Two tarnished women in such a short amount of time, back to back like an orange and mottled sandwich. It was like a gift. A boon. A thank you for all of the hard work that he'd done throughout his long life. If the gods weren't on his side, then why did they give him such wonderous things? Surely he was being rewarded for his service. There really was no other explanation. Luck had always been on his side. Uncannily so. When he searched for something or someone, he found it. When he wanted something or someone, there it was.

After watching the mottled woman stumble off, no doubt sore from the thorough working over he'd given her, Oxx packed up his meager belongings and sauntered off to the next place. Yes, he stayed within Auster's limits, but he rarely stayed at the scene of the crime. The cave would have made a nice little hidey hole though. Maybe next time he'd spend a day or two at the bottom of the canyon.

As the speckle striped behemoth sashayed towards the volcano, he hummed a little tune. The day couldn't possibly get any better. Especially since night was now taking over the land. The big bastard scouted out a suitable spot to spent the night. He was fairly carefree, but he wasn't stupid. His resting place had to be ideal. Easily defensible while allowing him to see all that came his way. So, after meandering around the base of the volcano, he chose the perfect spot. High up on the stone wall was a lip of stone. It would take some maneuvering on his part, but it would be quite the ideal resting place.

Before Oxx made his way up the mountainside, he started a little fire right below it. The heat would drift upwards as heat did, but it would also cast light over the barren ground in a wide enough arc that he'd be able to see anything coming his way. He'd been doing this long enough that such practices were the norm. Once the fire burned happily, casting dark, dancing shadows as it flickered upon the sharp crags of stone, Oxx began picking his way up to the wide shelf of stone. It was slow going, tedious work, but it was worth it. In time, the giant brute was settled down upon the shelf fifteen or so feet off of the ground.

With a happy little sigh, Oxx pulled the grey and white mottled tail of his brother out of the rolled up fur that he'd brought with him and tossed it back and forth between his paws for a moment. He generally used it for a pillow and would do so when he was ready to sleep. The stone was warm, most likely from the magma nestled deep inside the mountain. He quite enjoyed the sensation. Every now and again the earth would give a little rumble as if some great, giant wolf was growling in its sleep. The imagery brought a chuckle to the big man and he rolled to lay upon his back, the tail still grasped between his paws. The night was moonless, but that didn't matter. The fire below cast enough light to see by. With a sigh of content, Oxx gave a little wiggle on the spread out pelt and closed his dark eyes, a little smile tugging at the corners of his maw. He was pleased as punch.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

They had picked up traces of his scent in the Bent Canyon. Working backwards with their combined intel from Syanna and Dalila, the posse of four furious warriors tracked the perpetrator of the violent crimes enacted on the two women like they were hunting prey. They moved south across the open plains, cloaked in fading twilight that soon gave way to the black of night. With a new moon darkening the sky, only the faint silvery starlight guided them in search of their target. With every step, the scent trail they followed grew fresher and fresher. It was enough to get Artorias' heart thumping with eager anxiousness. He was careful to guard himself though, measuring every step, every decision. The last time he had gone charging into a fight with Oxx, his emotions had gotten the better of him, and it had resulted in his savaging and near death. He had been younger then, much more inexperienced and idealistic. The modern day Artorias was pragmatic, levelheaded, and patient. He calculated every possible plan and outcome, patiently analyzing his surroundings and the information he gathered from the wind, the earth, everything that led him closer and closer to Oxx. There would be no failing this time.

Unlike previously, Artorias had foregone the use of his armor for the chase. Last time, the sound of his armor had given away his location and inhibited his movement, preventing him from matching up with his then larger brother. Now they would stand toe to toe in terms of size, and though he had given up the protection of his cuirass, the element of stealth and agility he'd gained for it would more than compensate this time around. Artorias kept his sword cinched tightly around him, so every step didn't make a sound. He moved in veritable silence, deft paws carrying him across the craggy earth towards the towering shadow of the ancient volcano with practiced ease, his skills in navigation and trekking paying off in dividends. He and Chimera took point, the veteran hunter guiding them with his keen skills. Behind him, he had Rudy and Ezra at his back. The last fight had been a one-on-one, and Artorias had stood no chance. This time, he would not make that same mistake. He'd fought Oxx with honor last time and he had lost. Thanks to the slate monster, he had learned a crucial lesson that day—honor meant nothing when war is unfair.

