Brushing Up On Battling

[thegunner18]

Ajax turned his whole body to face the rogue fully. He was starting to get really annoyed by this cocky crocodile now, something that rarely happened. "Maybe you didn't insult me directly, but coming into her land-." he gestured towards Layla. "-without permission and just strutting around, not caring what you were doing, has not only insulted her, but it has also insulted me, because I care about what is happening to my friends. So don't try anything funny."

Ajax sighed and turned back to Layla. "I'm, er...I'm sorry about all of that, I understand that this has been, what, the third rogue in a month that has trespassed on your lands? I can't really say that i know how you feel...but...yeah again, i'm sorry."

[xscar10]

((OOC: Umm I'm a croc...))
"I would not insult me again, but if you insist." He turned around.

"I am not one to take insults well. I will show the power the gods have given me." He said lifting his hand.

[thegunner18]

((OOC: woops, my bad, I've changed it now, sorry.))

Ajax got into a defensive stance and unsheathed his claws as he saw the croc lift a hand. It was probably just a distraction of some sort. Did he really believe that he had the power of any of the gods behind him? Ajax really doubted it, but there was still a chance that, for some reason, one or two of them would have sided with the croc.

Anyway, the croc still wouldn't win, because he was against one very p'eed off lioness and one, not so much, p'eed off lion. "Ha. I would love to see those 'powers' in action." He gave a quick ritual to the Godess of plants and fertility, Demeter, and got ready to use this to his and Layla's advantage, both offensively, and defensively.

[Lionsunrise]

Now Ajax had wandered over.
"I understand that this has been, what, the third rogue in a month that has trespassed on your lands? I can't really say that i know how you feel...but...yeah again, i'm sorry."

Layla rolled her golden eyes. "Yep, they can be so irritating. And full of themselves. Crocky here has apparently forgotten that the gods protect me too. And he cannot hope to defeat Dionysus, let alone the Daughter of Athena!" Layla cocked her head to the side. "That said, why does he control Zeus's Chains? Be careful, Ajax. He has some power left from his slavery to the Gods."

Lady Layla tensed as Crocky raised a paw-thing. "No! I gave you a chance to leave peacefully. Go, or you will have made an enemy of Athena herself!"
Layla threw a claw with deadly accuracy towards his raised hand.

[xscar10]

He caught the claw.
"Relax, I'm not so arrogant as to attack everyone who stumbles across me, but you have yet to see my true potential." He drew his chains.

"But I like these,-" He said wrapping them around his arm.

"-and these." He drew his claws.

"I have more power than I had when I was a servant, but I have yet to see anyone who hasn't wanted to attack me. I couldn't have known I had done wrong, and yet I am persicuted." Karteros turned away.

"To think... I thought trust was so easy to gain, such a fool. Such a fool!"

[thegunner18]

Ajax just stood perfectly still, watching every slight movement that the croc made, ready for any attack that he would possibly make, although he would be foolish to make such an attack.

"watch out Ajax, he still has some power left from when he was a slave to the gods."

As soon as Ajax heard this, he suddenly became even more aware of his surroundings and what was going on than before. "Thanks for telling me, I would have been way off guard for an attack that he would have made on me." he started strafing from side to side so he was on his toes, ready to evade any attack. He then saw Layla throw a claw straight at the croc's hand. "Ouch, that's gonna hurt when it hits." When the croc caught it he was a bit surprised and shocked, but he quickly shrugged it off and began concentrating again.

"To think... I thought trust was so easy to gain, such a fool. Such a fool!"

"Yeah, trust is easy to gain if you decide not to trespass on other's territory!" Ajax shouted after the croc. He was very surprised and almost afraid atcwhat was happening to him. He then closed his eyes and and began taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. "Wow...why did I suddenly do that? I never do that..."

[Lionsunrise]

Lady Layla hissed in frustration as he caught her claw. "Haven't we been through this before? I could have defeated you if you hadn't surrendered, what makes you think you'll be luckier with Ajax here? You stand no chance against the Daughter of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Battle, and the Son of Demeter. Goddess of the Harvest!" Your chains that Zeus has pitied you with don't scare me!"

