantly... before the creature's eyes widened and it leapt back instead of continuing to sprint forwards as darkness covered Zerrex's body before spiking out in all directions and violently shivering, dislodging the gunk and knocking it to the ground. Immediately, the dark goo slid back along the floor to rejoin with the Dragokkaren, as it stood and snarled, watching Zerrex slowly stand as his own black mass receded back along his body, spikes shrinking as he muttered quietly to Drake: "Thanks. I wasn't expecting that."

Like everyone's told you, watch your ass. Drake replied coldly. This isn't like the other nephilim, nor is he someone you can hope to beat down with brute force. He's literally living liquid... and now he's got the intellect and experiences of your uncle compounded with that nearly-invincible body. Ever try to empty a tub of water by just smacking it with your fists?

"Got to break what's holding it together, not the water, got it." Zerrex murmured, then he straightened and rubbed at his other arm, wincing a bit as a thin flow of blood pattered down. It hurt worst of all the nasty, stabbing pains he now felt all over his body... most likely because that had been one of the places where the spikes of the creature had ripped right through. He made a face, hoping that at least the muscle wasn't compromised, as he flexed his hand slowly; his fingers felt a bit numb, but they seemed to be working fine otherwise, and he took a slow breath as Black Requiem breathed softly and grasped his arm, shifting the giant razor back into a plain hand.

He had never faced an opponent this dangerous or this experienced... or so willing to use any tactics necessary to end the battle as quickly as possible. It added to the excitement, yes... but it also made the Drakkaren even more apprehensive, snarling slightly and wondering if he had been a bit too confident in stepping into this battle. He had also been forced to realize that he needed to maintain concentration of some kind, some sort of calm over everything else, in order to use Drake's powers effectively... but they did at least seem to be synchronizing their abilities, as Zerrex focused his body and his mind, rolling his shoulders and readying himself.

Black Requiem gazed at him with a mix of contempt and disgust, then grinned again as an arm and leg suddenly tore their way out of his chest, followed by a bowed head and a body: a moment later, a clone of the creature stepped free as if ducking through a low doorway, followed by another... and yet another, as these beings split as well until Zerrex found himself facing a group of at least twenty clones. They all glared at him with cold hate in their ruby eyes and their bodies rippling like pools of standing-tall water under glass, and the Drakkaren tensed as he focused and created a straight blade of dark energy.

The 'two' faced each other, twenty Black Requiems and a single Zerrex that was mixed with the essence of his family and soaked with Drake's dark powers... and then the reptile snorted before straightening and flicking his other wrist, causing another sword to appear in his hand as he looked coldly across at the group and said clearly: "Make as many as you want... I have no fear of you."

The Dragokkaren shifted, growling... and then the giant standing tall in the back cocked its head upwards with a vicious grin and rose a hand, pointing at Zerrex. Immediately, the nineteen other giants surged forwards, and Zerrex snarled as he lowered himself slightly before leaping forwards and into the crowd of soldiers.

He ducked, spinning on his toes and lunging to the side as one swung out at him, immediately slashing upwards with one of the katanas and slicing its forearm from its body, causing it to snarl and draw back as its removed limb immediately dissolved into black water that splattered uselessly on the floor. At the same time, the Drakkaren snapped his other katana backwards and upwards, slicing into the crotch and abdomen of another giant to send it stumbling backwards, before ducking and swaying out of the way of another dark Dragokkaren as it ran forwards, evading ghost images as he sensed another leaping at him from behind and going into a slide: immediately, he leapt backwards, throwing his arms above his head and arching his back as the Dragokkaren slid beneath him... before twisting to flip his body over and land in skidding crouch, knuckles pressing against the fabric of the rug and the other arm raised, sword pointed out towards the group of liquid creatures as his emerald eyes flashed.

He leapt forwards, once more immediately surrounded by the nineteen Dragokkaren as their leader watched coldly, ducking as one of them attempted to punch him and instead smashed the enemy behind it: instead of knocking the other clone backwards, however, it only melded into its body before the creature was pulled forwards as it by a magnetic force, and Zerrex barely managed to slide out of the way in time to avoid being sandwiched by the two.

Then he caught a ghost image in the corner of his eye before a foot caught him under the chin, causing him to spit blood as he reared his head back, snarling in pain before a pair of powerful hands smashed into his back, knocking him flat. Then he felt hands pummeling into him and feet crushing him from all sides, causing him to yell and twist in agony, before snarling and focusing himself, slamming a foot down and spinning around, slashing his swords outwards and smashing a leg outwards in a hard, vicious kick at the same time.

He slipped quickly from the kick and slash onto his stomach, and pushed hard up into the air, spinning through the air and swords windmilling on either side of him before he landed easily on his feet and glared around at the circle of Dragokkaren. He sensed dark creatures on either side of him leaping forwards before he ducked, performing a half-assed splits with a wince as he stabbed both katanas up and slashed violently downwards, splattering them all over their compatriots as they liquefied.

The other Dragokkaren stumbled backwards, snarling as the leader began to stalk forwards, and the reptile leapt backwards and spun around, throwing himself into a long roll and then wincing as he almost knocked himself flat on his ass from stepping on his long braid. Instead, he slipped and nearly fell, before spinning around and widening his eyes as he saw all seventeen dark creatures charging at him, before Drake snarled: Aim for the mouth!

As one of Black Requiem's clones charged forwards, bringing its hand back, Zerrex jumped forwards himself and stabbed viciously upwards, ramming a katana through the clone's upper jaw with a snarl. Immediately, the creature shivered violently before staggering backwards, ripples rolling through its form before it seemed to harden and fell apart into bits of broken black clay that shattered and melted into water when it hit the ground.

Zerrex stared in surprise as the other Dragokkaren skidded to a stop, splattering into each other and melding together like jelly dominoes before the mishmash of dark creatures snarled and quickly began to melt together, reforming into one solid being that rolled its shoulders slowly, glaring furiously at the Drakkaren. The reptile looked back with a cold grin, some of the creature's dark body essence dripping off the dark blade as he snorted and licked his muzzle slowly. "What's wrong, freak? Drake knows the poem that brought you into creation... but last time I had to point out where the weak point was."

He spun the swords beside him, then rose them back in front of himself, holding them in an X and tilting his head as he asked mildly: "So what other tricks are you going to try before we meet in some good old fashioned combat, huh?" He paused, then let go of the swords, causing them to vanish, the dark energy sliding back between his scales and into his body as he looked at the Dragokkaren squarely, adding another question coolly: "Or are you too much of a coward, birdbath? And are we going to keep playing and dancing around with these theatre tricks until I finally have you one-on-one, huh?"

The creature's body rippled a few times, muscles growing into clear definition and body expanding outwards as it glared furiously at the lizard, rolling its head slowly as it cracked its knuckles threateningly. Zerrex snorted and grinned a bit, nodding slowly as he rose his hands gamely and said clearly: "Much better, asshole. Let's see just what we can do with you in close combat."

