The Phantasmal Harlequin

[madlydancing]

Characters: Kefka Palazzo & YOU
Location: The main city, I guess?
Time: Early morning
Style: Third-person (prose)
Status: ( open )

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[madlydancing]

The unsuspecting mage was busy hopping around trying to get the water out of his ears, until suddenly several vicious hounds came marching over. They were adorable things, terrible little puppies who looked as if they possessed more eyes than teeth. Quite humored by their growls, Kefka stopped with his antics and growled at them in return.

“Grr!” The psychotic mage nearly hissed at the endearing beasts, not at all afraid of them. Kefka doesn’t exactly know what these creatures were, but he knew they weren’t your average pet. Very curious about these wonderful little creatures, a crimson glow suddenly engulfed both of his hands. He figured that the supernatural hounds could handle a spell or two.

Balancing upon one foot effortlessly, the mad mage spoke. “You fellas look like durable toys, so why not play with me? Hm?” He didn’t expect an answer from these hellish beasts, but he certainly expected them to put on a good show. With just a light snap of his fingers, several flashy orbs of light fluttered forth towards the feisty canines.

Kefka just cast his favorite and most destructive spell, Ultima.

[eatingwings]

Well, well, well. Aren't you the fascinating one.

The hounds are incinerated by the spell, their ashes and corpses returning to the shadows. Those two red orbs are now accompanied by slow clapping and a deep, rumbling chuckle. The vampire grinned, his serpentine tongue curling over a long canine.

"Bravissimo, jester."

The No Life King emerges from the shadows, his long red duster draped over his shoulders. Check that grin, Kefka. And be careful, he's in more of a sadistic mind than usual.

[madlydancing]

Wiggling his fingers as the magic drained from his fingertips, Kefka's eyes widened slightly once the bloody corpses merged within the shadows. It was still somewhat dark out, all thanks to the rolling clouds above. However, little slithers of sunlight managed to grace the streets of Vatheon. The shadows would soon retreat into nothingness, as the dawn continued to approach but for now this was a timeless affair between two unlikely men.

"Oh, ho, ho, ho!" Kefka laughed once the shadowy entity appeared. "Enjoyed the little show? Good! Although, your little puppies didn’t last for long." A cocky grin settled upon the clown’s lips as he eyed the man curiously. He wasn't sure what the hell he was gazing at, but Kefka definitely felt something abnormal about this fellow. Aura reading isn’t exactly his kind of thing, but Kefka could tell that this man wasn’t your average run of the mill mortal. Oh, no, he’s something different all together.

“So what are you supposed to be?” The jester asked as he hopped from one foot to another. “The welcoming committee?”

[eatingwings]

"My hounds are far from gone, jester."

A few more vicious hellhound emerged from the shadows, resting at their Master's feet. Alucard simply grinned at the clown. The vampire could see and hear the power the pulsed through his man's veins, the aloofness that allowed for the free flow of magic and energy. Alucard just smirked, nice and biiiiiig, revealing those beautiful shark-like teeth.

"No. The welcoming committee doesn't arrive until a few hours from now. A pity."

[madlydancing]

Oh, so he can summon the puppies at will, can he? This was going to be so much fun!

It's been awhile since Kefka last felt any sense of excitement, and now this strapping lad is offering himself to be today’s entertainment. Kefka was almost grateful that he washed up here in the middle of nowhere, even if he hadn’t noticed the watery sky above yet. Dawn may break above this sea, but he couldn’t tell none the less. Not that he cared about being twenty leagues under the sea. Kefka’s all about having fun after all. It will just be a shame if everything in Little Atlantis ends up destroyed because of a few bloodthirsty thrill seekers.

“Eww! Look at those chompers!” Kefka rudely commented once the creature smirked at him. “You’re a big eater aren’t ya, shark-face?!” The jester snickered at his pathetic take at comedy.

“Hrm? Maybe I should wake everyone up with a big BANG!”

[eatingwings]

Baby, where have you all my life?

"Some may say so, harlequin." The vampire chuckled, the sound eerie and sibilant. Alucard's smirk grew back into his trademark grin, his red eyes looking the jester up and down.

"A big bang is certainly what this place needs, hmn?"

