A Magical Anomaly
Chapter 9 Combat Turn 1
----------------------------------------
Choice Made:
[x] Go for more disarms or dis-legs. It'll slow down or incapacitate at least five more people. You don't really want to kill normal people if you can help it. (Story Choice) (Merciful Action) (+ Merciful Reputation) (Unlocks Reputation Character stat) (Reduces Minion count by 1d5, Current Minion 20)
----------------------------------------
Effects:
* - (Story action continued)
* - - (Merciful option taken)
- (Reputation Stat unlocked)
- (+ 1 Merciful Reputation)
* - 1 Minon group Disarmed/Disabled… Literally.
* - 19 remain
- -3 [Gae Bolg] Charges
----------------------------------------
You narrow your eyes, shifting your aim towards the arms of one the rifle wielding grunts.
[Gae Bolg] roars again.
And the minion flails on the ground as his arms are gone below the elbow.
You line up for another, but have to pull away from the edge as a spray of rounds starts to pepper where you were.
The gunshots are surprisingly loud in the warehouse, echoing off the walls alongside your trainers on the metal scaffold as you rush around it.
[Gae Bolg] fires again. But the round misses as you try to fire on the move.
You’d click your tongue, but you could do without the FEAR for now.
A pistol round snaps into your shoulder.
[Babr-e Bayan] flares grey as the bullet is deflected away, but you still feel the sting with a wince.
‘A 9mm pistol caliber round won’t pierce through your barriers. But anything rifle caliber or above will throw you around quite a lot. And hurt. Sufficient constant strain will cause your barriers to collapse. I would suggest finding a way to fight with some delays in between.’
You’d look at Elly with confusion if you could.
But you snap off a shot towards another grunt.
They throw themselves away from the crate they were behind, and your bolt misses their kneecaps as a hole is melted through the crate.
You shake your head as you leap from the scaffolding. A spray of bullets tracing your path until you roll as you land, ending up behind a crate.
“Get out here bitch!”
Something clatters down next to you.
And you stare at the grenade for the briefest of moments.
A quick foot punts it as far as you can, bouncing if off a crate where it explodes.
Razor sharp shrapnel pings all around you, a few stray pieces bouncing into your hexagons after a ricochet to no avail.
The rapid sound of footsteps approaching tells you that someone’s rushing you, so [Grendel’s Arm] forms over you as you tackle the figure the moment they come around the corner.
They’re mid swing, but the knife glances off your pauldron as you put your entire body weight behind the tackle.
The two of you go flying. A brief burst of purple helping to slam you into them with unnatural force.
You think something cracked as they shout in pain.
But your metal gauntlet meets their face in a brutal punch that probably knocks them out cold.
You don’t check.
Bullets thump against your back for the brief moment you’re away from cover. And when you slide into it you have maybe only a few moments to consider your options.
You don’t get those moments as another grenade forces you to move. Dashing across the warehouse floor to new cover.
Why are they blowing up their warehouse with grenades?!
Where did they even get them?!
This might be a bit too hot for you… But your pride says you can take them.
You don’t get any help from the odd whispers that helped you before. Mostly quiet now.
Instead, a thousand eyes seem to watch your every move once more.
And you don’t intend to disappoint.
[Curtana] snaps into your hands… and you kind of wish you could pump the thing for the satisfying kerchunk… but you make do with a mental one either way.
A step out, a slight moment of aiming. And then the pull of its trigger sends an angel song mixed with a banshee screeching towards a group of thugs behind a crate.
There's a brief moment of panic from you.
Mainly when you remember that this thing picked up and threw what must have equated to a person in plate mail armor… and these people are in suits.
The shockwave that hits them doesn’t disappoint.
Shattering the crate they were behind as they scream in pain. Hands holding their ears as they bleed from wooden shards and busted ear canals once they land on the ground.
There’s a momentary lull in the fighting as the other groups of grunts all watch in horror.
And you kind of have to agree.
Maybe using weapons meant to fight alien entities from another reality or something shouldn’t be used against normal people.
Bullets pinging off your idle form shelves that consideration.
Another group of five grunts opens up on you. Three pistols firing in a controlled pattern that keeps your head down as two quickly advance.
You eye your sonic blaster…
[x] Use it, you’ll hopefully knock out the group in one shot, and they shouldn’t die… though the ones closest to you may never hear again or worse. Should also give you time to take down a second group... maybe a third too (80% success chance) (20% Chance of suffering a Minor wound (+ 1 Minor Bruising, Reduces success chances by 1 per stack, Upgrades to Major bruising on five stacks.)) (- 10% Curtana Charge) (Neutral action) (No rep gain) (-1 d3 Minon Groups )
[x] Use [Grendel’s Arm] instead. No charges of course, those can rip through solid metal armor… and you’d rather not do that. You might get a bit more hurt though, but you can take it. Won't give you long to go after another group. (70% Success chance) (50% Chance of a Minor wound (+ 1 Minor Bruising, Reduces success chances by 1 per stack, Upgrades to Major bruising on five stacks.)) (Merciful action) (+ Merciful Rep) (-1 Minion Group)
[x] Use [Grendel’s Arm] to take down the first two. A single charge will easily clear them. Then use [Gae Bolg] to deal with the three behind the crate. At this close a range, you won’t miss their chests. And it should spark some fear in the nearby ones too. (80% Success chance) (40% Chance of suffering a Minor wound (+ 1 Minor Bruising, Reduces success chances by 1 per stack, Upgrades to Major bruising on five stacks.)) (50% Chance of a free turn) (-1 Grendel Charge) (-0 Gae Bolg Charges, charges refunded on kill) (Lethal Action) (++Lethal Rep) (-1 Minion Group)
[x] Something else (Write in)
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.