A War of Blood Soaked Golden Wings (Kala;Blu)

[BlueSlime]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

Kala listened to the sad music, trying to remember if she had been a sucker for the strings of a harp the way all these mamono were now. Lian certainly seemed to be a hit with all of them - and no wonder, they were all looking at him as future husband material, she was certain.

He played beautifully, with long, slender, dexterous fingers. Had she enjoyed their touch as a human? She couldn't recall. She really didn't understand this Lian. He wasn't acting with any real emotion, and it rankled her. To be unfazed by what had occurred between them didn't make sense. Certainly she wouldn't have reacted so well if the positions had been reversed. At least, the slime Kala wouldn't.

"No regrets, huh? So you are completely fine with what has happened?" Kala asked coolly as she descended the stairs to reach Lian and the others on the island. She ran a slime tendril through the surface of the pool, glancing up at the liquid bridge above.

"It's all water under the bridge?" She slapped the surface of the water irritably, not quite sure why she was so annoyed. How could Lian be so happy if he had really been in love with her? "So what do you say to the girl when you meet her once again? When she remembers what she made you promise? How is all this supposed to make her feel?"

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

Lian lowered his head as if showing Kala respect, remaining silent until she was finished. "If you ask me if I am fine with what happened, then I am not. It's natural to be against losing someone you love." he said simply. "I'm glad... That her heart wasn't consumed by the curse. But she is gone from my life now, and if she were to look back and see me crying and grieving, that would be such a bother to her." He shook his head. "I'm happy for the time I got to spend with her, and I am happy for my long time friend who found love after longing for what he thought was impossible. If I complained about it right now, I would seem quite greedy, I think."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

Kala relented a little bit under his calm, logical answers.

"I don't remember what my actual motivations were. I have to assume that I had calculated my chances of survival, and the cost of my actions on an emotional scale. Perhaps I don't have a right to get angry about it. I guess I should be happy that you've found your peace. If that's true, then I want you to find every happiness, once this war with the Magi is at an end and Cleska has been stopped."

She smirked.

"If you've a mamono wife in mind, you'll have your pick of beautiful maidens here. Take it from me, the loyalty a mamono is capable of to her chosen mate is beyond measure - not that it's impossible for a human to feel that as well."

She extended a hand to Lian's and grasped it. "I'm not the same Kala. The one you knew gave her life so that her soul would be reincarnated in me. It's her personality in me, her spark, but the only memories I have are the ones that are important to my mamono needs. With enough emotional exposure, I might well remember many of the things that you and I shared, but I think it will be best for all if we limited that. I will not allow my actions as a human to be in vain. I'm going to achieve what I set out to do. I know that I was right... this 'curse' as we call it is not without a great increase in power. I will be able to stand against our enemies and do what is necessary. I've already released Crystal Claire. I'll be able to stop Cleska, and then I'll do what I can to stop the war. Will you help me, Lian?"

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

Lian chuckled, gladly holding her hand. "I have accepted my love's departure from my life, but I am not quite strong enough to move on." he announced. "I'm certain my urge to play a song for my departed love would be quite bothersome to any future love I might meet."

Then, her request for his aid was met with a low hum. "I was once your prisoner in your eyes. I did not expect you to do this." Lian revealed, though was back to smiles a moment later. "I am also surprised that you need even ask that question. Of course I will assist you." he said with a respectful bow.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"Moving on will be better for both of us, Lian, but especially for you. Love must be a two way street. I will be leaving the temple on a mission that will help in the fight against Cleska. By the time I get back, I hope to be hearing you playing a happy song for some pretty mamano who'll give her heart to you.

"I'm no longer considering you a prisoner, because I remember what you and I agreed to when I was human. However, as far as these mamono are concerned, you're still going to be watched, until an opportunity arises where you can prove yourself. For now, stay here and try to make some friends. There's a nice dark elf here who might be interested in you."

Kala giggled at that, knowing just what such a relationship might be like for Lian. Would he still maintain his cool demeanor under Yvonne's techniques?

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"Now that I am no longer a prisoner, such things are expected of me, it seems." he said with a smile as he sighed. "I had planned to lay about in a cell and read a good book. This new development will require some planning on my part. Regardless, I feel I should caution you. Cleska is aware that the volcano is one of your likely targets, and she will no doubt take action against you. I implore you to be careful." Lian announced.

