Game Master: We are nearing the halfway point of the Melee, and so far, there have been fierce battles all around center court. But there are some participants who have yet to join the fray. Metatron can be seen levitating and spectating the proceeding above the highest of the horizontal bridges crossing the court. Tracia hovers just inside the boundary of the court and no one seems to notice her. Cras-myne Re is standing still, presumably scaring off any potential fighters due to his intimidating visage. Re is the tallest of the participants, and he is obviously very strong. He looks immovable on his long, flat feet and his sturdy hinds legs. He has relatively short arms for his size and a long and thick prehensile tail that is intimidating as well. He looks very fit in the All Star uniform and his face is locked in anger.
Oh, look, some Yumboes approach Re.
Kazi Fandral: Are they sure they want to test the might of the despot King?
Walo: The All Stars are the only team with all of their participants remaining and Cras-myne Re is alone. Surely four Elder Yumboes can make quick work of him.
Kazi Fandral: You should allow the aerphim teams to make that mistake, but I guess you can’t call them off now.
Walo: No I could not. Odua, Baol, Dimar, and Mali are older than me and they are convinced that they have stumbled upon easy prey. But surely you must be worried for the King. A being of this realm against four Fonlanders is not a fair fight. Baol is engaging him, he is very skilled in hand to hand.
Kazi Fandral: What a treat. The King is an avid boxer. He rarely gets to display those skills.
GM: Baol is tall and muscular in the Yumbo tunic uniform and his wings are large at his back like a moth. He has long arms and fists like boulders. He sizes up well with Re, who is a head taller, and Baol doesn’t seem too intimidated as he rushes the King with a quick right hook to the midsection. Baol continues with a left that seems to surprise Re and cause him to take a step back to raise his arms in defense. Baol hooks to Re’s head and lands a solid punch on his cheek. The other Yumboes cheer like an audience in a semicircle around the fight that is closer to the edge of the court than the center and near the stone wall that Hysteria constructed. Baol retreats a little to give his compatriots a smile.
Cras-myne Re: Very nice. You’re a great boxer. This will be a fun exercise.
GM: Re uses his tail to propel himself forward and he quickly closes the distance between them, then he moves fast enough to smash a fist into Boal’s face and gut before landing on his feet. Both blows land solidly and Dimar winces loudly.
Dimar: He felt that one.
Mali: Shut up, it was a lucky shot.
GM: Baol is bruised but not beaten and he throws a hard left jab hoping to hit Re’s unguarded head, but Re has cocked his tail to the right and spins his body left to smack Baol hard before his punch can land. It is so unexpected, even to the spectating Yumboes, that Baol is at the mercy of Re’s tail and it scoops him up, then launches him out of bounds in a flash.
Cras-myne: Boxing is fun, but this isn’t a boxing match. Which one of you is going out next?
GM: Mali screams and charges Re as both her hands begin to burn and sparkles fly off in her wake. When she is close to Re, he whips his tail, but she is quick on her bare feet and leaps forward just in time to dodge it. She seems to run up Re’s body, smacking his body with the sparkles from her hand and leaving smoldering bruises, and she plants a foot on his face when she reaches his head, pushing off with an explosion of sparkles from her feet as she flips back and lands in a three point stance. Re is pushed back on his long feet by the force and he grabs his smoking face with one hand. Mali runs in again, hoping to use his obscured vision to her advantage, but she forgets his tail and he swipes her out of bounds with it just as he did Baol.
Cras-myne Re: That really did hurt, but I’m not dumb enough to drop my defenses in a Melee. How about both of you just hop out now and save us all the trouble?
Walo: Is it wise to engage, Odua? I understand the insult, Cras-myne Re shows us no deference, but need I remind you of Lolof’s desire to have the two of you advance to the final Dance?
Odua: So you don’t think that I can knock this brute out? Mind your station, young one. This Melee does not suspend the hierarchy of respect.
Walo: Understood, please forgive my transgression. But will you please take my council under advisement? There is a reason that you, in your infinite wisdom, chose me as the master of this game for our team. I am nothing but your servant, your eyes from a vantage you are not privy to. Our team cannot afford to lose you. Take Dimar and rid the court of easy targets like the other teams are doing. The time will elapse and you will be able to prepare for the one-on-one round.
Odua: Fine. Dimar, with me. We’re going.
GM: Re has waited patiently for the remaining two Yumboes to attack. He is suddenly very entertained by the proceedings and wants to eliminate more competitors.
Cras-myne Re: I did not say that you could leave. You can try, but you will only open yourself up to swift attack from my tail and end up like your other friends. I take it you all fight differently? You, old female, what are your tricks? I would see them now.
GM: Re approaches Odua who looks back to Dimar.
Odua: Go. He will take a cheap shot and knock you out if he finds the opportunity. Let me handle him. You go find Lolof. I will be right there.