As they came to the base of the mountain, the glow of firelight began to spill into view. Artorias slowed his fait, raising a curious brow and turning a trepidatious look to the others. Coming just to the edge of the light, it was easy to see there was no one near the campfire. Artorias' nerves steeled and his stomach turned. This was a trap and an obvious one at that. Oxx would likely be watching from the shadows somewhere nearby, hoping to lure someone in with the fire like literal moths to a flame. Art silently raised a paw up to prevent anyone from venturing into the light. They still had the element of stealth and surprise as far as they knew. They just had to maintain it. "He's close. This is him, no doubt," Art whispered in low tones to his comrades, gesturing around the edges where shadow and light blended. "Let's fan out, see if we can sniff him out. Whatever you do, do not try to engage him on your own. Call for support. And stay the fuck out of the light."

Artorias glanced to Chimera and motioned with his head to the left around the perimeter of light. He and the other alpha would check one way, Rudy and Ezra could head the other. At some point, someone would find Oxx. Artorias began to prowl the edges of the light, his dark coat blending him in with the shadows while he scoured with burning ember-like eyes and sampled the air. He motioned for Chimera to spread outward a bit into the darkness, putting some space between the two brutes so they could cover more ground, but still be close enough to call to for support. Artorias wasn't going to let any of his wolves get caught alone and unawares by the predator they were after.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

He heard them long before he saw them. So used to the crackling fire, the steady click of claws on the stone all around was a dead giveaway. For one that was used to being pursued for his nefarious deeds, always being on alert had become a way of life. It was listen and watch or be caught. Oxx had entered into his seventh year. He'd been forced to flee when he was less than a year and was taken into his demon father's "care" months later. The slate and snow brute had been doing this for a long, long time. As a matter of fact, if you asked, he'd say that he was an expert on all things seedy and dark.

From where he lay, the firelight below would cast thick shadows on the stone shelf where he lay, along with the plethora of other stone shelves and outcroppings that littered the mountainside. He would be impossible to see as the light made the shadows deep and black as pitch. From his place, the giant bastard waited and watched. He clutched the grey and white tail in his paws and tried to fight a grin as he lay flat against the dark stone.

Dark eyes flitted from one side of the clearing to the next, watching for any sign of movement. Nothing... nothing... THERE. Oxx just barely caught a pair of ears moving to the left and a few more moving to the right. They were avoiding the light. Aww, boo. Well, if they didn't want the light, he'd be courteous and put it out for them. Creeping to the edge of the shelf, the giant lifted his leg and began to let off a steady stream of piss. The fire sizzled and hissed and gave a good try, but the piss combined with Oxx's skin of drinking water did the trick. The fire blinked out of existence, leaving only billowing smoke in its wake.

Oxx hefted a nice sized stone as there were many littered about. One big paw sent it flying far to his left. Ears perked and he heard it clatter loudly against the mountain. That would keep half of the force busy. He didn't know how many wolves were here, but he knew it was at least two. Maybe three. A second rock was thrown in the same direction, cracking against stone with a smash that was overly loud in the silence of the night. He hoped that whoever was hunting him was drawn out by the sound. The giant slid back into the shadows of the shelf, laying flat against the stone, and waited.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

As the hunting party crept around the edge of the firelight, Artorias heard the distinct sound of running liquid, smelled the acrid stench of wolf piss, followed by the hissing sizzle of fire being extinguished. He glanced up in time to see the general area where water was being dumped from just before the light of the fire died out, and then the world was shrouded in total darkness. The Aegis froze in his tracks, keen ears pricked and strained to pick up every little sound, insignificant or essential. Oxx knew they were here and he had leveled the playing field.

It didn't matter; Artorias had planned for his sadistic brother to have known they were coming for him the moment he left Syanna and Dalila alive. This only meant one thing: Artorias was outwitting him. In the silence of the night, Artorias watched and listened for anything that might clue him in to where the monster was hiding. A shift of a shadow, the scrape of a claw on stone, a scent on the breeze... What he got instead was a very loud and very obvious rock clattering off in the distance.