This is idiotic... Drake rumbled in his head, and Zerrex just grinned a bit wider. You know he's just going to feint and use his abilities at close range...

The reptile nodded a bit, then he replied with a murmur in his own mind, as he and Black Requiem began to circle: I know. In fact, it's what I'm counting on... and you being synchronized enough with me to know when I give the signal for what I want to happen, once I find the proper opening.

Drake paused in his head... before nodding as he flipped through the reptile's mind and apparently decided to trust him for once. Zerrex smiled slightly at this, before snorting as the dark Dragokkaren suddenly lunged forwards and swung a fist down towards him.

He leapt backwards, easily evading the ghost image, before stepping forwards and attempting to grab the creature's arm; immediately, however, it became slick and watery, sliding easily free from Zerrex's grip as it spun on the spot to face back-towards Zerrex, slamming an elbow around towards the Drakkaren's face. Immediately, the lizard ducked this, easily avoiding it thanks to the ghost images that flickered in front of his eyes... before throwing himself to the side as his instincts yelled at him. No ghost image appeared, but instead only a straight spike of darkness that ripped forwards out of the creature's side and attempted to pierce through his face.

He skidded along the floor, snarling and holding up his hands, before running forwards... and registered the sound of splashing as the Dragokkaren leapt backwards with a cold grin. He looked down to find himself running through a dark puddle that sloshed up over his boots before strands of dark jelly shot up and wrapped around his legs, followed quickly by limbs that formed and surged up out of the water, hands seizing his pants and digging into his legs as the reptile snarled, finding himself trapped in the middle of the puddle as Black Requiem ran forwards.

It was like being snagged in Drake's living shadow, as the reptile swayed on spot, unable to tear free as he watched the dark creature sliding forwards through its own dark gunk, feet melting into it as the Dragokkaren grinned vicious, red eyes burning as it swung a hand forwards in a hard right hook. Zerrex did the only thing he could do: he swung his own arm up to block the incoming ghost image, then winced as the limb struck his own and exploded, splattering gunk over his face and upper body.

Black Requiem continued to twist... and then he bent downwards, seeming to tear open at the waist as a replication of the dark Dragokkaren's upper half ripped out of the creature, but this one had long, conical lances instead of forearms, stabbing them both forwards towards the Drakkaren.

Immediately, the lizard ducked... before wincing as the other upper half of the Dragokkaren swung its still-solid arm upwards in a vicious uppercut, but the reptile quickly swung his other arm out, blocking it with his own in an L before slamming his other fist down through the creature and splattering it all over the ground, then falling forwards when the creature solidified again and slammed both lance-arms down into his back, knocking him down into the dark puddle, which immediately attempted to surround and crush him.

The reptile struggled against it before forcing his limbs under him, then throwing himself to the side, long tendrils and strings of black gunk still clinging to him, but one of the lances of the Dragokkaren spearing only the carpet instead of into the lizard's body. He hit the ground and rolled as the dark liquid rolled towards him in a wave and attempted to engulf him again, before kicking up and sliding backwards through the gunk before two long tentacles of black goo snapped tight around his legs again, binding him to the spot and then hardening, making it impossible for him to even fall over this time as Black Requiem's lance-arms reformed back into its huge fists.

Zerrex snarled, then he suddenly felt pain rip through his body a moment before he felt his back arch, eyes snapping closed and arms reaching out to the side as Drake's upper body suddenly tore out of his chest. Black Requiem's eyes widened in shock, the crimson in them stuttering for a moment before Drake slammed a hand down, ripping it into the dark Dragokkaren's chest and causing him to gag violently before the other hand of the dark nephilim flashed out, seized the creature by the top of the head, and then tore violently upwards, ripping the water nephilim's head completely off.

Its skull shattered like an ancient vase in Drake's hands, and it exploded into droplets of water that hailed down to the floor as the body dissolved into dark gunk. Then Zerrex managed to straighten with a wince, the dark nephilim slumping forwards as it withdrew into the reptile's chest, before his eyes widened as the gunk in front of them shot upwards like a geyser and then quickly reformed into Black Requiem.

The dark Dragokkaren grinned widely as Zerrex looked at it in shock, then he snarled and slammed a fist forwards... which passed harmlessly straight through the creature, before the watery body of the Dragokkaren solidified around it, binding him in place as Black Requiem's fists came up, smashing Zerrex once, twice, thrice in the face and sending blood shooting from his muzzle, left arm uselessly bound in its body, unable to rip free before the creature brought both hands back and snarled viciously, ready to crush in the Drakkaren's skull as his head hung limply, maw and nose bleeding heavily.

Before it could, however, the reptile's head suddenly snapped upwards, his right arm cocked back, and then he slammed a straight palm hard into the creature's breast, causing the creature to shudder as a ripple passed through its entire body and Zerrex's palm sank into the monstrosity... then he grinned coldly as the dark gunk began to cover his hand and crawl up his arm. A moment later, however, its eyes widened as it tried to move but failed, arms frozen in place and the black liquid surrounding all four of the lizard's limbs suddenly turning to clay, then falling away and shattering into dusty water when it hit the floor.

The dark creature gargled, ripples passing through its body and chunks of it slowly beginning to fall off... before one of Drake's hands tore out of its mouth, followed by an arm... and then another knocked off the entire top of Black Requiem's head, which fell and shattered uselessly on the ground. Then the dark nephilim straightened, his upper half grotesquely sticking out of the creature's neck as he leaned back a bit and smiled slightly down at Zerrex, looking almost impressed. "Nice idea. I fried the poor bastard... I'll refrain from making any remarks out of respect for... your respect for him."

Then the dark nephilim dissolved into darkness and flowed in a spiraling arc through the air and back into Zerrex's body, causing the reptile to wince and roll his shoulders as a thrill of pain and strange exhilaration ran through him... before pausing and frowning a bit. Most of the creature had been reduced to dust or dirty water that was already soaking through the floor... but part of it was slowly reforming into a frail, broken Drakkaren. The real lizard looked at this with strange softness as it dripped black gunk to the floor below, before looking up with eyes that flashed from dying red back to blue.

"Not as long as last time, nearly..." Requiem rasped... then he laughed faintly as he began to dissolve, dark liquid rolling off his body and his form half-melting before solidifying again, apparently from force of will. He twitched a bit as he panted on the ground, before looking up at Zerrex and giving a faint smile. "Good luck. And... put brother to rest..."

A moment later, he slumped forwards, and his eyes lost their color before he melted into the ground, and Zerrex felt a strange roll through his body, looking down at himself as he almost felt the energy rolling into his form, Drake pulling in the darkness and that strange energy floating in the air around his body and seeming to gorge himself on it while at the same time, filling the lizard's body with the leftover.

Zerrex straightened, looking at the spreading water stains on the carpet and hating that this was all that remained of Requiem... but at the same time, somehow feeling it was almost fitting. He was one with the world again, he flowed with the waters, down another path, another journey to the sea... and the lizard smiled faintly before glancing quietly up at the hallway the Dragokkaren had pointed out earlier.

