Tournaments End: Dark Fall
May 4, 2007 2:31:24 GMT
Post by Musashi on May 4, 2007 2:31:24 GMT
Ocean waves lapped the shores of Bryce's island. The moon shone down through clear sea air, gentle waves catching the beams, passing them along in a silent dance of light. It seemed that the entire island was peaceful, the day of tournament fighting and excitement giving way to deep sleep and friendly socialization. Bright lights shone from the shopping and culture district, all major venues shifting to a twenty-four hour day for the duration of the tournament.
While most slept, the dedicated socialites played their own games at night. The sound of hundreds of songs mingled in the night air as they drifted upward from the different parties still in full swing. Even business men dressed down into the tropical style, colorful shirts and bright hats. Women spun with their partners on the multitude of open dance floors across the town, bright floral patterned dresses floating in the thick ocean air adding the splash of motion and color to the bright starry night. Drinks flowed steadily with pleasant conversation, and it seemed that all the harshness usually associated with night life had been worked out in the days matches. It would be difficult to imagine a more pleasant scene, a more peaceful town.
The Psi Inn hosted no parties, catering to those who were in need of a nights rest. Fighters, tired from their matches, slept deeply. Very few lights lit up the monstrous hotel, most people either out enjoying the celebration, or sleeping in preparation for the next day of matches. A few lights were still on, restless warriors analyzing the footage from the previous day, hoping to gain some advantage in their next match, or find mistakes in their performance to correct. The desk attendant dosed in the lobby, feet on the counter, while the muted sound of late night television whispered through the grand entrance. Similarly, the hotel security chief struggled to remain awake on such a quiet night, his head bobbing down, then jerking back up as he fought off the call of sleep. His face was awash in the glow of one-hundred closed circuit monitors, cameras covering the exterior and interior of the great hotel. Like a dying pendulum, his head dipped lower each time, until finally he too slept with the rest of the guests.
Black shadows darted across the sea, not even a splash to reveal their presence. One, then two, then three appeared out of the shapeless void of the sea, speeding towards Bryce's island. They were humanoid in form, perhaps slightly smaller than the average citizen of Eden. Featureless voids, no noses, no eyes, and no ears, only inky black skin. They appeared to almost glisten with wet translucence as more and more appeared on the horizon, where once there were three, then came 10, 50, 100, even more flying silently over the water. Animals began to take note, as the smell blew in on the sea breeze. The smell was death. The decay of slowly rotting flesh began to float in on the breeze as the shadows moved ever closer.
Even on the starlit night, the horde appeared almost invisible to the naked eye against the background of the night. There was no signal, no burst of power, not even the signal of life itself to alert the gathered warriors of the approaching threat. Silent and unnoticed they came, seeking their target without ruthless determination, not slowed by need of sleep, or food, or rest. They were on the island now, floating inches above the sand, making their way, an unstoppable tidal wave towards the Psi Inn. No one noticed the oncoming crowd, the Inn sitting so close to the sea.
The horde took the wall at a leap, landing silently inside the Psi in compound. They spread out, surrounding the building, unnoticed by the sleeping security guard. Silent, unheard unnoticed. As if one organism, they all sank down into a deep, braced stance, raising their arms together and pointing at the building. The sound came at once, a jagged whisper, a terrifying rasp, despite the lack of any sort of mouths. “Muuuuusaaaaaaaashhhhiiiiiiiii”
All as one, inky blackness fired in a wave, crashing into the Psi in. The night sounds were shattered by the sound of the explosion, the building struck by all sides with terrible force, ripping itself to shreds. The entire building being reduced to rubble by the tremendous blast. The shockwave rippled outwards as the sound of shattering glass echoed in the night as every windowpane, within four blocks of where the great hotel had stood exploded into a shower of glass.
Boards, plaster, beds, and charred bodies flew up in a tremendous fountain of destruction from the Psi Inn. Every gas line in the building caught fire, adding to the fireball, a secondary wave of destruction killing anyone who hadn't died in the initial blast. The flames danced higher, lighting up the night. From the top of massive column of fire there was a tiny spurt, something bright and white shooting out of the top of the blast, then the world came tumbling down.
Screams filled the once peaceful night. In some more distant location, cheers went rose, the drunken partiers thinking fireworks had been launched. Closer to the scene, sirens wailed and people ran from their home. The weak cries of the wounded begging for help. Nearly a block around the hotel had been laid to waste, the shockwave and injuring many who were safely asleep in their homes. People ran forth in tropical sleepwear, coming to see what all the fuss had been, then frozen in place by the shock at the total destruction of the Psi Inn. Flaming chunks of the building fell into the city, igniting buildings and creating a roaring inferno as more and more of the surrounding buildings caught fire.
High above the scene, a figure in white robes floated, body and clothing still smoking from his rapid egress from the explosion. Sword in hand, Musashi stared open mouthed in horror at the destruction below. The shock quickly turned to deep dread, a knot of fear and revulsion rising in his stomach when he saw the host assembled below the scene. Involuntarily, he retched, bringing his left hand to cover his mouth as the remains of his dinner leaked from between his clasped fingers.
