"Don't... be... scared..." Words meant to be a reassuring coo came through a tightly clenched jaw, gravel grating through those quite obviously unused vocal cords. Red eyes were wide, gleaming and lost in madness so wildly that it was clear he'd made a home in it long ago. Mismatched pupils, his left dilated and his right not, quickly motioned toward his right in an instant like a classic cat wall clock, locking on to the sight of the young woman beside him. Domina. His heart beat steadily as his mind warped her view, her figure had grown so eerily similar to Zuriel's in her maturation that it made it nigh impossible for him to think about anything else but her mother when laying his eyes on Domina.

Adrenaline soared through his veins as he thought of the Demon Mother, the mere thought of her making his paws radiate in pain as a reminder of the work they had been put through when he had left to find her. He did not blame her for abandoning him, he knew he never deserved her forgiveness nor her love in the first place... but the hope she had instilled in him being stripped away broke the fragile mind he already had when she disappeared. He assumed this was all due to him for failing the demons, by not meeting their demands.. how could he forget he was a slave? He had been so distracted by Zuriel's love, by starting a life with her... he got careless. He was growling again. Quickly, the low rumbling of his vocals quieted once he was aware.. he only hoped the sound of the molten rock shifting beneath them and around them was enough to mask his slip up in front of Domina.

Not that.. the young woman was fooled in the slightest that her father was sane and not prone to involuntary sounds and gestures. She'd come to learn this to be a part of him, he was something wicked and strange... and he'd been this way for as long as her memory would allow her to recall. The current nightmare she was living in seemed to go on for so long now, she'd forgotten the souls she once knew in Ruina. She'd forgotten her other brothers and sisters, but the smell of sulfur was becoming intoxicating as nostalgia overwhelmed her. No, no, no. Disconnect again. Domina did her best to push away the flood of memories, the smell of her mother, the smell of her siblings. Missing them was just too much for her to let herself fall into again.

She looked to the man at her side, the ear furthest from him folding back against her head to express her uncertainty while the one closest to him refused to let the man out of her radar entirely. She didn't look at him, but she could feel his eyes on her. His words were something she had come to learn to ignore, but they'd been so few and far between lately that the sound of his voice at all was shocking enough she couldn't help but pay attention. Don't be scared? Scared of what...? Well, fuck. Now she was scared.

Elias looked away from her only as the earth beneath them began to shake and vibrations strong enough to move pebbles across the volcanic plateau around them captivated him for a brief moment. The power was enough to make the demon stall, his paws coming to a complete stop while he looked upward to the glowing rim of the mountaintop, rockets firing from within and lighting up the ashen sky above the mountain. The rumbling subsided as the pressure built up within the volcano began to release and bubble around that rim, though only spread into a few thin, trickling rivers of red.

The sound of Katar's voice rang in Elias' mind, her soft angelic laugh humbling him as he witnessed the work of the Ruina demons. That marred muzzle wrinkled slightly as his black lips pulled back around his thickly grown in teeth, the pleasant feeling of being home again washing over him to bring peace in his madness if only for just a brief moment.

'Bring her to us, Elias. You owe us...' Katar's voice purred in his ears, dripping with desire in it's beckoning.

Without putting any thought into it at all, his paws began to move again.. long limbs carrying the tall beast further across the warm ground beneath him. He looked again to his side, checking for his daughter as he continued. She wasn't moving, her eyes locked at the very peak of the volcano as she watched those rivers crawl down the blackened sides of Mount Volkan. Her own head had become dizzy, indiscernible whispers gaining her attention as they became progressively louder. She didn't know what they were saying, but she knew what they were. Whether she was brainwashed by her father's fantasies or she shared the same madness as he, she didn't know.. but she'd done her best to mute these whispers and ignore their existence every time she heard them. Now would be no different. Still.. this.. was all too bizarre. She'd been here before, she knew it. She'd heard those whispers before, she felt them. The sky was alive with fire, fire water flowed from a mountain that shook the earth. How was she supposed to stay calm, to keep her sanity? This was all too surreal. What if everything was real, what if her father wasn't crazy...? What if these whispers meant something? Whatever they were saying, she couldn't make it out.. but they seemed very vocal in this place.

"Domina!" He growled, growing impatient the longer she stood there staring. Her narrow head snapped toward him, her lithe frame nearly jumping forward as she obediently complied. Whatever he was on to, she wanted to know. Suddenly, she was inspired by all the stories he'd told her. She had to see this out, had to see what her father was trying to show her. Maybe she hadn't lost him, maybe they really were... legends. She ran forward to walk beside him, setting aside her skepticism as her heart raced in synchronization with Elias' own. Together they climbed in between the flowing rivers of lava, even as the air burned their eyes, nose, and lungs.. they kept going.

