On Distant Stars - [Challenge] - Lottus

    The world raged with flame. Not merely cities felled, not simply razed towns and villages - no, the Planet Orion had been cracked. Magma spewed into the air through the ground like pressurized water through a damaged dam. The system's star could not be seen - the sky was as black as pitch, with thick angry clouds assaulting the world with terrible lightning storms. Tornados and hurricanes raged across the world, and entire continental plates had begun shifting.

    Such were the death throes of Orion. Lottus had come to this world, and had his fun. Mutilated bodies, ones that had not yet been swallowed by the grinding, shifting landscape littered the world around them. The world was experiencing its apocalypse at his hands. And soon, the planet would explode - Lottus had blasted straight to the planet's core, setting off a chain reaction that would soon see the world rip itself apart and become little more than a floating husk in space.

    What Lottus had not expected, was to sense a powerful, yet familiar, presence approaching. And soon enough, the subject of his newly grabbed attention would reach him. Lottus turned to face Gandigan, and smiles a sadistic smile.

    "Well now - funny to see you here." Lottus says, taking a conversational tone as if the world around them wasn't priming to explode. "Welcome to the end of the world! Well, the end of this world."

    From the east, a hurricane began to move in, hammering Lottus and Gandigan with the powerful winds. But Lottus, aside from his long mane, is unmoved. Lightning rolls through the clouds, and laps at the cracking grounds.

    "I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon, Gandigan." he continues, louder now so his voice would carry over the howling winds and distant thunder. "Is Namek in need of defense already? Or is this a more personal visit? Either way, make it quick. This planet has another ten or so minutes left before it explodes, and I'd like to be on my ship to watch the fireworks from space."

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    Lottus raises his brows at Gandigan as the Namekian speaks, and amusement flickers across his expression. Keep a leash on him?

    "Heh... HAHAHAHAHA!!" Lottus throws his head back in a highly amused cackle. "What, did that beating I gave you before rattle that slug brain of yours?"

    Lottus allows Gandigan to approach and make his claim; and the Saiyan lets his arms fall to his sides, hands clenching into tight fists, the smile on his face growing as adrenaline begins to coarse through his veins. Did Gandigan really think Lottus would care about him attacking Plant? That Lottus cared about the Namekian's apparent new title? The entire notion further amuses the Saiyan.

    "Hmm, last words?" Lottus says in a deeply mocking tone. "Oh, I know!"

    Lottus' eyes turn from grey to a chilling cerulean.

    "Don't die too fast!" Lottus says. The instant later, a golden flaming aura explodes around him, and his black hair turns to a golden glow! The world beneath their feet, already shaking with quakes, shatter like glass, his power pushing down against the ground and creating a wide crater! Grinning madly and without any further notion, lurches forth, immediately moving in  to unleash a furious melee upon the Mazoku King!

    During the melee, Lottus' right hand becomes wreathed in energy, and a sword of Ki erupts forth from his flattened hand! Lottus plunges the tip of the blade straight for Gandigan's chest!

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    To Lottus' delight, Gandigan was able to keep pace with his melee assault. The Namekian was even able to catch his attempted stab and retaliate! Rather than pull away, Lottus leaned in and rammed his own head into Gandigan's headbutt. The impact was like a thunderclap, but not nearly enough power to send the Saiyan reeling. Blood trickles down his forehead from a freshly made gash, but is seems to do little in the way of dissuasion.

    The blade of Ki dissipates, and he stares directly into Gandigan's eyes, grinning viciously.

    "You're a bit stronger - but you're lying to yourself if you think you've surpassed me!" Lottus cackles. "You've also gotten fast - but let's see if you've learned anything new?"

    Lottus brings his knee up at Gandigan's gut, and continues his aggressive melee. He throws a right and left hook in rapid succession, aiming at Gandigan's ribs, and brings his right elbow swinging up at the Namekian's chin! But Lottus wasn't done with merely a simple assault, crimson ki bubble up from his left shoulder, and snakes fast down the length of his arm, and coalesces around his tightly closed fist.

    Lottus feints to the right, drawing back his arm, priming it for the coming blow. The Saiyan warrior attempts to step on Gandigan's left foot, trying to pin the Namekian in place to ensure a solid strike! Lottus brings the Ki infused fist in fast, aiming to drive it directly into Gandigan's nose!

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    His blow landed solidly, knocking the Namekian down. But before he could capitalize on the advantage, Gandigan lashed out at his leg. Lottus' leg snapped back from the impact, and the following Ki blast struck center of Lottus' torso, pushing him back a yard or so. The Namekian took off then and their, escaping to the air.

    Lottus' hunter instinct kicked in immediately, and he flew after Gandigan, cackling with his malice. The flight was also somewhat entertaining - the world continued to crumble below them, but their sheer speed making even lightning bolts appear to move in slow motion.

    "Don't run so soon, Gandigan!" Lottus calls out in a mocking tone. "We've only just started to play! Come on - kill me!! KAHAHAHAA!!"

    Lottus thrust his left hand forth, firing blast after blast with no regard whatsoever if they hit Gandigan, burst a pillar of roiling magma, or obliterated mountainsides or miraculously still standing buildings. Wanton destruction on a dying world was a beautiful thing! Lottus was slightly faster than Gandigan, so he had begun to slowly catch up to the Namekian - and the blasts begin to be more aimed.