GM: Dimar flies off without hesitation, but in his panic, he slams into Lorv, the Supreme Mmoatia. He is like a fly on her windshield, the shield of light that she wields to protect her face at high speeds, and she picks up speed, then punches Dimar off of her shield and out of bounds before returning to whatever high speed antics she was up to.
Cras-myne Re: Let’s get to it, then.
GM: Re leaps forward on his tail and tries to smash his feet into Odua, who takes flight like a firefly and maneuvers to Re’s back. He catches her when she tries to kick him like Mali had, with charged feet that singed his face. He holds Odua with one hand and before he can gloat, her entire body glows redhot and burns Re’s hands. He throws her and shakes his hand in the air.
Odua: Never touch a Yumbo like that, other-realmer.
GM: Still red hot, Odua dives in and punches Re with the same boxing style that Baol had employed, but Odua is much faster and shells out hard punches 360 degrees around Re. He is knocked hard in the jaw by a red hot fist and he hears the thin coat of fur on his face singe, and then he feels a stiff kick to his back and he engages his tail, but before he can do anything, Odua unloads a one-two punch in his gut that doubles him over. Odua presses her attack and she slams her knee into his Re’s face and he is rocked backwards, sailing dangerounsly close to the edge of the court when his body finally settles.
Odua: This is your recompense for the disrespect.
GM: Odua tents her fingers and concentrates on her hands as the red hot coloring of her body begins to drain and it comes to concentrate in her hands that radiate heat and turn white hot. She yells as she thrusts her hands forward and launches the white hot energy at Re’s body, only, by the time she has thrown her attack, Re is on his feet and hopping over the beam of smoldering white, over Odua’s head, and as he lands, he whips his tail to smack Odua after the beam of energy and tumbling out of the ring.
Cras-myne Re: That one was very tough.
Kazi Fandral: And you prevailed. Very nicely done, King Re. I guess the Yumboes are in dire straits now, Walo.
Walo: It is unfortunate. But as long as Lolof fights, then we have a chance. And Jinn and Njie are both…
Hysteria: Out of the competition. Njie has been prone for ten seconds and Jinn has just been knocked out of the ring.
GM: Both Jinn and Njie were in a heated battle with Coffey and Raius of the Supreme Mmoatia, but that conflict has come to an end.
Coffey: I want to find those aerphim that took out Whil. Why the Yumboes attacking us anyway?
Raius: Because their leader has grown a spine and desires more power for their Elders. What better way than to win this thing and get mixed up in the crazy politics that the aerphim and the mmoatia have already created. It’s dumb if you ask me, but it’s about time Lolof flexed his power.
Coffey: If they want to fight, they can bring it.
Raius: There’s not many of them left.
GM: As they talk, Coffey is ambushed by Harut and Marut who both seem to appear out of nowhere to wrestler her to the ground. Before Raius can respond, Esme with her glorious, white feathered wings, with long gray hair that shines like her father’s, grabs Rauis by the neck. He flaps his wings to retreat, but Esme holds him in a vice.
Esme: Should I slam him to the ground until he is unconscious, or should I toss him out of bounds?
Iaoth: Out of bounds is quicker. Can you keep your grip?
Ahdis: Not for much longer.
GM: As she says this, large spikes, like briars, grow out from Raius body. Esme is stabbed multiple times and tries to drop him, but he doesn’t move until he retracts the thorns. He flies to slam his fists into Esme and sends her rolling to the edge of the court. Raius turns his attention to Coffey who is knocking Harut and Marut’s heads together. Both fall down unconscious.
Coffey: Did you knock that woman out?
Raius: I think so. She rolled over to the edge.
GM: When they look in the direction that Esme had tumbled, Coffey and Raius see her flying fast in their direction, but before she reaches them, another participant slams into her, like they had been flung from a different altercation. Coffey flies to hover over Esme who seems to be knocked out, and she recognizes the winged man who stands up wearily trying to gain his bearing.
Coffey: Lofet?
Lofet: Ms. Coffey.
GM: Lofet flies up to talk to Coffey and it takes him effort to lift off the ground. Coffey winces at his misshapen face; like the Mmoatia, the Umbatia do not bruise, but when they sustain considerable damage, their features can be disturbed and require healing to settle into their normal formation.
Coffey: You been taking a beating out here it look like.
Lofet: Those aerphim, the Children. They took out Tiriq and I been trying to find Umbriel, but I got hit pretty hard while I was flying.
Coffey: Well, take care of yourself, I guess. Good luck out there.
GM: She looks at Raius and the two fly away from Lofet.
Lofet: Coffey, I’m sorry. Please, I know this ain’t the best time, but I didn’t think I would see you again and I got stuff to say.
GM: Coffey stops and motions for Raius to continue without her and she returns to Lofet.
Ahdis: This is the one that she has feelings for, Sene?
Sene: They didn’t know each other that long before she went to the Fonlands, but I know Loffey care about her.
