Chapter 79: Mountains Collide
"Let's finish this place off and leave the region/ I think our stay here is now over." growls Bertram in a voice like two boulders grinding together, his arm shooting out and one shotting a mimic before he begins moving towards the despot and Lafey.
"Hubris, your stay here ends when the master says it does you overgrown toddler. Now if you wish to continue drawing breath I suggest you march." Wheezes Stein, his voice sounding hoarse and unused as small motes of dust come from his mouth after every word.
Bertram's stone skinned form turns a shade grayer at the stitched mans words before rushing forward and ploughing through the enemies in front of him, his rocky skin impacting and turning a muddy red as the bodies are smashed and broken upon him before he suddenly lurches to a halt with a boom.
"I don't believe a man like The Butcher will continue drawing breath regardless of his decisions monster. But I do feel the need to take it upon myself and put this rabid dog down. Show me what you've got in you manbeast!" Shouts Tobias with a laugh as he swings himself viscously in a circle, his tail going rigid at the last minute as several spikes are thrown into Bertram's gut sending the colossal man flying backwards.
As the stone man lands on his back a sound of rumbling earth fills the now silent room before Bertram pulls himself to a sitting position, several stone spikes embedded in his stomach as he laughs with a mad smile on his face as he reaches for his axe and uses it to pull himself to his feet.
"Gargoyle. Stone defenders, powerful, honorable, brave, skilled. We had many of your kind in the dungeon where I grew up. Always watching us dungeon born, herding us so we couldn't live our own dreams. I laughed as I slaughtered them on my way to the core. Giggled even harder when I tore out that gem with my bare hands and swallowed it whole. Then whistled a tune as I watched those still attached to it slowly die, no hope in their eyes as they went dim. I'm going to do the same to you, slowly, taking my time to really cherish your death. Then I'll wear your skull as a codpiece and your wings as a cape." Laughs the large man as he pulls a bastard sword out of a small pouch at his side, each weapon easily fitting into one hand when normally they could only be wielded in two.
"Truly an insane beast if I've ever seen one. Then have at you, lets see who will fall first." Tobias says calmly as he glows briefly before a suit of stone plates begins appearing over his body, a large obsidian shield and lance appearing in his hands as he charges toward Bertram's laughing form.
As Tobias gets within range of Bertram's blades the giant swings both down on the lance, the blow shoving the tip into the ground and snagging Tobias before he releases the handle and turns the shield into a disc. The edge slams into Bertram's belly, the sound of metal grinding against stone filling the room before a snap resounds and Tobias goes flying through the air. Growling the gargoyle stands and looks at his opponent, a drop of fear hitting his spine as he watches Bertram smile before taking a bite from the shield he was cut with, the wound filling in with the same obsidian material the shield is made of.
"Heal by eating stone, metal, bone, anything really as long as its hard. The better the material the stronger I am. Dungeon cores make a great power up." Bertram grunts with a smile as he throws the remainder of the shield over his shoulder and retakes his weapons, each glowing a shadowy black hue as zeroes in on Tobias's form.
"Damn. Thought you were bluffing and were just an overgrown human with some magic. Very well. Magical Casting: Strength of Gilgamesh, Magical Casting: Hellaphant Rage, Magical Casting: Revenge of the Stonescale. Let the battle commence." Tobias gasps as pain fills his voice and his body begins cracking. As he stands straighter his tails bursts into seven separate tails, each holding a different weapon. His legs begin to ballon out as the talons become large rounded pads, each leg taking on the appearance of a tree trunk with veins of glowing red fire flowing through them. His wings recede into his back taking on more stone plating before fusing to his shoulders as his skull releases a crushing snap and a lizards head bursts forth on a longer neck. As the transformation ends the stone armor begins to shine slightly before turning into a shining gold color, each piece ornate and regal in appearance as Tobias shakes his body and looks at the now wary Bertram.
As Bertram opens his mouth to respond Tobias rushes forward, his hand sliding behind him before a large bladed axe appears in his palm, his arm already swinging downwards as Bertram stumbles backwards and blocks the blow before gasping and looking down to see one of the new tails darting behind his opponent, a bloody serrated dagger in its grip as the other hand slams under his chin with a rune engraved hammer of gold.
"You see Butcher, monsters like you are always weak. You appear strong because you find those easily beaten to follow in your shadows. You use subterfuge and deceit to win your battles over skill and honor. I am your death Bert the Butcher. I am the avenger of all those lives you stole with no effort or honor. And I am going to...how did you say it....ah take my time with you." States Tobias calmly as he steps towards Bertram's sweating form, the stone man now showing his nerves as he readies his weapons and looks to Stein for help before realizing the man is gone. As Bertram looks back to Tobias he see's the stone creature smile, its body already rushing forward as a scythe replaces the hammer and swings under his chin, Bert barely dodging before feeling a crushing pressure on his brow as a metal coated fist impacts his nose, the knuckles embedded with different colored gemstones.
"Your just a sad bully under the employ of a psychopath and a monster. Each giving you the impression your bigger than you actually are. Had you not ambushed me at my weakest you would already be in the dirt. Instead I now have a home and allies against the things greater than you. Sadly this form will kill me as well after use but I am now a dungeon creature. I come back, you don't." Says Tobias as he finally smiles happily as the tails behind him slam together, each weapon molding together as a new weapon emerges, a fusion between a halberd, scythe, and axe. Nodding once at the bandit leader Tobias glows brightly before flashing before the stone giant, then past him, his body slowly starting to crumble away in the wind as Bertram's head falls to the ground, a look of fear and rage frozen on its face as Tobias falls to dust.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone