The emerald shards cut through the air, only to glance off of the Devil Dragon's armored hide. The beast roared once more, flapping its wings to take to the air once more. It flew forward at Matt, raking its massive claw at him and the Stand as went past.

R.D. and Terranox spared a brief glance at the Devil Dragon as it made its attack, and the demon took advantage by punching the armored teen hard in the face, across his closed helmet. R.D. widened his stance as he took the blow, and retaliated by slamming the canine demon away with his shield. He turned towards Terranox and armed his hip cannons, firing a powerful, concussive volley into the demon. The monster bellowed as he was struck, and R.D. shot forward after him, attacking rapidly with the Phase Lance.

"Ugh." Meta let out as she turned away from the spot her father had until seconds ago been occupying. "Do you see now what's so loathesome about him?" She asked Anubis.

"Actually..." Anubis started, but wasn't allowed to finish by himself, halting in the middle of a sentence as a thought struck his mind. "Actually, I must be getting back to Tartarus. Surtr has recently come into a fierce argument with Rucifel, and I fear that they might be going at it again at the moment. I must be off immediately. I shall contact you soon enough, my lady." He said, bowing. Meta just gave a nod, albeit unwilling to let him go at the moment, and the jackal god's figure crumbled into darkness and sand until he stood there no more. Meta rubbed her arms. It was getting hot now the sun stood much higher, but yet she felt a need to put on more weather-resistant clothing. A chill had crept up her spine. I wonder what this personal business my brother is attending to is...

"Shit!" Matt hit the dirt, the Stand vanishing as the Devil Dragon's claw tore past as it shot up. "Oh, COME ON!"

Swearing to himself, Hugo rushed toward Helena, sparing a quick glance at the rising nightmare creature. "What're we gonna do about that?" he spat, sliding into place near the green-scaled dragon.

Helena's eyes narrowed. "I've got to take it out."

Hugo hefted his pickaxe. "I'm comin', too. I'll hit the wings and try to ground it."

"Okay." She bent down, lowering a wing for Hugo to step up with. "Get on."

The Mettaur settled in place on Helena's back, and she hit the sky like a bullet.

As the Phase Lance sliced through the air, Terranox deflected it with a spiked bracer and planted his talon in R.D.'s stomach, knocking him back. The demon leapt forward at him, but R.D.'s Godhand-enhanced uppercut sent him high into the air. The amnesiac teen armed his shoulder cannons and took aim, causing the demon to growl. Terranox righted himself in the air and readied a new attack, one he just learned only moments before, when he watched the Devil Dragon and Hierophant Green exchange blows.

"Emerald Splash!" he snarled, throwing his arms wide while swathed in brilliant green energy. R.D. swore as dozens of sharp emeralds rained down at him, shredding through his armor and cutting into skin. One of the shards shot down the barrel of his right shoulder cannon, and the weapon exploded in a violent burst. R.D. screamed out in pain as he was thrown back, and Terranox dropped to the ground and followed up with a Disruptor shot while he was airborne, striking him soundly.

The Devil Dragon roared as it circled around for another pass, only to spot Helena climbing into the air. It loosed another deafening roar and flapped its mighty wings to take after her, soaring rapidly to engage the other dragon. Xazax grinned and shot forward at the distracted Matt, swinging his warhammer viciously at him.

Edited by RisingDragon on August 14, 2007 at 21:32:09.

"Here we go!" Hugo shouted. Flame burst from the end of his pickaxe, and with a short flash, his body was dark red-he had entered Burning Mode. "Suck on THIS!" As Helena flew upwards to go past the Devil Dragon, the Mettaur fired rapid bursts of flame at the nightmare creature, trying to puncture his wings.

Matt's eyes widened. My Awesome Sense is tingling! He rolled to the right, Xazax's warhammer smashing into the earth next to him, and pushed off the ground, flipping away and landing on his feet. "All right, then!" He drew his energy blade. "Time to get SERIOUS!" Yelling, he launched himself at Xazax, slashing at the demon's face.

As R.D. was slammed into the horde by the Disruptor shot his opponent fired at him, he could feel his enemies weapons attacking him from all directions. Immediately he responded with another Thunder Nova attack, sending an expanding ring of lightning through them to blast them back. Standing once more, he fired another kind of Nova, only this one made of ice energy. A cold misty ring blasted around him, freezing the enemies he had just electrocuted into solid blocks of ice. He slammed the ground hard with Earth Gaizer, and the enemies shattered in an instant.