    "What's the plan?" Lottus calls. "A sudden stop and attack? Build up your power? Wait for me to strike, and counter? I've seen it all, Gandigan! Come on - surprise me! Make this fun!"

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    When Gandigan stopped, Lottus was ready. Lottus throws up a hand to catch Gandigan's elbow, smirking at the Namekian. Numerous enemies had all tried the same thing - and it was becoming predictable. When Gandigan spoke, Lottus chuckles.

    "You would be the first." he agrees. "No one has had the honor - no one has ever had the power. Not King Taori, not Nasu, not Vocado, not the Earthlings, no one. Come claim that honor!"

    And so Gandigan would try. The Namekian's claws grow, and he lashes at Lottus' body! Lottus makes no attempt to stop or avoid the attack - instead, the claws rake across his armor, digging through and slashing his skin. Lottus savors the pain and keeps his eyes locked with Gandigan's.

    "Looks like you need a lesson in disembowelment." he says grimly as blood seeps through the slash marks on his armor. "You need to dig in deeper; really hook a hold on those guts! But even more fun is ripping out their spines - I promise, I'll show you what that's like. It'll be my parting gift to you when you die!"

    Lottus pushes away Gandigan's arm, and spins around to deliver a hard kick aimed at the top of Gandigan's right shoulder! He would follow up the kick with a rain of Ki blasts!

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    Gandigan's blood lusting speech amuses Lottus greatly. Why couldn't more of his enemies be like this? They were all heroic goody-two shoes that couldn't accept their love to spill blood; so they hid themselves behind foolish beliefs and holier than thou attitudes and platitudes. Gandigan expertly blocked Lottus' kick, but was pushed back by the onslaught of Ki shots.

    Before Lottus could quip back in response to Gandigan's words, the Namekian rushes forth, and sinks his fangs into Lottus' neck! It stung like a burnbeetle's stinger, and he felt the warmth of his blood well up and out of the punctures. Lottus grunts against the pain, but his hands seize on Gandigan's shoulders, keeping the Namekian close.

    "...Demons I am familiar with... So don't say that as if it means anything to someone like me. I was killed and sent to Hell - and spent a long time crushing Demons beneath my boots! How do you think I escaped Hell to begin with? Those pitiful creatures learned to fear me! I crushed a Demon King to learn the secret to escaping Hell!" Lottus grunts, wincing against the pain. "And I don't pull spines from carcasses, I do it when it's fun to do it. When they're still alive."

    Lottus swings his hands up, attempting to impact his palms against Gandigan's ears in order to disorient the Namekian! He pulls away, and his power rises even further! His energy flares, and the Saiyan raises his right hand overhead. Within moments, a sphere of crimson and black energy forms above his palm. The sphere begins to rapidly expand as Lottus puts all of his power, and then some, into the ball!

    "Here then - this is just a taste of the power that Hell itself couldn't contain!" Lottus barks, sneering at Gandigan. The deadly sphere had sucked all color from the world around them, bathing it instead in a blood red light! "Know that even if you do kill me - I won't be gone for long! I told you before, Gandigan - kill me a thousand times, and I'll return every time! I will be the end of the universe!! KAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAA!!!"

    With that declaration, Lottus snarls and pulls his arm down. The gigantic sphere of energy rushes towards Gandigan, threatening to swallow the Namekian in its terrible wake!!

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    Lightning crashes all about the gigantic hole in the landscape - residual energies from Lottus' full power attack. The Saiyan heaves a heavy breath, gazing down into the newly formed cavern. New, huge tornadoes begin to form over the ocean nearby, and the shattered landscape begins to crumble. Lottus raises his arms, basking in the death throes of the planet. Gandigan had done very well to halt the blast for as long as he did; but ultimately the magnitude of the blast was too much.

    But celebrations would have to wait - as Lottus senses Gandigan's power. He was still alive after that?

    "Ha. Impressive!" Lottus mutters, gazing into the hole below. His eyes widen as Gandigan finally comes forth from the darkness; and didn't look that terribly harmed, all things considered. "Well, I guess the rumors about Namekian regeneration must be true."

    When Gandigan spoke, Lottus smiles. Exhausting himself allowed Gandigan to get Lottus' flank suddenly, and the Namekian hammers Lottus towards the hole. Lottus halts his fall just before he can fall in, but Gandigan had chased after him. Gandigan's tackle indeed brings Lottus into the hole, and the Saiyan begins to cackle with incredible mirth!

    "If you're going to kill me a thousand times, then we're going to get to know each other very well!" Lottus laughs. He tucks his legs in, and lashes them both out at Gandigan's torso in an attempt to shake the Namekian off. Down in the hole, the vibrations of the world can be felt in the very air itself. "You are going to make me VERY strong, Gandigan! The more a Saiyan fights, the stronger they become, and more rapidly the growth comes to us! All you're going to accomplish is making me a more efficient Destroyer! Every time you kill me, assuming you can, will only allow me to come back stronger every time! HA!!"

    Lottus flares his Super Saiyan aura, bathing the pitch dark hole with its golden light, and he launches towards Gandigan, aiming an elbow at the Namekian's sternum, and returning Gandigan's earlier headbutt with his own!

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