“Did any of the others survive?” he thought to himself, “Oh God, all those people. They killed all those people...” The saiyan heaved again, so overwhelmed at the utter destruction. The last of the contents of his stomach rained down, lost in the inferno below. The shadowfigures on the ground “looked” up, blank faces staring non-the-less at their target. Ten figures leapt into the air. The night had just begun.
While most slept, the dedicated socialites played their own games at night. The sound of hundreds of songs mingled in the night air as they drifted upward from the different parties still in full swing. Even business men dressed down into the tropical style, colorful shirts and bright hats. Women spun with their partners on the multitude of open dance floors across the town, bright floral patterned dresses floating in the thick ocean air adding the splash of motion and color to the bright starry night. Drinks flowed steadily with pleasant conversation, and it seemed that all the harshness usually associated with night life had been worked out in the days matches. It would be difficult to imagine a more pleasant scene, a more peaceful town.
The Psi Inn hosted no parties, catering to those who were in need of a nights rest. Fighters, tired from their matches, slept deeply. Very few lights lit up the monstrous hotel, most people either out enjoying the celebration, or sleeping in preparation for the next day of matches. A few lights were still on, restless warriors analyzing the footage from the previous day, hoping to gain some advantage in their next match, or find mistakes in their performance to correct. The desk attendant dosed in the lobby, feet on the counter, while the muted sound of late night television whispered through the grand entrance. Similarly, the hotel security chief struggled to remain awake on such a quiet night, his head bobbing down, then jerking back up as he fought off the call of sleep. His face was awash in the glow of one-hundred closed circuit monitors, cameras covering the exterior and interior of the great hotel. Like a dying pendulum, his head dipped lower each time, until finally he too slept with the rest of the guests.
Black shadows darted across the sea, not even a splash to reveal their presence. One, then two, then three appeared out of the shapeless void of the sea, speeding towards Bryce's island. They were humanoid in form, perhaps slightly smaller than the average citizen of Eden. Featureless voids, no noses, no eyes, and no ears, only inky black skin. They appeared to almost glisten with wet translucence as more and more appeared on the horizon, where once there were three, then came 10, 50, 100, even more flying silently over the water. Animals began to take note, as the smell blew in on the sea breeze. The smell was death. The decay of slowly rotting flesh began to float in on the breeze as the shadows moved ever closer.
Even on the starlit night, the horde appeared almost invisible to the naked eye against the background of the night. There was no signal, no burst of power, not even the signal of life itself to alert the gathered warriors of the approaching threat. Silent and unnoticed they came, seeking their target without ruthless determination, not slowed by need of sleep, or food, or rest. They were on the island now, floating inches above the sand, making their way, an unstoppable tidal wave towards the Psi Inn. No one noticed the oncoming crowd, the Inn sitting so close to the sea.
The horde took the wall at a leap, landing silently inside the Psi in compound. They spread out, surrounding the building, unnoticed by the sleeping security guard. Silent, unheard unnoticed. As if one organism, they all sank down into a deep, braced stance, raising their arms together and pointing at the building. The sound came at once, a jagged whisper, a terrifying rasp, despite the lack of any sort of mouths. “Muuuuusaaaaaaaashhhhiiiiiiiii”
All as one, inky blackness fired in a wave, crashing into the Psi in. The night sounds were shattered by the sound of the explosion, the building struck by all sides with terrible force, ripping itself to shreds. The entire building being reduced to rubble by the tremendous blast. The shockwave rippled outwards as the sound of shattering glass echoed in the night as every windowpane, within four blocks of where the great hotel had stood exploded into a shower of glass.
Boards, plaster, beds, and charred bodies flew up in a tremendous fountain of destruction from the Psi Inn. Every gas line in the building caught fire, adding to the fireball, a secondary wave of destruction killing anyone who hadn't died in the initial blast. The flames danced higher, lighting up the night. From the top of massive column of fire there was a tiny spurt, something bright and white shooting out of the top of the blast, then the world came tumbling down.
Screams filled the once peaceful night. In some more distant location, cheers went rose, the drunken partiers thinking fireworks had been launched. Closer to the scene, sirens wailed and people ran from their home. The weak cries of the wounded begging for help. Nearly a block around the hotel had been laid to waste, the shockwave and injuring many who were safely asleep in their homes. People ran forth in tropical sleepwear, coming to see what all the fuss had been, then frozen in place by the shock at the total destruction of the Psi Inn. Flaming chunks of the building fell into the city, igniting buildings and creating a roaring inferno as more and more of the surrounding buildings caught fire.
High above the scene, a figure in white robes floated, body and clothing still smoking from his rapid egress from the explosion. Sword in hand, Musashi stared open mouthed in horror at the destruction below. The shock quickly turned to deep dread, a knot of fear and revulsion rising in his stomach when he saw the host assembled below the scene. Involuntarily, he retched, bringing his left hand to cover his mouth as the remains of his dinner leaked from between his clasped fingers.
“Did any of the others survive?” he thought to himself, “Oh God, all those people. They killed all those people...” The saiyan heaved again, so overwhelmed at the utter destruction. The last of the contents of his stomach rained down, lost in the inferno below. The shadowfigures on the ground “looked” up, blank faces staring non-the-less at their target. Ten figures leapt into the air. The night had just begun.