Preparation for Rage:
The ashes of the Nebulâmes and Crimson Veils still lingered in the arena as the 66 surviving competitors—some alone, others in small groups, and a rare few still in full teams—stood at the center, scarred by the trials they'd endured.
The intact teams, having lost no members, included the Blazing Skulls (Gills, Soehpt, Kira), Styx Reapers (Tyrnat, Yulius, Nera), Jungle Haze (Promantis, Klikk, Zyra), and Blue Fangs (Orak, Frostbite, Icicle).
A scarlet light flared, and Natass Magna XIII reappeared atop his floating platform, his pristine black suit contrasting sharply with his white skin and obsidian-shine horns. His carnivorous grin widened as he waved his cane frantically, riling up the crowd. His eyes blazed with manic excitement, and his deep, resonant voice thundered through the arena like infernal lightning, electrifying the air.
"O MY DEAR DAMNED SOULS!" he roared, his cavernous voice shaking the arena, each word dripping with feverish energy.
"REJOICE, FOR YOU RECEIVE THE RING OF THE CALCULATOR!
He brandished a silver ring etched with twisted runes, his fingers gripping his cane as he bellowed:
"A cursed artifact that sharpens your mind to detect lies with diabolical precision, and—OH, WHAT A MARVEL!—to weave lies so perfect they defy all truth!"
He burst into a guttural, near-hysterical laugh, his monocle glinting as the ring materialized onto the survivors' fingers, adding a cunning gleam to their arsenal.
Then he leapt atop his platform, swinging his cane with unbridled frenzy, his theatrical movements captivating the crowd.
"PREPARE YOURSELVES, MY LITTLE ONES! FOR WE ENTER THE FINAL THIRD OF THE APEX RINGS TOURNAMENT!"
His voice rose in a crescendo, each word pulsing with pure exhilaration.
"In the eons this infernal tournament has existed, NEVER—NEVER!—have so many reached this stage! YOU ARE A GLORIOUS ABERRATION, A LEGEND IN THE MAKING!"
In response, the infernal entities in the stands waved macabre banners and blood-stained streamers, their joyous screams a deafening cacophony that shook the air, flames erupting from their hands in a chaotic display.
Natass raised his cane with an imperious flourish, commanding sudden silence, his calculating grin stretching wider.
"Perhaps… PERHAPS THIS EDITION WILL WITNESS THE RISE OF A NEW DEMON GOD!"
At those words, the stands erupted into ecstasy, their roars rattling the arena like a storm of chaos, sulfurous lightning streaking the air as demons flapped their wings and bellowed approval.
He lowered his cane, his tone growing darker yet still brimming with vibrant intensity.
"Listen well… It's rarer still for contenders to reach the eighth circle… and NO ONE—NOT A SOUL, NOT A DEMON!—has EVER reached the ninth! You stand at the edge of the impossible, my little ones!"
His laughter echoed, laced with a sinister promise, his eyes sparkling with sadism.
Meanwhile, off to the side, Kira tended to Soehpt, who had just regained consciousness after the clash between Kalgarax and Volgurax. His blue flames had calmed, but a fierce determination burned in his eyes. "I'll prove my worth," he murmured, clenching his fists, his voice shaky yet resolute. Kira placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, her eyes full of compassion. "We'll get through this together," she replied softly, their bond strengthened by the trials.
Natass resumed, his voice reclaiming its theatrical flair.
"And now, my dear competitors, GROUP YOURSELVES INTO TEAMS OF THREE! Let the lone ones form new teams or join the others! Prepare yourselves, for the most ANTICIPATED circle of this tournament approaches… RAGE!"
With a final cackle, he vanished in a cloud of ash, leaving the crowd roaring in anticipation, their cries shaking the arena like an infernal tempest.
The survivors organized swiftly.
The intact teams remained whole:
• Blazing Skulls (Gills, Soehpt, Kira),
• Styx Reapers (Tyrnat, Yulius, Nera),
• Jungle Haze (Promantis, Klikk, Zyrax),
• Blue Fangs (Orak, Frostbite, Icicle).