Layla jumped slightly when Ajax lost his temper. He never did that... "I'm assuming you served Ares? He has an aura to cause anger. It doesn't matter."

The sky became dark as clouds gathered, urged there by her wind.
"Leave or you will be DESTROYED!!!" Layla roared the last word out, amplified by her power over sound.

[xscar10]

Krateros did not turn to see them.
"Such a fool I am, such a fool." He drew his claws.

"I could have been so much more. I could have been so much better." He walked on when he heard-
"Leave or you will be DESTROYED!!!"

"I have thought I had found someone who would actually understand, but so far it seems that only two people have ever understood. This is no exception, oh and I didn't surrender, I do not enjoy violence. I only fallow orders." He said only turning for a second.

"I did not serve Ares."

[thegunner18]

I'm assuming you served Ares? He has an aura to cause anger."

Ajax just nodded to the question that Layla asked. "Yeah...tell me about it...bloodthirsty god he was, Ares. I just want to forget everything I did while I served him..." he shook is head, trying to, mentally, forget about it. "Anyway, back to this cocky crocky." he said, smiling to himself at what he just said.

"You know, I-" he was immeadiately interrupted by Layla doing her stuff. Letting out all of her anger on the croc and doing really well with it he had to say. "Well, maybe Now you'll go and find some other person to annoy now, rather than us." he said to the croc, frustratedly.

"I did not serve Ares.

"You may not have, but I did serve him, and i want to try and forget everything about that time."

[xscar10]

"and I will not be accused of fallowing him, I fallowed only one, but I would have gladly obey any god or goddess... would." He again turned away from them and fell to his knees.

"Why... Why of all the goddesses, Zeus finds me with her. How was I to prove my innocence. The fool, the fool I have been." He beat the ground with his fist, and the ground weakened with each blow.

He covered his head.
"Thy will be done, thy enemy's fall, by my hand." He stood up, claws bared.

"I will find a way back to Olympus, and I will find my way back to you, my love." He turned back to the two, tears streaming from his eyes.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience I have caused, it will not happen ever again." He bowed to them, and held his claws in front of him.

[thegunner18]

Ajax looked at the croc with confusion. "What are you talking about? You can't possibly hope to get into Olympus. You aren't as powerful as even the weakest of gods. How can you even think of getting there? It's insanity!" he then turned his head to Layla, still with the same look of confusion. "Do you know what he's talking about? Because I have no idea what it is."

[Lionsunrise]

"Ajax is correct. It would take a glance from Dionysus to drive you insane. I'm guessing you want revenge on Olympus for abandoning you like a broken sword.

Layla spoke to Ajax. "I have already told him what three creatures stand a tiny chance against the whole of Olympus. If he attacks alone, only the Sisters of Fate could possibly intervene. And they will not. I suppose that is a good thing- fate needs to be impartial."

Layla continued watching Crocky back away.

"I may as well try guessing the identity of your master... Hera, maybe? I always hated her. Maybe Aphrodite?

[xscar10]

"*Sigh* She was the goddess Artemis, and she was not just my master." He was still crying.

"I, Krateros, do not give up, I will use my claws to fight my way to the top... I will find a way, back to her." He lifted his hands.

"I will steal the souls of each and every living being on earth if I have to." He looked at Layla.

"Zeus sent me on a mission to kill a pride in his name, and sent an assassin to kill, and replace me. He did not think I could escape Tartarus, but stealing souls until I found the exit was child's play." He looked at Ajax.

"If you do not believe me, I will show you otherwise... but I love Artemis and she loves me. I hold the souls of the most powerful of the beings I could defeat, all in her name." He wiped the tears from his eyes.

[Lionsunrise]

Layla found herself boiling over with rage. If what he said was true, didn't the fool realize what would happen? A powerful wind began to whip around her ankles, and her pink eyes were narrowed viciously. Ajax was watching her cautiously.
Her claws were extending slowly, and dust began swirling around her. The temperature seemed to drop ten degrees, as though she was scaring Apollo himself away.