Her little veins were swollen with adrenaline now too as fear started to grow within her heart the nearer they came to the volcano's crown. She remembered what her father said... don't be scared. She was fearless, she was a Praetor. A descendant of the demon Apollyon, of the first wolf. She had nothing to fear. She watched her father's steps carefully, following his lead perfectly to ensure she didn't slip and ruin this whole thing. The climb was tough on her young legs, but traveling way past the point of exhaustion had become something both of them had become used to. They reached the top and Elias turned to look to Domina. She met his gaze with wide, fiery eyes that were eager to discover what they were getting into up here on Mount Volkan.

"Do you feel their souls?" Elias whispered.

Domina lowered her ears, her eyes narrowing as skepticism returned to her naturally. She'd been so used to fighting the insanity he was trying to infect her with that she couldn't help it, it was reactionary. She waited a moment and took in a deep breath, the smell of sulfur making her light-headed once again.. her features softened. She wasn't sure what she felt, but.. it was something.

She nodded.

Elias was surprised, to say the least... though it made sense that she had come to this clarity at this moment. It had to be the work of the Ruina demons, she was so close to them now they were already digging their claws into her mind and preparing to claim what was rightfully theirs.

"They are proud. To be laid to rest here, of all places, is a great honor for Ruina souls. The fire within this mountain is the fire of Apollyon, to be returned to it is to be returned to him. These souls run with Ruina for eternity, as the strongest entity of strength there is. Who wouldn't be proud of that?" Another rumble shook the earth strong enough to cause Domina to grip the ground with her toes and bend at her knees, trying to anchor herself. Suddenly, she was much more afraid. Her father's words mixed with the uncertainty of her grounding.. she wanted to leave. He was starting to sound crazy again...

"Stop, child. Stand up straight. This... is... an... honor." His eyes narrowed as he barked his words, his entire snout rippling into a snarl in an instant. The fur of his mantle came to life like wings reaching for the heavens while his heart soared in this moment. This was no ordinary sacrifice. This was a sacrifice of his own blood, of Apollyon's own blood. Of a defiant brat who didn't deserve that blood, who needed to be reclaimed. This would surely gain the attention of the demons, this.. would bring the Demon Mother back... wouldn't it?

"W-what?" Her eyes pleaded as they looked up to him, then quickly flickered back to the burning sight of the core of the mountain. It was so bright it hurt to stare at it directly, but she had to.. they were far too close to that heat. She could feel her pawpads burning, she could feel the earth threatening to crumble beneath her. Everything within her was telling her to run, but she was holding on the hope that there was something here she needed to learn, something here that would solve the mystery that was her father and restore her faith in him. His words were barely making sense to her, but perhaps... they soon would. She felt so close to the truth she could taste it.

Her world slowed as she watched her father's muscles spring to life, his titanic frame lunging toward her as his jowls swung open.. strings of saliva glistening with apparent embers as they reflected the fiery glow that surrounded them. Suddenly, she understood what he was trying to show her. Suddenly, her heart and her eyes wanted to burst as she realized what he was meaning to do. He was intending on 'laying her to rest' here before she was even dead. She was so afraid, so mad at herself for letting her hope put her in this position. She knew better than this. She didn't know when she started screaming, but scream came so thick and strong that it burned her throat. Her legs kicked against the ground and she lost her footing, her fragile body beginning to tumble back down the mountain.

Elias' jowls snapped shut on the skin of the right side of her neck before she fell out of reach. His own body slid a few inches while his talons created vales to keep him upright. The danger only seemed to fuel him as he finally found stability again. The strength of the muscles in his neck and back lifted the light girl quite easily in his adrenaline-fueled frenzy, in moments he returned them to the rim of the volcano. She kicked at his chest so hard it triggered his instincts to act much faster than he had initially intended, he had wanted to do this slow.. do this right... but there was something instinctual that overcame him with that kick. Her scream rang across the mountains only for a split second longer as he tossed her violently down against the rocks beneath them, her scream turning into a painful whimper. He threw her against it so hard it winded her, fracturing her ribs and her skull instantaneously though she was not dead quite yet.

The memories of Elias' parents' funeral flooded his mind as his teeth sank deeper into her skin and then pulled apart flesh and arteries. As he swallowed her flesh in reality, he swallowed the flesh of his parents' in his memories. It was formal to do so, it was the only way to send off a Praetor... and it is the least he could do considering her sacrifice. She would live on, through him, and through his eyes guided by the Ruina demons... she would finally understand everything he was trying to teach her, everything she had been so persistent about defying.

The pain of being eaten alive sent Domina into shock, but she felt every second of it up until there was no more blood left in her veins to fuel her brain enough to stay alive. Minutes went by before she found peace, but eventually.. she did.