He stood for a few long moments, looking up there, and even Drake was silent... before the lizard slowly made his way to the nearest staircase and climbed it, every step so damn hard, so damn heavy. The Drakkaren looked down quietly at the carpeted stairs, and then the hardwood floor of the second level as he stepped up onto the landing and found himself staring down the long, empty corridor at the pair of ornate doors at the end.

The reptile slowly walked down the hall, and it was like the air had grown thick, like gravity was weighing him down more and more with every step. His heart thudded quietly in his chest, and apprehension made his body tremble as he wiped at the blood smeared on his face, boots sounding so goddamn loud as he thudded down the hallway before he stopped at the doors and grasped the handle. The cold felt too cold, the metal too solid, and even though they moved with ease, it seemed to take far too much strength to open the doors and pull them slowly open... and his breath caught in his throat as his eyes settled on the figure of his now sixteen year old daughter sitting on the grand, curtained bed.

She was beautiful... slender and slim, good-sized breasts just like her mother, lithe and with attractive, slender arms. She had good visible muscle on her arms, but not so much... and everything else was covered by a long black dress with a pair of cloth weave straps that held it up over her shoulders. It was cut high up to her thigh on one side, but her legs were primly crossed and it hung to her ankles, leaving her legs completely hidden beneath it.

Her scales almost glowed... they were the same emerald as his, but he could see from her cleavage and the rest of the visible inside of her body that they turned a much lighter green over her inner body. She also had those same brilliant blue eyes he remembered, which currently smiled up at him softly... and the only visible change to her body that he guessed were from Narrius's experiments was the addition of a large black fin that sprouted from her forehead and went back to the back of her neck, shaped almost like a dark, thin Mohawk.

Finally, she had a few bits of jewelry on... and a strange, glowing collar around her neck, locked with some sort of strange-shaped, silver clasp with several clear crystal studs, inside which danced strange blue lights. She looked up at him with a strange tranquility before she slowly stood up, five inches or so shorter than his current, shortest height, but the tall fin adding those necessary inches to make her the same height as him. They looked at each other for a few long moments, and then she quietly opened her arms and whispered softly: "Hello, Daddy. It's been too long... and I've been so excited waiting for you."

"Hello, Marina." Zerrex replied quietly, and then he stepped forwards and wrapped his arms tight around her waist as she clung to him and pushed her head against his chest, her arms wrapping tight around his neck as he lifted her up and spun her around several times with a loud, happy laugh, feeling tears rising to his eyes again - Gods, this had been such an emotional day, and he could feel it all welling up in him...

"Take my collar off, please, father." Marina said in her soft, calm voice, as Zerrex put her down and looked at her oddly, and she smiled quietly. "It represses my abilities and emotions, so I'm sorry if I seem off at all. I can't remove it myself."

Zerrex nodded, then he quietly reached up and undid the clasp, before tossing the collar away... and Marina's eyes flickered a few time before a bright, happy smile spread over her face, she squealed: "Daddy!" in a louder voice, and tackled him backwards onto the bed, laughing loudly and squeezing his head into her bosom as his eyes widened and he laughed himself, flailing a bit as they rolled back and forth on the bed, the female Drakkaren yelling happily: "Oh thank Gods! I'm so happy to see you, I'm so damn glad! Thank you, Daddy, I knew you'd come for me, I knew everything that Cherry and Requiem told me was true..." Then she paused, looked into his eyes, and a flicker of pain shot through her blue eyes as she straddled him on the bed, quietly touching his cheek and murmuring softly: "Their souls... are inside you. Cherry, Lone, and Mommy's... and the fallen angel, Drake..."

She stopped as Zerrex looked up at her in shock... and then she smiled softly, taking his face between his hands and leaning down to kiss him slowly, their mouths meeting for a few moments as Zerrex's eyes widened even further, and he felt the pregnant bulge of her belly rubbing slowly against his stomach as he automatically grasped her sides. After a few moments, she sat up and met her father's eyes with a soft laugh before he even managed to kiss back. "I didn't mean to startle you... I just..." she paused and looked down at him quietly, slowly bowing her head and rubbing at her pregnant stomach gently.

He looked back up at her quietly for a few moments... then he reached up and touched her face as their eyes met, feeling a strange flicker through his mind... before he smiled faintly as she seemed to be reading into him, realizing that it was exactly what she was doing. He'd felt that strange paging through his mind with Drake... and he didn't need the dark nephilim grumbling - but cautiously, since the creature had already recognized Zerrex would likely spit him out, step on him, and then eat him if he said anything bad about Marina - before the daughter of Zerrex smiled slightly and nodded before he could even ask. "You're right. I'm a psychic, a telepath. I can read minds..." she paused and leaned down to kiss his cheek quietly. "I'm also a telekinetic... and I've been trained in all manner of combat as well, although carefully." She stopped again, then said softly: "Narrius has used me... for all his most important experiments, to bring me close to... 'perfect,' in his words..."

She stopped, and silently brought her hands back to touch her own stomach, closing her eyes and bowing her head a bit as she swayed slowly on the spot, before looking down as Zerrex gazed up at her compassionately and quietly stroked a single tear from her eye, making her smile faintly as she said softly: "I know what you feel like... I can feel your emotions..." she silently took one of his hands, then slowly brought it up over the curve of her stomach, then to rest gently over her heart. "Can you feel mine?"

"Just like me. You feel just like me... and just like Cindy." Zerrex gazed up at his daughter softly, before smiling faintly and silently tapping his temple when Marina looked at him curiously. She smiled a bit in return, then gazed down into his eyes as the Drakkaren concentrated on a single memory: one he thought he'd never share with his daughter - especially like this - but now it seemed... so damn appropriate. And it wasn't like he'd managed to shield her from the darkness of the world...

He felt a firm mental reprimand, and the reptile blinked as Marina glared down at him, grabbing his shoulders and pushing firmly down on them as she said quietly: "Don't you start that, Daddy... none of this was your fault. You aren't weak because you couldn't stop him... he was a monster, a living weapon, and modified by greedy scientists into something even more terrible. He was someone who even Requiem couldn't handle in life, and he was your equal... now show me that damn memory of yours, huh?"

He laughed a bit, smiling faintly back: she sounded... just like Cindy. It made his heart swell up with happiness and shame for his self-pitying, before she gently stroked his face and leaned down to kiss his cheek quietly, and surprising him as she said gently: "You weren't pitying yourself, you were just feeling needless self-degradation."

Zerrex nodded a bit, then he laughed quietly and stroked her face gently in return, murmuring softly: "I'm... so damn glad you haven't changed." he paused, then closed his eyes and concentrated on that specific memory from the past, from all those years ago in Baskin's Grove before he'd even known Cindy was his daughter... when Lone had raped her and hurt her so badly.

