Match #15: Genesis VS Selena

[Larxene]

Alright folks the tournament has finally been judged and thus the next round of matches can begin. This match will be between Selena and Genesis! The first one to post will be Genesis who has three days to get out his post.

You may begin!

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

The lobby where the contestants gathered before their matches and returned afterwards to seek medical need was now empty save for one lone figure, sitting down upon on old Greek bench. The long crimson coat hanging from the male's shoulders was whipped up and spread down the back of the bench as if he were a pianist sitting at a Baby Grand, ready to start playing a tune. Arms folded across his chest and eyes closed, a frown etched upon his features, the young man known as Genesis Rhapsodos had done it once again. He'd reached the Final of the Tournament for the second time in a row as he had claimed he would to every one of his past opponents. His employee and red-haired warrior Felix was the first to fall. Second was the 'Memory Witch' Naminé, who's mysterious power still bewildered the Crimson SOLDIER. Finally there was Jecht, the behemoth of a man who seemed to care more about how awesome he looked when throwing attacks over actually trying to win the match. Did Zack really loose to that muscle-head...? It was so hard to believe.

Sitting there, keeping arms folded across his chest and remaining motionless as he felt the soft, warm breeze glide past through his hair, the subtle rustling of his leather coat swaying as the wind caught it, Genesis was hoping, possibly even praying, that the woman whom he thought he saw before entering his match against Jecht was indeed the one known as 'Artemis' and that she had triumphed against her own opponent. Images of their last encounter in this world, the first round of the previous Tournament, flashed about the LOVELESS fanatics mind. She had fought valiantly, but didn't do enough to best the 1st Class SOLDIER. If she had reached the Final this time around, then her strength must have increased greatly... or she had possibly been up against weaker opponents. Either way, it mattered not. The auburn-haired man simply allowed the tiniest of smirks to creep across his lips as he felt that 'Artemis' presence was still lingering somewhere within the Coliseum. Opening his eyes, it was like coming out of a long, dark tunnel. The bright, flickering flames within the burning brazier nearby caused Genesis' pupils to shrink rapidly as the eruption of the ever noisy audience slammed into his ears, the SOLDIER slipping out of his 'mini-meditation' to return to reality. Just in time too, for the little satyr Phil came walking over with a very strange air of calmness about him. The goat-creature was probably enjoying all the Munny he was now rolling around in following the success of his latest Tournament.

"I knew you could do it, kid. You are The Champion and it looks like you're going to walk away here the Two Times Champion. Your opponent is nothing to worry about, so I'd wager you could take it easy this time."
Genesis lowered his arms from before his chest and placed his elbows upon his knees, the leather material of his iconic coat creaking as it became taught about his arms. Smiling and turning his bright blue eyes upon the satyr, Genesis allowed a chuckle to escape his lips.
"You have no idea how difficult this match is going to be for me."
Was the SOLDIER's reply, keeping his eyes on Phil.
"You having a laugh? Sure, she managed to reach the Final just like you have, but you whooped her ass in the first round last time."
"That was then and this is now. She's grown stronger, I can feel it. You thought Jecht was tough? You've seen nothing yet."
"Well, whatever kid. But you better win this thing. It'll be a major boost to my business if you walk out here a double Champion. Think of all the new fans you'll have?!"
No reply came from Genesis as he thought about what Phil just said. Sure, a load more fans would be nice, but at the end of the day, there was only one person the Crimson SOLDIER wanted to see... and that was his Goddess.

Standing up and sticking his crimson gloved hands into his coat pockets, Genesis simply nodded at Phil and then walked past the satyr off towards the gates that the contestants used to enter the Coliseum.
"It's about time, isn't it?"
Asked Genesis as he turned his head to cast a glance over his shoulder, the SOLDIER's piercing blue eyes shining through the hair of his fringe. Little Phil clopped past him as he ran by and disappeared through the gate Genesis was heading for. An instant later and the cheers and chants of the audience seemed to erupt, a deafening roar calling for both Genesis and 'Artemis' to enter the Coliseum was clearly showing off how both eager and excited everyone was. Genesis himself smirked as he felt a shiver of electricity zip down his spine from the magnificent racket entering his ears. This was it. The final match. There was only going to be one winner from all this. So much blood, sweat and tears had been shed the past few days as all the matches began and came to an end... and it all came down to this.

Genesis against 'Artemis'.

"This is it folks!! This is the moment you have all been waiting for!! The last match of the Tournament. The deciding bout that will determine whom your new Champion will be. Please put your hands together and make some noise for the current defending Champion. He is the LOVELESS Fanatic and The One of Three, SOLDIER 1st Class of the ShinRa Corporation, give it up for GENESIS RHAPSODOS!!!"
The Champion strode out of the shadows and raised a hand up over his head, smirking as he flexed his fingers and gave a wave off towards the audience. Being in the spotlight, the center of attention and NOT having the rest of SOLDIER and everything else trying to kill you... It felt good. It felt REAL good. Reaching the center of the Coliseum, upon the raising fighting section, Genesis raised his right arm and summoned his Rapier to hand with a stream of flame bursting out of his palm. Here, he stood and he waited, eyes locked onto his opponents gate as he waited for his last challenge to reach him.

"Don't disappoint me now..."

