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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Feb 28, 2023 4:57:49 GMT -5
"Ah, h-hey wait! Ak'ka," he yelled after her softly, but she'd already made her way into the cave.
A sigh escapes Ulrich; his shoulders sink as he makes an exasperated face. He guesses that he shouldn't really by surprised. She looks like an 'act first, ask questions later' type of gal. Something which he found quite admirable. It must've been his upbringing in King's Valley; his mother being the way she was surely playing a factor for his admiration of strong women.
"Well, there goes making a plan and such," he can hear the Minotaur start to wake suddenly within the cave.
Ulrich looks around and spots a rock pressed up against a larger one, and it's pointed towards the opening of the cave. It's a perfect place to stand behind and wait for Ak'ka to bring out their target. He wanted to make sure that his first attack— should he have to intervene— would be a surprise for Kultta.
So as he hears Ak'ka open up a can of whoop ass on their target, he props himself up on the rock.
"Who the hell are you?! Do you know who I— AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" Kultta lands face first into the dirt outside the cave entrance. His rear end pointed upward; an embarrassing position for a Minotaur, or any big burly being for that matter.
The minotaur slowly brings his face up out of the dirt. Frustration clearly lingered on his face; he then spots something in the haze of his peripheral. It seemed as though it was a light that was... dancing? His ears react to the sharp hiss and crackle that accompany the light. He quickly looks in the direction of the light, and he realizes that it's no ordinary light. It's the dancing illumination of lightning magic!
The bespectacled man stood staring from behind the rock. The pointer and middle finger on his hand pointed up towards the sky as lightning danced around their tips. The expression he wore on his face was quite blank; one of his eyebrows slightly raised.
"Ah—"
"..."
The two of them stared at each other in silence for a couple of seconds. Then Ulrich points his fingers at Kultta who is still in that same position on the ground. The immediate area is lit up with the flash of the lightning, accompanied with the crackle and hiss, and the forest is filled with sound of Kultta's shocked yelps.
"AhhAAHhhAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Mar 1, 2023 20:19:52 GMT -5
It was pretty damn easy to pick up Kultta where the last slob was sleeping alone in the dark. With a mighty heave, Ak’ka lifted the guy up into the air, enjoying his girlish scream as he soared through the air, landing face down in the dirt with his ass sticking up in the air, as if begging for her to kick it.
Ak’ka laughed, slapping her knee. At a time like this, what else was she supposed to do but bust out some quippy one-liner?
“Hey, Kultta! Eat dirt!” She boomed.
Yeah, that was perfect!
She bounded out of the cave, reaching the entrance just as Kultta finally managed to pick himself up. Fortunately for her, Lil Champ was already waiting a little while away, lighting the sky the fuck up with some sick lightning moves at the ready.
Kultta stared at Ulrich.
Ulrich stared at Kultta.
Ak’ka stared at both of ‘em, waiting for someone to make a damn move already so she could jump in on this free for all.
And then Ulrich set his ass on fire.
The ensuing sound produced by Kultta’s mouth was loud enough to dislodge the nearby birds from the trees and rocks and send them flying into the sky.
“Now this is where it’s gonna get good!” Ak’ka cracked her knuckles before immediately charging at the crispy fried minotaur. Kultta was beginning to wise up to the fact that he was under attack, though, so as Ak’ka swung her fist with all her strength behind it, Kultta rose up to catch it, locking the two in a stalemate. Ak’ka grunted, muscles straining as she held him off. Both were pretty evenly matched in terms of raw strength, neither one able to fully knock the other over. Not until Ak’ka smirked at him, revealing a mouth of sharp fangs.
“Hey, man. Wanna learn why they call me the Bonegrinder?”
“Why the call you- AGH!”
That was the moment Ak’ka bent his wrist at an unnatural angle with a sickening CRUNCH, shattering the bones connecting his hand to his arm until they were nothing but powder. It could probably heal, but it would never be the same again, and that was the most humiliating part.
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Mar 8, 2023 15:07:51 GMT -5
"Oh gods..." Ulrich said hearing the very audible crunch Kultta's bones produced. The sound was sickening enough to make even him shudder.
But it looks as though Ak'ka doesn't really need his help. She was definitely living up to the nickname she was given. He was glad that he and her were on the same side. He would hate to have to fight her; after all, he admired her spirit and her strength.
Not one to show off the full extent of his abilities from the get go; he patiently waits behind the rock; just in case she is in need of any assistance. He would help her with his martial capabilities if need be, but it seemed that his companion had that covered. Nevertheless, he jumps up onto the top of the rock and starts bounce up and down on his toes, loosening the muscles in his body. They were currently in a fight, and it would do him well to be prepared for anything.
"Give him an ass kicking, Ak'ka!" He yelled; a mischievous smirk on his face.
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Mar 25, 2023 11:35:58 GMT -5
Ak’ka didn’t need to be told twice to give someone an ass kicking. She was already way ahead of Ulrich, where the little champ seemed to be content to watch from the sidelines and jump in in case his help was needed. Suited Ak’ka just fine. She stomped her foot on the ground, making the earth tremble beneath her. A few seconds later, a wall of pure ice sprouted from the ground, providing a pretty damn good wall that anyone else might’a used to defend themselves if they were smart and sensible.[1]
In Ak’ka’s hands that wall was a weapon.
Even with a broken wrist Kultta seemed damned to get a hit on Ak’ka. The big bull whirled around, slamming into her torso with his powerful tail. It wasn’t enough to knock her over - in fact, the attack probably had the opposite effect, as Ak’ka now had a hold of his tail, and was now completely capable of making him her bitch.