Crystal Claire, who'd been sitting there this whole time, stepped forward. "No complaints." she announced, before lifting one hand as her fingers became tendrils, shooting forth and suddenly diving into Kala's body, and attaching to her diamond core. In that instant, Kala felt herself being fueled by her fellow shapeless mamono's energy. After Claire gave her gift of power, Kala felt as if she were ready to burst with power. "To be within the volcano will drain your power in order to maintain your shape. This should give you a lot more time." Claire said with a wink.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"I will be careful. Cleska can plan all she wants, but she's using insufficient tools to fight this war. Did she know about your loyalties, Lian? Not that I wouldn't put it past her to sacrifice an assault force just to put a spy among us, but did she understand your feelings for me? I don't know if she could. Love doesn't enter into Cleska's vocabulary. That's why she'll lose."

Claire's tendrils pierced Kala's body easily, wrapping around her core and infusing her with a sizable portion of Crystal Claire's power. Invigorating as it was, it was also a little concerning that a being like Claire existed who could so easily pierce her innate defenses. Had she wanted to, Claire could have crushed the life force from Kala in an instant.

Yet it was not in Claire's nature to do so, and for that, Kala was very thankful.

"I'll make good use of your gift, Claire. Be well while I am gone."

Kala pressed her body against Claire's and hugged the fellow goo girl, before slipping away from her and smiling at Lian one last time before leaving them and heading out of the temple complex. She would find Eric one more time before heading off. She'd say her goodbyes to him, let him know that all was settled between Lian and herself, and that now she would be going to strike a significant blow against Cleska's evil machinations.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"Cleska is a woman who would call herself a god. Even in the light of victory, we must be careful she doesn't take something precious with her." Lian cautioned Kala, before Claire returned the hug to her fellow slime, and everyone there waved to Kala as she departed, heading through the temple before meeting Erik at the exit, who was carrying an odd straw doll in his hands.

"This was an odd thing I saw Sapphire cast away while cursing about how it didn't work." he stated, before showing off the doll. It barely resembled the shape of a human, came with odd white threads on the head, as if to resemble hair, and had a single nail stabbed through the chest. "I've never seen anything like it before, but I feel like it oddly resembles me... She was likely trying to curse me." Erik laughed weakly.

After hearing Kala's explanations, Erik nodded to her with a grin. "I know, Kala. Everyone knew... Even despite all this happening, that you were the only one who had the capacity to stand up to Cleska and not meet a horrible end... Just be careful, alright? You may think you're pretty tough, being able to travel into an active volcano, but it's still dangerous, and Yevon told me on the way that even you can't stay there forever. Anyone would lose strength and collapse if in such conditions, so please be careful!" Erik demanded.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"I'm not going to bathe in lava if I can avoid it Erik," Kala answered him, followed swiftly by another kiss. She then plucked the voodoo doll from his hands and chuckled at it, removing the nail and then tilting her head at him.

"Feel better at all?" she asked with an impish grin. "Just in case, do you want to hold onto it? Keep your doll self in good condition? Or were you thinking of me keeping it as a memento? I don't exactly have pockets for this kind of thing, and it'll definitely catch fire in a volcano."

After she handed the doll back, Kala put her hands on her hips and formed herself into a perfectly humanoid and non-dripping shape. "Anyways, Claire gave me a lot of energy, so I should be able to last long enough to get to Ignis. Hopefully I can make her see the problem Cleska poses and then she'll help contain the problem."

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"I suppose I'll hold onto it. Sapphire did make it for me after all." Erik said with an ignorant chuckle, before embracing Kala's solid form tightly. "I know you will return safely. It will take more than a mountain to take you down!" Erik said with a happy smile.

If that was all Kala had to do or say to Erik, then she could embark on her journey, which would not be a short one. It would take a good week of travel, and that is without sleep due to Kala's lack of a biological structure that required it. Much of the energy that Claire gave to her was feeling the labors of the journey, and without any resupply, the trip there and back would exhaust most of the gift the woman gave her. It was after those uneventful days, through mountain trails, past orc camps, around arachne dens, above ant hills, under greedy harpy claws that might snatch her heart out, and through some of the more hostile areas occupied by small league mamono who weren't much of a threat to Kala, and quickly ran off when they would learn that they were no match for her.