[Deleted]

As Selena Wolfsong sat on the bench in the lobby to recover from the semi-final round, her mind wandered to the previous matches and how she managed to win. The dark keybearer had discovered her demon form near the end of the round and practically snatched victory away from Shuyin. The Black Angel then fought Whatever, whom she still didn't know that he had been a Heartless the whole time and thus unaware that her keyblade's poison was highly effective against him, in the second round. However, she had nearly lost herself to her own darkness in that round and still felt remorseful for that. The previous round against Snow was less than a perfect win. Even though the dark keybearer hadn't used her dark form until later, the injury on her left shin that she had received the round before had almost cost her the match as the man had noticed it right away and used his summon to aim for the injury.

The Black Angel sighed as she pulled the pant leg up to check up on the condition of the cut [bullet graze] on her left shin. Although Selena was no medical expert, she thought the wound appeared worse than it did after the match against Whatever. "Yeesh. That's one nasty cut ya got there, kid." Startled, the dark keybearer glanced down at Phil, the satyr, who was also inspecting the wound before staring her down. "Ya think I didn't notice during that last round? That nearly costed ya the match, if not yer own leg, back there. Ya ain't going to become a hero if ya can't even take care of yerself."

That made the angelic warrior bite her tongue to restrain the growl from emitting inside her throat and instead, hung her head low, letting her bangs cover her eyes, because she knew that he was right. She had made a mistake of letting the opponent figure out her injury just by the subtle shifting of her weight from one leg to the next right after grimacing."I'm aware." was all 'Artemis' could say, and the satyr just shook his head at her as if in disappointment.

"Well, yer fighting against the champion now so ya should be in tip-top shape because we definitely can't have casualties in the tournament ya know." The dark angel glanced up at him just in time for him to hand her a Hi-Potion and blinked. She certainly didn't expect this sudden kindness from Phil before chuckling.

"Of course, because I'm rather fond of being able to walk ya know." answered the Black Angel before chugging the potion and the wound minimizes to a noticeable but thin scar, "Thanks Phil. 'Artemis' pulled the pant leg back down and stood up. No more pain shot up from the leg and for that, she was already grateful.

"Yeah, yeah. Just get out there and fight yer heart out, kid, because we're behind schedule as it is. Genesis is waiting for you out there so good luck." 'Artemis' chuckled as she walked toward the gate with the satyr clomping ahead of her. She heard the crowds cheering wildly which sent a chill snaking up her spine. Selena couldn't remember when the last she felt this much excitement. Perhaps it was years.

"All right folks, final round that decides it all! She is the dark angelic keybearer who fought her way up the ranks with nearly just her keyblade to have her ultimate rematch against Genesis Rhapsodos, our reigning champion. She is the Demon and the Black Angel! Give it up for 'Artemis'!" As Phil ran off, the crowd gasped as 'Artemis' stepped out of the shadows of the gate to reveal the dark keybearer in her Dark Form. The demon smirked at Genesis as she walked toward the center of the arena and to confirm that she was indeed the same keybearer he had fought in the previous tournament, summoned her Heartsickness keyblade in maroon flame. "Good luck." 'Artemis' waited a moment to let the crimson champion let her dramatic appearance sink in before immediately slashing at him for a five-slash

combination.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Abilities Used:
Keyblade Ability: What is special about this keyblade is that it turns the Heart's Blood into a poison that attacks the Heart. It's most effective on Heartless, ironically, but it has no effect on Nobodies. Selena is usually never uses this keyblade to attack people though Black Angel might. The poison will only deplete health until it’s low. No worries.

[Cool Down: None.] [Duration: 3 Posts or until healed with a curative spell.]

Dark Form

[/color]: Appearance

With the darkness of her heart, Selena takes on the form of a dragon-like demon of the night. During battle, the most notable difference between this form and her normal form is the increase in speed and strength but a considerable decrease in defense.
[Duration: 5 Posts]

OOC: Good luck Genesis! =D

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

The roaring cheers from the large scale crowd that gathered to watch and witness this event, sounded like they were growing ever louder. It was astonishing to listen to how much noise a gathering of people could make, and they were all chanting either for Selena or himself. It was simply amazing, standing here in the middle of the Coliseum and having cheering fans standing in their seats, jumping up and down, waving their arms about and shouting at the top of their lungs, encouraging their favorite contender to do their best. No matter which direction the Crimson SOLDIER turned to look in, people where cheering at him, waving small flags with his face in and holding up banners with words written on such as: 'We <3 Genesis!' and: 'The Crimson Champion!!'. Indeed, this really was such a different feeling compared to what happening during the Crisis Core era. It... felt 'nice' to be considered a 'good guy'. However, as the audience seemed to erupt ever louder, Genesis turned himself around and set his eyes upon the figure setting forth from out the shadows. Almost instantly, his expression turned cold and his eyes narrowed as he knew this battle was about to get started.

Taking a few steps backwards away from the center of the Coliseum, giving 'Artemis' some space to step onto the raised fighting section, he kept his bright, glowing eyes upon the young woman as, while she were in her Dark Form, recognized the woman beneath the new image she had revealed. This wasn't revealed to him at their last match... Perhaps his words to Phil were true indeed and she really did grow stronger? Flexing his right arm, raising the tip of his Rapier up slightly and then dropping it back down, Genesis narrowed his eyes further as he directed his senses onto the dark, yet hardly, dressed woman across the Coliseum from him. The Crimson SOLDIER was trying to feel the aura that her heart gave off, seeing if he could detect any significant changes in her since their last meeting, though that had been a while now and so, to be honest, he couldn't really remember how she did feel. Thus he stopped and simply raised his left hand up to his forehead, tilting his head down and closing his eyes as he muttered a few words under his breath.
"Even if the morrow is barren of promises,
Nothing shall forestall my return."