Terranox had also just stepped into the range of the attack when R.D. struck, and he staggered as the quake hit. As he regained his footing, he suddenly realized that R.D. was gone, and a shadow was above him. He looked up, only for R.D.'s left fist and shield to slam his face into the dirt. R.D. kicked him hard when he was down, sending him into the air, and R.D. blasted him even higher with an energy beam.

He was done playing games. R.D. decided he was going to bring out the big guns, and he thrust his arm out, activating the matter converter in his armor. Chunks of earth were ripped from the ground, and the enemies fell back as prismatic light shone around him, particles of the matter creating three flattened spikes on his back and extra armor around this right arm. With the Shell Bullet complete, R.D. grinned darkly at his enemies, and shot forward into the fray.

Xazax was surprised when Matt attacked, forming a bladed weapon out of pure energy. As a result, he couldn't block the attack in time, and the weapon cut a line from his forehead to his cheek, causing him to bellow and fall back. He pushed off into the sky, gripping his face and staring at Matt hatefully with one eye. The demons, held back by their commander's presence, rushed in at Matt in droves.

The Devil Dragon snarled as it weaved in and out of the flying demons, causing each one it passed to turn and follow the gigantic monstrosity. The fire bolts burned tiny grooves along its scaly hide, but the monster ignored it, closing in on Helena. Its bluish-green eyes glowed as it flared its wings near the dragon, and opened its maw to spew a wave of greenish fire at her as it flew upwards.

Hugo struggled to remain his balance as Helena swerved to dodge the green flame, which she barely managed to do. "Fuck!" His normal shots didn't look like it did anything. As he charged his attack, he shouted, "Cover me!" On that cue, Helena swerved back into the fray, attempting to pass by the Devil Dragon and rake it with her claws-she may not be able to hurt it, but at least she could distract it.

Matt grinned, beckoning to the incoming demonic forces. "Hey, come on, come on!" He paused. "...eh, fuck it. Mess 'em up, Hierophant Green!"

As Hierophant Green reappeared, firing a large burst of Emerald Splash at the demons, Matt leapt into the air, rolling once and performed an elaborate backhand slash, aiming at Xazax's head.

Xazax rolled in midair, distancing himself from the attack while he parried with his warhammer. With a violent motion he shoved the sword back and thrust his arm out, dark power gathering in his palm. With a loud cry, the demon sent a series of energy blasts at Matt as he flew backwards through the monster-crowded air, each shot curving in to hit a vital. Even as he attacked, winged freaks of various shapes and sized swooped in to attack Matt.

The Devil Dragon swerved out of Helena's way as she came in, her claws only raking its hind leg and doing minor damage. as she went past, the Devil Dragon's tail swept out at her midsection, the bony spikes in its end gleaming wickedly.

"Protector SHAAAAAADE!" Holding up his flat right palm, a dense violet field of energy appeared in front of Matt. The energy bolts crashed into the shield, absorbing them. As this happened, a bold line began tracing itself in front of the shield, until it drew a large star. The star lanced at Xazax, reprising the full force of the energy bolts back at its origin.

Now for these fuckers. "Hierophant Green!" The Stand bent down and jumped, flying up next to Matt. "All right!" Matt said, gesturing with his sword. "Mystic Trap!"

Hierophant Green unwound its body, and as it did, its appendages suddenly burst from everywhere, forming a web of Stand that hung in midair. As the flying demons hit the appendages, they were electrocuted by the feedback of Hierophant Green's energy.

Helena curved up, and the Devil Dragon's spikes just grazed her. Still, she couldn't help but release a pained growl.

"Suck THIS!" Hugo shouted. "Blazing Shotgun!" He fired a massive firebolt at the Devil Dragon's right wing. Hopefully, this would tear through and send this monster to the ground!

Demons were being sent flying through the air from each of R.D.'s vicious blows, the armor encasing his fist increasing his strength dramatically to each punch could topple buildings. Each successful blow crushed monsters, pushing them back and preventing them from overwhelming him. When a particularly horrifying-looking creature nearly struck him with an energized sword, R.D. slammed his right fist into the ground, propelling him high into the air.

A massive fireball streaked through the air at him, and he managed to throw himself aside, feeling the heat singe his battered armor. He spied Terranox down in the ground, and grinned beneath the dark visor of his helmet. As he chambered his fist back, the bottom-most bullet piece disintegrated in prismatic light, and R.D. was propelled down with a jet of emerald flame at the demon and the monsters surrounding him.