Marina found herself surprised as she watched this memory of her mother, of seeing her hurt, crying after being raped... then the comfort that followed... and she smiled faintly, glancing down and looking at her father softly as the memories flooded her mind and she processed the many long hours Zerrex had spent with Cindy... and Mary... in simple seconds, before taking her father's face lightly between her hands and meeting his eyes lovingly. "History repeats, doesn't it? It's cruel... but just like my mother, I've only had sex once... and now I want my second time to be with you. I want you to purify my body with yours..." she halted at Zerrex's soft look, and then smiled faintly, adding quietly: "It might sound like I just want to get you in bed... and I know it wasn't your intention in any way to just get in my pants... but I feel that you really can purify me in the very same way as you did my mother."

"Marina..." Zerrex looked up at her softly, touching her stomach gently and murmuring softly: "It's your son... and it can be our son, if you want-"

"No." Marina said softly but firmly, and Zerrex met the female's eyes with his own, seeing his own steel reflected in them as she continued in the same voice: "It's a life... and it's his life." Then she smiled coldly and added: "And I want to leave the ruins of it splattered all over this bed for him to find."

"Sick bitch." Zerrex said in an awed voice, and Marina winked and giggled, blushing a bit as she looked down at him with a warm smile and her cheeks flushed, as his hands rolled over the curves of her stomach, and then he saw her eyes widen in surprise - and Gods, was that pleased surprise? - as he felt her rolling through his memories. "But I'm a pretty twisted person myself."

"So it seems." Marina said softly, looking down at him with love and stroking his face gently, then she laughed quietly and couldn't help a faint grin coming to her face as she asked teasingly: "You sure that Cindy was my mother? Because paging through these memories of yours... she seems too damn innocent. Cherry seems to be acting a lot more like me."

Zerrex laughed a bit at this and looked up at Marina amusedly, before suddenly rolling and making her squeal and giggle, her grin spreading wide over her muzzle as her father easily pinned her against the bed by the wrists, her legs to either side of him and squeezing him teasingly around the waist. "Some of those memories should give you nightmares... and if they don't, then maybe somehow you were supposed to be Cherry's kid but got born out of Cindy by accident."

She smiled slightly at this, then said softly: "But they do say that the tortured become the torturers, after all, right? But I think we both have a natural tendency towards it anyway." A pause, and then she rolled her groin against him and asked teasingly: "And does that give you a hint of what I think of the old Captain Ravenlight?"

For some reason, coming from her... it didn't bother him. Instead, it sent a chill of pleasure through him as he grinned widely down at her, and as their eyes met, he felt a flash in his mind before an image of her chained and screaming filled his head. He jerked his head back in surprise, then realized she'd sent it as she flushed a bit and murmured softly: "I can see inside you... and feel your fear of being in power... but you do realize you're superior in so many ways, right? Especially physically." She stopped and added quietly, meeting his eyes as she slid her hands free of his weak grip and reached up to run her hands through his hair as he leaned down towards her: "We don't submit ourselves to you because you're just a big scary male, by the way... we submit to you... because we know you'll protect us. You love to hurt, sure, and you love to dominate, crush wills, spirits and even bodies..." A pause, as she leaned up and licked his throat slowly, making him shudder a bit in pleasure. "But you'll never let anyone else lay a hand on us if you can stop them, even if it means giving your life."

"Marina..." Zerrex said softly... but then he felt a single finger push at his muzzle, and she smiled slightly before gently drawing another hand down his chest, and the darkness covering his body slowly withdrew as her voice spoke in his mind, driving even Drake back with surprise as it whispered seductively: No more talk. Show me your power, Daddy. Purify my body with your own sacred temple... and your warrior's staff.

The male swallowed and nodded slowly, looking down into his daughter's eyes lovingly as she reached up and stroked her hands through his hair. He lowered his head at the same time, as the darkness that had covered him receded completely into his body, before meeting her lips and kissing her lovingly, working their jaws together slowly as Zerrex ground his body slowly down against the female's. Their tongues danced as his strong form pushed down against the pregnant curve of her belly, and his hands slid slowly down to grasp her waist, squeezing gently into her hips as he rocked his hips lightly forwards against her, causing her to buck slowly in return with a soft murr as their kiss broke.

The Drakkaren smiled slightly into the female's eyes, then he slowly slipped back, beginning to unbutton his pants as Marina reached behind herself, untying the knot that held the dress tight around her waist by means of a hidden inner belt. She slowly slid it off from around her shoulders as she watched her father push his pants down... then giggled quietly behind a hand as he mumbled about his combat boots before sitting on the bed beside her, watching her kick off her own heels as she said softly: "This is a lot less romantic or arousing then I thought it would be."

"It's all part of the game. Unless you want me to just rip that pretty dress off." Zerrex paused, then he grinned and reached over, snagging it and causing Marina to give a short shriek of surprise when he knotted his hand into the cloth and simply yanked forwards as hard as he could, tearing the silky fabric and revealing her black bra and underwear beneath, causing her to flush and self-consciously grab her bulging belly as he tossed the torn-asunder garment aside, strips of cloth floating down as he coughed and added mildly: "Well, it's not something we'll be able to carry around anyway. I'm assuming you have better clothes..." A pause and a glance over her body, at her large breasts that were squeezed into a too-small bra and her tight panties as he added mildly: "Not that I'd mind you being naked."

"Daddy, I hate you." Marina said morbidly, and Zerrex snorted laughter at her childish expression before she paused and grinned at him, and the male blanched as his boxers suddenly decided to remove themselves the moment he kicked off his boots, sliding down his legs... then tearing in half when he kept one leg up and the other lowered, turning to glare at Marina as his once-boxers halted their descent down his legs, instead staring at his crotch. "Oh my."

Zerrex looked back at his daughter with mild amusement as he reached up a hand and clicked the clasp of her bra easily with one hand, her breasts bouncing free and the brassiere falling to the ground as Marina blushed deeply and the Drakkaren glanced down at her bust, watching her half cover herself as he said softly: "Oh my. A bit swollen up there, are you?"

"And here..." Marina replied with a bit of a smile, looking over at him as she slowly slid down her panties and gazed into his eyes softly, revealing her tender vagina... and the lips of her sex were indeed bulging outwards slightly, her clitoris already a hard, erect nub as she spread her legs and gently took one of her father's hands, guiding it slowly down to rub up her inner thigh and towards her labia, murmuring quietly: "It's sensitive..."

Zerrex gently cupped her inner thigh, then slowly rolled his hand to her sex, touching it gently, feeling her tense up a bit before the female closed her eyes and let out a soft, hot breath of desire as he massaged her lips slowly, feeling them already giving a bit, already wet and burning with passion under his fingers. He smiled slightly as she lowered her head and rocked it from side-to-side, panting softly with just this as he murmured: "Haven't had any sexual release in a while, have you?"

"Impossible with the collar on." Marina replied quietly, then she leaned back and closed her eyes, tilting her head up and letting out a quiet moan as she bucked her hips, teeth clenching shut as she moaned quietly: "Oh Daddy, it's so fucking sensitive... oh Daddy..."