Throwing his left arm out to his side as if he were going to summon his wing, the creaking of his leather coat shifted from left arm to right as the LOVELESS quoter threw up his right arm as he felt the presence of his opponent suddenly get a lot closer, bringing his Crimson Rapier up before his face as he felt the power of Selena's Keyblade smash into the slender blade within his grip. Sparks flew from the impact of steel upon.. err... whatever Keyblades were made from and the shock within the SOLDIER's hand actually caused him to reopen his eyes and shoot a dagger-like glare into the face of his opponent. She really DID get stronger! That blow had some power in it... Or was it simply because she was a Keybarer? Weren't the their strength and speed supposed to be legendary? Was this why Sephiroth wanted them all dead...? No, there had to be more to it then them simply being better then him. Genesis began to step backwards and quickly brought his left hand to the decorated hilt of his Rapier, gripping it firmly and swinging his blade back at Selena to parry away three of the remaining four slashes of her combo. The vibrations shooting down both his arms clearly told the Crimson SOLDIER that whatever the new 'form' was, it was giving Selena considerably power.

There was one thing Genesis remembered though... and that was 'Artemis's' Keyblade had the power to infect the wounds it caused with poison. The only answer was not to get hit by that weapon... at all.

Keeping that thought in mind, as Selena made her final attack in the combo which was a high horizontal slash, Genesis smirked as he flexed his knees and ducked downwards, allowing the Keyblade to swing over his head as he held the long blade out to his right and gripping onto the hilt tightly with both hands, brought the blade down in a hard horizontal slash across both of Selena's thighs, putting a fair bit of his own strength into it to try and cripple the winged female. Though the SOLDIER 1st Class stepped forwards again and with a quick shift of his weight onto his front, right leg, Genesis charged his shoulder forwards, attempting to smash Selena in the ribs if she had avoided the attack aimed at her legs.
"I am expecting a lot from you, 'Artemis'. I've been waiting for this match ever since I learned of your participation within the Tournament. So, lets not waste anymore time and lets get serious!"
Genesis spoke, being so much closer to the young woman now, she may have heard him over the noise the audience was making.

Keeping his head down, Genesis jumped backwards and opened the distance up between them both, his crimson coating flapping about his calves as landed before softly blowing out to one side as the wind blew past the Coliseum. Still with a smirk on his lips, the LOVELESS quoter raised his left arm up and held an open palm beside his head, flexing his fingers one after the other several times as he pondered over whether to send a series of Flashes at Selena, or take a gamble and try to hit her with a more powerful but unguided Holy. Instead, the Crimson SOLDIER raised his left hand higher and instead brushed his fingers through his hair from forehead backwards, smirking as he did so before beckoning Selena to come at him with a few nods of his head. Might as well wait for a better opening to risk unleashing a Holy. It's power could be enough to see this match end early if it connected.

[Deleted]

'Artemis' felt the thrill of the adrenaline coursing through her veins as their blades connected and sent sparks flying into their faces. To counter Genesis' glare, the Demon smirked as a mischievous glint sparked in her golden eyes. The keybearer wanted him to know that she had grown stronger to tear the title away from him and what was the best way than to defeat him in combat? This is going to be so much fun.[/i] 'Artemis' mused as she felt each vibration of their blades meeting as he parried off three of her blows and almost laughed as she acknowledged that the crimson champion had gotten stronger too, This isn't going to be an easy match. I need to keep my guard up.[/color]

As he ducked at her fifth slash, her eyes managed to catch the subtle tightening of his grip and hopped back a foot, but it was already too late. The Demon gritted her teeth from the pain as the red blade horizontally sliced through the dark leather and left a semi-thin line of red across her pale skin. Her attention to the blade had left her vulnerable to the shoulder that met her ribs and 'Artemis' grunted. Though while being in close proximity to the champion, the winged warrior still managed to smirk as she heard Genesis speak about being looking forward to this match.

"Likewise, Genesis." answered 'Artemis' as she spun around and attempted to horizontally

slash him across the chest as he jumped back. The winged warrior was sure that the crimson champion likely didn't hear her over the loud cheers of the crowd just as she was sure that he knew about the poison ability from her Heartsickness keyblade. He'll try to avoid to getting hit due to the poison and the possibility of losing the match because of it.

When Genesis held up his open hand, the Black Angel tensed thinking that he was going to send his Flashes or even Apocalypse down on her. She inwardly sighed in relief as the palm instead went into his hair and beckoned her to attack first. Ahah...Nope. Not going to do that again... 'Artemis' briefly glanced down at her thighs to check how severe the cuts were and despite the blood, the hurt wasn't too bad.

She smirked as an idea popped in her head and stretched her wings out. With a few mighty flaps, the Black Angel has taken flight a few yards above the ground. "I believe it's been a while since the audience has seen an aerial match!" called out 'Artemis' to Genesis though she wasn't sure if he heard from the cheering, And I can keep my weight off my legs and have a little fun while I'm at it.