"Artemis has sworn to forsake love. If she falls in love, she will lose her immortality and die! If you return to Olympus and find Artemis by some miracle, you will kill her! If you loved Artemis, you never would have left Tartarus! Don't you understand? Artemis will die if she loves you!" She half-roared.

[thegunner18]

Ajax stepped back a few feet away from Layla in fear, although he knew it wasn't directed at him. He was going to step in and try and stop everything that was going on, but doubts started growing in his mind. 'what if she turned on him? What would happen? How would he stop it?'

Finally though, he swallowed his doubts and walked back towards Layla through the wind. "Layla!" he needed to shout at the top of his because of the wind. "Please! Stop! We don't need this!" he slowly walked closer to her, against the winds will. This time he could lower his voice as he was almost next to her. "I don't want this to end badly...i know why you would want to act like this, but just stop...please..."

[xscar10]

"I would have until I found out what these claws could do!..." Krateros held up his hand as the claws began to glow green. He stabbed himself and pulled out a blue ball of fire, as he did his muscles decreased in size.

"This is the soul of Sisyphus, I used it to escape Tartarus!" He placed it back inside his body, and he grew again.

"If I take her soul from her body, I can place it in a new one! She will still live forever in a different body! If she doesn't want this I won't do it, but I will do anything to be with her!" He said as he used the chains to lift himself off the ground.

"Can't you understand that being away from her is more torture than- than Tartarus?! Is there anything you feel as passionate about, as I do about her?!" He looked at them both.

[Lionsunrise]

Layla was growing more furious by the second. She disregarded Ajax's pleas and sent him a deadly glance that said BACK THE HADES OFF!

"Tell me the difference between her own body and another's! She will still be Artemis, never released from her vows! Unless you can find a way to turn back time, she will be bound forever! The soul is Artemis- another body will not change that!"

Layla broke off for a second as the fool took a soul from his body and claimed it to be Sisyphus'. She trembled with rage as he rose with his chains. "Leave Artemis. Her soul will always be Artemis. Another body won't change that. Ever. So unless you wish to kill Artemis, you should stay away from her. Forever.

Didn't he understand? If he made Artemis fall in love, he would kill her. Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and Moon.

She barely listened to his words, but she heard something... something Layla felt passionate about. She glanced at Ajax for a split second, heat rushing towards her cheeks. She was glad her fur hid it.

[thegunner18]

Ajax was about to speak again when he caught the look that Layla was giving him. He immeadiately backed off and looked down at the ground, letting his mane droop over his face, almost like he had done something very bad. He looked back up from the ground. "But...I just..." he caught the look Layla was giving him again and sighed, looking back down at the ground, feeling guilty that he had not been able to stop it.

[xscar10]

"You do not understand, I will not have killed my master; her body will fall, and I will give her a new one. This one will not die because her vows on her first body will be broken." He dropped to the ground.

"The second body will not die it will be immortal, regardless of her vows. Even if this did not work, I would fuse her soul with my own, and we would be one; she would be half of me... forever." He came up to eye level with her.

"You cannot tell someone not to love, it can't be helped." He turned and started to move away.

"I'm going to mount Olympus, even if I have to end the life of Zeus himself." He walked quickly toward the border of her teritory.

[Lionsunrise]

Layla snarled in fury. She was hanging on to her self-control by a thread that this crocodile seemed determined to snap.

"You are being ridiculously optimistic! You seem to think that if Artemis changes bodies everything will work out fine, but you are wrong! Like I said before- a body is no more than a vessel. Falling in love will kill Artemis. You may love her all you want but if she returns that love she will die! Sharing a body will never work either- you both would be driven insane!" Layla stopped to catch her breath, which is how she heard Crock's next speech.

"I'm going to mount Olympus, even if I have to end the life of Zeus himself."

Layla jumped in front of him and glared at him with barely suppressed fury. "I told you already- Zeus IS Olympus! Killing him would destroy Mount Olympus, and reduce the Gods' powers to barely a flicker. The Titans will escape and rule again, and they will destroy everyone who has ever served the gods! They will kill the gods too! THAT-INCLUDES-ARTEMIS!!!" Layla drew a deep, shuddering breath. "I will never let that happen! Even if I must bargain with Typhon or the Sisters, I will stop you!"