Elias picked out her jugular first to make the death quick, then moved to the side of her chest to pull back her tiny ribs. He dug until he found her heart and pulled it from her, devouring it as means to always keep it with him. She was dead not long after that, though he went next to pluck her glossy, still open eyes from her skull in an attempt to always let her watch on through him. Once he was satisfied with what he had chosen to take with him in this life, he looked down upon her mutilated and still-bleeding corpse in admiration. He would give her to Apollyon, undoubtedly, but something about her peacefulness in death kept him stuck in this moment. Some part of him screamed through his madness, sobbed for the loss of his child.. but it was so estranged from who he was, he barely knew how to recognize the feeling of guilt. This left him.. eerily still, barely breathing.. disconnected from everything else in this world other than the two of them and the mountain.

speech Thought

Tyranis charged up the flaming mountain, sulfur and sheer unbearable heat assaulting his senses as he drew closer to the gaping peak. The scent he had caught on the wind was unmistakable, and with it came the metallic tinge of blood, his father was here and he had killed another wolf, a young one judging from the shrill scream that had preluded his charge up the sheer rock face. Mt. Vulcan, once a place he had looked at with such pride as his rightful home was now dark and foreboding; tresses of smoke and ash fell from a black sky and faint glittering sparks of embers rode the wind to shower down over him.

Above his head, glossy black feathers peaked through breaks in the miasma of ash to show his winged companion harbingering the way to the horrific sight awaiting them at the mountain top. As he drew closer he could hear the smacking of someone’s lips as they gorged themselves, but Tyranis knew far better than to expect a dead goat at his fathers paws when he came closer. Elias was a silhouette against the hellish glow of the vulcan’s maw his huddled form moving in jittering sporadic motions that reminded Ty of an insect overcome with parasites to the point that it had been left an empty husk.

“Father.” He greeted quietly, his head lowered to hide his throat as his golden eyes pieced together what had happened. He had killed one of his own children, but it was one he hadn’t known or met, what remained of the body reminded him vaguely of Dominus, but the lack of testicles neither shorn away or visible determined that the young pup, nearly a year old, had been a female. He recognized the ministrations as that of a Praetor funeral, as had been described to him by his father, but the scream and sheer quantity of blood had told him the girl had been nowhere close to death when he began this rite.

He stepped sideways to broadside his father, blood and offal caked on his muzzle as his irregular eyes stared into something the male was no longer sure existed. At once he understood that this was something he had intended to do for his own son, but his pride refused to let him be disgusted in himself. Rain had been of little consequence, he would never deserve to live on through his father and grandfather, they would provide no strength to anyone who ate of his body, or worse they would only become weaker for it. The girl however had been innocent as far as he had known, born of Elias’s own seed from his chosen mate, she didn’t deserve to die so horribly, even if it meant she would live on through him. He understood with great certainty in that moment that soon both she and his father would live through him.

Ace had been running behind Tyranis, their earlier confrontation forgotten for the moment. He followed the trail up the mountainside, taking it in great leaps and bounds. His heart hammered against his chest, fear gripping him at the thought of what he might find. His mind kept turning with thoughts of Actaea, fearing that she had fallen victim to some horrible thing on the mountain. He hoped she had been smart enough to avoid the mountain, knowing it was incredibly dangerous with the packs of coyotes and the burning lava that lied within. The smell of sulfur and ash burned his nostrils and stung his eyes, but he pressed on regardless. He moved faster than he thought himself possible, but he needed to get to the top as quickly as possible. Actaea and Ignis were the two most important beings in his life right now, and he would do whatever it took to protect them. Even if it meant losing his own life to save theirs. The smell of blood mixed with the smell of ash and sulfur and fire made his head reel. It was a sickening stench, and although Ace had a strong stomach, the smell that steadily drew closer made him nearly want to vomit. Even so, he pressed on until he reached the top. What he saw upon arrival stopped him in his tracks. Standing up ahead was the last wolf he expected to see. Elias. Crimson gaze stared past Tyranis, locking on Elias for the longest time. He noticed the blood and gore on Elias' muzzle, his chest, his fur...and then Ace's gaze slowly drew downward. He felt his heart stop when he spotted the body. And for a moment, he wasn't sure who it was. But then he recognized it. Domina! His mind screamed. He took in the gory sight of the remains. His niece, torn and massacred. Her chest was peeled back, her body twisted in agony. Her eyes...gone. Ace couldn't stop looking at her. His body had stiffened, unable to breathe as he stared at her lifeless form. And then as if he was brought back to life, crimson gaze full of rage locked on Elias like the venomous orbs of a rattlesnake. "Eliiaaasss!" He roared. Ace bared his teeth, his rage forming so fast that it was reminiscent of the very volcano that they stood on, ready to erupt. "What. Did. You. Do!?" He hissed. He knew what had happened. He could see Elias' mismatched gaze. The gore on him. He had killed Domina. And for what reason, Ace didn't know yet. His gaze briefly found Tyranis before returning to Elias again. "This is the creature you look up to, Tyranis? This...murderer!?" Ace remained rooted to the spot, though already his hackles rose and the beginnings of a snarl were forming as his lips peeled back to bare his fangs. Elias would not walk away unscathed today. "Speak"

That thick red muscle of his tongue pulled away the blood from his scarred maw as his ears tuned themselves to the sound of the approaching wolves. His red eyes gleamed as he took in the sight of his only successful son and his always strong brother. He was pleased to see them together despite his absence, though he knew all too well the anger that he should expect to come from his hot-headed brother for disappearing again. He would not ever blame him for that anger, either.. he knew what it felt, as he had been just as angry when Acere abandoned their first home in the jungle after everything that they'd gone through and left him to deal with that alone.