The Nephalems (Bhaadon, Solom) were joined by Kron "The Colossus," who had survived thus far and donned their mystical white-and-black uniform once more, completing their trio. His towering frame bolstered their presence, and Bhaadon nodded in silent approval.
Among the lone survivors, Aria "The Wave Singer" and Viktor "The Blacksmith," both enduring thus far, teamed up with a solitary leader: Zarkon "Silver Claws," a warrior with steel talons who'd lost his teammates in Hysteria. Together, they formed the Iron Talons, a ragtag but formidable crew blending Aria's water, Viktor's craftsmanship, and Zarkon's brute strength.
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Circle of Rage
The arena pulsed under the infernal crowd's screams, their stands aglow with dancing flames and sulfurous lightning.
The ground split open, revealing a ravaged plain dotted with gaping chasms, jagged spikes, and unstable platforms hovering over a blazing abyss.
A scarlet light flared, and Natass Magna XIII burst forth on his floating platform, waving his cane with exalted frenzy, his monocle gleaming in the infernal glow. He unleashed a booming laugh, his deep, vibrant voice electrifying the air.
"O MY DEAR GLADIATORS OF DARKNESS!" he roared, his cane slicing the air like a scythe, his eyes blazing with manic excitement.
"WELCOME TO THE CIRCLE OF RAAAAAGE!"
He leapt atop his platform, his voice soaring into a crescendo.
"A TEAM DEATHMATCH, MY FRIENDS! ELIMINATE AT LEAST THREE FOES—BY BLOOD, EJECTION, OR SURRENDER! LET CHAOS SEIZE THIS ARENA, FOR THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST SPECTACLES OF THE APEX RINGS TOURNAMENT!"
The crowd erupted, waving macabre banners and rusted chains, their screams shaking the air like an infernal storm, flames bursting from the stands in a chaotic display.
"LET THE STRONGEST TRIUMPH, AND LET BLOOD FLOW IN HONOR OF THE FUTURE DEMON GOD! MUAHAHAHA!"
With a final cackle, he vanished in a cloud of ash, leaving the arena ablaze with tension.
The 66 competitors, grouped into teams of three, prepared:
• Blazing Skulls (Gills, Soehpt, Kira),
• Styx Reapers (Tyrnat, Yulius, Nera),
• Nephalems (Bhaadon, Solom, Kron),
• Blue Fangs (Orak, Frostbite, Icicle),
• Jungle Haze (Promantis, Klikk, Zyrax),
• Iron Talons (Zarkon, Aria, Viktor),
• Silent Blades (Sylas, Vorn, Klyte),
• Obsidian Hounds (Rukar, Thar, Vexen),
• Red Ravens (Kaelith, Draven, Sylvara),
• Venom Vipers (Thalrik, Voryn, Mirael),
• Shadow Veil (Zorath, Krynn, Lyssara),
• Plus 11 other unknown teams.
The Blazing Skulls (Gills, Soehpt, Kira) stood side by side, more united and fiery than ever. Soehpt, determined to prove himself, danced his blue flames with newfound precision, while Kira clenched her fists, ready to unleash raw power. Gills nodded, his Ring of the Calculator glinting. "We stay together and shine!"
The Styx Reapers (Tyrnat, Yulius, Nera) shared a glance after a brief exchange. Tyrnat addressed Yulius, his voice low: "Remember the Battle of Iff Plains?" Yulius, emotionless, replied, "A real bloodbath…" Tyrnat turned to Nera with a confident smirk. "I know what you're capable of. I trust you." Nera blushed faintly, her shadow threads quivering. "At this stage, no more holding back. Split up and unleash our power!" Tyrnat said, stroking his sickle before striding off, followed by Yulius and Nera.
The Nephalems (Bhaadon, Solom, Kron) adopted a defensive stance. Bhaadon declared, "We'll hold the arena's edge and coordinate to eject anyone who dares approach." Solom nodded, ready to take flight, while Kron, towering, slammed his fist into the ground, prepared to repel attackers.