The larger male looked at her with his slight smile widening a bit, quietly sliding his fingers forwards into her body, causing her to spasm a bit as some of her sweet liquids trickled free and down her legs, the female groaned softly as she arched her back before leaning towards her father, slipping her arms up around his neck and forcing her jaws onto his, kissing him hungrily, passionately, and causing the male to give a grunt of surprise. His fingers pushed deep into her as he wrapped his other arm tight around her waist, leaning back against her as he felt her arms clutching him around the neck, their jaws working hungrily, their tongues dancing slowly as their bodies pressed closer together.

Then one of Marina's hands slid slowly down over his chest, tracing his masculine, chiseled abs before grasping his thick black cock, squeezing the flaccid member before beginning to stroke it slowly as the male twitched in the female's hand, and he grunted softly again into her muzzle as his large shaft slowly grew up towards full erection. He squeezed her slowly against his side as the kiss broke and his other hand continued to work slowly in and out of the female's tight vagina, as she pushed her head against his chest and began to give short, hard pants in and out, bucking her hips harder against his thrusting, moving fingers.

She moaned softly, grinding her head against his masculine breast and rocking her hips even harder as he slid another digit forwards into her sex, moving three fingers firmly back and forth, in and out between the female's tight, swollen lips and into her gripping, sensitive passage. She groaned again hungrily, closing her eyes in bliss and nuzzling his neck blindly as she rocked her hips forwards hard again and again against the male's strong, moving digits, her body pulsing with pleasure, her cries becoming louder and louder against his chest as she continued to fiercely stroke up and down his gargantuan ebony shaft, the male giving soft grunts of pleasure as he felt himself quickly reaching full, thick erection.

Marina, meanwhile, began to buck her hips fiercely, moaning loudly into Zerrex's neck, one hand rolling up to clutch into his hair and squeeze the back of his skull as the other squeezed and massaged over his huge black penis, before she grasped the base of his thirty-two inch length and moaned loudly, arching her back and trembling as she began to buck her hips hard over and over, her jaws unhinging in an expression of ecstasy as her vagina grasped his fingers and rolling her head back as she cried out loudly, her fluids flowing in a burst down her passage.

Zerrex murred slightly, looking down with slight surprise as he watched the female's juice spray out around his fingers in a surprisingly-strong flow, spurting out of her vagina as she bucked her hips hard again and again, body spasming as she ground herself forwards against the male, breasts jouncing. He had to admit, he was impressed as her fluids squirted out again, splattering over the bed and down to the carpet below, her legs trembling violently as she finally relaxed and began to slow, a good flow of her juices still trickling down his fingers as the youngest of Zerrex's children bucked a few last times, panting softly and relaxing against him before shuddering a bit as the reptile withdrew his thick digits.

She panted softly as she straightened, and then she opened her eyes and smiled faintly as the reptile slid his fingers up to her mouth, quietly accepting them into her maw and suckling her own fluids from them, half-closing her eyes as she looked up at her father. He smiled back at her lovingly, kissing her forehead as he cradled her close against his powerful chest, then said softly: "So you're a squirter, huh? Not a lot of girls can do that, you know."

"I don't care... it's only special if it makes my Daddy happy." Marina responded warmly, kissing his neck quietly and making the large male laugh quietly and look down at her with love and pleasure, before he grunted softly as she stroked slowly up and down along his thick member again, gazing into his eyes seductively. "But now you need to do something for me..." A pause, and then she added quietly: "And you better do it rough and hard enough that you kill this parasite inside of me."

Zerrex met her eyes... then he smiled again, his eyes flickering with a mix of dark desire and affection as he stroked her face gently... then he seized his daughter's arms in an iron grip, causing her to grunt and look up at him in surprise as he spun and threw her hard back onto the bed. She bounced back against the mattress, before grunting quietly and looking up at him with a grin of shocked pleasure as he leapt over her, his hard shaft pressing into her bulging belly as he forced her easily down onto her back, her legs automatically going out to either side of the male before he drew back. "Then hold on as hard as you can.

Marina reached up, grabbing the crossbars of the bed, then moaning loudly as Zerrex slipped his hand down and rubbed the back of it in a slow, rolling motion against her swollen sex, feeling her heat, her need, her wetness... and then grasping the base of his enormous member with his other hand and guiding the bulging head of his thick cock forwards, as he slid his other hand over her bulging stomach, pressing against the pregnant curve as he rocked his hips slowly forwards at the same time.

She moaned quietly, trembling a bit as she arched her back, feeling him pushing forwards through her sex... before rolling her head back and crying out in pleasure as he suddenly rammed hard into her with a grunt, burying a quarter of his great length into her body and causing her to tremble violently as her claws dug gashes into the crossbar at the head of the bed. She bucked back against him, feeling searing pain, deep pleasure and burning heat filling her body, spreading up from her loins as Zerrex grunted from his position between her legs, tilting forwards slightly and growling hungrily as he slid both hands down to push her legs up, grasping her thighs as his eyes met hers, blood already trickling out of her so-long unused, almost virginal passage, moaning at the feeling of her first consensual penetration.

She trembled violently, panting hungrily before she arched her back and shrieked as her father rammed forwards powerfully, his muscles bulging and flexing, ivory bangs hanging in his eyes as he grinned and forced his cock forwards into her, ripping deeper into her vagina, giant, girthy shaft burrowing steadily into her, towards her womb. She shook back and forth in agony, squeezed him with her legs, and her body flexed to the point where it seemed she'd tear her own hide of scales, her jaw locking, then opening in another shrieking cry as she bucked back automatically against her father's forceful thrust forwards.

Again, he pushed into her, growling without even realizing it, as he slammed his massive cock forwards, tearing into her, and a sick crunching sound filled the air from inside of her. Marina's legs suddenly bucked hard, squeezed his sides as she shrieked, and the muscles of her vagina contracted, her stomach cramping, her body trying to reject the intruder... but Zerrex was stronger, and Marina's mind ignored the pleas of her traitor body as she arched her back, tilted her head back and screamed: "Do it!"

Zerrex shoved viciously forwards with a roar, piercing into her... and her screams of agony rent the air as her breasts bounced. Tears rolled from her eyes down sweaty cheeks, blood splattered out of her vagina... but when she screamed again, there was a primal rage and triumph mixed with her agony, her hips bucking rapidly back against the male as a sick tearing, squelching filled the air, and the Drakkaren groaned hungrily as he felt his massive, steel-hard cock rip through something.

The strangest feeling, however, was Drake, moving down his shaft, his dark energy flowing out from the reptile into the female's body, into her womb... mixing with her for a few moments as the dark nephilim began to eat away at the energy of the crushed, damaged monster inside of Marina. The Drakkaren snarled, wanting to tell him to withdraw, to not violate his daughter... but Marina forced her head up, and their eyes met... and he nodded slightly at her desperate look. She wanted every bit of Narrius's progeny torn from her body... and if this double violation was the best way to do it, from her own father... then so be it. Darkness purifying darkness... it'd be romantic if it wasn't so brutal.