The past was supposed to be behind them, the Praetors were supposed to stand united.. and yet.. something within Elias failed to be able to keep to those commitments. He blamed the absence of Zuriel, but.. this was common behavior of the elusive Apollyon.

Black lips were covered in pink froth from his meal, though he smiled anyway as Tyranis stood before him. Despite his madness, he was happy to see him. Acere roared and Elias' smile disappeared in an instant, his ears rising on his head as his mantle prickled to life around his shoulders. Pride summoned anger within him as his brother questioned him, questioned his motives and even declared him a murderer. He couldn't deny that he was, but.. in his own mind, this was not a murder but a reclaim.

"It is Autumn, brother. The season of reaping, of Servus Menti. Have you forgotten what we owe?" His square muzzle tilted, eyes reflective of the embers around them as he motioned toward the volcano.

"They haven't." One heavy paw slammed down on the body of Domina without any mercy, talons gripping into her fur before he pulled her toward him with enough momentum to send falling into the core of the volcano. He didn't care if this issued an attack from his brother, he would complete this task before Acere managed to close the distance between them and stop him.

"Domina was unruly, she would not listen. It is unfortunate, but her soul belongs to him whether she obeys or not. It had to be reclaimed. There is no murder to be had, she rests honorably with Ruina now... just as we will..." he hissed his truth to Acere through tense jaws ready to defend what he believed in. His stature lowered now as he readied himself for the attack of his brother, head lowering as his eyes narrowed while he stepped away from the edge of the volcano again. Streams were pouring down the mountainside around them, making Acere and Tyranis a blockade preventing the demon from leaving.

The King’s heart broke as his father looked at him and smiled. His own expression had become unreadable, weighing what he believed about his father against the reality before him. He reminded himself yet again that he had intended this fate for Rain and as Elias exposed his reasoning for killing the girl the first prickle of true shame began to ebb at his heart. Reluctantly he turned his attention on his uncle. “Will you kill him then? Kill him for being a murderer?” He asked, his tone almost challenging. Acere’s accusation of his betrayal still roiled in him and as horrified as he was by his father’s actions, he just wanted Acere to be wrong. “He is my father. The only true father I’ve ever known, the father I knew I always belonged to.” He said, raising his head in a display of confidence as he spoke the absolute truth of his feelings toward Elias. “The demons knew I was destined for greatness, they brought him to my mother. For all I know they’re what chased Bass away in the first place." He took a step closer to his father then halted. He returned his attention to Acere, unwisely turning his eyes away from Elias, sure that his father would never hurt him. “Do I look up to him? I looked up to him before I even knew he existed. the truth is, who would I be if I didn’t?” Speech, Thought, You

He could not just remain huddled in the cave any longer, he had to get out and find his sister. Worry gripped his lungs and kept him winded as he ran, but still, he did.. skinny legs working themselves as hard as possible to carry him to the top of the volcano. Lava already flowed completely down the sides of the mountain, igniting flames in the small amount of foliage below but he managed to safely navigate through them.

He was surprised to see the body of three large wolves awaiting him at the top, and he recognized them almost immediately. It was his brother, Tyranis, and his uncle, Acere. His heart soared with the sight of them and he took a moment to release a sigh of relief, but.. he could smell blood in the air. Domina's blood. His blue eyes were wide and panicked as he noticed the lifeless form at Elias' paws, mutilated and hardly recognizable. His heart sunk as he realized it was his beloved twin, but he was only able to look at her for a few seconds longer before Elias dragged her into the pit of the volcano.

His muscles shook, but he did not scream and he did not cry. He could feel his hackles rising as his skin prickled, his mind becoming quite foggy and his world faded. His father spoke about demons, and he could feel one swimming in the air around his neck and threatening to choke him. The more he focused on it, the more of a reality it became. Scales conjured out of thin air one by one, building a massive snake that seemed intent on coiling around the boy's thin neck. He lifted his head, higher and higher as his jaw tensed and made room for the phantom snake that seemed to be keeping him collected.

'Shh, Dominus.' It hissed into his right ear, causing it to flick toward the sound. He closed his eyes, the image of his sister's eyeless body fresh in his memory. He wanted to scream, though no sound came out as again the snake hissed in his ear, the sound oddly soothing. The wave of pain and grief that was threatening to overcome him seemed to fade the more he felt the snake push through his fur, and in moments the boy was calm.