Ahdis: Why didn’t she feel welcomed in the swamp if you and Lofet have such affection for her?
Sene: Cause Umbriel and Tiriq got strong personalities and Tiriq was doing deals behind our backs. They thought they was dealing with the real Lêgba and they promised him Coffey’s Third Heart.
Ahdis: That is horrific. If I’d known about that when it happened, Pultine would be furious at me because I would have wiped that swamp from the face of the Earth.
Sene: To be clear, Lofet and I did everything we could to protect her.
Ahdis: And it’s thanks to you that the Umbatia still live.
Hysteria: Harut, Marut and Esme have all been prone for ten seconds and are eliminated from the competition.
GM: On center court, Lofet smiles weakly at Coffey and he is barely keeping aloft.
Lofet: When I found you on that hill, I knew that I would do everything in my power to protect you. And our time together in the swamp, I just wanted that to last longer, I don’t know. You a good looking woman and you a good person, better than any other Earther I done met. I’m sorry for the Umbatia that made you feel like a outsider or like you was in danger. You always welcome in the swamp, though.
Coffey: I know you a good man, Lofet. I trusted you when I was lost and you didn’t disappoint me. The world around me did, like it always did before I found the Fonlands. I found my power there and now ain’t nowhere I can go that I care at all about the world outside myself and the people I care about.
Lofet: That’s a smart way to be. I’m hoping that we can spend time together in the future. I don’t want this to be the last time we see each other.
Coffey: If you come to the Fonlands, you can find me in the forest. Just follow my essence.
GM: With that, Coffey waves goodbye to Lofet, leaving him to fend for himself in the Melee raging strong around them.
Ahdis: I should spend time with your Lofet. My sisters have a habit of pairing up with weak men, I wonder if this Lofet is any different.
Sene: He a good man, no doubt about that, but seeing what Coffey is now, I don’t think he can keep up with her to be honest.
Ahdis: My sisters like to bring the potential they see in a man to the surface. If Lofet becomes entangled with Coffey, he’ll follow her to the ends of the universe to impress her and you will lose the man you knew forever.
Sene: Don’t sound like a bad thing to me. The worst thing about the Umbatia, we so stuck to each other and we don’t explore. Lofet deserve more than just the hive in the swamp and Coffey can help him see that. It’s a Elder Yumbo named Lolof ain’t it? He got any relation to Lofet?
Ahdis: Walo would be the best to answer that question.
Walo: I honestly don’t know. I thought to ask him but it slipped my mind before we started.
Ahdis: Will Lolof survive the Melee with no team members left?
Walo: I have faith in him. It looks like he is approaching Tracia, maybe she will team up with him.
Ahdis: If love truly lasts forever.
GM: Lolof is fresh from an altercation with Ballaton of the Children. Ballaton is a truly a force, second in size only to Cras-myne Re. Ballaton is a statuesque woman with a strong body and study, white feathered wings to match. Her skin is dark brown, her hair is golden yellow like Metatron’s, and she hulks over her cousins. In her fight with Lolof, she nearly pummeled him out of the court, but Lolof used the dust in his wings to blind Ballaton and he managed to escape, sure that he would not be able to overpower the woman to knock her out of bounds. He didn’t know where he was retreating to at first, but soon he was hoving in front of Tracia. She had a look of amusement on her beautiful face as she spectated the fighting before her and when she noticed Lolof, her face dropped with empathy at the sad state of him. His tunic was ragged and he had lumps on his head. His wings sagged at his back.
Tracia: My love, you have had a rough go. Maybe it is time for you to rest. The Yumboes did what they could for our cause and we appreciate the effort. When this is all done, I will soothe your wounds myself, tenderly and lovingly.
Lolof: Did you ever believe that my team would survive this Melee?
Tracia: What? Of course, Lolof. The Yumboes are Endladers with power on par with the Mmoatia.
Lolof: Do you ever tell me the truth? Do you really love me Tracia? Or am I just a tool for you? Like Wielar to Lorv, Rusa to Pultine? It seems Coffey has made our great grandson her own. Is a mmoatia even capable of love?
Tracia: You are weary, love. I think that your Melee has come to an end.
Lolof: I wanted to win this so I could balance the power between us, between the Yumboes and the Mmoatia, but that is not possible. Not when you all look down on us. Not when you only see us as pawns in your elaborate games for power. I do truly love you Tracia, even if I was never enough for you, but a convenient means to an end. I am proud to have served you for as long as I have. And maybe Metatron can love you the way you deserve to be loved.
Tracia: I will see you on the Disc of Age.
GM: Tracia lifts a delicate hand and flicks her pointer and middle fingers as a flicker of violet energy that intensifies as it sweeps around Lolof, entangling his wings and his limbs, spins him away from her and out of bounds.
Hysteria: The entire team of Elder Yumboes have been eliminated.
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