Artorias scowled; did Oxx think they were idiots? The sound was so far off that it was an obvious trap. Except when a second clatter came and Artorias suspected another diversion, he realized he had no way of communicating what he knew to the others without giving away his position to the enemy. He glanced back over his shoulder in worry. He couldn't see Chimera anymore, and he hadn't seen Rudyard or Ezra since they split up. He just prayed that they were all prudent enough to realize the trick themselves.

The young brute continued to prowl towards the cliff's edge in the dark, taking slow and measured steps to ensure he made as little sound as possible. Artorias moved up to the edge of the cliff and sidled up against it, keeping his ears up and swiveling about to catch every little sound he could. This game of cat and mouse was a matter of life and death. Someone would be dying tonight, and the Aegis would ensure that it would be the villain who did.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

Oxx watched as his sweet little brother crept along through the smoke. The black and blue brutes stench wafted up to him on the breeze so he knew that it was him. No matter how quietly one tried to move, it was difficult to avoid making any sound on suck rocky terrain. There were little pebbles everywhere and even the slightest brush made little scuffling sounds now that the fire was no longer crackling. The slate and snow giant enjoyed watching the show from his perch up above. Who would even think of coming up here? Was there even a reason to look up? From below, there was no path to get to Oxx's little shelf, but from above... Well, he'd had to do a bit of sliding to get there.

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Oxx watched and waited until his baby brother was just on the other side of the fire and he pounced. The hulking brute dropped from the ledge, landing flat on all fours. He used the downward momentum to bunch his muscles and spring forward, effectively mounting the black and blue brute. Serrated teeth quickly bit into the back of Artorias' neck, drawing blood and threatening to go deeper. Yes, he had noted the blade. It looked familiar, but he didn't care enough to remember why. One big claw hooked on the hilt and slid the sword agonizingly slow from its scabbard. He flung the sword away from them both, though it was still very much in sight.

"Round two?" He growled out, his mouth still very full of fur and flesh. Being the perverted monster that he was, Oxx could get quite aroused on command. The lecherous beast ground himself against the rump of the brute beneath him, a threat of what was to come. This was all so easy. Too easy. At least he'd get something good out of the deal. Oxx pulled on the mouthful of flesh, tasting blood in his maw. He stretched the younger wolf's neck back just to be an asshole. If Artorias tried to pull away, his ruff would be shredded. Much better for the little boy to play along.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

He'd heard the rocks clatter off in the distance but they were too obvious. Too blatant a ruse. Instead, Chimera followed the scent of the beast that he'd smelled on the ravaged form of his queen. Anger flared in the brutes soul and it took all of his strength to keep from snarling as he stalked the bastard. And stalk, he did. Chimera located the path that Oxx had taken up the side of the mountain, noting the scrapes and disturbances of a heavy body ascending. The two-toned giant moved along the edge of the mountain, charting the course that Oxx might have taken. That was when he heard the sound of a tussle and some grunting and growling. Big paws carried Chimera quickly over the rocky landscape as he made a beeline in the direction that Artorias had gone in. The brute ran quickly, curving around giant boulders until he came to the open space where the fire had once been. There, through the smoke of the extinguished fire, he saw a huge brute atop the back of Artorias and what he saw dangling between the brutes legs... well... He couldn't let that happen to his friend. Not like this. With a guttural snarl, Chimera launched forward, claws digging into the rocky ground as he sailed through the air towards the slate colored man. Oxx released his hold on Artorias for a second and that was enough. Chimera slammed hard into the side of the fiend, sending all three of them crashing to the ground. Rows of jagged teeth sank hard into the side of the slate brutes shoulder and, as they rolled to a stop, Chimera kept hold. The fucker wasn't getting away. He would pay for every transgression against Fenmyre and The Hallows and the currency would be blood, flesh and pain. The Fenmyrian King's head jerked back and forth, tearing great rends in flesh and muscle all the way down to the bone. Oxx wasn't getting anywhere fast. They could do this nice and slow. "Snarl"