'Get out of here, quick. Before he sees you. He is lost, Apollyon will find him... but that fate is not meant for you yet. Run.' His two-toned, blue eyes shot open as the snake let go of its grip on his throat. He gasped for air for the moment just long enough to see Tyranis stand beside his father. His ears shot back, a great portion of him severely confused as to what was happening.. but he didn't take a chance on sticking around to find out. He needed to escape his father, that was all he knew before he suffered the same fate as Domina. His eyes looked for Acere and silently he prayed that his uncle would do something to make Elias pay for what he had done to Domina. Acere was the only one who could now.. and he seemed angry enough that the boy was hopeful, but Dominus could not stay and watch.

As quickly as he came, the boy left. Hopefully, without being detected.

Eyes remained locked on what used to be his brother. Could he even keep calling him that anymore? Ace's feelings had been ever changing over the course of the last few minutes. He was horrified at first. Then it turned into rage and anger, and now he felt an icy calm settle over him. "It is Autumn, brother. The season of reaping, of Servus Menti. Have you forgotten what we owe?" He hadn't forgotten the yearly reaping...but...it wasn't a tradition he chose to follow anymore. The moment he fled his birth pack, Ace had abandoned the demonic religion. The woman he had loved at the time helped him realize that they were evil, and he had learned to actually love, and to know what love actually felt like. No longer would he be bonded to those that betrayed their own. "They haven't." Eyes lingered on the form of his niece before Elias so cruelly dragged her into the pit. Still, he stood there. A statue against the fiery glow around them.

So many thoughts rolled around in his head. Years of fighting with himself over what he should really believe in, what was wrong or right...You know who you are, my love... Head shifted with smallest of movements, eyes widening slightly. "W-Winter?" He breathed to himself. He swallowed past the lump that threatened to choke him, the beginning of tears threatening to well up and spill. He hadn't heard her voice since...

Tyranis' voice broke his thoughts, his gaze falling on his nephew as he spoke. “Will you kill him then? Kill him for being a murderer?” He detected a hint of challenge in the boys voice, his own eyes narrowing on his nephew. Yet he remained silent until all was said and done. “He is my father. The only true father I’ve ever known, the father I knew I always belonged to.” His lip curled, baring a fang at the words. "And he was my brother. Do you not see what he has become? Are you blind and deaf?" His gaze fixed itself on Elias then.

"He's obviously had you wrapped around his paw..." Elias had obviously gotten a hold of Tyranis. And it led him to wonder...who else? "The demons do not guide your path! You do!" He turned his gaze sharply upon Ty, "If you believe the demons have been guiding you, then I imagine you are okay with the fact they must have led your father to rape your mother? Then you say it's all justified for him to have raped not only her, but Zuriel and Aures and who the fuck knows how many others!?" He roared, teeth flashing as his hackles rose. "I've known you far longer than your father, before he even knew you existed! When you rose Dauntless, I was proud of you Tyranis. Proud of you for who you were, who I knew you could be." Eyes narrowed, "And now...now you're becoming nothing more than a monster. You'll use fear and power to force others to submit, but I'll tell you this...that will be the very thing to destroy you. Just like it will destroy him.

He returned his attention to Elias, his gaze burning into Elias' own. "Truth is, Elias. I abandoned the Apollyon the moment our birth pack did what they did. The moment I was forced to leave. I know you were alone there, but what they did wasn't right. And you knew that just as well as I did." The memories of what had happened flashed through his mind, "When you came back and started Ruina, I followed you because I missed you. After all those years, I just wanted my brother back! Even after you admitted to hurting others, the mothers of your pups, I was willing to forgive you. But..." His gaze slid to the ground where Domina's blood pooled. "I can not forgive you for abandoning us. For leaving your youngest son and daughter to die on that mountain. You left Actaea to the coyotes, and had I not arrived in time, she would have been dead." He hissed, eyes blazing as they snapped back to bury themselves into Elias' own stare.

"To your question, Elias. I owe the demons nothing. I abandoned them just as they and you abandoned me." And to Tyranis he said, "Whether I kill him or not is on my shoulders alone. Should you choose to interfere when that time comes, then you will meet the same fate." It was a threat, yes. And he hoped Tyranis wouldn't tempt the fates, else he could potentially lose everything. "Elias...you are not who I thought you were. You are not what I thought you would, or could become. You..." He took a deep, shaky breath. Already, despite what he was feeling, he could feel his heart breaking. "You are no longer my brother, but my enemy."

 speech Thought Quote

Flames ignited the grass surrounding the volcanic plateau as the lava reached the base of it while magma radiating within the core kept the ash-filled sky illuminated with a glow so bright it burned the red eyes of the demon. Optics flashed in the light of the floating embers as he looked over the face of Tyranis just before the bastard son turned his back to him and faced Acere. As Tyranis proclaimed his allegiance to Elias and questioned Acere, Elias' own stare found the cold face of his brother while he too anticipated an answer.