The Blue Fangs (Orak, Frostbite, Icicle) locked eyes with the Blazing Skulls. Orak issued a friendly yet icy challenge to Gills: "May the best win!" Gills grinned, accepting the rivalry despite their past alliance.
The Jungle Haze (Promantis, Klikk, Zyrax) clicked their claws with bestial ferocity. Promantis roared, "Let's devour them!" between clacks, his eyes gleaming with predatory intent, as Klikk and Zyra positioned for a coordinated strike.
~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~~~~~~~¤~~~~~~~
The imp in the suit signaled the start.
The Blazing Skulls charged into the arena's heart, their flames lighting up the ravaged plain.
Soehpt, more resolute than ever, summoned a whirlwind of spiritual blue flames, his eyes blazing with ferocity. He spotted Kaelith of the Red Ravens, a bloodthirsty warrior wielding an axe. Kaelith charged, his axe whistling through the air, but Soehpt dodged nimbly, his flames forming a searing barrier. "You won't get through!" he roared, unleashing a wave of fire that engulfed Kaelith. The warrior screamed, his axe melting under the heat, before collapsing, his charred corpse still smoldering with blue flames. Without pause, Soehpt targeted Draven, the Red Ravens' archer firing blood-tipped arrows. He leapt, his blue flames spiraling into a tornado that devoured the arrows mid-flight, then struck Draven with a flaming uppercut, hurling him into a chasm, his scream fading into the abyss.
Kira faced Thalrik of the Venom Vipers, a master of poisoned chains. Thalrik lashed out, his chains coiling around Kira's arm, the venom eating at her skin. But she activated her Ring of Channeling, tapping into Astrugg's raw power. "You'll regret that!" she growled, ripping the chains free with brute force, her regeneration purging the poison. She charged, fists ablaze, and struck Thalrik with devastating power, shattering his armor and impaling him on a jagged spike in a spray of blood.
Gills, wielding the Ring of the Calculator, feigned a retreat to lure Voryn of the Venom Vipers. "Come get me!" he taunted, then spun around, his red flames erupting in a blazing geyser that incinerated Voryn on the spot, his scream echoing through the arena. The Blazing Skulls stood unscathed, their fiery unity triumphant.
The Styx Reapers split apart, each becoming a force of destruction.
Tyrnat, stroking his sickle, summoned his demonic shadows—Ombrailes, a small winged demon with piercing eyes; Tortegax, an impervious-shelled demonic turtle; and a horde of clawed specters rising from the ground in a spectral wail. He targeted Zorath of the Shadow Veil, an assassin wielding shadows. "You dare challenge my darkness?" Tyrnat roared, unleashing his specters. The demonic shadows swarmed Zorath, their claws tearing his cloak, as Tyrnat leapt, his sickle slashing the air. Zorath tried melding into the mist, but Ombrailes tracked him, and Tortegax blocked his escape. Tyrnat's sickle struck true, decapitating Zorath, his head rolling across the ground in a pool of black blood.
Yulius, manipulating blood, faced Krynn of the Shadow Veil, a warrior with a cursed spear. Krynn charged, aiming for Yulius' heart, but Yulius conjured a shield of congealed blood, deflecting the blow. "Too slow," he murmured, his eyes glinting coldly. He seized Krynn's blood, forcing him to his knees, then pierced his chest slowly with Massacre, his bone sword, blood spraying across the platforms.
Nera, despite her grace, was merciless. She wove her shadow threads, ensnaring Lyssara of the Shadow Veil, a mist-wielding mage. The threads tightened, hoisting Lyssara over a chasm. "Surrender or die!" Nera shouted. Lyssara, panicked, countered with her mist, but a stray stone shard from Sylas of the Silent Blades, fighting nearby, slashed Nera's leg, dropping her to her knees. Lyssara plummeted into the chasm to avoid death. The Styx Reapers survived, though Nera was wounded.