The lizard drew slowly back... then he thrusted his massive member forwards again, tearing into Marina and causing her to scream in agony, bucking her hips... but she was grinning at the same time, her shrieks of pain mixed with laughter as she snapped the frame of the bed. She grunted, her hands slipping loose... and then Zerrex thrusted straight up as he hauled forwards on her hips as well, and she screamed, as she rocked forwards, her hands moving instead to grasp his shoulders, blood and some other sick ichors leaking from around the reptile's massive shaft and out of her clenching, cramping vagina as she felt her body begin to shiver violently.

She began to bounce up and down her father's hard shaft, propelled by his strong thrusts, screaming, her belly spasming as her breasts jounced, her arms wrapping tight around her neck as she pressed her head against his firmly-muscled, strong chest. She screamed, feeling him savagely pounding up into her as he snarled and arched his back, his muscles flexing, his body almost the same size as hers but yet feeling so huge, and his penis like a steel tower that ripped through her with searing white hot fire, making her eyes spark and dance with light, her mind twist with agony... but her soul was filled with serenity. And for all the violence, for all that power, as she felt her life fluids spilling out from her, as one of his hands wrapped around her waist and his claws dug into her hips as they bucked forcefully, out of rhythm with his strong thrusts and almost shivering instead of rocking, his other arm stayed around her neck, held her close with such gentility, such serenity, that she knew all this was being done for her... that he would never hurt her... but if he did have to, he wouldn't cry and back out just because of that same love for her. He would do his duty as father, as master... and it comforted her.

The male was the opposite: his body was filled up with a power he'd rarely known, he felt glorious, a physical ecstasy beyond anything he'd ever experienced. He felt strong, powerful, godlike, and the glory of righteous destruction, of revenge that was almost religious, not justice but holy and dark retribution. He slammed into his daughter again and again, felt his body trembling, barely holding back from unleashing his full strength, his full power, loving the fact that two lives had hung in the balance and he'd already taken one of them, willingly sacrificed by his pregnant daughter. No, more than that... given to him, and with her screams, with her movements in return, the strength with which she squeezed his neck, she worshipped him, gave herself to him as well.

He pounded into her, snarling and growling like a beast, reduced almost to a feral, hungry monster as he slammed his cock into her body over and over, ripped his gargantuan shaft up into her tight, torn-apart passage, felt her blood spewing out around his member as his cock was surrounded and hugged not just by her walls, but the corpse of something else as well. He rammed her again and again, felt his power grow as he arched his back and roared in ecstasy, Marina's screams of agony joining with him in a rising crescendo, but even despite the pleasure, his soul hurt to the core at the same time.

He knew what he was doing was one of the cruelest, darkest things he'd ever done... but even though it wasn't good in any way imaginable, it was still right, as he thrusted hard into his daughter again and again, massive shaft tearing her apart, her tears flowing down her cheeks, a bit of blood even leaking from her mouth as something else inside her tore and she shrieked in agony again... but only clutched to him all the harder, still bucking despite the cramps he could feel rolling through her form and causing her to twist, to jounce on his huge obsidian penis. The Drakkaren grunted loudly, looking down at his daughter, and she looked back up at him pleadingly, whining and crying up to him, telling him with her gaze, with her sounds that she loved him, wanted him, needed him... and he told her the same in the same way, groaning hungrily, his breath washing across her face as they flexed and worked against each other.

The reptile's massive testicles bounced, soaked in blood, the navy scales almost turned red and black by the gore leaking out from around the male's shaft... before her passage clenched again against his cock, and she bucked several times once more, screaming and arching her back as she left long scratches along his back, claws digging their way out to his shoulders as her eyes bulged and several massive shivers rolled through her body: now it wasn't only attempting to shove out the intruder... but abort the broken, dead corpse of the creature inside her, as she arched her back and screamed: "Daddy! Daddy! Shove me down!"

He did so, and she grunted in pain as he slammed her down onto the bed, binding her by the shoulder as he growled and began to work even harder, slamming faster in and out, her entire body rocking as she screamed and shrieked, legs kicking on either side of him as her breasts bounced up and down, her pregnant belly dilating then bulging, shivering as she clutched into his shoulders, then she arched her back and shrieked again as the muscles of her vagina clamped down and she pushed hard, causing Zerrex to growl and his eyes to widen in surprise as he felt his massive cock heaved downwards... before he slammed his massive penis back up into her, hilting again, her swollen lips kissing his crotch as his testicles smashed into her anus. Under him, she immediately screamed again, and then her muscles contracted once more, and Zerrex roared in pleasure as he arched his back, closing his eyes and grinning as he felt the thing that had once been inside her crushed and ripped apart even further, as Drake's energy swirled around his shaft, and he felt himself hardening, stiffening even further before Marina dropped her head back, shrieking: "Oh Daddy! Oh Daddy! Oh Daddy, yes, Daddy, pull out and come all over me!"

The Drakkaren didn't argue, instead ramming her a few more times as her muscles forced back, harder and harder and making him stiffer and stiffer... before he finally tore free of her vagina, looking down at her with a vicious grin as a torrent of blood, liquids and semisolid gore spilled out after it. Marina screamed as her head rolled back and forth on the bed, her limbs spasming as her legs dropped to either side, her hips bucking and torn-open passage almost spitting another flow of blood and several more unidentifiable chunks as Zerrex grasped his own shaft and stroked it rapidly, growling hungrily as the female forced herself to look up at him, the reptile sliding back... before arching his back and roaring as he released his thick load, spraying up over her body, over the bloody puddle forming on the bed, his seed mixing with the gore and dead, lost miscarriage as Marina continued to shriek, dropping her head back and then beginning to laugh through her screams, clutching her inner thighs and holding her legs open as her blood and the dead demon that had been raped into her was released in a broken heap, her father's hot white load continuing to spray over her body and the mess between her legs again and again.

It was ritual, it was brutal, it was carnal, and both of the Drakkaren roared like monsters, Zerrex flexing, feeling a dark grin spreading over his features as he bucked his hips into his hand, thrusting his massive shaft forwards as volley after volley of white load continued to pour forth... before it finally began to slow to a halt, as Marina continued to rock and buck on the spot, crying and moaning as she slowly spread the male's seed into her scales, licked at bloody and semen-stained hands, rubbed over her face... before looking up at her father, who was panting softly, his senses returning for a moment as he looked over her with almost horror and then down at himself... but she smiled and managed to rasp: "Daddy... aren't you... going to let me taste the aftermath?"