[/i]

~~~~~~~~~~~
Abilitites Used:

Keyblade Ability: What is special about this keyblade is that it turns the Heart's Blood into a poison that attacks the Heart. It's most effective on Heartless, ironically, but it has no effect on Nobodies. Selena is usually never uses this keyblade to attack people though Black Angel might. The poison will only deplete health until it’s low. No worries.

[Cool Down: None.] [Duration: 3 Posts or until healed with a curative spell.]

Dark Form: Appearance

With the darkness of her heart, Selena takes on the form of a dragon-like demon of the night. During battle, the most notable difference between this form and her normal form is the increase in speed and strength but a considerable decrease in defense.
[Duration: 4 Posts]

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

A deafening roar of excitement erupted from the audience as both the Crimson SOLDIER and the Back Angel engaged one another in combat, officially getting this final match underway. Two iconic warriors wearing their infamous colours, using their favoured weapons and signature styles. These two warriors had fought through the best there was to offer that had competed in this Tournament and everything came down to this last match. True, these were only 'expedition' class matches, but to be crowned Champion and granted title of 'Strongest', there just was too much on stake to take it easy at this stage. At least Genesis thought as much as he smirked, feeling the slender blade of his Rapier vibrate so subtly as it sung when being directed through the air. The long, sharp edges caught Selena's thighs and the follow up attack of his charging shoulder connected as well. Strangely, it felt like his attacks dealt greater damage for the amount of effort he put into them. Casting his bright gaze over Selena as he jumped backwards, admiring her new attire, the SOLDIER drew up a theory that maybe her heightened strength and speed came at a cost of lower defense?

Though the fans crowded around the Coliseum were on their feet, shouting ever louder, the quoter of LOVELESS could still hear both the words Selena spoke as well as the sounds her Keyblade made as it was swung through the air. Such as when she sent out a counter attack as he jumped backwards, the twisted looking weapon coming to within less then an inch of the SOLDIER, the poisoned weapon catching and slicing a fine slash across both his coat and black shirt worn underneath. Leather boots skidded across the arena floor as Genesis caught his balance, casting a fast glance downwards to see if he was wounded. By some miracle, 'Artemis' counter had unfortunately missed, but she only had to have been a fraction faster.
~I doubt she's not even trying yet either... That could only mean she'll get faster...~
Thought the SOLDIER 1st Class as he watched his opponent through narrowed his eyes, smirk vanishing and replaced with a stoic expression as he watched his attempt to taunt Selena, fail. It mattered now. The screaming crowds were not going to get a disappointing match and as Selena brought her wings into play, softly floating upwards off the ground, Genesis decided to play her game.

Bringing his Rapier about and holding it upright before his face, pressing part of the decorative hilt against his forehead, Genesis closed his eyes and took a long, slow inhale of air.
"Goddess... Give me the strength to see me claim victory for these people... to emerge as Champion and Strongest Warrior... to guide my sword-arm to defeat this opponent in glorious combat..."
Swiftly, Genesis swung his Rapier in a wide arc from his forehead down to his right hand side. As he did so, a flurry of feathers burst out the SOLDIER's left shoulder, his Angel's Wing flexing to it's fullest span before Genesis suddenly disappeared in a cloud of dust. His wing took a single, massive beat and instantly propelled the LOVELESS fan at a blistering speed, directly at Selena. As he drew near, Genesis raised his crimson weapon in position to simulate an attack, but instead of swinging at the opportune moment, he instead took a second beat of his wing and nigh-instantly changed his direction, rocketing up into the sky instead.

With the high ground, Genesis raised his left arm into the air and allowed a bright, fiery glow to emit from his open palm. A loud explosion of erupting flames echoed about the Coliseum as Genesis cast Flash, blasting out eight of the fireballs downwards to his opponent. Four headed straight for Selena as the remaining four traveled in a wide arc, two either side of the Black Angel before turning and shooting upwards, attempting to take the winged female from her flank.
"I have not forgotten what that weapon of yours can do, 'Artemis'. Should you wish to land a blow, you'll have to come at me."
Shouted the SOLDIER, making sure his voice was heard of the crowd as he planned his strategy. Fighting at range would best suit this match, for avoiding that Keyblade was the highest priority. While on the ground, traveling across the Coliseum was limited to the boundary of the shields that protected the audience... while flying upwards had no limit as far as the SOLDIER was aware.

Angel's Wing - Passive. -- Genesis summons his wing, granting him increased agility with both movement and attack speed. Also gifts him the power of flight.

Flash - 1 Post. -- Small fireballs with excellent tracking capabilities that explode with fury when hitting an object. Several can be sent out in quick succession, overwhelming unprepared enemies. Multiple hits builds damage.

[Deleted]

Her thighs stung as the open wounds bled in the open air and it caused her to grimace slightly. Despite the pain, the Demon smirked lightly at the crimson champion checked the cut on his coat to see if her Heartsickness keyblade had gotten him [She didn't know that it didn't.], and held his Rapier close to his head. She grinned when he swung it into a wide arc as his own single wing stretched out. Her mind didn't help but wonder how he was flying without spinning in circles. "Be sure to pray to your 'Goddess' when you lose, Genesis." mocked 'Artemis' with a seductive purr in her voice. The use of her Dark Form in the past matches was greatly affecting her demeanor.