"Shocking First Bullet!"

His fist struck Terranox's, and the ground exploded, obscuring them both within a massive cloud of dust.

Xazax growled and thrust the warhammer at the incoming beam, firing one back. The beams struck and exploded, billowing smoke and fire everywhere. Xazax blasted through it, spinning his warhammer overhead as he pushed through the Mystic Trap despite the pain it caused. He shot up towards Hierophant Green and sent his warhammer hurtling down at the Stand's head.

The Blazing Shotgun blasted out across the membranes of the Devil Dragon's right wing, leaving a large char spot and causing the monster to roar out in anger. The nightmarish dragon took higher into the sky, moving at incredible speeds to the cloud cover. As flying demons swooped in at Helena, the Devil Dragon banked in the air, its left wingtip grazing the stormy clouds, and aimed itself right at the opposing dragon and Mettaur. It tucked its wings in and dove through the sky at Helena's back like a bullet, green fire burning in its maw.

Edited by RisingDragon on August 14, 2007 at 21:52:30.

"Damn," Kalmar said aloud, though only loud enough for himself to hear. He floated down to the bottom of the bowl, landing with an audible noise.

"Where the hell is it!?" the frustrated Demon Hunter yelled, his voice reverberating off the bowl's rocky walls.

As Kalmar's voice echoed off the walls of the bowl canyon, the ground shuddered ominously. The shudder grew to a steady roar, and cracks began to run through the ground. All around Kalmar and Blazen, an awful presence filled the air, making it seem thick and heavy.

Something was rising to the surface with an intent to kill.

"Kalmar...I think you were a bit too loud." Blazen said, quickly tensing up as the structure rumbled and roared. He opened his hands a bit and two strands of fire encircled each other and became two small orbs of fire. Blazen watched as the cracks continued to climb around the area. He couldn't help but pray to god that it wouldn't be this big, but it was obvious something a bit larger than what he would hope would come and try and kill them. Blazen waited suspensively for the thing to come out and attempt at their lives.

Kalmar shot off the small plateau floor into the air, hovering above the rim of the bowl. He summoned his greatsword and began gathering energy into his left hand.

"I may have been a little louder than expected," he replied to Blazen, his body tensing in sickening anticipation.

"Just be ready."

The shaking was growing unbearable; it seemed as if the land would rip apart in moments. The floor began to fracture, and fissures ran across its surface, uplifting rocks and throwing dust into the air. In the center of the bowl canyon, where the ground was most damaged, a red, unholy light began to shine through the cracks.

And with a terrible roar, a gigantic, black-scaled monster burst from the ground, its massive jaws wide in a screeching roar. Its cry echoed out across the mountains, as its form, nearly forty feet high, flexed out, freeing its upper half from the ground. The torso shifted forward, its red eyes glowing in the dank air, as the light of dawn had yet to reach the area.



Magma gushed from the earth, spilling over slowly as the monster's claw slammed down into the earth. It loosed another roar, challenging the Demon Hunter and the God of Fire.

Crap, Xazax was brutin' his way through the Mystic Trap! Matt shot foward, chambering a big punch to fire off, until Xazax's hammer smashed into Hierophant Green, and pain exploded across Matt's skull. The blow sent him hurtling downwards as the Stand disappeared, and he smashed into the earth with thunderous noise.

"YESSSS!" Hugo laughed, drawing back his pickaxe as the Blazing Shotgun tore through the Devil Dragon's wing. "Gotcha!"

"Good shot!" Helena said. Her attention quickly snapped toward the flying demons, and she attacked, claws tearing through them with ease.

But there was something in the corner of her eye, and she quickly glanced to look, but released a human-like gasp. "Matt!"

"What is it?" Hugo's gaze shot toward Matt as he hit the ground, but then it roamed back up toward the Devil Dragon, charging at them from above. "Shit! Watch out!"

Helena could only crane her neck and watch the Devil Dragon drive in at them, and she only had split seconds to widen her eyes.

The ground shook as R.D. punched it hard with his right fist, the shockwave spreading through the demons as he was launched high into the air, leaving behind a pile of bodies in his wake. He chambered his fist back as he stared up into the air, readying to attack.

The Devil Dragon streaked in, its mouth opening wide for a vicious bite at Helena's vulnerable throat. A menacing roar could be heard as it plummeted, and as it neared, someone shouted out.