He could feel blood boiling as Acere seemed to numb himself to both their speeches, he could see the hatred behind his brother's mirroring red stare. Elias' black lips quivered as the upper raised, still bloody teeth peeking from under their veil as his marred muzzle contorted from his brother's spoken blasphemy that spurned chaotic anger within him. There were points in his brother's speech that caused the beast within him to roar in outrage, though Elias kept it at a dull growl resonating within his behemoth chest and bubbling up his blood-coated throat so that he could still hear every sacrilegious word that Acere spat.

Every vein in the beast's body was threatening to burst from the surge of adrenaline coursing through them, every push from his heart breeding an absolute state of fury that he was forced to keep contained until Acere was finished. As most knew about the demon by now... this was no easy task for Elias to accomplish, but he managed. The words of his brother were racing through his mind in echos, intermixed with the sound of the Ruina's ancestors hissing and roaring in his ears in a paroxysm of rage. The short fur on the demon's forelimbs did nothing to hide the way his veins were now rising under his skin, how his muscles were twitching under the held back urge to end his heinous hate speech short.

Finally, as Acere's manifesto stopped, it came with the declaration of their rivalry and summoned a wicked smile from the demon. His marred muzzle split, thick teeth framed in pink saliva broke apart from one another as laughter ripped through the air due to the sheer irony that his brother now stood as his opponent. They had once been inseparable under the reign of their father, always getting into trouble wandering past the territory borders. It was their recklessness that had led to the death of their father on the night that the then Apollyon met his fate, and that was the truth. That was why the obedience of his children was so important. He would not allow them to make the same mistakes, to cost any more of Ruina's souls to be taken from them before the prime of their strength. His laughter ceased in a sudden notion, replaced by an enraged growl summoned from the absolute pits of Hell.

"The demons of Ruina come with wisdom that acts beyond what the common wolf might believe is wrong or right. I hated them for so long for what they made me do to Storm Wreckage and the others, but I now know why they did it; I am now proud to have fulfilled their demands. What they desired effected history. They knew that the blood of a Wreckage blended with the blood of the Apollyon would create something absolutely legendary." His eyes flashed to Tyranis for just a moment, features calm for just a second before he returned his stare to Acere and moved to step past his son. His head lowered as his shoulders rolled forward, locking his spine into alignment with each other as he readied himself for history to be made once again. Passion animated his features as he took up his defenses, hackles prickling through the ash that dusted his mantle. Talons and toes clenched against the rocks beneath him as his stance squared, weight redistributing to balance out across his gigantic form. His barreled core was kept low, knees bent as the demon slowly crawled toward what he had to reclaim.

"I did not leave any of the imps behind, I left them with you. It's too late now to admit how misplaced my faith in you was... Ruina has been permanently damaged from both of our carelessness. I left to reclaim the Demon Mother, how bold of you to deny all responsibility as my brother, as a Praetor, to continue leading fellowship under the Apollyon." His teeth clicked with his syllables now as his muscles in his jaw tensed, chin tucking downward while those mismatched pupils became half-veiled beneath the muscle forcing them to narrow. Elias looked down the mountainside at his brother in pure disappointment and obsessive hatred. He never thought of this being a battle he would have to fight, but he was beyond any feelings of hesitation.

"You can not abandon the Apollyon, Ace. You are foolish to believe that the blood you are born of is escapable." His energy was growing as his voice left him in an utter roar; blood, and saliva splattering across the ground in front of him as it escaped the chasm of his teeth. For a moment, his one enlarged pupil started to shrink back down to match the size of his other as the wolf simply stared hard into the pale face of his delirious brother. For a moment, the sadness harbored from all of his years of torment during their youth flickered behind the gloss of those rubies. He spent years in solitude trying to escape them. He fought Dae for them, freed their siblings for them... alongside Ace. Those dreams of escaping Ruina were dead, and the claws of their ancestors dug deep into his spine and skull to control him as their possessed marionette. His pupil returned to its enlarged size as another rumble shook the ground beneath them and spit lava from the volcano's core and forced him to narrow his eyes again; it was time.

Another lost soul needed to be found. Elias would not let him fall away from the grace of Ruina completely, even if Acere did not understand... Elias loved him.. and would preserve his soul under the name of Apollyon so that they may continue to run together... eternally. Failure was not an option.

"Do not interfere, Tyranis... this must be done." His voice was hushed, though his stature solid and unbreaking as those words carried only far enough to reach Tyranis. He hoped his son would heed his warning and stay out of crossfire, as Tyranis was his legacy now.

A ROAR bellowed forth from the demon as he made his descent down the mountain, closing the distance of eleven feet between them in just mere seconds. Rocks were sent rolling down the mountainside as his weight forced them out of the demon's way, claws still splayed and clinging to every curve in the treacherous terrain with a relentlessness that kept him perfectly balanced as he pushed for head-to-head proximity.