The male looked at her with dumb surprise... then he smiled faintly and crawled onto the bed, quietly touching Marina's deflating belly as she rocked a few times, her vagina torn and bruised and brutalized, her body heaving and bloody... and then Zerrex slowly grasped his shaft and lowered it towards her mouth as he got to his knees beside her, and Marina leaned forwards, wrapping one arm around his waist and grasping the base of his blood-and-gore-and-seed-stained cock with her other hand, bringing it to her muzzle and taking it into her mouth. Zerrex's eyes rolled up in the back of his head as he gave a groan of pure bliss, feeling her taking it down to her throat and sucking blissfully at it, her body still shivering and bucking violently... before she drew back, stroking his member slowly and rubbing it over her face as she sighed softly, whispering quietly: "I wish we had the time... for more..."

"But we... gotta get cleaned up and then go, that's right." Zerrex said shakily, as his daughter licked at his still-hard, sensitive cock, making him grunt quietly and wince as he felt himself stiffen up a bit and release a few more droplets of seed, splattering his daughter's cheek. She only smiled weakly up at him, however, before clenching her eyes shut and bucking her hips slowly, a sick, squelching sound coming up before something else rolled out from her vagina, and she groaned quietly as another disgusting mass came free from her.

"Hurts a fuck of a lot more than I thought it would." She whispered raggedly... then smiled faintly as Zerrex looked at her softly, reaching up to stroke his face lovingly. "But it feels even better, too." A pause, and a quiet murmur: "The bathroom... is through that door over there. Can you... please..."

"Carry you?" Zerrex smiled quietly and stood up, slipping his arms around her... and she wrapped her own around his neck, moaning and twitching violently as he hefted her into the air before easily moving over to the bathroom. Before he could shift her to open the door, however, Marina glanced at it and it clicked, the handle turned, and the door opened wide. Zerrex looked down at her softly, then he kissed her lips gently and she smiled faintly as he said softly: "Don't push yourself. You just got raped into miscarriage, and all I had to do was stuff my oversized dick into you. I'm in better shape right now than you."

"Fuck you... Daddy." Marina replied stoutly, even though she seemed to faze in and out of consciousness for a brief moment between her words. Then she shook her head as they stepped into the small bathroom and slipped from his arms as he kept one hand on her shoulder, looking at her with soft concern. She only smiled faintly, however, then opened the door to the shower stall and stepped inside, breathing quietly before sitting quietly back in a small, angled seat that left her seated awkwardly on her toes with her tail hanging down between her legs, her torn and battered vagina exposed before she reached up and grasped a metal bar placed into the wall of the bathroom at an odd angle.

As Zerrex looked at her softly, she glanced over at the taps and they spun, before water sprang forth from the showerhead, making her grunt and wince away, then sigh and relax a bit as it rapidly heated up. She looked down at her shattered vagina, from which still hung some vestiges of gore... then glanced up at her father and murmured softly: "Can you..." A pause as she seemed unable to think of the proper words, then she met his eyes and instead an image of Zerrex literally reaching into her and tearing out whatever remained of the long-dead, aborted creation from inside, before it flickered out as she winced and cramped again, legs bucking. "Fuck!"

"Alright, just tell me if it hurts too much." Zerrex said softly, stepping into the shower stall with the female, and she smiled weakly as he kneeled down between her legs, making a face before quietly slipping his hand forwards... then closing it into a tight fist and forcing it up into her vagina. The female groaned and rolled her eyes upwards, gritting her teeth and dropping her head back to cause her black fin to scratch along the wall, then she yelped as Zerrex touched something sensitive. Goddammit, I'm blind... I know there's probably the placenta or whatever... and... a whole bunch of other bits that should come out...

I can do it... Drake said morbidly, seeming resigned and embarrassed. Then he sighed and muttered: Just... don't you ever. Ever. Tell anyone about this.

Zerrex snorted and nodded, murmuring: "Alright." A moment later, as Marina looked at him curiously, he felt the dark nephilim sliding his way through his body and out his hands... and then the female groaned and rocked back against the wall, hips thudding as several tendrils of darkness brushed gently along her battered sex as inside, long, curling strands of dark energy worked their way into and around the female's womb, snapping up any 'bits,' as the male Drakkaren had termed them, and dissolving the no-longer needed pieces of the female's pregnant anatomy, from the umbilical cord - torn during the violent rape - to the pieces of the placenta that hadn't already been ejected with the broken chunks of Narrius's son.

After a few minutes, Zerrex drew his hand back with a sigh, standing up into the spray of the water and then holding his arms out to catch his daughter in them as she slid from the seat and fainted against him with an inarticulate murmur. Her father quietly held her, as blood leaked down her legs and her body twitched weakly, heart thudding - fast, but slowing down, as he checked her pulse by using the sensitive end of his muzzle.

He cradled her limp body under the spray of the water, then gently shifted her as he rubbed his hand against a bar of soap sitting in the rack below the showerhead, then slowly began to rub it over her form, looking at her softly and taking his time as he cleaned her under the hot shower. After a few minutes, her eyes flickered and she tensed a bit... before looking up at him softly as he quietly stroked her face and cleaned her of the seed and blood he'd left on her, making her smile faintly as she whispered: "You used to always bathe me as a kid, didn't you?"

"You're still a kid." Zerrex said softly, teasing her gently, and she laughed quietly before grabbing his crotch, and the Drakkaren almost dropped her before tilting his head back as she slowly stroked his flaccid black meat under the spray of water.

"Bite me, Daddy. And don't get so excited... just returning the favor that you did for me." Marina replied gently, then kissed his neck before she straightened and winced, rubbing over herself slowly, still trembling and cramping, and now with her belly limp and almost flabby-looking, deflated. Zerrex looked at her softly, then gently helped her with the last of her cleaning, rubbing soap over her back as she washed her front, getting the hard-to-reach areas or places she missed in her faint daze. Hot water sure felt good, yes... but maybe it wasn't the best of ideas with the damage her body had taken.

He ignored the sting of guilt as his mind added grudgingly, from him, and instead focused on his daughter as she turned the shower off, helping her carefully step out and onto the tiled floor of the bathroom. Then he gently toweled her down despite her weak protests, making her blush a bit before the tall male quickly dried himself off and shook his head, brushing down his messy white hair idly with his hands as Marina stumbled her way back out to the room. Zerrex followed her, then glanced down at his torn boxers with a face.

Drake muttered something in his head... then Zerrex glanced down in surprise as darkness ebbed out from beneath his scales and formed a pair of leathery-looking pants, covering him neatly... and then seeped out over his feet and turned into a pair of heavy-looking black greaves, glinting in the light as small spikes formed along the toes, on either side of the sole, and at the heel. The Drakkaren looked down at these curiously as Marina snorted amusedly and pulled clothes out of her drawer, saying softly: "I'm glad you and the nephilim are getting along, at least. Great uncle wasn't so lucky, I guess."

"Drake's intelligent... to a point." Zerrex added, and then he winced when the pants tightened in the crotch area, making him cough before he added lamely: "And I guess we just got along... good... when um. I mean, after we met in my head. Really."

Marina stared at his lack of ability to form a proper sentence, and the reptile made a face before turning to pick up his equipment. Before he did, however, Marina laughed a bit and said mildly: "Why don't you go take a look down the hall before you start picking up that crap? Room straight down from here." She paused and looked at him softly, rubbing the back of her neck as Zerrex tilted his head curiously at her. "I think there's some stuff you'll like in there."