Eventually, she saw the erupting volcano, and at it's entrance, pillars with red fiery drawings were erected in front of a stone entrance, with a single guardian drinking in the lava flowing in an organized manner through the trenches they had built in.

"Hello!" the lava slime greeted her. "Goodbye!" she then immediately bid Kala farewell. "Sorry, no one is allowed entry, mmhmm." she nodded twice.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

Determined to make good time, Kala braved the elements and the many obstacles in various mamono forms to complete her journey to Ignis' mountain. Along the way she realized just how necessary Claire's energy boost had been, and wondered if this were the reason that most slimes chose to stick to one preferred spot. Travel was difficult, and there was little that she met along the way that she cared to feed from. She attempted to digest berries and roots that she hoped were not poisonous, but nothing came close to the power that Eric provided for her when they made love.

She feared what it would be like to lose him, purely from a physical standpoint. Without his love to fuel her, she'd be a soupy sludge in just a matter of months.

Eventually her long journey came to its halfway point, for she had reached the volcano. Now came the hard part -- gaining Ignis' approval. Fortunately, she still felt well after all the walking, and knew that so long as she didn't go for a swim in lava, she should be able to last.

"Oh, hel--" Kala began as the lava slime greeted her, only to be interrupted as it bid her farewell in the next breath.

"I see, but I'm here as an official envoy from another elemental, and what's more, I'm here on behalf of mamono everywhere, on a mission of great importance for us all. Please, can you make an exception for me? My name is Kala by the way. And you are?"

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"My name is Lava, because I am made of Lava, mm-hmm." she nodded. "You definitely can't pass, because Ignis doesn't like the other elementals, mm-hmm." she nodded once more. "If you really wanted to pass, bribery is always good, mm-hmm." she nodded yet again. "Give me a nice man, or some of your energy, then you can pass, mm-hmm." again she nodded.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"You want a bribe? But Lava, wouldn't you burn a nice man before he even touched you? Or can you um, can you control your heat?" Kala tapped her fingers to her lips as she pondered just how gentle this simple slime could be. "I suppose I could offer you some of my energy, but I'm uncertain about just how much I could part with. After all, I'm not built for long exposure to Ignis' domain. Would you be able to shield me if I agreed to pay you?"

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"I can make my Lava not burn, mm-hmm." she nodded, again. "I can shield you too, mm-hmm."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"Well that's something at least," Kala said. Then she smiled. "Okay, um, then if you want some of my energy, how do you want to take it? No burning me, okay?" She chuckled and then stepped closer to Lava.

"Y'know, for some living molton rock, you're pretty cute!"

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"Thanks, you are also pleasing to the eye, mm-hmm." she said, before standing up, and flinging herself at Kala, wrapping her red slime around Kala's diamond exterior. Suddenly, the heat she felt from the afternoon sun was no more. "We're good to goo now, mm-hmm." Lava said using Kala's mouth.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Love Geometry (Kala)

"Wha!" Kala exclaimed as she felt Lava dive in and swirl up inside of her, achieving that dual sentience with her in the same way she'd done with Pirupri earlier on.

"Quite direct, aren't you? Mm-hmm. Good to have you aboard though. My thanks."

So saying, Kala walked on, approaching the entrance to the lair and letting Lava guide her from that point on.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: No Visitors, Mm-Hmm (Kala)

"Don't worry about it, mm-hmm." the Lava slime comforted Kala. "I'll be scolded by Ignis again, but I keep all the weaker things out, so I'm only in a little trouble, mm-hmm." Lava announced. "I'm not a free pass to Ignis though. There are a lot of guardians who defend her temple, mm-hmm. They like to fight. If you beat them up, they'll become your friends, mm-hmm. Salamanders are like that, mm-hmm." Kala felt herself nodding every time Lava said 'mm-hmm'.

They walked towards the entrance gates to the Temple of Ignis, and Kala would begin to discover that even though she had found Ignis' Temple... Navigating what lay ahead would be a difficult task...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 3: No Visitors, Mm-Hmm​

It seemed that the volcano itself was the entirety of Ignis' lair, that lava spewing danger in the distance. Nevermind the heat, which Kala could ignore now, a human being would be unable to breathe this air, just as they'd be unable to breathe underwater to catch Undine in her element. Only through technology could mankind overcome these challenges. The bridge Kala walked on threatened to break and drop her into the lava below, and pieces of ruined architecture seemed to turn to dust on a mere gesture of wind, as if humans did try to settle here, but their homes were burned down by Ignis. Kala stood there, in a wide plain of black ash, a small ruined land that was like a crater under the volcano.