There had been barely a moment after he made it back to the castle and reunited with Syanna before Artorias came to find him. He hadn't wanted to leave her so soon and gods knew he was exhausted from the weeks of searching, but the deep, boiling rage wasn't going to let him rest if that beast was still out there anyway so he pushed himself onward as he followed Artorias and Chimera into the night along with Rudyard, the four males following the information they had from his most recent victims and the scent trail they were able to find to start tracking him down. Three of the four of them were seasoned hunters so if there was even a whisper of that bastards scent on the ground they were sure to find it. Sure enough, they followed the trail up toward the volcanic lake, the warm, occasionally rumbling rock under paw. The adrenaline pumping through his veins kept his attention sharp and as they neared a campfire in the distance he stopped behind Artorias to get his direction. He nodded and gave a quiet tip of his head to Rudy for the two of them to go the opposite direction as Artorias and Chimera. He didn't necessarily like the idea of splitting up when he knew how dangerous this guy was, but he understood it was necessary to find him as quickly as possible.

He and Rudy moved silently around through the shadows, avoiding the light of the fire and slightly breaking off from one another as they searched the area that was most heavy with his scent. It was deadly quiet and the fire gave them barely enough light to catch shadows moving in the distance... At least it did until suddenly a random stream of liquid from above snuffed out the fire. His ears perked and he tried to look up toward where the water would have come from, but the cloud of smoke that billowed up from the former campfire obscured his vision and made it difficult to make out any kind of shape in the heavy shadow and darkness. There was a slight movement through the smoke and then a sudden clatter off to the side of him by maybe a dozen feet or so. It was obviously a distraction, but with his gaze fixed on where he thought the rock came from he was able to watch as the second one flew through the air and that gave him the lead he needed.

"Rudy!" he hissed in a whisper, getting the mottled male's attention before motioning for him to follow and beginning to quietly pick his way up the cliffs of the rocky and mountainous terrain. He didn't know exactly where he was, but he knew he was at least somewhere up here. His exact position wasn't given away though until Ezra heard the growls and snarls kick off up ahead and his hackles bristled at the sound. Completely disregarding any attempts at being quiet, Ezra bounded forward with long strides, sliding a bit a couple of times in his mad scramble to get up the cliff side. By the time he and Rudy made it up there he saw Chimera pinning the massive slate brute to the ground tearing apart his shoulder, and Artorias being freed from under him. Feeding off of the adrenaline and rage and keeping the thought of his broken, battered girlfriend firmly in the front of his mind, Ezra rushed forward without wasting any more time and threw his weight on top of their target as well, landing on the brute's hip to keep him pinned to the ground and unable to wriggle away. With a vicious snarl he snatched Oxx's hind leg between his jaws, serrated teeth immediately ripping and tearing through skin and muscle. Pushing one of his forepaws into his thigh, Ezra yanked and twisted his head back, dislodging the joint at his knee with a sickening, pull and crush so that even if he did manage to get up he wouldn't be going very far.

"Ezra Adravendi"

Finally, they would be done with Oxx.  Rudy’s emotions swirled with a mix of fear and boundless rage along with anticipation for the fight ahead.  Pains and fears from the past fed the rage.  What the bastard had done to his family, even to Art who was such a master fighter and sisters.  Top it all off with when he’d desecrated mom’s grave.  The normally happy Rudy was a different wolf right now.  It was like shedding a skin of joy and dreams to something darker that wanted to cause pain.  Death wasn’t enough, he needed to cause pain to the one who had caused so much of it.  Oxx had wanted to teach Rudy a lesson?  Yeah, good job.  Rudy had learned hate and rage and how to feed it more and more.

Rudy had always preferred hunting at night, where the shadows were his friend and so other than his emotional state the act of tracking prey like this felt so natural.  At the sight of the fire, he paused even as Art directed them to do so.  Rudyard's eyes quickly scanned the darkness, and grudgingly nodded at Artorias words.  When his brother went off with Chimera instead of Rudy he watched worriedly.  He wanted to protect his brother but with a glance to Ezra he nodded to go with him.  Ezra was a hallows wolf and Rudy had a responsibility as family to put just as much work into protecting him.  