[madlydancing]

“You’re exactly cooooooooooorrrrrrrect!”

Kefka cackled once he leapt away from the vampire. Quickly forming several orbs of light within his hands, Kefka tossed them towards his newfound playmate with such maddening glee. He had a feeling that this stately fellow will prove to be a challenge to kill, but Kefka was feeling lucky. After all, it’s not everyday you wake up in the middle of a brand new world. The mad mage was excited, happily thrilled at the thought off burning everything in Vatheon to ashes. It’s just too bad he didn’t realize the restraints on his power just yet.

This might take a turn for the worst soon.

“Come on, let’s play!” He cheered wildly as he flung another series of magic towards Alucard and his magical hounds.

[eatingwings]

Alucard let the magic hit him, letting the spells rip through his body. Good work, Kefka. You managed to slice the vampire's arms off.



Or not.

"My turn," Alucard seethed.

Flagging scarlet twisted behind his garish form as he rushes at the harlequin, silver Casull brandished and unloading rapidly at the Kefka's heels to make him waltz!

"Let me see you dance, clown!!" Alucard called, his eyes wide, crazed and searing.

[madlydancing]

Once the dust cleared, Kefka was tad disappointed yet awed by the scene before him. Did this man just regenerate his limbs? How is that possible!? The jester was giggling like a lunatic now. This was going to be the fight of the century, the cataclysmic battle he always wished to happen. They were going to destroy everything and everyone, just like Kefka always wanted to do.

Despite all his excitement, a tinge of trepidation formed within the jester as the creature became whole again. This was wasn't going to be easy, not by far. "I'm gonna have to play rough, don't I!" Kefka snarled as he metaphorically rolled up his sleeves. Insanely quick and nimble upon his feet, not a single a bullet struck him as he twist and twirled about. It was almost as if he was really dancing, but madly so.

"You gotta do better than that, FREEZE!!" Tapping into his magic again, several gigantic shards of ice appeared out of thin air in attempt to block the incoming shots. He used the sturdy sheets of ice as mock shield, hiding behind them to fire several shots of fire at Alucard.

"Pew, pew, pew!"

[eatingwings]

OH, heaven's taint and wicked delight! Yes, yes, YES!! From the depths of the vampire's raiment come the massive pistols, silver and black.

"Fighting words, my dearest jester. Say them again, and again, and AGAIN~!!! I WANT TO HEAR YOU SQUEAL LIKE A PIG!!"

Alucard takes the magic fire, one in the shoulder, one in the chest and the other in the opposite arm, but he never ceases his maniacal laughter. The shots pelt his flesh with pain, spilling blood everywhere, and finally he falls, still snarling that insane mirth.

The Nosferatu melts into the floor, becoming little more than a pile of blackness and blinking white and red eyes. But his chuckle hangs nevertheless, and the Jackal appears from the mess, five successive rounds shot at the charging harlequin.

[madlydancing]

“The only piggie around here is you, SHARK-FACE!!” Kefka boldly said as he took off running.

Whatever the hell this person is made of is stronger than steel! The jester knew he landed a few shots on Alucard, but for Kefka’s delight, he’s still ticking. Laughing manically now as he fired several bolts of lightning towards the vampire, Kefka suddenly abandoned the ground and literally took to the air.

He was chucking all sorts of spells at Alucard from above, everything from fire, ice, and lightning, to a few blasts of Ultima. Red sparks hopped along his fingers as he wildly cast his magic with little abandon, a price he’ll pay for later. Right now, Kefka’s having too much fun to care about his well-being now. This fight deserved to be special since this was their first encounter, so he didn’t want to back down just yet.

“Be careful…” The jester warned as he met Alucard’s shots with wave after wave of magical blue and white lightning.

[eatingwings]

Blood runs, blackness spreads, but still does the Nosferatu laugh. He lets the magic hit him, destroying the physical manifestation that is his body. He lets the magic incinerate him until he is nothing but darkness.

And that blob of seething darkness coalesces into a chaotic mass, the vampire's voice still sing-songing from the mess as it begins to reform, slowly taking a formless shape, but from the folds of absolute evil comes a gleam of onyx metal. The Jackal. Alucard's finger tightens on the trigger and the huge cannon fires three successive shots, even as the vampire's voice rages from all directions.