"Mm-hmm... This place is where humans used to live peacefully a long time ago. These humans were the ancestors of the Magi, and tried to harness the power of Ignis. Ignis saw this as a sign of disrespect for using her power without her consent, so she sent lava forth from her volcano, melting the human village while salamanders were happy to mop up those that fled. Though, that rash action leaves her without humans now, as no men and women reproduced together to make more humans. So now the Magi are using her power again, and she can't stop them this time... It's made her very bitter and angry, mm-hmm." Lava nodded. "To make matters worse, she was swindled by Baphomet, who promised her aid in exchange for what little human men they had available. Desperate, Ignis accepted the demon's offer, and Baphomet simply walked off with the human men that gave her energy without a single attempt to make good on her promise. She's very, very angry, mm-hmm. So, I stand guard outside to keep people out. Else, Ignis will do bad things to them. It's lucky to be a woman or mamono when Ignis is angry, since she'll just melt you up. Men are brutally raped, mm-hmm. Made into slaves, mm-hmm." Lava nodded as they carefully proceeded through the town and it's many rivers of flowing magma.

Then, suddenly, from the hot lava,

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rose, as if being born from the searing hot liquid. Like Undine, she seemed to possess the natural ability to float, making her seem like the spirit of fire she was searching for. Though, this spirit was sure to make the first word, and was rather hostile about it as she directed a furious scowl at Kala, as if she truly loathed Kala's very existence.

"LEAVE! NOW! OR I WILL KILL YOU!"

She shouted with absolute fury, though only seemed to hesitate blasting Kala away because she seemed unable to as she was, no doubt needing to be closer to her source.

"NO TALK OF PEACE, NO NEGOTIATIONS! NO PLEAS FOR HELP, GET OUT!"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: No Visitors, Mm-Hmm (Kala)

"So beating someone up is the key to their friendship? That's an odd way to get along. If you and I weren't so linked right now, I might be inclined to think you were playing a nasty trick on me," Kala said, but in a joking manner to show Lava that she wasn't really distrustful of the otherwise helpful slime.

~~~~

The way ahead was daunting in appearance, but Kala and walked too far and with too much purpose to be dismayed. The salvation of so many mamono lay in finding and convincing Ignis to stop powering Cleska. The fire elemental had no reason to like the demented leader of the Magi after all. Lava's tale about Baphomet however left Kala feeling a little exasperated. What kind of a fool creature was this Baphomet to go around doing such selfish things. It would be harder now to gain Ignis' trust.

The guardian spirit's appearance and subsequent shouting only proved Kala's fears. Still, she would not flinch. She strode toward the fire spirit, staring her her down.

"Nope, not gonna leave, mm-hmm. I am Kala. I'm here to stop the Magi who are using your volcano without permission, mm-hmm. That's something you want too, I know, Lava told me. Not asking for anything from you. Just let me destroy the Magi's machines. If they can't use your power, they'll be weakened enough to be destroyed, mm-hmm. I'm not here to trick you. I'm just angry at the Magi. You know all about that feeling, right?"

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: No Visitors, Mm-Hmm (Kala)

(Inspirational Music used:

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)

The figure of Ignis went up in a flame, before she suddenly appeared directly in front of Kala as she leaned forward in a confrontational manner, her face close to Kala's. "I DO NOT NEED YOUR HELP!" Ignis shouted. "IF YOU DARE APPROACH MY VOLCANO, I'LL CONSUME YOU IN FLAMES!" she announced, before backing off, and retreating into the stream of lava, and no doubt back to the volcano itself as her lair. As she retreated, Kala would see tan skinned lizard women ahead mobilizing, their scales dark red, and their tails boasting a line of burning fire along the top. Salamanders.

They grinned at Kala, and began to make their blades sing as they pounded the flat ends against rock while shouting out war cries, calling without words to the fused slime, and daring her to come and fight. Lust for battle filled their eyes, the flames of their tails burning as if they wanted to consume the whole world in flames. They would stop her progress, because they wanted a fight.

"I hope you're a good fighter, mm-hmm." Lava said through Kala's mouth. "They'll fight human men one on one, but you aren't a man, so they'll attack ruthlessly, mm-hmm."