Claude was surprised to see that the rounds had some effect, but now he had to deal with a charging lobsterman. He prepared to fire his revolver at the charging lobster man's head this time, but an angel distracted him as it landed on the beasts back and tried to pierce the back of its shell with a sword. The lobster man obviously thought nothing of it and its anger was still focused on Claude, and tossed the angel off its back.

"Once again the help from above is worthless as usual...why I sensed a glimmer of hope in you..it’s not like an angel can change anything." Koroza commented on the angel's attack, but was interrupted as that same angel managed to slow the lobster man's charge.

"Perhaps it would be wise not to make assumptions anymore?" Claude shot back at Koroza, who simply growled in return. Koroza never did appreciate Claude's witty sense of humor, but now was not the time for a victory remark as he still had to deal with the lobster beast. From the angel's attack Claude knew trying to attack the creature from the rear was pointless, and from the destruction this creature caused...getting caught was not an option...unless he wanted broken ribs.

Claude charged the beast, and was moving at a decent pace...at least compared to this monstrosity he was. He ducked under the pincers, and swung his blade horizontally at the creature's chest carapace. As he should have expected the blade ran across the thick carapace, but did no damage. It was just then he felt something connect with his side...a large pincer smashed into his right side and sent him sprawling eight feet away.

Claude got up a little disoriented, but shook his head a few times and received a clear picture. The lobster man seeing he was disabled for a moment kept on the assault. Claude may have an answer for the carapace however...he stood and red eyes glared at the creature. He was going to have to tap into a little of Koroza's demonic power to make this little plan of his work. He charged the creature once again aiming the tip of the blade at the center of the creature's carapace. Right where he hoped the lobster man's heart would be.

After dodging both of the lobster man's pincers he arrived at the moment of truth. His sword pierced the carapace, but not enough to penetrate the softer tissue to the vital organs. Claude reared his left arm back and a demonic aura flared momentarily anyone really distracted might miss it, and punched the hilt of the sword with all of the demonic might that he could muster into lobster man's body. He looked at the lobster man hoping that his maneuver killed the creature, or at least mortally wounded it.

It was then he heard a terrifying shriek, but he didn’t dare turn around as he already had his hands full. However, that shriek made his knees shake for a few moments, before the adrenaline kicked back in and they locked back up ready to bounce away if the lobster man was not dead yet. If the enemy got any more difficult than this…Claude might have to transform in order to compete…and he didn’t want that.

“What you didn’t mind borrowing my power now….and yes the true enemy is much much worse. In fact why don’t you turn around? Are you scared?” Koroza taunted, but Claude didn’t respond, he was too focused on the lobster man’s pincers, praying that the creature would just die.

((I forgot to mention. When Claude or Koroza are speaking only they can hear each other....Pandora and maybe Carnage might hear, but I would be a little skeptical of anyone else.))

((I suspected as much. I fugred it was chat in his mind. Delmegar might be able to hear it, because Nightmare is akin to Pandora and Carnage. But if you are thinking the conversation he wouldn't know either. But De;megar would likely be able to sense Koroza slightly. But since it's not the same as them, he would only know it as a dark presence.))

((Sensing his presence is a different thing entirely. Claude tries to hide it...but it slips out every now and then. Anyone who is aware ought to be able to sense it just fine.))

((Fulgriel might be able to sense him but not hear him since he's an angel, but right now he's too distracted by the fighting. Plus, there's Pandora and Carnage around so he can't pinpoint where the dark energy's coming from.))

Residential

Once the young man she helped was able to stand and flee by himself, Hilde looked again at her foe, now being dealt with by an angel and a stranger... who gave her an ominous feeling. The lobster creature was eventually beaten down by their combined efforts, and Hilde moved to assist them.

She looked up to the sky as a large shadow passed by, keeping quiet as the winged serpent flew overhead. Her head craned towards this... dragon?... even as she made her way slowly towards the Lobster man, slowly forcing itself up despite its grievous injury.

Hilde drew her combi-spear, flipped it around to use as a mace. She swats aside its pincer, and began bashing the lobster’s shell open, causing its dark green guts to spill out. Only then was it really, really dead. The paladin also got some of the guts on her. Hilde sighed, wondering how many of these ridiculously tough monsters the merefolk commanded.


Near the Crater

Meanwhile, Marlena hid with the other survivors in the rubble of another building, knowing that facing that lobster by the crater was a bad idea. The creature, simple minded as it was, approached the orb... and what little will it had was broken, as it turned on the Merefolk, tridents doing little harm as its giant pincers crushed and rend bodies in half.

“This is our chance. We have to make a run for it.” Marlena said, having eyed a way out, away from all this terrible fighting.

“Yes! The lords of Krizar would probably rally the people in an emergency.” A local responded, and with that they used this golden opportunity to sneak past the lobster.

Phantom looked at the situation and decided to change tactic. He roared to his men as they steer the ships in an arc moving even closer to the shoreline from the left. The cannons were then loaded with grapeshot while they sailed closer and closer. The anticipation of a firing order made all the ghostly warriors tense and ready to react. Then from the corner of his eye, a view of a massive drake-like fiend came to view. It was attacking a seawall. Upon realizing this, the "gears" in his brain began to modify his original plan.

"Captain get us closer to the beast over there. You two ships give us covering fire!!"

The ships split momentarily as Phantom's ship got closer to the giant creature before Phantom called the order to fire. Rain of grapeshot rained on the beast while explosions of flame covered its back. Pinky was using his elemental powers by throwing flame-charged gel bombs at the beast. The shadow warrior decided to help the assault as well, aiming Executioner and firing a beam of negative energy into the drake's legs. It roared with fury before turning back, the attack barely bleeding it.