[thegunner18]

Ajax slowly looked up at Layla and the croc, again, arguing. He heard them 'talking' to each other. He slowly got even more enraged with the croc's persistence of getting into Olympus. He ran towards them and stood next to Layla. "Why will you not listen to her? you might as well kill yourself now, as you are never going to get anywhere near Zeus, no matter what you think. You are just giving yourself false hope." he walked closer to the croc. "But honestly, if you want to go on a suicide mission, feel free."

[xscar10]

"Then I will destroy the magic holding her to her vows, and even if the Titans escape, I can defeat them, for you see my powers do not come from the gods!... They may be called the chains of Zeus, but the power comes from me, they may be the claws of Hades, but the power comes from me, the voice of Olympus is my voice, my power is not limited by the gods!" He jumped into the air and used the chains as legs, quickly pushing himself to the side. He lifted his hand and looked at it thinking of the past.

"I will protect Artemis, and I will destroy anything and everything that stands in my way, and I'm not alone, I have gained many followers along the way; all of my followers are willing to donate there souls to me, and I will give them new bodies in the end." He circled them, and extended his claws. He concentrated his pitch black eyes on Layla.

"You cannot stop me, even if you killed me, I would just come back again, and again, getting stronger every time." He started sprinting toward the water. "There is nothing in the world that will stop me, because I know the limits of my power, and they are growing with each soul." He stopped talking to think back to what life was like before Artemis told Zeus of him. He jumped over the lake and let out a pulse roar expanding in every direction.

[Lionsunrise]

"Fool! You cannot hope to defeat the Gods, let alone the Titans! Do the titles "Earthshaker, King of the Dead, Lord of Time and Lord of Light mean anything to you?!? You will unleash powers and monsters overflowing with power, the shock from their release alone will destroy continents!"

Layla backed off slightly and let loose a powerful roar of her own to counter the crocodile's. She winced as the remains of his voice threw up stonew and pebbles that cut her body. She then released the wind she'd been building up into a miniature typhoon, that she sent directly at Krateros. Layla fired many claws into a typhoon, fast enough to blur. The typhoon would rip him apart.

She raised her head to the heavens and called. "Mother Athena! Come for me!"

[thegunner18]

Ajax watched Layla create the typhoon and smirked as he looked over at the croc. "Why don't you just give up? give up and run back to where you came from. Oh, wait, you don't have a home, sorry." he said, much more darkly than usual.

Ajax closed his eyes and looked down at the ground, and suddenly, his fur and mane turned from a golden colour to a very dark black colour. He smiled evily at the croc. A completely changed Ajax, both appearance and personality wise, stood beside Layla and in front of the croc. "Erebus, god of darkness and shadows has gifted me with some of his powers. Now lets see how you fare. May darkness now descend on us." As he said this, it became very dark as far as the eye could see, and at that moment also, Ajax faded into a shadow.

[xscar10]

Krateros still in the air, saw the typhoon closing in, and just before he was going to be torn apart, he roared directly at the typhoon. As he did the winds dispersed. The claws, though dramatically sped down, Cut into his skin, and he landed on the other side of the lake.

"Fancy yourself one of the Anemoi..." He said slightly as he drew the chains, his attacks were tiring him, but he would get a second wind soon. He watched the darkness Ajax made spread.

"Fool, these beings overwhelmed with power can be defeated, and they shall! As soon as I defeat one being of great strength, I will take there soul, and gain the power! If I defeat Ares I become the new god of war, and if I defeat Zeus I will become the new king of Olympus!" He yelled into a clap of thunder, and it started to rain. He tensed his muscles as he spoke, and felt the cold air on his face.

"All I need is one to start, and I know exactly who." His voice became menacing and deep. His voice seemed to vibrate the air as he spoke. He used the claws to stab into a boulder, and threw it over his shoulder into the lake, acting as a blind.

"The gods cannot help you now!" He said running into the forest. His massive feet crushing the dirt beneath them.