The Black Angel's eyes widen a fraction as Genesis flew toward her. She instinctively held her keyblade horizontally in front of her as a defense and closed her own golden orbs. Instead of the expected clash between blades, 'Artemis' felt the whoosh of the air as the crimson champion flew above her and she reopened her eyes. She blinked as her head gazed up to see the crimson champion above her and quickly beat her own wings to catch up to him.

The scar on her left shin and the two nearly-clean cuts on her thighs were the proof that screamed at the dark keybearer to pay attention because this form didn't have any defense. Despite this, 'Artemis' felt exhilarated with the speed and strength it provided her and she wanted to have fun in this last battle for the crown! There was no rule against that was there?

The Demon sadistically grinned as she recognized the Flash technique he was about to use from their previous battle in the last tournament. As soon as the eight headed close toward her, 'Artemis' waited for them to come close before flying upward to avoid the impact of fiery doom of Genesis' Flash technique. As if she expected them to follow her, the dark keybearer flew in Genesis' direction. The Black Angel held her blade in front of her as she nearly propelled herself at him only to fly around him and to aim a single slash at his waist. "I'm aware, champion!" laughed 'Artemis' as she quickly flew away from him in case she was correct on her theory that the eight Flashes did track her movements. The open air didn't seem to apply to the barrier set around the cheering crowd and for that, she was grateful.

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

Keyblade Ability: What is special about this keyblade is that it turns the Heart's Blood into a poison that attacks the Heart. It's most effective on Heartless, ironically, but it has no effect on Nobodies. Selena is usually never uses this keyblade to attack people though Black Angel might. The poison will only deplete health until it’s low. No worries.

[Cool Down: None.] [Duration: 3 Posts or until healed with a curative spell.]

Dark Form: Appearance

With the darkness of her heart, Selena takes on the form of a dragon-like demon of the night. During battle, the most notable difference between this form and her normal form is the increase in speed and strength but a considerable decrease in defense.
[Duration: 3 Posts]

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

The 'POW' that echoed about the Coliseum that propelled outwards from the Crimson SOLDIER as he unleashed his Flash technique, nearly always gave the auburn-haired man a shiver from excitement. It was such a simple spell but was extraordinarily effective to those who didn't suspect anything more then straight forward firing balls of flame. Their tracking abilities tended to catch an opponent off guard for the fiery flames could turn about a full 180 degrees and come straight back at their intended target. Sephiroth fell prey to such an attack many day ago, but he was simply far too powerful for any damage to caused, despite being fully overwhelmed by them. Bright blue eyes flicked in the flames of the spell as the Crimson SOLDIER watched his attack descend down upon Selena. His gloved grip upon the hilt of his Rapier tightened a fraction, the creaking of leather going unheard due to the mixture of both wind and the cheering crowds in his ears. The warm orange glow cast upon Genesis' features quickly vanished as the Flashes reached Selena, passing on the sunset-like aura onto her instead.

Though for a moment, the LOVELESS fanatic had forgotten that his opponent was in a new 'form' compared to last time. As far as he could tell, both her speed and strength were increased and thus came a slight shock to the system as he watched her nearly effortlessly fly throughout the Flashes, causing a few of them to collide into one another that resulted in a chain of explosions as the blast from one fireball caught a second nearby. In total, the four that were aimed straight at the winged female erupted with a fiery boom, leaving behind a cloud of smoke that from Genesis raised position, made Selena appear to have taken off towards him with rocket boots on. Smirking however, Genesis brought his Rapier up over his head and when 'Artemis' was within range, he brought the blade down upon her with fury. Though only the sound of steel cutting air reached the auburn-haired man's ears, narrowed eyes watching the figure of the 'Black Angel' darted about to his flank.

Eyes closing, Genesis tensed up for a second as he awaited the for the sharp scream of pain to shoot across his shoulders as he believed his opponent about to attack his wing and disable his ability to fly. Instead, the slicing of leather reached the SOLDIER's ears an instant before that twisted looking Keyblade sunk into the flesh of his back, tearing a nice wound horizontally just over his waist. Expecting pain to come from else where, the SOLDIER 1st Class clenched his teeth together and closed his eyes tighter, doing a valiant job of not muttering a single sound to express the pain he felt across the base of his spine. Truth be told, he was preparing for something else instead. Almost as quickly as Selena had attacked, the moment her Keyblade struck the SOLDIER, a bright flash of light exploded across the sky as a large, highly detailed rune appeared from the quickly diminishing light. Whirling around to face his adversary, watching as the winged female took away from him, the fiery orange glow of the remaining Flashes turned the figure of Genesis into a dark, shadowy silhouette as they approached him from behind, rocketing skywards as they continued to track 'Artemis'.