"Annihilating Second Bullet!"

Propelled on a wave of emerald fire, R.D streaked through the air at the Devil Dragon, and swung his fist out, catching the nightmarish beast in its giant head. The tectonic shockwave released by the blast knocked the dragon's head aside, and it loosed an angry roar as its flight was diverted. The beast swooped down for another attack run as R.D. landed safely on Helena's back.

Xazax dropped to the ground, causing it to crumble upon impact. His hammer slammed a large piece of Earth out of his way as he approached Matt, and gestured with his claws, causing the monsters to rush in at Matt's prone form.

"Oof!" Helena's body rocked as R.D. landed on her back, but she quickly reoriented. "Thanks, R.D.!"

Hugo's well-trained eyes trailed the path of the Devil Dragon. "You got a plan? Because my shots aren't doing much to it."

Xazax's demons converged on Matt's point of impact, seeking to tear him apart, but quickly discovered that, in the midst of the rubble and debris, Matt's form was nowhere to be seen.

The Devil Dragon circled around, and R.D. watched its flight, calculating its path. "Too late for plans," he responded to Hugo, "I'll just have to keep it busy."

R.D. tipped backwards on Helena's back and let gravity take care of the rest; causing him to fall off her back completely and plummet towards the ground. He curled in each individual finger of his right hand into a fist, and reoriented himself as the Devil Dragon swooped in. His arm chambered back, and the final bullet piece disintegrated into a wave of emerald flame.

"Exterminating Last Bullet!" he roared as he shot down, slamming his fist into the center of the monstrosity's back. The creature bellowed in pain as the tectonic shockwave slammed through its body, disrupting its flight and causing it to crash roughly into the demon-infested ground.

Xazax's eye widened in surprise at seeing the boy missing, and dropped the hand covering the bloody gash on his face. He looked around, his face twisted in an angry snarl.

"You're starting to be annoying, boy," he growled loudly, as the demons began to prowl around him.

Edited by RisingDragon on August 16, 2007 at 21:11:14.

"Kongoukoku..."

From high in the skies above, Matt dropped down on Xazax and his demons at high speeds. His right hand was raised in a knifehand, brimming with powerful, flaming energy. "RETSUZAN!"

As Matt slammed into the ground, his hand smashed downwards, surrounding him in an explosive burst of energy that seperated into four tremendous waves. These waves shot away from Matt in four seperate diagonal angles, carving deep ridges in the surrounding canyon.

Though she wasn't in the path of the waves, the sheer force of the attack pushed Helena back, knocking her through the air with a tumbling twist of her wings, and she roared in confusion.

"What the FUCK?!" Hugo shouted, trying his absolute damndest to hold on.

Kalmar saw the beast explode from the ground and immediately sensed that it was no normal creature. He also seemed to recognize the creature, the energy signature it put out was very familiar.

"Oh, goddamnit. Blazen! Watch yourself! This is no regular creature."

The Demon Hunter quickly decided to attack instead of waiting for the creature to strike first. He immediately fired off his collected energy into a fierce corrupted darkness beam directed at the beast's head.

He quickly followed by descending rapidly toward the creature, his greatsword held above his head with both hands. He yelled in anger and swung downward at the creature's neck, hoping to inflict at least some damage.

Xazax snarled as he spun around and forced the haft of the warhammer between himself and Matt's attack. The explosion of power shattered the weapon in his hands, and he shot out of the way even as the shockwaves destroyed dozens of monsters. His arms tingled from the force of the attack, and he growled. "Very annoying indeed," he muttered.

The armor on R.D.'s right arm dematerialized as he ran up the Devil Dragon's neck, and he ripped one Phase Blade from his hip and slammed it into the other, drawing the combined Phase Lance and activating it overhead, readying to stab it down into the creature's brain. However, he found himself flung away by the force of the Kongoukoku Retsuzan, and he slammed hard into the dirt. The Devil Dragon roared and rose up, stomping forward while lowering its maw to consume R.D.. The armored warrior thrust his arm out, his arm cannon activating, and pelted the creature with a flurry of Annihilator Beam shots. The beast roared and turned its head, giving him a chance to escape.

===At Germany===

The corrupt energy slammed against the Devil Guardian's shoulder, causing it to roar angrily. The beast glared malevolently as Kalmar shot it, and it snarled as it raised its left claw, swinging it out in a vicious backhand as the Demon Hunter came into range.