Fury fueled the strength gathering in his hind-quarters as his weight made its preparation for the collision that was expected to come, power accumulated there as his muscles pulled to make up for the roll of his left shoulder-blade moving forward and slightly outright away from his body so the bulk of his shoulder jutted out in front of him as much as possible, making a blunt head to the battering ram that was Elias' well-muscled body. His skull turned slightly to the right as he drew near in defense, ears pinning against his head as he focused on keeping as much momentum as possible.

Ace was a couple inches taller than Elias, but with the slope of the mountain, Elias aimed his shoulder to violently ram into the soft, upper and central part of his brother's broad chest; Elias' lungs exhaled and his jaws parted for the release of air, hoping to accomidate the force of the impact just as the titans collided. With the force of his body weight being thrown into the collision, Elias hoped that his power would slam into Acere's wind-pipe at the peak of his chest and completely wind Acere under Elias' raw, crushing force. Whether or not he managed to land his target of Acere's wind-pipe, Elias vigorously aimed to apply enough strength into their collision to leave moderate to severe bruising where his mark landed on the center, upper part of Ace's chest.

Simultaneously as Elias made body contact with his brother, his skull would motion slightly back to the left and upward; jaws hung agape as his neck outstretched to bring his wide skull over Acere's right shoulder. The muscles beneath the facial scars along Elias' muzzle rippled as they bunched together, his upper lip lifting to expose precious teeth and gums while his tongue defensively coiled back and out of the way. Elias would aim to sink his top fangs into the tender flesh just behind Acere's shoulderblade and viciously slide them to the right once making contact, hoping to cause severe lacerations deep enough to shred through necessary tendons needed to apply Acere's heavy weight on that leg without hindrance.

Once Elias' top fangs finish their tear through flesh and fur along the outline of Acere's shoulderblade by four inches, just reaching the area where Acere's shoulderblade would end and his flesh would smooth into that of his side, Elias' bottom jaw would swing shut to reunite all four fangs together once again. He aimed to have Acere's flesh pinched between all four fangs by a good portion, applying severe lacerations from each and creating a good handle for Elias' to keep a tight hold of and prevent Ace from moving away from him. The weight in Elias' hind-quarters would pull to his right as his muscles now focused on the back of Elias' neck and shoulders, redirecting his strength to secure his hold now that their collision had been made. Elias' paws still remained splayed, placed just a couple inches out from each point created by his hips and shoulders for balance.

Elias VS Acere for MAIM

(partial blinding and facial disfiguration)
Height: 42 inches
Build: Medium
Round: 1/3

Note; Distance between them, how many rounds, and the nature of the maim have all been discussed and agreed upon via discord dms.

"Proud to be a rapist...a degenerate...you've fallen further than I'd hoped..." He hissed back. Whatever Elias thought he did right, had been completely wrong in Ace's mind. His brother had hurt them. And probably countless others. And when he claimed to have left his children behind in his care, he scoffed and rolled his eyes, teeth mockingly bared at Elias. "You left them behind without a word. Disbanded the pack without a word. You spill false truths trying to save your ass! Do you have any idea how scared Actaea was before I returned to find her nearly falling prey to coyotes!? You left her behind to die! You left us wondering what the fuck happened! All without a word to anyone! Your lies and deceit has gone too far, and yet you still try to justify your actions, no matter how wrong they were. "

"And now you killed Domina for being a child...hardly a real or good enough reason to have murdered her in cold blood. She didn't even get the chance to experience life! She didn't get the chance to live!" His body shook as he looked to the pool of blood where Domina once laid. "She will never know peace thanks to you." Crimson gaze flashed back to Elias, unhidden rage and anger and pain in his eyes. He ignored Elias' attempt at telling him he couldn't escape the Apollyon was met with a deep, guttural growl. "They abandoned me far before I abandoned them. Just as you abandoned me. Abandoned your children. Your pack. You threw everything away because of your own pride while using the excuse of your demons. I tried to believe, but you all made it too hard with all the justification of your actions. Trying to force me to rape my sister!? And if I'm the only one who believes that was all wrong, then so be it."

It was time to take action. He knew his words were falling on deaf ears but he needed to get it out.

He gathered himself, physically, mentally, and emotionally as he prepared for a fight. Elias would succumb to justice for his actions today, and Ace would make sure of that. He lowered his head over his throat, tail flagging out to align with head and spine. Eyes narrowed into crimson slits, lips lifting to expose stained teeth, the skin around his face scrunching up to further protect his visage. Hackles rose and shoulders rolled forward to protect each side of his throat and pull forth his scruff. Ears pinned to his crown and legs spread equidistant apart, toes spread for traction and claws biting the earth.

He was ready.