"COME GET SOME"

Fresh merfolk blood flowed down into the crater pooling at the orb. The blood flowed over it filling up the intricate markings that were on its surface. The orb eagerly sucked up the blood into itself awaking the slumbering demon. The ground around the crater began to shake as Carnage began to manifest himself. A pillar of flame shot upwards into the sky churning in a vortex of ash and rubble. From the gathering smoke the flame took on a life of its own, forming the outline of a beast.

A sudden explosion rocked the city covering the impact sight in dense smoke. Infernal eyes could be seen shining within its depths as wicked wings made of seething fire erupted forth from the cloud of smoke."This world...is full of hate! It has so much blood...I...I WANT TO DROWN IN IT! Carnage said before roaring; bringing all but the most stalwart to their knees. His voice sounded like the raging of a mighty furnace. Carnage blew the smoke away revealing himself as he wanted to see where his new dominion would start.

Below Carnage at the center of the craters pit the orb shown brightly levitating off the ground slightly. A palpable aura of hate descended upon a large area of the city making all those within who did not possess enough mental fortitude degenerate into snarling berserkers that killed anything that moved. Mermen fought mermen and so too did the civilians of Krizar fight each other. Never before had Carnage felt so much raw energy at his command the battle was feeding him in ways dreams never could.

((Wanted to give the dragon something to fight. Don't worry about Carnage as I expect him to be defeated..... muhahahahahaha!))

Agares, Krizar City Inn

The dragon stopped just shy of cleaving him in two with its scythe-like claws, on its second pass. A beam of pure flame was shooting forth from the crater where the merman was, just a few feet from the being of blue mist stood. Whatever this light was, the dragon did not look upon it kindly. The wings flourished once again, covering the entire top of the destroyed inn; flapping once, then twice more quickly then the first, and thirdly lifting itself into the air, staring with wide, dark eyes at the light.

The others that were airborn seemed to of either taken off or landed elsewhere in the city. Apart from a haze of ashe and smoke, the skies were clear, As the dragon ascended higher and higher, gaining speed remarkably fast, it came to a stop by flapping its wings twice and arching its back towards the ground.

Some firey, winged creature - not like the dragons - emerged from the vortex and roared in a terrible rage. As it roared more and more for moments on end, the sound of shouts and cries came from the rest of Krizar. Ad Agarees himself felt the sudden urge to stick his sword in something. He allowed himself a moment to look around and found no one in the immediate vicinity. The compulsion was not terribly overwhelming, and he was thankful for that.

He managed to shout to the others after regaining his senses. "Every one capable of fight or defense, to the ramparts near the harbor, immediately. Those injured or too old, get to Silver Square, carefully. The Order will welcome you! Now go!"

As the dragon and other winged beast looked at one another, the dragon actually spoke. "This is... our world now... begone insect..." The green scaled leviathan lifted its claw like a backhand, swatted towards Carnage, and if that did not stop him then it was beginning to breathe heavily, it's scales slightly changing to a lighter shade and its mouth ablaze.

((I was gonna have the green scaled dragon we all see here swat Carnage to the earth and crash, creating a second crater. As he would collide, the dragon would be in mid lfight chasing him down, breathing fire on him the whole way down until it catches up and lands on him with his claws. Terrible, right?))

Outside the seawall

The seafaring dragon is massive, even in comparison to its winged brethren. For the most part its lower porions are completely submerged, lacks wings, has a large rounded body with quills up and down the back as tall as towers. On the top sides of its back are four blow holes, it's head is round, scrunched together and heavily, heavily armored.

Unfortunately, the dragon makes up for its lack of wings and overall mobility with multiple arms... Much like a kraken. These arms were heavy, used for bludgeoning or smashing things to pieces. It had 6 pale yellow eyes as well. Though most were closed usually. It gave the appearance of a fairly lazy creature.

As the Forsaken soldiers rained down cannon fire on the draken near the seawall, it stifled a roar. At first it opened its wide, circular mouth wide enough to wallow the seawall. But they realzed it was simply disregarding the explosions hitting it. While Phantom closed the distance, another ship came into view from just around the harbor. Cannons hit it over and over in a seemingly endless stream - which signifed that Regalia had arrived.

Regalia, the ship, lacked for raw, brute power by bringing only overwhelming amounts of speed and precision. Regalia was becoming famed in even Bilgewater for the craftsmanship and genius design.

Now, with the two main threats being dealt with. It was just a matter of settling the beasts down once and for all, quelling the invaders, settling the populace and beginning repairs.

With the lobster monster slain, Fulgriel turned his attention to a winged beast that had just landed nearby. He drew his bow, which by now had partially recuperated from exhausting its energy. Fulgriel took aim straight at the dragon's head, but was thrown off by a sudden explosion. A pillar of fire erupted from a crater on the ground. It was a maelstrom of unholy hell-fire shooting into the sky. Another winged creature appeared from the flames. Fulgriel stood in awe. Was this creature from the flames also an ally of the dragons and mermen?

Luckily, his assumption was wrong, as the creature roared at the dragon, to which the dragon responded by spewing fire from its mouth. Fulgriel decided not to interfere, as he was sure that coming between these two monsters would result in his own demise. "With any luck, they'll just finish each other off. If not, I'll just take on the weakened winner," thought Fulgriel.

The dragons first attack went through Carnage harmlessly because of his intangible nature. The fire breath engulfed him but he relished in the bath of dragon fire. The vortex grew in size as Carnage swelled from the energy he was gaining. The orb continued to glow brighter at the center of the maelstrom of energy.

"Your hate sustains me!" Carnage held out its hand pointing at the fire-breathing dragon. Flesh wounds followed where ever he pointed at the dragon drawing blood that spilled like rain upon the ground below.