Should the Black Angel glance skywards however to further escape the Flashes, she was bound to notice the large rune spanning the sky over her head. Her sneak attack upon the SOLDIER had brought about a Counter and the runes in the sky only indicated one thing. The Apocalypse had arrived. All of a sudden, the rune started to glow with bright, heavenly light as it started to unleash a barrage of powerful bolts of energy, blasting them down upon the winged female. As it did, the remaining four Flashes rocketed past Genesis, the sounds of powerful winds blowing upon an open fiery shooting through his ears as the fiery orange aura once again passed on from him to Selena. Bright blue eyes watched as the flame spell joined in that of the Apocalypse. A second massive flash of light absorbed the Coliseum as the runes within the air vanished into nothingness, leaving behind naught as if it were never there to begin with. The auburn-haired SOLDIER narrowed his eyes a fraction and taking a precaution, slowed the beating of his single wing to allow him to descent down from where Selena had flew off to.

The poison from her Keyblade; Genesis could already feel it coursing through his veins as the Mako energy and JENOVA Cells within him collided with the foreign substance within him, attempting to fight it off and return his system to normal. As a result, the SOLDIER felt his energy start to deplete and he eventually had to start taking gasps of air to keep the oxygen within his body pumping throughout him. Such a rotten, dirty trick... But then again, "winning is winning". Such a thought caused a devilish smirk to spread across the LOVELESS quoters lips and after raising his left arm up beside his head, like he had done so earlier in the match, Genesis flexed his fingers a couple of times and waited to see what had become of his opponent. A suddenly flash of blue flame erupted from the Crimson SOLDIER's palm, bathing him in a light, heavenly glow as he gathered the energies needed to cast another spell. It took longer then expected due to half his body fighting off the poison, but sure enough, the magnificent energy of Holy was held within the SOLDIER's grip.
"The Goddess will never abandon her Champion and now I will share with you her wonderful Gift..."

-=Cooldowns=-

Angel's Wing[/b] - Passive. -- Genesis summons his wing, granting him increased agility with both movement and attack speed. Also gifts him the power of flight.

Flash[/b] - Ready to be used. -- Small fireballs with excellent tracking capabilities that explode with fury when hitting an object. Several can be sent out in quick succession, overwhelming unprepared enemies. Multiple hits builds damage.

Apocalypse Counter[/b] - 3 Posts -- If struck in combat, Genesis can counter almost instantly with either a normal attack, his Dancing Sword technique or with an Apocalypse spell.

Holy[/b] - Spell is being charged -- A Gift from the Goddess. Genesis can cast and fire a powerful bolt of holy energy to smite his foes. This can cause tremendous damage to those sided with the Darkness. Unlike Flash, the Holy spell is unguided and cannot track though it travels considerably faster then it's fiery counterpart.

[Deleted]

The Black Angel's eyes widen as Genesis brought his rapier down on her as she barely moved away in time to get behind him. After darting away from his form, 'Artemis' grinned when her previous slash had successfully gotten him. He's going to feel it now. mused the Demon darkly as a smirk graced her face. This raw power this form felt so incredible that Selena felt that she was invincible despite the occasional stings from the bleeding cuts across her thighs.

Blood dripped down from her heels just as her silver eyes widened when the Demon recognized the runes that exploded and now were shining bright in the open sky. "Da** it..." muttered the young winged keybearer as she tries to fly out of its range. Fortunately, the barrier was still active to protect the audience from the stray bolts that stormed down the arena.

'Artemis' manages to fly around a few of the bolts before one struck her through the horns, and suddenly she couldn't see anything but red. As its wrath surged through her body, the shriek of agony that escaped her became anything but human. 'Artemis' barely felt the fiery rage of the four Flashes that had struck her lower to mid-back. She lost her grip on the Heartsickness keyblade as her hand reflexively let go. As the Black Angel fell, her mind blocked the roaring cheers for Genesis, their Crimson Champion, but instead heard a young, female voice that Selena hadn't heard for over ten years.

"SELENAAA!!!"

When her body met the ground and her keyblade fell a few yards behind her, her memory flashed back to the freezing temperatures and the icy images of Hope Village before switching the image to a worried young blond girl, barely nine years old, who seemed to be an identical reflection of herself as a child if it weren't for the hair. Breathing heavily, Selena shakily forced herself to her knees before spitting at the ground and staining the dirt crimson. "You okay Selly?"[/i] The dark keybearer smirked as she summoned the keyblade back to her hand and used it as support as she stood back up. Her vision swam in colors for a moment before returning to the battle field.

The Demon wobbled a bit before grimacing at the sight of the condition of the injuries of her thighs and the heat that was radiating from her back. "I'll be fine, Solaria..." murmured 'Artemis' knowing that it may be inaudible due to the roaring crowd, taking a glance up then narrowed at Genesis who seemed to be charging an unfamiliar spell. I can't get hit with this one... With a quick slash of her keyblade, she once again summoned the wolf of silver Heart's Blood of Wolf's Fang.

The wolf snarled at Genesis as its master grimaced from a familiar numbing snaking up her left arm. Of course, I've used this technique in all my previous matches...I should be due for a refill by now...[/i] mused Selena calmly before smirking, I guess that it's a good thing that this is the final match...[/color] The Demon tightened her grip on her Heartsickness keyblade and looked down for a brief moment before grinning sardonically at the Crimson Champion as she barely heard his remark.

"I'll pass on your 'Gift' since I'm not feeling 'worthy' today." answered 'Artemis' as she bent her knees and adjusted her grip so that the position of her keyblade in order for the teeth was flat. The wolf jumped on the teeth of her keyblade and she grunted from the extra weight on her weapon. The Black Angel stretched her wings out and with a few beat of her wings, she flew towards Genesis with the wolf in tow that should've slowed her down. Then 'Artemis' did something that no one had bet that they had seen it coming.