The fire proved he was near.  When the scent of piss struck the fire, followed by the water they all learned jut how near he was.  Rudyard’s gaze looked up from the arch the water had to take but the damn smoke shrouded the area from clear view.  Rage and fear clenched in Rudy’s chest about seeing the monster again.  He wasn’t alone this time though.  Between the four of them, Oxx had no chance.  Hadn’t Rudy made himself stronger since then?  He’d demanded a right to help kill Oxx and he fed his fear to the rage, stoking the fire inside him.

Rudy listened to the rocks falling, flicking an ear in disdain.  Did the beast think they were all pups without an ounce of experience or common sense?  His gaze looked to Ezra when he called for his attention and Rudy nodded turning to follow.  It was important to not let Oxx find any of them alone.  This wasn’t a one-on-one fair fight they were aiming for.  This was a well-organized completely unfair battle to win.  Oxx would be nothing more than prey they hunted down as they did a large prey animal for dinner.

Rudy climbed with Ezra and then a sound came to his ears.  The sound of a battle.  Rudy charged forward, eyes widening as he urged his body to move faster, straining all his muscles to move as fast as they were able.  There were wolves that needed protection and a monster that needed slaying.

Chimera had already ripped into a shoulder and Ezra was going for another leg.  Oxx wasn’t escaping and was in no shape to win the fight already.  With Oxx down Rudy’s mind asked the most important question.  How to hurt him.  What could he take from Oxx?  Oxx had taken toes and tail from Rudy and he had to pay back.  

Rudy got there and came to a realization of how wonderful antlers could be.  With Oxx down and pinned Rudy used his antlers to step in and stab an antler into an eye. It wasn’t enough pain though.  Rudyard wanted more.  He wanted Oxx to suffer and the more he saw Oxx the more the desire for suffering grew in his belly.  

"Rudyard"

Finally, they would be done with Oxx.  Rudy’s emotions swirled with a mix of fear and boundless rage along with anticipation for the fight ahead.  Pains and fears from the past fed the rage.  What the bastard had done to his family, even to Art who was such a master fighter and sisters.  Top it all off with when he’d desecrated mom’s grave.  The normally happy Rudy was a different wolf right now.  It was like shedding a skin of joy and dreams to something darker that wanted to cause pain.  Death wasn’t enough, he needed to cause pain to the one who had caused so much of it.  Oxx had wanted to teach Rudy a lesson?  Yeah, good job.  Rudy had learned hate and rage and how to feed it more and more.

Rudy had always preferred hunting at night, where the shadows were his friend and so other than his emotional state the act of tracking prey like this felt so natural.  At the sight of the fire, he paused even as Art directed them to do so.  Rudyard's eyes quickly scanned the darkness, and grudgingly nodded at Artorias words.  When his brother went off with Chimera instead of Rudy he watched worriedly.  He wanted to protect his brother but with a glance to Ezra he nodded to go with him.  Ezra was a hallows wolf and Rudy had a responsibility as family to put just as much work into protecting him.  

The fire proved he was near.  When the scent of piss struck the fire, followed by the water they all learned jut how near he was.  Rudyard’s gaze looked up from the arch the water had to take but the damn smoke shrouded the area from clear view.  Rage and fear clenched in Rudy’s chest about seeing the monster again.  He wasn’t alone this time though.  Between the four of them, Oxx had no chance.  Hadn’t Rudy made himself stronger since then?  He’d demanded a right to help kill Oxx and he fed his fear to the rage, stoking the fire inside him.

Rudy listened to the rocks falling, flicking an ear in disdain.  Did the beast think they were all pups without an ounce of experience or common sense?  His gaze looked to Ezra when he called for his attention and Rudy nodded turning to follow.  It was important to not let Oxx find any of them alone.  This wasn’t a one-on-one fair fight they were aiming for.  This was a well-organized completely unfair battle to win.  Oxx would be nothing more than prey they hunted down as they did a large prey animal for dinner.

Rudy climbed with Ezra and then a sound came to his ears.  The sound of a battle.  Rudy charged forward, eyes widening as he urged his body to move faster, straining all his muscles to move as fast as they were able.  There were wolves that needed protection and a monster that needed slaying.

Chimera had already ripped into a shoulder and Ezra was going for another leg.  Oxx wasn’t escaping and was in no shape to win the fight already.  With Oxx down Rudy’s mind asked the most important question.  How to hurt him.  What could he take from Oxx?  Oxx had taken toes and tail from Rudy and he had to pay back.  