[Lionsunrise]

Layla listened. I| Mother?II

«I am here, Layla.» It was the voice of Athena.
IIYou've heard what Krateros intends. The gods must stop him. He refuses to listen to reason, misguided in his quest for Artemis.II
«Yes. We will stop him, Layla. However, we must have a council to decide on what to do with Artemis. She has lost her way.»
IICan't Aphrodite undo the love? If not, why won't Zeus just destroy Krateros immediately?II
«Even Aphrodite cannot change a Goddess's love. Krateros is obsessed with Artemis, and Aphrodite could not get close. Krateros is protected in some way- he is hidden from us. We will consult the Sisters.»
IIVery well. Goodbye, Mother.II

Layla opened her eyes as the storm arrived. No doubt Zeus sent it, knowing Krateros would be where she was. He must have listened to Athena and her conversation.

She growled as Ajax unleashed darkness. Her vision was useless now as well. She flew over towards where she could hear Krateros, and was almost struck by his boulder. She was angry with his repetitive inane comments.

"Idiot! Only the Gods themselves can turn a mortal into a god! And I already told you- Zeus is Olympus! Killing him will kill the other gods, including Artemis! The gods made me into who I am, I won't let you kill them!"

Layla looked at her claws. Gifts from Artemis. She thought of her voice. A gift from Apollo. She heard her wind howl. A gift from Zephyr. She looked through the blackness, and her eyes hardened. IIYou are dead.II

She shot after Krateros in pursuit.

[thegunner18]

Ajax, still in his shadow form, watched as Layla flew over to where Krateros was headed, and probably where he was now. He silently laughed to himself. "Why can't I fly? That would be nice." he said jokingly as he took off after Layla and the croc. "Layla! Wait up!" he shouted to her, hoping she would hear. He dodged around trees, still following the two of them, until he realised that, because he was a shadow, he could run straight through the trees. "Im such an idiot..."

[xscar10]

(( these`` mean Cronus is speaking))

"He will not be dead, he will be inside me. You clearly know nothing of the claws power." Krateros said gaining speed, and bashing trees out of his way. He felt the wind on his face, and the thought of his beloved in his heart.

"I sense something, something wrong, very wrong, Cronus can you here me?"
He said listening for a sound, Bashing trees behind him.

`Krateros? What word do you have?`

"I sense something wrong, I am facing what I think is a demi-god, and a demi-goddess. I need to see Artemis."

`Krateros, we have sent you to free us. I will be displeased if your mission gets in the way of our mission.`

"I only agreed to help you on my terms, we will be equally beneficial; now show me Artemis."

`Vary well.. Krateros.`
A vision of the goddess showed, only for a second. It showed Artemis arguing with the other gods.

"No, I will not let this happen." He said, and as they were running he stopped in his tacks, and jumped to the side. He hit the ground, and hid in the mud. The mud crept over him, and covered his body. As he sat there he thought of the quickest way to Hades, and then to Olympus.

[thegunner18]

Ajax continued sprinting through the woods, literally, and looked around through the darkness. His senses had now become stronger, and that meant his sight as well. "come out, come out where ever you are..." he whispered to himself while walking past the trees, looking out for any sign that could tell him where the croc could've gone.

Ajax was about to sprint onwards when he heard a small bubbling noise to his left. He turned to it and cautiously walked towards it. When he got close enough he saw the top of the croc sink down into the ground. "no, no, no..." He was too late to get to the croc in time, so he shouted for Layla to get to him quickly. "Layla!"

[Lionsunrise]

Layla heard Ajax in the darkness. "Layla!"

"He can't manage anything without me..." Layla rocketed towards the sound, creating a powerful shied of twisting air that tore up the trees as she flew straight through them.
She was like a storm within a storm, flying through the powerful wind and battering rain. Lightning flashes provided occasional light. She slowed down as she sensed she got closer to Ajax. She heard a strange bubbling noise, and squinted through the blackness to see scaly skin disappear through the ground.
"NO!" she shrieked, and fired a claw at the skin from point-blank range. She started using her wind to rip up the earth, and shrieked the loudest sonic sound she had ever unleashed, at a volume the most powerful harpy would envy. She screamed like this from a few inches away.