A dark figure emerged limping from the Tunnel K exit. A hulking black rectangle of three feet by five feet, armed with a ridiculous number of brand-new spikes that still glistened with a thin sheen of oily fluid from the chrysalis, with rheumy red eyes peering out from behind bony thorns, it was, of course, Edric.

Back from the Wishing Stone and more powerful than ever, he was finally ready to move out from the Creator's basement.

Glancing to and fro at the ridiculous too orderly, too neat bone shelters, the boar did a little shake of his body. Then he twisted, kicking out first one limb and then the other in a series of increasingly quick and fluid motions. A hoof twisted here and there, and a headbutt was made against thin air, and several ridiculously overcomplicated gestures added--

It was, of course, the DEATHMATCH secret handshake. Actually, it was a pretty great way to warm up and get those LIMBS OF DESTRUCTION limber again after sleeping for two weeks straight! Edric grinned, satisfied with the fluidity and ease of the elaborate motions. Quick as a fire got going in California in the summer, though, his expression twisted into a vicious glare and he bellowed, charging forward and swinging double tusks and spike-ringed hoofs at a bone tower. The cacophony with which the structure collapsed was nothing less than music to his Corrupted ears.

"I AM EDRIC!" he roared with gleeful triumph to anyone who happened to be nearby. "I HAVE EVOLVED! I HAVE REACHED THE HEIGHT OF MY POOOOOWER!"



@Anubis UGH that was supposed to be the SECRET HANDSHAKE technique I can't BELIEVE I forgot to select the dropdown. What a darn shame. Anyway--

Anubis heard the beast before he saw him. He was too busy picking through the bones, carefully moving aside the many burned, broken, and chipped bones and rocks, looking for anything interesting underneath. Maybe a gemstone or a mushroom or an interesting beetle he hadn't come across before. But his small-scale studies were interrupted by the flagrant voice, so loud and sudden that he yelped and jumped back, stumbling through the bones and he swiveled around to try and find its source.

Well...it wasn't hard. Said source was currently knocking over bone structures and proclaiming himself for the entire caves to hear. His name...Edric. But that wasn't what caught the pup's attention. He'd said...evolved. If he was hearing correctly, that was. He had no idea what that meant, a fact that sent a trill of excitement through his bones and had him making a beeline for Edric's location, unconcerned with any kind of danger. After all, he had been living a calm and peaceful life here. Why should he be afraid?

He approached the boar, tail wagging with excitement behind him, a smile bright in his eyes. He wasn't sure what he was doing, knocking things over like that, but that wasn't what was important right now. "Excuse me!" he barked loud enough for Edric to hear. "Can I ask you something?" He stopped a few feet away, panting happily and looking up at the monstrosity expectantly, as if completely clueless to how incredibly dangerous his situation had become. Spoiler warning, he absolutely was.

@Edric

Oh, look! A little kid! Edric paused in his bone-toppling for the moment, looking over at the jackal. Didn't kids know to be impressed and scared by SPIKY, DANGEROUS CHAOS BEASTS like Edric nowadays? Still, it was miles better than hiding in the bones like yellow-bellied cowards, which he was CERTAIN the Lesser Gembound and maybe even Greaters were doing right now.

But the kid's innocent curiosity grated on Edric's nerves. Come on! It had to at least LOOK impressed by the boar's all-new might. It thought it could just--just walk up, and ask him a question for FREE?! Well, what had this kid ever done for him? The boar considered for a moment. HEY, isn't beating someone up a great way to test out your mutations?

Edric decided the voices in his head were right.

"YOU'RE A LITTLE KID," he announced, puffing out his chest and peering down at the jackal. "I only answer questions from people worth my time!" Rheumy eyes narrowed. "I've beaten up LIONS." One, actually, but the point was there. "I am a VETERAN OF THE DEATHMATCH! You want to ask me a question?" His red glare intensified. "THESE TUSKS WANT TO ASK YOU ONE FIRST!"

Without further warning, the boar lunged forward, aiming a fierce headbutt at the young jackal's legs. It was his classic strategy. Knock someone over, trample all over them, gore them a couple times for good measure. If the kid put up a violent enough fight, then maybe Edric would be so thrilled he'd answer its question. If not, well...

A puddle of Oil and bones or the satisfaction of a weakling running away screaming would both be acceptable compensation for his time.


@Anubis Round 1 (if you want to turn this into a fight?)
Attempt: knock Anubis over
Defense: newly mutated armor
Injuries: none

Anubis wasn't surprised by the boar's hostility - one look at the beast and hearing his proclamation from before told enough of his temperment, but Anubis was still a little taken aback by the insults thrown his way. His ears twisted back and his head tilted, a little confused. Why wouldn't he be worth his time? And it wasn't like he was asking too much, it was just one little question...

He only had a moment to look at Edric's tusks, wondering how on earth they would ask him anything, when he was suddenly lunging forward. It all happened fast, the far larger creature slamming violently into Anubis's legs, instantly sending the young jackal crumpling to the ground with a surprised bark. Shock made his body freeze up but a sudden flash of panic had his lips curling up, revealing the obsidian fangs. He remembered how Giggle had killed the rat with a simple shake of her head. Lives were so precious, yet so fragile. And here, Anubis, for the first time, was facing death - his own death, and he'd not even realized it.

Anger surged through his bones. He had just come to ask a question. Did this creature find life so worthless, he'd gore a child for the simple crime of curiosity? Was he so eager to smear blood and oil across the caves? Anubis...would not stand for that. A roaring ferocity reared up in his chest, fighting against fear, and he willed his magic to surge forward and stop the board. A moment later, a heavy puff of spores burst out of Anubis, settling on Edric. He didn't know what they did, but he knew they could be deadly. After all, Giggle had washed away the mind of a rat with such a simple trick.

@Edric

ROUND 1/?

ATTEMPT: throw some spores
DEFENSE: none
INJURIES: bruised legs, on the ground

A cloud of spores rose up from the child when he fell, engulfing Edric. He sneezed violently, sending out a spray of oily mucus (unfortunately, boars could not cover their sneezes). Did this puppy think something as simple, as WEAK, as a cloud of dust would stop him? Stupid naive thing!

"WEAK CHILD," Edric thundered hoarsely, lurching forward. He would make the jackal see how futile his resistance was. How helpless, how POINTLESS his magic and spores were in the face of PURE, ALTAR-BLESSED CHAOS. He would pin this newborn, slender FAILURE beneath his hooves and SHOW HIM WHAT REAL POWER WAS.

"FEAR ME!" he demanded, lifting a hoof high in the air and dropping it toward the jackal's chest, then immediately regretted the big, overly theatric motion as his muscles groaned and complained. What was WRONG with him? Had his stay in the chrysalis really atrophied his strength by that much?! Or was the armor just too heavy? Breathing heavily, Edric resolved to get back on track with some exercise once this was done. He couldn't be a WALKING EMBARRASSMENT TO THE POWER OF CHAOS.

@Anubis
Round 2
Attempt: pin anubis
Defenses: armor
Injuries: magically enforced fatigue