Rudy got there and came to a realization of how wonderful antlers could be.  With Oxx down and pinned Rudy used his antlers to step in and stab an antler into an eye. It wasn’t enough pain though.  Rudyard wanted more.  He wanted Oxx to suffer and the more he saw Oxx the more the desire for suffering grew in his belly.  

"Rudyard"

As Artorias stalked around where Oxx's scent permeated the strongest, trying to track down his nemesis in utter silence, there came a solid thud of weight and flesh from behind him. Before Art could react and make the pivot, a force and weight that nearly knocked him to the ground landed on his back, knocking the wolf's breath from his lungs with a snarling grunt. Artorias did not go down, bracing himself on the rocky terrain while turning his head with a snap of his jaws at the wolf that had landed on top of him, and was greeted by sharp serrated teeth biting into his scruff with a firm grasp. Artorias gave a yelp as he was roughly mounted by his murderous brother, trying to project his voice so the others might hear him and track him down. He wasn't alone—but would Oxx know that, or did he assume the young brute was still too bold and arrogant that he would come after him alone again?

Pearly fangs bared through snarling obsidian jowls, the Aegis growling his fury out even as Oxx dominated him, disarming him and sending his sword sailing across the ground with a clatter of metal and flash of silver in the dark. The teeth in his ruff dug in deeper, tearing the skin until warm blood seeped over his brother's tongue. Art winced and growled, but otherwise showed no reaction to the pain. He squirmed and struggled, trying to throw Oxx off of him, but the heavier brute had a secure hold on him. Oxx's suggestive remark of them having a "round two" drew a furious snarl from Artorias, who thrashed more until Oxx's forepaws gripped his hips harder and began to grind himself into his rump. Artorias felt the familiar rub of flesh beneath his tail, snarling and snapping his jaws all the while to act as a siren for his allies to find him. He had faith that his teammates would get here before they found him being violated by the massive dire wolf.

Oxx tugged at his scruff, making Artorias yelp again as serrated fangs ripped through his flesh and muscle like steak knives, pulling his head roughly back until Art was staring up at the dark sky. Artorias flexed his muscles, tensed and ready to spring, just waiting for the leverage to do so... And then he heard the thundering of paws and felt the weight get thrown off his back. Artorias was sent crashing to the rocky ground when Chimera slammed into them, freeing him from Oxx's grasp. The dark-furred wolf scrambled to his paws, hurrying to right himself while Chimera struggled with Oxx. Artorias rushed the fallen Oxx, his fangs going for the exposed soft belly of their opponent while Chimera savaged the other wolf's shoulder, both wolves working in tandem to keep Oxx from getting back up again. What Artorias really wanted was to grab his sword, but he wasn't going to leave Chimera to try and contend with the feral monster alone.

Fortunately, more snarls signaled the entrance of Rudy and Ezra into the fray, the two Hallows wolves charging in so Ezra could incapacitate one of Oxx's hind legs and Rudy could take one of his slate eyes. With more than enough wolves to handle the behemoth, Art disengaged and ran back to where his weapon had fallen. He snatched Embershard up in one graceful move, then rounded and rushed back to the fight while Oxx continued to fight back. Artorias was not going to give him that luxury. Circling the fight, the Aegis placed himself on the opposite side of Oxx's hind end from Ezra, spinning to bring his razor sharp blade around in an upward arc that sliced cleanly through Oxx's functioning leg below the knee, the limb falling with a fleshy thud to the unforgiving ground. With both of his hind legs out of commission, the fight was over. Oxx had no chance of winning against the four fully abled wolves. He would know that by now. He would know what came next.

"Stand back, Rudy," Artorias growled in command to Rudy as he rounded around Oxx's front, his sword clutched in his jaws as deep crimson blood dripped from the silver blade. He needed clear access to their enemy's head for what came next. The Aegis stood before the crippled beast, glowering down at the bloodied and beaten form of their sociopathic brother. A glance to Chimera urged the man to keep his distance. He was good with his sword, but he didn't want to accidentally clip his friend in the dark. Artorias, who had spoken not a word the entire fight until now, would deliver violent justice. Burning embers of eyes fixed with the cold slate of Oxx's remaining optic. "Oxx, for your wanton violence against our family, the Hallows, and Fenmyre, I strip you of your name as a Carpathius and sentence you to die. You will be forgotten. Your name will be erased from our history. You will never harm another again." Artorias squared his paws up with his shoulders, bracing his body while he brought the edge of his blade to Oxx's head. "Spune ultimele tale cuvinte."