Ace mimicked his brother, jaws parting to release his own powerful roar. As soon as Elias burst forward, Ace did too. Powerful legs launched him up the terrain like a locomotive, every fiber of his being filled with rage as he sought to meet his brother head on. Although Elias had the advantage of higher ground, Ace had his own advantages, too. Muscles worked to bring him closer, body movement fluid as he climbed upward. His eyes never left Elias' own as they charged towards one another.

The distance between them was closing, and when the moment of impact was nearly upon them, Ace lifted himself up. Hind legs spread apart to take his weight and balance him, tail flagged out to act as a rudder to help him better his balance. He threw the entirety of his chest forward and upward in an attempt to bash it against the bottom-center portion of Elias' throat just above the upper part of his brother's chest in an effort to bruise him as much as possible and hopefully shove him back. The moment of his brother's impact on him jarred the alabaster male, causing teeth to bare with grit. A severe bruise would likely form there later, but adrenaline would soon course through him to keep him from feeling it now.

He sought to throw his forelegs around Elias' neck with his left foreleg seeking to rest on Elias' right shoulder and his right foreleg seeking to rest on Elias' left shoulder. He sought to get his brother in a bear hug, to keep him close and minimize his movements. As he did this, Elias' left shoulder collided into the bottom-center of his chest, the alabaster titan exhaling just in time to keep himself from being winded. A moderate bruise formed there, pulsing for a moment before the stream of adrenaline coursing through him blocked it out completely.

As Elias lunged forward to bite at his right shoulder, Ace was quick to take his chance. The moment Ace felt Elias' teeth touch his skin, he didn't allow his brother to gain more than a couple of inches across the shoulder (moderate lacerations) before his own jaws gaped open as wide as possible, gleaming and frothing fangs glinting with the light of the nearby volcano. A fierce and guttural roar escaped him as his jaws widely parted, the titan tilting his muzzle to the right and slightly downward, aiming directly for Elias' head. The alabaster beast lunged, fangs aiming to close over Elias' face. Upper fangs sought to pierce Elias' left eye (his left fang aiming for the eye socket) while his bottom fangs sought to score just beneath the right eyelid. Teeth aimed to slide across Elias' face, to close in a vice-like grip in an effort to stop Elias' attack [counter to most of the shoulder bite].

Elias would know pain today. He would suffer for his actions. Ace would ensure that Elias would never do this again...and if he did? Well...Ace would keep making him pay until his last breath.

Acere VS Elias for MAIM [Partial blinding in left eye & Facial disfiguration]
Round: 1/3
Height: 45"
Build: Heavy

 speech Thought Quote

And the winner is...

ACERE! Due to Elias not posting in the allotted time the fight has been defaulted in Acere's favor. Elias must now give up by either submitting, fleeing or passing out. Acere's attempt to blind Elias' left eye and disfigure his face were successful.

His attack had been successful. He felt his fang puncture Elias' eye, a sickening 'pop' sounding in his ears through the din of snarling. His fangs slid across Elias' face with ease, drawing blood as his former brother's skin was cut open. He had managed to get his brother in a tight bear hug, and all too quickly he used his weight and his force to throw Elias into the ground. He brought his left forearm over to the same side as his right forearm, practically throwing his brother into the ground. While he hadn't thought to do this motion, it had come without thought. Before he knew it, he had shoved Elias' face into the streaming lava, a horrible hiss sounding as his brother's face burned.

Ace composed himself, bringing all four limbs back to the ground as he stood there, watching for a moment. Part of him hurt. His heart aching with what he'd just done, but the other part remembered that this is what Elias deserved. "Part of your debt has been paid. But you will owe more." He hissed. He turned to leave, but not before turning to Tyranis first. "Should you ally yourself with him, you'll meet the same fate." It wasn't a warning, but the truth. Crimson gaze flashed to Elias for a quick moment, then he turned his back on them and started to make his way back down the mountain. He needed to return to Abaven. To process what had happened and think about telling Actaea and Ignis. They deserved to know about their sister. What Elias had done. How much of a monster their father truly was...

He made a silent vow to himself that he would make Elias pay the rest of his debt, and all those who stood by him. That was a promise.

-Exit-

speech Thought Quote

speech Thought

He waited for his mad dog of an uncle to leave then strode toward his wounded father to clean his wounds. “He makes vows so blithely, and yet he doesn’t see what he in turn owes.” Tyranis said in an attempt to comfort the bear king. “He makes promises to make you pay, but doubts the might of the demons and their will.” He added with a touch of a snarl on his voice. "Don't heed the threats of a bold ram like him, should he brandish horns at us again we will break them from his skull and tear out his throat." Bloodlust had crept into his tone, the thick guard hairs on his hackles raising at the promise of justice and bloodshed.

“Father…Join my pack, teach my people the ways of the demons, and we will see to it that the traitor pays for all that he has done.” He left the offer between them, but had little doubt his father would agree to it. He was a king in his own right and Tyranis would need his strength as the tide of an inevitable battle began to form against them.