"Alright." Zerrex nodded slowly... then he patted her gently on the shoulder and kissed her cheek as he walked by, making her blush and hug herself gently for a few moments, looking over her shoulder at him gratefully as he headed out to the hallway. He thought of saying to call if she needed him, half turning back towards her... but then smiled a bit and shook his head, instead turning back down the hall and walking quickly towards the set of doors at the other end. I won't undervalue her like that. She knows I'm here for her... and I'm sure she can handle herself. She's got some amazing abilities, after all... and to be able to bear all the agony she must be in and still be standing... hell, to be sane after everything Narrius has likely done to her...

She's truly her father's daughter. Drake murmured in his head, and Zerrex laughed quietly, glancing up silently. He knew that line from somewhere... somewhere in the past, involving a certain mentor and certain child of his...

Then he pushed his way through the double doors at the end of the hall and stepped into the room... before halting and staring dumbly, his arms falling limp at his sides as he found himself inside what looked like a private art's showroom. Except this art was artwork of war... and the Drakkaren looked slowly back and forth before murmuring quietly: "So I was a trophy too, to you, you bastard..."

Different-shaped glass cases filled the area, surrounding a black, two-stepped platform upon which sat a pristine, perfect replica of his old modified military motorcycle... and if the Drakkaren had to guess, he'd bet it worked, too. He stepped slowly forwards, looking around the room at the black platforms and podiums... every one of them contained a replica of some weapon he'd used in his past. A pause as he stepped forwards to examine the nearest, which contained a rack upon which sat the twin .52 magnums he'd cherished and often harnessed as his main weapon back in the military... but without even opening the small glass door, he noted that the barrels had been plugged and the purple steel was actually just cheap plastic. A crappy imitation gun...

But other weapons, like the ancient sniper rifle that sat in another nearby case - used by Cherry, so it wasn't just him... myself, everyone important to me... are we your trophies, your showcased toys? - that... was definitely real, and a quick trip to the side of the case told him that it wasn't plugged, either, although it could still be jammed by some other means. But Zerrex doubted it... that would denote fear, after all, or that Narrius didn't have total mastery over everything in his not-so-little kingdom.

Then Zerrex's eyes settled on something near the back... and he walked slowly over to it, looking into the cylindrical glass case at his massive sword, Blackheart, fully restored, as if it had never been shattered. The blade all but gleamed, the hilt seemed to whisper for the reptile to grasp it... and then the Drakkaren's eyes widened as blue seemed to flicker over the blade, arching over the sharp edges and curling around it before vanishing. Either a very advanced security system, some sort of weird-ass aura, or just a trick of his eyes... and Zerrex hesitated as he quietly touched the glass case. The sword called his name again, and the Drakkaren wondered why the pull of it was so strong, as he looked at it, seeming to float with the hilt down in the case, hanging suspended by a plain black rack...

"Blackheart... you're either uncreative or way too hard on yourself, Father." Marina said softly, and Zerrex turned in surprise to see her leaning in the doorway, smiling faintly. She still looked weak, but she was dressed in a tight-fitting military uniform now, with the sleeves rolled up to her biceps and the Drakkaren's revolver and sidepacks hanging easily off a plain leather belt. She also had a pair of heavy combat boots on, and Zerrex didn't need to look at them for more than a few moments to recognize that they were an imitation of Cherry's old motorcycle boots... and she also had the female's chain whip hanging at her other side. Zerrex felt something ripple inside him, and he smiled faintly; he thought it meant that Cherry approved.

Then she walked forwards, quietly tracing her fingers over some of the glass cases, but keeping her eyes locked with his, her blue glowing so bright... before stopping to gently brush her hands over his face and into his hair, and locking her fingers into his scalp as he lowered his head and she rose hers. They kissed again, slowly, passionately, and Zerrex's hands reached out to grasp and squeeze her hips gently, pulling her body a bit closer, her breasts pushing against his chest... and he could feel from their movement, from the hardness of her nipples even through the fabric of the cloth, that she wasn't wearing a bra.

Then she drew back, looking up at him softly and smiling a bit, touching her stomach self-consciously and tilting her head as she asked: "So you ready to leave, then?"

"Almost." Zerrex smiled back, gently stroking her face, then he turned around and gazed at Blackheart once more, before bringing a fist up and smashing it through the glass: the entire cylinder shattered, pieces of glass hailing down all around him as an alarm began to blare, then he reached a hand up and seized the handle.

His emerald eyes widened for a moment as a surge of what felt like electricity ran through his body, crackling over his scales, his muscles flexing and his hair coming loose from the braid as it almost fanned out, and then the reptile slowly drew the sword free and looked at the blade as it turned more white than silver, almost glowing with power. He held it in both hands as that blue current ran through it again and this time joined with his body, and he murmured softly: "Is this all from all the lives you've taken? Is this the energy of all those souls? Or after all these years of killing and combat together, has the old saying come true and my fondest weapon become an extension of myself?"

Then he shook his head slowly and glanced down, smiling faintly as he saw several straps dangling from the back of the blade: a quick turn around and he saw what he'd expected: a small magnetic holder on a bandolier, stuck to the sword. The Drakkaren slid this on, adjusting the X-shaped straps and making sure the huge sword fit snug against his back, placed on an angle for easy access and with none of his loose hair in the way, before he turned around to see Marina sitting on his motorcycle with her legs crossed primly and looking at him with amusement and curiosity.

"Now I'm ready." He said clearly, and she slid off the motorcycle to let him take the main position, adding mildly: "And you're going to utterly hate this form of transportation with your current state."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll manage." Marina replied with a bit of a grin, then she slid on in front of him, sitting down in his lap as the reptile rolled his shoulders, the motorcycle a bit big for him now as she added idly: "Looks like you're too small to be comfortable on this baby, though. I guess you'll have to size up, huh?"

"I'm never too small." Zerrex grumbled, turning the keys - and both loving and hating the fact they were already in the ignition - before gunning the throttle and spinning the bike easily around in a circle towards the doors on the spot, loving the feel of getting back on the iron horse after so many years. Marina squeaked and immediately pressed back against him, her eyes wide as she clung to the handlebars beside his arms... and then Zerrex grinned before starting forwards, hair fanning out behind him as he drove out of the room, guiding himself easily around the various display cases and out to the second floor walkway.

A moment later, he was descending the stairs as Marina winced and tried to keep her ass in the air or pressed against the Drakkaren's crotch, when Zerrex grunted and tried to ignore the feeling of his daughter's buttocks thudding into his groin over and over again until they hit the floor... then Marina winced as they roared towards the doors before using her powers to fling them open, and the motorcycle sailed out onto the walkway before driving down through the open gates and into the empty streets of Uroboros as sirens continued to sound and the sounds of battle rose up from other sectors of the city.