Artorias gave Oxx more courtesy than he deserved by permitting the deranged wolf to speak his final words before the Aegis condemned him to oblivion if he was lucky, hellfire if there was any justice in the world. When he felt he had allowed Oxx to draw breath for long enough, Artorias delivered the killing blow. He drew a steadying breath, fiery eyes narrowed to lethal points while he focused on his nemesis, then with a turn and jerk of his head he brought his sword across Oxx's throat with deadly precision, severing veins and arteries as the sharp steel cut through the flesh and sinew to end Oxx's life in a spray of blood and gore. It was a clean cut, one that the seasoned swordsman was careful to ensure he did not decapitate the sinister wolf. Artorias wanted Oxx to experience every second of his death. There would be no swift end for the beast that had raped and murdered his way across these lands, no quick and painless passing into oblivion. This was brutal justice and Oxx would suffer every moment of it until his last moment.

"Artorias Carpathius"

Oxx was knocked from his perch and he landed hard on the rocks just before he felt teeth cut into his shoulder. Ooo, they weren't normal teeth either. God damn. He'd just been about to get his dick wet a second time too. Whoever this was on him was a total cock blocker. The striped beast curled his neck, snapping his jaws and trying to dislodge his attacker. It was not to be. Even if he had pushed the black and white brute away, another set of teeth found their way into his knee. Had the little bastard brought an entire army with him? It was cute in a way, to know that he was so very threatening that Artorias needed reinforcements rather than face him like a man.

The teeth in his knee pulled hard and Oxx, probably aiding the wolf with his struggling, felt something come loose. More paws scratching frantically at the stones solidified the moment in the bastard brutes mind. This was to finally be the end. With one leg out of commission, he wouldn't be running anywhere. No matter how skilled he was, it would be difficult, if not damn near impossible, to kill four wolves in his current state. That didn't mean that he wouldn't leave them with some reminders though. Again and again he snapped and snarled, teeth latching into fur and flesh here and there. He wouldn't go down easily, but he was resigned to the fact that he would indeed go down.

Life was tedious and now that his mother was dead, there was no real purpose anymore. Fuck, sleep, bite a little here and there, cause some chaos to chase away the boredom. There was no real drive anymore. He'd had a very good run, but it was time to end it. Time to release his mortal coil. Who knew what fun he could have in the afterlife? Would he be reborn? What trouble could he get into then? None of this really mattered, afterall. Dying was just another part of living. So, as the foursome of wolves ripped into him, Oxx laughed. Lips peeled back in a joyous grin, flashing bloodied fangs. Even as the antler tine slid into his eye, sending a river of viscous liquid and blood rushing down his cheek, Oxx laughed.

He recognized the mottled male, but he wasn't important. The black and white and the earthen spattered, he didn't know them and they didn't matter. Artorias had all of Oxx's attention. He'd been the most fun. He'd grown the most thanks to the striped behemoths brutal tutelage. Speaking of Artorias, the black and blue man had regained his silver fang, holding it close as though it was some sort of security blanket. The man spoke, all pomp and bluster. He even threw some Carpathian at him. How utterly cute!

The grin never left Oxx's bloodied maw as he stared at the younger wolf. The other three had melted away and it was only the two of them. Stripped of his name? Forgotten? Oh no... not at all. A low, throaty chuckle reverberated through the dead man's wide chest, his grin never fading, even as he stared up at the sword that would ultimately end him. "Words are wind," he told the boy, repeating words that his sister, Iolaire, had spoken time and time again. "You don't have the power. No one does." One couldn't have a name stripped from them. It was just an idea that one expected others to follow along with. "As for being forgotten, you can't do that either. Not until you and all of your siblings are dead in the ground." The grin widened. "You'll always remember me. Your tailless brother will always remember me. Your sweet, vomitous sister will always remember me." Another low chuckle pulled from him and he sighed, almost content before placing his cheek against the ground.