As the Demon flew toward him, she pretended to horizontally slash at him from a good distance, but Genesis shouldn't be expecting the attack to be from her keyblade. The silver wolf had actually leaped off her keyblade and flew toward the champion! Breathing heavily, 'Artemis' slowly descended back to the ground. When she landed, the Black Angel grimaced from her injured thighs, but endured as she felt the blood pounding in her ears and her heart race from the adrenaline. The show was just getting started.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Abilities Used:

Dark Form[/color]: Appearance

With the darkness of her heart, Selena takes on the form of a dragon-like demon of the night. During battle, the most notable difference between this form and her normal form is the increase in speed and strength but a considerable decrease in defense.
[Duration: 2 Posts]

Wolf's Fang: a silver/blood-red wolf out of Heart's Blood comes out of her keyblade and attacks the opponent. It may team up with Selena during the two post duration.
[Duration: 2 Posts]

[Larxene]

Genesis is using his 24 hour extension. So, his post will be due within about 14 more hours.

[Genesis Rhapsodos]

There was an almighty roar from the audience that felt like it shook the entire foundations of the Coliseum as half the crowd had jumped to their feet and cheered out in thunderous excitement as Genesis released one of his best spells. The visual effect that Apocalypse gave off as well as the sounds of it's energy being unleashed only added to the intensity of this final match for Genesis himself as well as for the fans. Shocks and harsh gasps came from the other side of the Coliseum as Selena's fans looked on with worried expressions, watching as their fighter did well to avoid the majority of bolts firing down upon her. From the Crimson SOLDIER's position, he watched one of the bolts struck his opponent on the horns. A collective gasp came from the audience muffled within the roar of success that came from Genesis' supporters as the remaining four Flashes found their target.

Genesis himself looked on with a somewhat worried expression as the body of his winged opponent turned lifeless and plummeted down to the floor. He was torn for a moment, unsure as to continue charging the Holy spell within his palm, or drop everything and fly down to catch the body of 'Artemis' saving her from a nasty fall onto the Coliseum floor below. Should be become a villain and hit the opponent while she was down, or become the hero and rescue the damsel in distress? Though a thought popped into the LOVELESS fan's mind on how Selena herself would feel if he did swoop down and catch her. Would she be grateful? Would she be embarrassed? Would she hate Genesis' act of compassion and attack? Making a decision, the 1st Class SOLDIER chose to remain in the air and continue to gather the necessary energy needed to make the Holy spell as effective as possible. He did wince slightly though as he watched Selena's body hit the floor, her Keyblade landing not far from her. Though it was only mere seconds before the winged female had gotten to her knees, it felt much longer then what it was. Genesis partook in the collective sigh that echoed about the Coliseum though his mind swiftly returned to the fight as he watched 'Artemis' use her Keyblade to aid her in returning to her feet.

While he was too far in the air to hear the words the winged woman had spoke, it didn't help that his body was continuing to fight off the poison within his body. A bead of sweat ran down from his forehead, between his eyes before dripping off the end of his nose. If not for the audience canceling him out, his breathing sounded heavy as he was forced to take long, deep lungfuls of air. This had been the second time he had experienced the secret ability of her Keyblade and this had been the second time where he didn't enjoy it in the slightest. His muscles felt on fire, his chest felt tight, he felt like he had a temperature, his vision was going blurry. The poison probably wasn't effecting him as quickly as a normal human, thanks to his 'modified' body, but it certainly was starting to take effect. As such, he beat his winged a few times to maintain his hover, watching as Selena had rose to her feet and muttered something, though his ears didn't catch what was said thanks to both the audience cancelling her voice out as well as the poison making his hearing go all... 'wobbly'.

The Crimson SOLDIER blinked his eyes a few times. Was that wolf down there beside the winged female? Was the wolf now hitching a ride on Selena's keyblade as she spread her wings and took to the skies? Was it real or was this a side effect of the poison? Genesis flew up a few feet, watching as Selena drew near. When she swung her keyblade though, she was too far away to hit him and it only caused Genesis to raise an eyebrow as to why she'd waste stamina like so. It all came clear pretty quickly though when the wolf had jumped up at him, snarling teeth barely visible thanks to Genesis' eyes watering. Regardless, if this beast was real, he couldn't hurt it. If this was a personal, loved pet of 'Artemis', she'd hate him forever if he struck the beast or even killed it. As such, the Crimson SOLDIER raised his right arm before himself, positioning it so that the wolf's teeth sunk into his forearm.
"Uh.. Aaa....AAARGHH!!!"
The SOLDIER cried out as he felt the beasts teeth rip through his clothing and into his arm. Fortunately the bone in the middle stayed intact, but for a second he could have sworn he felt the wolf's teeth clamp about it. Gritting his teeth together tightly, so swung his arm out to his side to remove the beast from his line of sight, several droplets of blood falling from the SOLDIER's fingers as his fist clenched tightly about the handle of his Rapier.

