'Its worse then Rome'. Alexander's words seemed to echo above that shouting, jeering, cheering crowd. That Ark, beneath Azrael, had somehow become something far, far worse then Matteo had quite anticipated possible. Aiden's Were fighting rings were one thing, a place for that species to test its strength without the worry of death (in most cases). Azrael's carnival of carnage was another matter entirely- and how the people seemed to adore it. As if that spilled blood and shredded sinew was worth cheering over. None of them, Matteo suspected, had ever seen a true war- or a true battle fought within it. It was...distasteful to say the very least and yet, for now, Matteo so attempted to push aside his disdain for that ship as a whole. His gaze instead searched ardently amongst the masses for his elder son and Sebastian. Dorian, surely, did not have some ridiculous intention of getting involved in this lunacy did he? Matteo had only just begun to make some effort to push through the crowd gathered at the ringside with Alexander in tow when a distinctly femanine shout seemed to silence that crowd just long enough to allow the Frenchmans attention to shift to her slender figure. Azrael, who had risen from his makeshift throne atop the upper platforms, had paused in his retreat to eye the woman below him with a clear disdain. Hmm. The very notion that these two were lovers within his own world was almost intriguing to consider. Whatever Serafina had shouted was all but swallowed up by the cheering crowd. The very prospect of Azrael and Serafina fighting hand to hand so seemingly an opportunity too good for that crowd to pass up as they all but screamed for that fight. Ah, but it had surely been more centuries then he could count since he had last set foot in Rome and yet, humanity it seemed, had hardly progressed. That thirst for bloodshed was still entirely intact. How disappointing.

Azrael, it seemed, was more than willing to take up that challenge. A single beam of light somehow propelling the black-haired Hunter down and into that ring. The equally bright greatsword that had appeared within his hands momentarily prompted Matteo's eyes to lift in curiosity. That space was filled with countless supernaturals of all species. Vampire, Were, Warlock, Hunter and even a few scattered Fae and yet.....Matteo could feel Azrael's signature from here. The hunter was....powerful. Surely more powerful then he had ever shown to be in their own world- much as Dorian had proven to be. Was that, perhaps, how this world worked? Was every being they knew more powerful in this reality? Then again, if such a thing were true, then had not the Alexander and himself of this world been more powerful and still met their deaths? What on earth had been their undoing? Matteo's head shook ever so slightly as his silver gaze shifted from Azrael and toward Serafina. Her signature, amongst this crowd, was far harder to find and yet Alexander's Hunter senses were surely far better designed for the task. His Father's early words had hardly been forgotten. A witch, perhaps, was capable of lending at least some of her power to that device that had brought them here. Enough to shave at least some time from its veritable recharge. Matteo's concern for Aiden and the world they had left behind continued to linger within his mind. Would Serafina be powerful enough for such a thing? It was, he suspected, distinctly unlikely that she would help them willingly and yet surely she could be persuaded, could she not?

That very suggestion was near shouted toward Alexander once more, only for the Hunters head to shake. Serafina's signature, it seemed, was all but buried by that onslaught of others within the room. Even Alexander's senses were unable to pick her out from amongst the crowd and the onslaught of supernatural energy that drenched the room. A muttered curse fell from the near ancient Fae's lips. That worry for Aiden continued to gnaw at his mind before a third and final voice seemed to suddenly shock that gathered crowd into silence. Dorian. How on earth were people getting into that damned ring? Matteo's gaze shifted near hurriedly from Dorian to Sebastian to Azrael and back again. As capable as this Dorian had shown himself to be that fear for his son still gripped his chest neat painfully. That blazing light sword Azrael held hardly looked as if it were merely for show. Indeed, it was near...bold of Sebastian to face it at all. That blinding light, Matteo suspected, would result in a near instant death for the undead man if it struck him.

"Alex, we need to get in there! They are going to get themselves killed!"

How very kind it was for his victims to line themselves up in just the manner that they did. Azrael's golden gaze shifted from Serafina- a long time nemesis and serial pain in his ass and toward the fairy king who, for some fucking reason, had brought a vampire with him. A vampire. How laughable. As if he couldn't merely blast the wretched creature into nothing more than ash. Hmm. Perhaps it would be better to dispose of the Fae first, then his attention could remain firmly upon Serafina where it belonged. How short lived he knew this battle would be. He had heard of the Italian kings fighting prowess- few hadn't and yet he wholly suspected his Royal Majesty was used to something far tamer then the bloodsport Azrael ruled over. This would be a short lived fight. That greatsword was shifted easily within his hands, the tip pointed abruptly and silently towards the Monarch before that beam of light was sent straight towards him. That, surely, would be enough to give the Fae a taste of what was to come if he was so determined to die here and now. What Azrael had so hardly anticipated however was the appearance of a second Fae. Just where this one had come from he hardly fucking knew and yet he seemed determined to throw Dorian out of the way- only to be struck by that beam himself. The far elder Fae was sent catapulting across that ring only to collide with an equally ancient Hunter, the pair tumbling to the ground in a heap that prompted little more than a snort of derision from the raven-haired man. How fucking pathetic. Those two were hardly even worth his time and yet...how interesting the signatures that surrounded them. That Hunter and his flying Fae companion were.....far, far stronger than they looked. How intriguing.