Oxx thought for a moment as he lay there, moments from the end. Then he said something that others might find rather uncharacteristic. "If you ever see my sister again, tell her that I loved her til the end." Despite everything that had happened in his life, the atrocities that he'd committed, he'd never felt animosity towards Iolaire. She was just as innocent as he had been. As murderous as he was, he'd never had the desire to harm her.

Perhaps it was wrong for someone such as him to find peace in his final moments, but that was exactly what Oxx was feeling. Peaceful, happy, serene. A sigh of contentment blew past bloodied and cut lips and an easy smile was on his maw as his remaining eye closed. He didn't even feel the bite of the blade as Artorias removed his head and took his life. He was almost proud of the azure and obsidian man for that.

And just like that, Oxx's reign ended.

"Oxx Carpathius"

Oxx is insanely mature and is prone to
violence,
sexual acts
and degradation of women.
Please don't read his threads.

A sense of vindication flooded Artorias' heart and soul when he watched Oxx's throat rend open beneath his blade, the lifeblood of his nemesis and the stain on his family's history seeping away in a crimson waterfall. Some of the splatter kicked back into his face, marking his sapphire blue fur with speckles of dark red. The stench of copper and iron filled the air while Oxx died. His sinister brother's words had only helped to steel his resolve in his actions and he knew Oxx would be sorely disappointed. He would not be remembered the way he wished to believe he would be. He would be named a monster, a plague that was brought to swift justice. He would not be known as one of their own. He would vanish into the records as a dark cloud over a short span of Carpathian history. As long as he lived, Artorias would work to make sure the monster was forgotten, becoming little more than a cautionary tale for his children's children to pass on.

Clutching Embershard tight in his jaws, Artorias decided to put an end to this once and for all. He had watched Oxx slowly exsanguinate for long enough, and though he was sure a minute longer would have been the end to the brute regardless, Artorias wanted his brother to see his end. He did not want Oxx to slip away into peaceful oblivion. He wanted him to go careening straight into the hell that awaited him. The slate brute's fur was coated in a fine sticky sheen of his own blood, and while it was enjoyable for the Aegis to see, he wanted the head of his greatest foe more than anything. Fire-kissed eyes narrowed to deadly points, Artorias hefted Embershard up and brought it down one last time with lethal accuracy onto the back of Oxx's neck. There was a flash of steel, the sound of flesh rending under a blade, and then the thud as Oxx's decapitated head hit the ground followed by his limp body crumpling on itself. Then it was done. The nightmare was over.

Artorias took a few deep breaths, staring down at the corpse laid out at his paws and watching while dark blood pooled beneath the severed stump of his sadistic brother's neck from exposed arteries. A cathartic peace washed over the Carpathian wolf, a relief that the evil had been smote upon the mountainside tonight and justice had been dealt. A pleased little shudder ran through Artorias, a sensation strange and foreign to the brute. He had killed before, both prey and predator alike, but this time felt different. He couldn't explain it; it was just different. It took Artorias a moment for his brain to come back to reality, and when he regained his senses he picked up his sword's sheath and slid it home. He looked up from the corpse to his brother and friends. Each of them had been crucial in making this moment real. He would forever be grateful to all three of them and his eyes showed that gratitude as he checked each wolf for wounds.

"Thank you," Artorias spoke to the group as a whole. A simple gesture, but with profound meaning to the alpha wolf. "Chimera, we will be taking the pelt and head back to the Hallows. You are welcome to collect any other trophies from the body you wish." Art didn't know if his monochromatic friend would want to bring anything back with him—perhaps some more personal bits from Oxx to further emasculate the deceased monster as revenge for his woman—but the offer was there. Letting Ezra collect Oxx's severed head, Artorias produced the dagger he carried in his bracer and began to skin the wolf carcass right there with Rudy's help. He was no master hunter like his brother was, and together the two wolves were able to keep the rest of the pelt intact. Once preserved, this would hang in the Great Hall for all time to serve as the pack's prize and a warning to their enemies. None should dare to harm the Hallows or the Carpathians.

"Artorias Carpathius"