With that monster hanging from his arm, swinging his Rapier about would cause him serious damage. As a result, the left palm of the Crimson SOLDIER was pointed down towards the Coliseum floor. The fiery blue glow of the Holy spell had grown brighter and within a second of it doing so, the spell had been cast and the large bolt of pure Holy magic was sent rocketing down towards the Coliseum floor, heading directly for the winged female. It's speed was intense, considerably faster then that of a Flash spell and just as quick as Genesis had cast it, the Holy bolt had smashed into the ground and erupted with a wide, dense explosion. Heavenly light flooded the Coliseum as the detonation caused a arc of energy to spread across the raised fighting section of the Coliseum, it's power smashing into the magical barriers that protected the audience. A few seconds later and Genesis found himself flying towards the barrier, swinging his arm at it several times to try and smash the wolfs head against the barrier to force it to release it's grip. The pain was agonizing. Genesis just wanted this monster off his arm now and cared not for how much it would have upset 'Artemis' in doing so. He also cared not for what had become of Selena. Right now, saving his arm from being crippled was all that mattered.

-=Cooldowns=-

Angel's Wing[/b] - Passive. -- Genesis summons his wing, granting him increased agility with both movement and attack speed. Also gifts him the power of flight.

Apocalypse Counter[/b] - 2 Posts -- If struck in combat, Genesis can counter almost instantly with either a normal attack, his Dancing Sword technique or with an Apocalypse spell.

Holy[/b] - 5 Posts -- A Gift from the Goddess. Genesis can cast and fire a powerful bolt of holy energy to smite his foes. This can cause tremendous damage to those sided with the Darkness. Unlike Flash, the Holy spell is unguided and cannot track though it travels considerably faster then it's fiery counterpart.

[Deleted]

'Artemis' wasn't too surprised that Genesis hadn't come down to rescue her. The Demon knew that she wasn't a damsel in distress and she assumed that the Crimson Champion knew too. Somehow though, she was disappointed in him. Wasn't he supposed to become the example of future heroes in every world? Oh well, no matter. I will strip what dignity he has left. mused the Black Angel evilly. As the Black Angel panted heavily, she felt that her knees were shaking.

Selena didn't know that Genesis had been worried about her condition since as soon as she had been struck by the bolts through the horns. She would've been grateful for the thought of rescuing her if it weren't for the small little fact that her Darkness speaking for her now.

A twisted smirk grew on her face as soon as her eyes saw that her silver wolf had successfully latched onto Genesis Rhapsodos' arm. "Aw, the great champion can't hurt the wittle puppy?!" mocked Selena only to have her eyes widened as she saw the bright light of the Holy spell in his palm being thrown down at her. Letting go of her Heartsickness keyblade, 'Artemis' dove to the left and attempted to awkwardly hug herself with her wings in the process to act like a shield. As soon as the Holy struck the ground, she was sent flying to the barrier and gritted her teeth as her left side and corresponding wing met the barrier plus the energies of the Holy.

I don't know how much longer I can hold up this form... thought the Demon as she slowly slide back down to the ground. She slowly reopened her eyes, but could only see spots of swimming colors as her eyes attempt to readjust. Summoning the keyblade back to herself, Selena slowly stood back up with the help of the blade and slowly moved her badly burned wings away to flatten them against her back. There was no way she could pull off an aerial fight now with her wings so horribly damaged. The Demon panted heavily as beads of sweat slide down her forehead. Her knees were threatening to buckle on her, but she was too stubborn to go down now.

As the wolf flew toward the barrier with Genesis, it yelped as the champion smashed the back of its skull against the barrier and let go of his arm. The silver wolf fell to the ground in a heap causing a large gasp from the Demon's fans, but soon cheered as it stood back up and howled against the sky. 'Artemis' stuck her left index finger and her thumb in her mouth and whistled for the wolf to come and it soon slunk back to her side.

The Demon covered her mouth with a shaky left hand as a giggle escaped her before escalating to a maniacal laugh that briefly startled the crowd before turning into a twisted grin. Her golden eyes glinted with madness and misplaced hate as an aura of darkness around her briefly made itself known before disappearing. Selena took a wobbly step toward him then outstretched her left hand to beckon the champion to attack. The silver fiery wolf simply stared at the Crimson Champion then snarled at him.

This Black Angel wasn't the opponent he had fought in the previous match or even moments before. This was the side that the Black Angel had locked away inside herself, the black side of the coin. The wish to inflict pain to those who wronged her and let those who didn't be aware of her own suffering. The lonely, helpless girl who once couldn't defend herself and failed to protect her own loved ones with the power she didn't even know how to control. The poisonous thorns of her past that was shoved into the darkest corners of her mind was beginning to break free and Genesis should be afraid.

Very afraid.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abilities Used:

Dark Form: Appearance

With the darkness of her heart, Selena takes on the form of a dragon-like demon of the night. During battle, the most notable difference between this form and her normal form is the increase in speed and strength but a considerable decrease in defense.
[Duration: 1 Post]

Wolf's Fang: a silver/blood-red wolf out of Heart's Blood comes out of her keyblade and attacks the opponent. It may team up with Selena during the two post duration.
[Duration: 1 Post]

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

OOC:
...I should really stop watching horror gameplays on YouTube...It's starting to influence my typing. >.<'

Good luck Genesis! =D

[Larxene]

A voice filled the stadium as the cheers began to subside. "The judging has been completed! It was an extremely close battle! However, the winner of the tournament is..... Genesis!"

The winner, Genesis, will receive 150 munny and the runner up, Selena, will receive 100 munny for making it to the final round! Please give these two a round of applause!