The Nephalems held the arena's edge near a chasm, forming a defensive bulwark.
Bhaadon, his mask intact since the tournament's start, coordinated the team. "Push them back!" he commanded. Solom took flight, lightning streaking the sky, and spotted Sylvara of the Red Ravens, a sorceress wielding shadowflame. He dove, a bolt striking Sylvara, her dark fire extinguished by the electric surge. She died, her charred body crumbling to ash, a black cloud rising.
Kron, towering, seized Vexen of the Obsidian Hounds, an agile warrior attempting an ambush. Kron lifted him like a twig, muscles flexing, and hurled him into the chasm, his scream fading into the void.
Bhaadon, with telekinesis, hefted a massive boulder to crush Mirael of the Venom Vipers, who cast corrosive spells. The rock smashed her, her body breaking with a sickening crunch. But a ricochet shard struck Bhaadon's mask, shattering it to reveal a scarred face, his eyes burning with suppressed rage. Secondary assaults wounded the team—Solom took a gash to the arm, Kron a shoulder injury—but their defensive strategy held.
The Blue Fangs and Jungle Haze clashed in a titanic duel at the arena's center.
Orak, master of ice, summoned a frozen storm, encasing Klikk of the Jungle Haze in a block of ice. Klikk clacked furiously, but Orak shattered the block with a punch, sending Klikk into a chasm. Zyrax, swift, pounced on Frostbite, her mandibles tearing him apart in an instant, blood splattering the ground. Icicle retaliated with frozen arrows, but Promantis, roaring, crushed him between his claws, his body snapping with a grim crack. Orak, alone, froze the ground beneath Zyrax and impaled her with an ice pillar, the creature convulsing as her body froze from within, her clacking silenced. Promantis, enraged, charged Orak, but an unexpected alliance intervened.
The Silent Blades (Sylas, Vorn, Klyte), Obsidian Hounds (Rukar, Thar, Vexen), and Iron Talons (Zarkon, Aria, Viktor) had allied to eliminate the Jungle Haze, seen as a dominant threat. They encircled Promantis, now alone after Klikk and Zyra's fall. Sylas struck, his sword aiming for Promantis' flank, but the insectoid parried with his claws, knocking Sylas back and snapping his blade. Vorn and Klyte charged together, but Promantis, with a bestial roar, sent them into a chasm with a shockwave. Rukar and Thar of the Obsidian Hounds tried an ambush, but Promantis crushed them, their bodies collapsing with a sickening crunch.
The Iron Talons fought valiantly within the alliance.
Aria, wielding her water waves, shielded Zarkon. But as Promantis, enraged, charged, Aria raised a water wall. His claws pierced it, stabbing her side. She collapsed with a stifled cry, blood staining the ground, her eyes fading as she whispered, "Zarkon… Viktor… survive…" Zarkon, roaring in fury, struck Promantis back, while Viktor forged a blade to cover their retreat. Zarkon and Viktor survived, wounded, their team broken.
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Bloody Conclusion
After an epic slaughter, only 23 competitors remained:
• Blazing Skulls (Gills, Soehpt, Kira): Intact.
• Styx Reapers (Tyrnat, Yulius, Nera): Nera wounded.
• Nephalems (Bhaadon, Solom, Kron): Wounded, Bhaadon's mask shattered.
• Blue Fangs: Orak, sole survivor.
• Jungle Haze: Promantis, sole survivor.
• Iron Talons: Zarkon, Viktor (Aria dead).
• Silent Blades: Sylas, sole survivor.
• Obsidian Hounds: None survived.
• Red Ravens: None survived.
• Venom Vipers: None survived.
• Shadow Veil: None survived.
• Other unknown teams: 9 lone survivors, having met the elimination quota.
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Natass reappeared, laughing:
"Congratulations to the survivors! You've proven your worth in rage. But the path to the Black Flames Crown remains long. Prepare for the eighth circle… RUIN!"
The arena darkened, leaving a heavy tension in its wake.