Mini-Grand 5110 <Round 2: Chrome City>

Originally posted on MSPA by Ixcalibur.

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Golus picked his way through the the thickly wooded area, more or less oblivious to the ongoing ethereal argument between its ghostly occupants. Behind it trailed the Battlemonster; still unnamed. This was something of a point of contention between the two highly opinionated spirits.

"Deathface!" Rage insisted. "What is not to like? It deals death, it has a face; and a really ugly one at that."

Without eyes to roll derisively, Intelligence merely made its argument. "Deathface, is while certainly descriptive, rather on the nose don't you think?" It paused for a moment, as Golus pushed a stray branch from its path. "I know that the shade of purple is not quite the same but I rather like Byzantium."

Rage laughed for a moment, and then appeared to realize that Intelligence was not joke. "Come on Intel. Byzantium? That's a girl's name. Or not even a name at all."

"I hardly believe that someone advocating the name 'Deathface' has a right to criticize anyone else for providing a name that is not traditionally a name." Intelligence replied icily.

"But, come on...! Deathface!" Rage replied. "Doesn't it just pop?!"

The debate was rather thankfully cut short as Golus and Deathface/Byzantium approached a young individual wearing a red baseball cap and a backpack.

"KILL HIM!" Rage yelled, feeling a sudden burst of his namesake emotion.

"Now now Ragey." Intelligence intervened. "I hardly believe it is in our best interests to ruthlessly massacre every individual we come across, especially not under such unusual circumstances."

"DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!" Rage fumed. "Come on you stupid golem, kill him already!"

"Hello." Golus said, taking little to no heed of the bickering phantasms.

"Nice Battlemonster you've got there!" The kid said, enthusastically regarding Deathface/Byzantium. "Let’s do battle!"

"I believe for once it may be in our best interests to go with Rage in this particular circumstance." Intelligence said, rather reluctantly.

"YES!" Rage yelled triumphantly. "BATTLE! FIGHT! KILL! CRUSH! BATHE IN THE BLOOD OF YOUR ENEMIES!"

Golus watched dumbly as the kid twisted a ring upon his finger; behind him a shimmering portal opened up, and through it rolled a thing. Golus didn't really have the words to describe it, though Intelligence recognized it immediately as some kind of bizarre piano, with stumpy wooden limbs. The whole thing was encased in shimmering blue ice.

"Go Pianice!" The kid yelled, pointing towards Golus in a dramatic fashion.

Rage continued to froth at the metaphorical mouth in anger, while Intelligence attempted, using the basic information that could be gleaned from observing the creature to offer battle advice to the golem. None of this really mattered as Deathface/Byzantium pushed past the dopey golem and began to batter the ice piano thing with its sharp claws.

In the treetops above Lady Jaska observed the preceding with interest. She was already noting down the golem's weaknesses, though perhaps she did not intend to act upon them so soon into this battle. Lady Jaska had a far greater aim in mind, one which she felt this golem, or at least the intelligent spirit that inhabited it might be of use in. Drawing her concealed daggers she plummeted from the tree tops, and carved a bloody swathe through the kid battlemonster trainer. It was over in one fell swoop, and the Sanguine Assassin was once again covered with blood. She turned to the surprised golem, and the spirits who were now bickering over whether or not to kill her, her expression unreadable.

"We need to talk." she said, coldly.