That collison was nothing short of solid. The very air all but knocked out of Matteo's lungs as he slammed into his own Father, the pair sent sprawling into the dust as Dorian lamented they were in the way. That scowl upon Matteo's features was surpassed by the soft growl in Alexander's voice. Ah, but how such a comment as that so surely infuriated the Macedonian! Alexander had already pulled himself to his feet, the Hunter reaching down to haul Matteo up in turn. His chest burned where that beam had struck him. The Frenchman's silver gaze was turned momentarily downward. That white shirt had been burned away in several place. An angry scorch mark left across his once pristine flesh, that stinging sensation was hardly pleasant in any sense. Matteo was quick to summon his own gifts then. That power for restoration rapidly healing that wound into nothingness and taking with it that uncomfortable burn. Azrael would have to do far better than that. Serafina, meanwhile, had dodged out of the way of Dorian's dark blades, the Fae king readying himself for another strike as Alexander reached for his own swords. Those very blades, unlike Matteo's own, were linked to the Hunter's soul. They were as everlasting and persistent as Alexander himself. A soul, after all, could not be destroyed. Not truly. Not as long as but even one piece of it prevailed in some aspect. Those katanas Alexander summoned were a near perfect rendition of the blades that had once been Matteo's own- his father effortlessly handing them to him before reaching for his own xiphos. That utterance that he 'knew the rules' was met with a simple nod. For all Matteo's inclination to...toy with those around him, the Frenchman so hardly held any intent to see harm came to those blades. Not when they carried his companions' very soul laced within their steel.

It had been far too long since he had wielded those twin swords. Alexander once, so many centuries ago, having berated him for his lack of shield. Matteo, from the earliest moment, having far preferred a sword in each hand- much to the Macedonians dismay and yet, over time, the Frenchman had proved himself nothing if not distinctly skilled with those doubled blades. The slender Fae was often underestimated by their enemies. His ability to teleport and too- that ever-present future sight so allowing Matteo to be nothing short of....deadly when he chose. Yet how very intrigued he was to see Alexander with a sword within his hand once more. Ah, but how surely they might all be in for a show.

"Alex!"

Matteo waited only so long as it took the Macedonian to turn towards him, Matteo's own blades twirled near playfully within his hands as he did.

"You look good with a sword, Mon Amie. It has been too long."

Dorian was quick to summon another set of knives to his hands, the first having found its mark in the chest of some fool who had climbed over the barriers, the second having slammed into the wooden railing behind as Azrael effortlessly fled its sharpened point. The excitement of that battle, it seemed, had prompted much of the crowd to join in as people all but swarmed that ring. That fighting quickly turned to utter chaos and yet- so far as Dorian was concerned- it merely allowed him to focus upon his targets more readily while providing them all the more distraction. He was distinctly aware of Sebastian beside him, the vampire having proven to be nothing short of an excellent companion. If only these fools were not in their way! Several men had all but flung themselves at Sebastian, as if they believed a group of them might be some match for the strength of a vampire! Dorian was aware in every sense of that bloodshed that occurred beside him, Sebastian doing as vampires did as he all but tore them apart with his hands and teeth. Dorian's own attention turned quickly towards his own aggressors. One of the knives within his hand was sent catapulting into one of the women who launched for him, her body fell to the ground in a crumpled heap before Dorian allowed the knives to fade- only to replace them with his own set of swords. For all he had learned for Alexander upon the art of war, it was from Matteo he had inherited those double blades- their ebony hue shining within the dim light.

Dorian's swords swung with an effortlessly, practised ease, the Fae seeming to near glide through his enemies, his fighting style was meticulous. Those blades crossed over one another on several occasions to act as a shield before unleashing upon his opponent with force. Dorian slowly attempted to fight his way towards Azrael ro Serafina- whomever might prove unlucky enough to find his vision first.