His voice echoes - laughter, laughter, laughter, mocking, mocking, mocking. Hounds appear in the darkness, lunging and snapping hellacious jaws all around the harlequin.

[madlydancing]

At this point, Kefka was certain he was seeing things.

The more blood that was spilled, the more the darkness began to swell around him. It’s supposed to be morning, right? Then why wasn’t this terrible ink black shadow fading away? Kefka already knew that his opponent wasn’t human, but this was getting ridiculous! Every spell he launched at the creature just made more darkness spew forth. It was almost as if a living sea of darkness was forming beneath his floating form. Kefka didn’t know what to make of it, but he was desperate to find out.

“G-Give me…” He’s voice was barely audible amongst the chaotic laughter at first. “Give me your POWER!” The tips of his index fingers began to sparkle violently as he cast his next spell, Trine.

Now unlike his earlier spells, Trine takes the form of several huge triangles that are all blue in hue. They could follow a person’s movement with ease, but if they were to strike; the enemy would be blinded by raw agony. Imagine a thousand or so needles sticking your eyeball at once, and that’s exactly how painful this spell is.

Hoping to ensnare Alucard in this spell, suddenly several bullets were fired. Kefka successfully dodged the first bullet, but the second and third made their marks, one in the shoulder and the other in the leg. “Agh!” His pained grunts signaled that the bullets finally made their mark.

“You’re going to PAAAAAAAAY for that!”

Once the many hellhounds made their reemergence from the inky shadows, Kefka cast Trine once more in an attempt to even the plane field.

[eatingwings]

"MY POWER BELONGS TO ME AND MY MASTER, HARLEQUIN." Alucard seethed, relishing in the pain the spell gave unto him.

The familiars of demons shrilled in unison as an arch of blackened blood carved up and out from the Nosferatu's crown. A righteous and gallant strike that had indeed been felt in blistering blissful pain that shuddered down to the cinders of Alucard's black heart. Yet pain so wondrous was hardly a deterrent from the beast's goal.

"I will chase my enemies, and they shall fall before me. I shall chase a hundred, and a hundred shall put ten thousand to flight, AND MY ENEMIES WILL FALL BEFORE ME!!"

The Nosferatu is relentless, the scent of blood filling every pore, every receptor and then cometh the belling of a thousand thousand hellish hounds, frothing from the seething blackness that is the No Life King.

They strike, fangs flashing, seeking to rip and tear and through it all, Alucard stands immobile, wide mouth open and his infernal laughter roiling through the carnage.

[madlydancing]

In Kefka’s blind rage, he nearly matched the monster’s decibels by tenfold. No one gets away with taunting him like that. No, one.

“GO AHEAD AND TRY, NIMROD!”

Truly pushing both his body and magic to the limit, Kefka decided to pet the undead beast with magic powerful enough to shatter the ground beneath Alucard's feet. As if going into a brief trance, several beams of light circled around the mage as he began to chant. His words were inaudible, but it wouldn't take Alucard long to figure out that he was in deep trouble now. If there’s one thing about Kefka that the No Life King should know, is that Kefka will use every trick in the book before backing down in defeat. He’s a tad stubborn like that.

A vortex of some kind suddenly appeared directly above Alucard’s form as a gigantic sphere of white energy tumbled towards him. It was enormous, large enough to engulf both Alucard and his darling pets whole. As this magical sphere came crashing down, two more like it honed in on the Nosferatu. Kefka was literally draining his magic to the reserves by casting Forsaken, but at least he thought this would be enough to end this bout.

By the time the spheres strike, the poor mage literally fell to the ground in a heap. He had no idea why he felt so damn weak, but Kefka hated it.

[eatingwings]

The vampire roars with laughter as the spheres strike his body, tearing it to shreds again, and again, and again!!

Alucard's corpse fell into a pool of black on the floor, falling into nothingness. Bone-killing cold seeped all around.

And there was nothing but silence...

Dead

Silence.

That is... Until a large, black boot stepped on Kefka's hand. Look up, clown. The boot belongs to a very winded vampire.

"This place, the coral... Has a nasty habit of draining our energy, mage... A very nasty habit... Shall we call it a draw, or do I get to take home a trophy to my Master, hmn?"