As the Devil Guardian swung it's claw at Kalmar, he was violently forced into the rocky walls of the bowl. He quickly recovered though, shooting out of the rock and into the air above the creature's reach.

Fuck.. I guess melee is out of the question.

Blazen reached back and slowly grabbed Valermos and fiercely drew the flaming blade. Blazen then jumped onto a piece of rock, that was broken and level from the destruction the dragon caused. Blazen eyed the dragon as it and Kalmar traded blows. Blazen may have felt a bit of guilt when Kalmar was smacked to the side, but Blazen used this opportunity to attack. He jumped down and planted his feet on the rock's side. Heating up the molecules in the air and rocks he was able to force them to push him forcefully to the dragon.

Blazen assumed his fairly silent attack would go well if the Dragon didn't look down. Blazen then would zip past the Dragon's two front legs and and would thrust Valermos into the Dragon's stomach. The fiery blade would pierce the flesh, though it would just seem like a small scratch to the massive dragon, Blazen's next move would prove a bit more painful. Blazen quickly added his own heat into the sword, his hair turning a snow white as well as his clothes. Inside the dragon's stomach a large white fire blaze would shoot from the blade of Valermos and into the innards of the massive dragon.

Blazen would assume the dragon would notice Blazen by now. Blazen then would pull out Valermos and use the same technique as before and shoot away from the Dragon. Blazen would land on another ridge, and hold Valermos at his side, may it be a bit bloody.

(OOC: Teh Devil Guardian is not a dragon, Blazen. >.>)

Alasea's sword flashed upwards as Cora struck, and the Megami Tsurugi's power shone from the blade as it cleaved through the Gouka like it was paper. The unholy flame was quenched by its transformation into AngelWater, and Alasea leaped backwards, making a slashing motion with her glittering left hand. An elegant, curved blade materialized in the air, boomeranging forward at Cora at the speed of a bullet.

Alasea landed easily, her lips forming another quiet chant.

"Steel is my body, and flame is my blood."

===At Germany===

The Devil Guardian snarled and slammed its claw down as Blazen shot in, causing a wall of stone to burst from the ground right in front of the God of Fire, cutting off his attack route as dark energy gathered in the maw of the creature. It opened its mouth wide and released it in a massive sphere of darkness that would shred away the wall as it came at Blazen.

Edited by RisingDragon on August 17, 2007 at 18:30:06.

All right, maybe he overdid it a bit...but it was still fucking awesome, right?

As the copious amounts of dust and rubble settled, revealing the drastically affected battlefield, Matt got to his feet and began walking foward, toward Xazax.

"Matt, you IDIOT!" Hugo screeched, waving his pickaxe frantically. "You could've KILLED US ALL with that thing!"

Matt flashed an awkward grin. "Sorry!" he called back, gripping the back of his neck. "But it got the job done, right?"

Hugo groaned in annoyed anger. "Just finish him off, okay?"

"Got it!" Matt's gaze settled back down toward where he imagined Xazax to be-all this damn dust made it hard to see where everything was on the ground.

"Now, let's take care of that other monster." Hugo tapped Helena's neck once, lightly. "You ready?"

The green dragon nodded. "Let's go!" With a flap of her wings she shot toward the nightmare creature, and fired a heat beam, dragging it across the Devil Dragon's flank.

R.D. shot up and leapt out of the way as the Devil Dragon roared, unfurling ints wings. He was immediately assaulted by Terranox, and he barely managed to avoid the demon's claw. His Phase Blade cut a large gash in the monster's cuirass, and he flipped over the surprised demon, kicking him with both feet from behind. Terranox bellowed as he was sent flying forwards. Meanwhile, Helena's heat beam slammed into the Devil Dragon's side, and it snarled in pain, turning its glowing green eyes on Helena.

The monster roared and took to the skies, turning deftly to attack Helena once more. Down below, as the dust churned from Matt's brutal attack, Xazax's blood-red form burst free of the cloud of debris, black eyes smoldering with rage, and swung out at Matt's face with his fist.

Edited by RisingDragon on August 17, 2007 at 18:53:05.

Xazax's punch connected, and though Matt recoiled, his feet remained firmly in place. Gritting his teeth, he send his own bold punch flying right back at the asshole.

Hugo began firing round after round at the Devil Dragon, with an extended battle cry. Helena continued to fire her beam as she swerved by the nightmare, trying to distract it.