There was something almost glorious in that carnage. Azrael, for several moments, so merely watched it unfold around him like a coming storm before his gaze found Serafina amongst that crowd. She had been the start of this. She would be the first to die- followed by that eldery fae and Hunter. The fairy King and his vampire companion he would....keep for a little. A ransom on them both would pay handsomely, he was sure of it. Several of Serafina's female companions had charged toward him, that blinding speed the Hunter commanded more than enough to send him fly from their reach, his greatsword swung with a terrific and terrifying speed in turn, the women falling like flies behind him as he merely strode away and deeper into that maelstrom. There she was. Serafina. Look at this chaos you've brought to my house. Tsk tsk. Should have stayed in the kitchen where you women belong. Those words were barely free of his lips before Azrael charged forward. The block of ice thrown up in his path prompted the hunter to leap upward, scaling over it in a near singular bound, that combination of speed and gravity manipulation a near unbeatable union. Serafina crafted block after block in an effort to slow him. Azrael content to leap over each one in turn before one of those blocks shifted, twisting to turn to shards that rocketed towards him with force. Azrael launched upward a final time to meet those icicle spears, his blade curved, cleaving that ice to dust and yet- that was what Serafina had seemed to intend. That ice dust near blanketed them both as Azrael landed. Serafina afforded the perfect chance to escape further into that crowd! Was she running from him!? Or was this merely some ploy?

Something tugged at his foot- the force of it yanking his leg out from beneath him. What the fuck!? that shout was all but drowned out by the screaming and sounds of battle that surrounded him. Azrael finding himself near dragged rapidly along the ground by some...invisible force. Who was doing that!? His leg flailed, Azrel attempting to race backward with a burst of speed and yet whoever or whatever held the end of that line was as solid as a fucking wall, Azrael once more slamming into the ground only to be pulled forward further like a fish on a line. The Hunters gaze near frantically searched that crowd. He was being pulled towards them, he was certain and yet who would- the vampire. For a singular moment his golden gaze seemed to meet the striking blue of the vampires' own as Sebastian reeled him in. Dorian, beside him, fought to keep those attackers away and allow Sebastian that time to reel him in. The pile of bodies the pair had accumulated was nothing short. You want me to come over to you do you? You undead leech.. Very well. Azreal rolled forward, the Hunter pulling himself to his feet in a blur of speed before rocketing towards Sebastian. That greatsword had disappeared, that light instead surrounding Azrael's body like a missile- one that intended to strike Sebastian at full force....

Matteo released the shirt of the man he had been holding, the fellow left to fall from the rafters the Frenchman had teleported into, his body left to fall with a near sickening crunch. The ground below was littered with those men Matteo had simply....exploded with that teleportation- or merely left to fall from the height of the roof above. Another two lay dead from the blood loss to their wounds. His swords having cleaved through them with equal effortlessness. It had been....far too long since he had held a sword. Those skills came back easily, far too easily. Matteo so making every effort not to look at the bodies of the men below him. The sudden flare of red to his gaze was all that gave away that impending vision. Matteo distinctly aware of the death that seemed to rocketing towards Sebastian at speed. Alexander, several feet away, had accumulated a body count nearly twice Matteo's own. The hunter having become.....the very man he had once been. That sight was almost as glorious as it was....terrifying to witness. Matteo's teleportation gripped him once more, the Fae disappearing from the rafters only to reappear upon that ground once more, a burst of flame sent rocketing towards Sebastian to throw up a wall of fire between the vampire and Azrael-shaped missile.

"Do not touch that fire, Sebastian!"

It would harm the vampire surely as much as it would the hunter. Azrael so barely managed to skid to a halt before colliding with that wall of flame. Matteo extinguished it near as quickly as it had started, Sebastian and Dorian afforded a single, opportune moment to lunge towards their enemy.

Azrael had left near divots in the earth from the force of his stop, that wall of fire having appeared from seemingly nowhere and yet every fibre within his being rallied agianst striking those unholy flames. As quickly as that fire came though it seemed to disappear. That vampire still had hold of him! The Fairy King had taken that opportunity to fly towards him then, Azrael forced to summon his sword once more, the ring of steel on steel echoing throughout that ring as they fought strike for strike. Damn them all. Something pierced his flesh. Had Dorian struck him somehow or had that vampire bitten him? He hardly knew. Azrael so simply seeing red in that moment.

How readily Matteo felt that near surge in power. It's increase so intense even Alexander seemed to halt his battle as the last man fell from his grasp, all eyes seeming to fixate upon Azrael in that moment as wave after wave of...energy seemed to radiate from the Hunter. That light seemed to encircle the man momentarily, its flash utterly blinding as Matteo lifted a hand to shield his eyes from it. Azrael all but replaced by something else entirely. His body still appeared much the same and yet wicked claws had replaced the Hunter's fingernails. A distinctly long and horrifically pointed tail lashed behind him, its tip sharpened like an arrow head. Azrael seemed...taller then he had a moment ago. That greatsword had turned into a far more magnificent claymore. One Azrael seemed to wield in one hand as if it weighed nothing. The power rolling from him was....far more than Matteo had felt from a singular being in centuries.

"Alex, I think it is so we have a new problem."

c'est dur d'être un dieu.