Ak’ka whirled him around, yanking on his tail and ramming him right into the ice wall.
“Had enough?” She taunted, though it sounded more like a snarl. “Or do ya need me to literally put my boot up your ass for you to get the picture?”
Kultta took a step forward and opened his mouth, probably to say something snarky in retaliation, but Ak’ka kicked him in the chest and slammed him right back into the wall before he could.
Yeah, it was obvious she was having way too much fun with this. Someone should probably stop her before she forgot that they actually needed to turn this guy in for money. 1. Glacial Wall
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Apr 12, 2023 3:39:40 GMT -5
He watched in appreciation of how his companion was handling the situation with Kultta. In all his years of traveling Charon, he'd seldom found himself on a bounty hunt accompanying someone of Ak'ka's caliber. Standing atop the rock still; he nods his head in approval as she whirls the minotaur by the tail.
Ak'ka yells out an obscene question towards their target which cause Ulrich to chuckle a bit. Before the poor minotaur could even retaliate with his own remark, Ak'ka kicks him in the chest; slamming him into the ice wall once more!
He can see that she's enjoying herself quite well, but the bounty specified that he needed to be brought in alive.
"Oh boy..." Ulrich whispers to himself.
All of a sudden there was a flash of lightning accompanied by a howling gust of wind which stopped right next to Ak'ka.[1] Her hair was blown slightly to one side; a hand is gently placed on her forearm.
Ulrich was wearing his usual warm smile; his gaze concentrated on the minotaur holding himself up on the ice wall.
"Whoa now! we need to bring this guy in alive, remember?"
Underneath the warmness exuding from the smile he wore; a calculating cold peered from behind his eyes into Kultta's soul. The Minotaur might've taken a step back if he weren't already cornered by the ice wall.
"What do you say? Why don't we play nice so that no one has to get hurt anymore than they already are?"
1. Bullet Dash
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Post by Ak'ka the Bonegrinder on Apr 12, 2023 13:40:17 GMT -5
A hand on her shoulder caught Ak’ka’s attention. She whirled around, fist raised and ready to beat the hell outta whoever was gonna stand in her way - but before she could land the hit she realized who it was. Oh. She’d almost punched Lil Champ.
Her face turned a darker shade of gray as she forced her muscles to relax. Not easy for a gal like her. She got keyed up easy, and once she was raring to go, it was hard for her to stop. Not that she ever really needed to before. But she guessed he was right. They did kinda need that bounty.
She took a step back, fixing her hair where the wind blew it all outta whack. “Sorry ‘bout that.” She bit out, gruff. “Not used ta bringing them in alive.” She usually didn’t take the kinda bounties where folks wanted them alive in the first place.
As Ulrich demanded he surrender, Kultta didn’t hesitate. Between Ak’ka’s physical presence, and the cold, calculated look in Ulrich’s eyes - there was no other choice. Not for him. Maybe he coulda fought back if it was just one of them, but with both… the monster who he didn’t know, and the one he did, Kultta knew better than to provoke them. “Please, take me away, lock me up, whatever, I don’t care. Wherever it is, just get me away from her!”
Ak’ka snorted. “What, you piss your pants after that beating or something? Wasn’t even that bad.” But she still bent down to help pick him up, shoving his hands behind his back, holding his wrists - the one that was broken and the other that was still whole - in a death grip. Once he was secure, she turned to Ulrich with a grin, the adrenaline finally fading as she came back to herself.
“Now whaddya say we bring this guy in now, Lil’ Champ?”
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Post by Ulrich Ambriz on Apr 29, 2023 19:44:29 GMT -5
The townspeople watched as Ak’ka and Ulrich walked back into town with a defeated and miserable looking Minotaur. Ak’ka man handled him with ease, and Ulrich gave pleasantries to all the folks passing them by on their way to collect their bounty.
Kultta was a mess, and when he was made to kneel at the officials’ feet, they could only imagine the kind of monstrous ferocity that could bring down a full grown Minotaur like him.
Their puzzled faces held a glint of fear showing in the eyes as their gazes shifted from the towering Ak’ka to the less than impressive size of Ulrich in comparison. No doubt, the orc woman was the one that did this to the Minotaur, right? So why was she praising the unassuming looking man and calling him Lil’ Champ?
They weren’t there to theorize. They’d been brought the target and rewards were to be given out.
Ak’ka and Ulrich received their rewards. A little bit of Kultta’s treasure had also mysteriously “vanished.” Probably dropped in the grass somewhere for a lucky traveler to find, maybe.
Having achieved their mission, the duo elect to stay at the local inn until the next day to rest their bodies.
When the roosters sounded in the early hours of the morning, and the sun’s beams began to cascade over the horizon, the two hunters met in front of the inn, and leave town onto their next adventures.
They come to a fork in the road, and it seems that their paths lead in the opposite directions from each other.
Ak’ka offers something to Ulrich as a remembrance of their quest. A toy hammer which had the function of squeaking when squeezed or bashed against something. It wasn’t exactly the kind of memento Ulrich was expecting, but he took it kindly all the same. She thought well of him, and he had come to call her a friend, even with as little as they spent with each other.
She crushes him within a bear hug and he responds with attempting to reciprocate, but of course, that was a failure. It’s the thought that counts though, as they say. With their final goodbyes said, the unlikely duo goes their separate ways for now.
Fate has a funny way bringing people back together, and some day, these two would find themselves teaming up together again.
But that is a tale for another time.
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