System Info: Quest update: You’re going to Xanofex Prime for void magic. Not exactly a top vacation spot in the Federation. Reasons why? Demons. Butt loads of angry and hyper-aggressive demons. But your CO has a plan to get in fast and get back out. But will it work?
In the space near Xanofex Prime, a teleportation portal opened, disgorging the Cadaver Crasher into a near orbit of the moon. As the swirling violet and black energies collapsed, leaving the void behind it, the Crasher edged closer slowly. Xanofex Prime was a solitary celestial object. A bone white planetoid that resembled a large demonic skull with multiple asteroid rings circling it. An ominous black and purple glow flickered within the cranial cavity of the skull. The planet was notoriously cold, with no star to warm it.
On the bridge, Morwen guided the vessel at a cautious pace. Coming to Xanofex was a dangerous affair. The demons were very territorial and extremely aggressive. The Crasher angled the drop bay over the desired landing zone and Morwen fed the drop pods the void magic necessary to conduct the drop. Orbital dropping troops in was a concept they’d developed watching dragons dive a world from orbit. The technique was quite effective rapid insertions without alerting the enemy. But the demons? They always knew when you came to Xanofex Prime. Still, she would buy herself whatever precious few moments of advantage she could.
“May the lady watch over you.” She whispered in prayer to the spell screen. Willing her mage squad to survive the journey that usually claimed more lives than not. The demons lacked a reputation for their accommodating personalities and willingness to allow the Federation to pillage its magic as they pleased. Regardless, Morwen needed some of her squad empowered with battle magic.
In the bowel of the ship Akamori stood on the blue barrier field watching the snow and dust covered planet loom beneath him. A loud thumping noise pulsed through the hull and into the walls of the drop tubes as he saw the others being deployed. Then a brilliant violet flash of dark energy and the sudden increase in reverse gravity propelled him to the surface like a magic rail gun slug. He let out a whoop of excitement as he hurtled down to the planet.
To his surprise, there actually was an atmosphere on the planet, and it buffeted his armor. He fed it a small amount of air energy and his thrusters puffed several times, keeping his pitch, roll, and yaw steady as he plummeted towards the surface. The drop spell bled off as he got close enough to land. The ground rushed up to greet him; he pushed a greater pool of energy into the armor and the thrusters flared to life. His momentum canceled out, and he fell into a crouch. The classic superhero landing. That’s what Sirsir called it. The others had already landed and were forming up.
“Let’s double time. We don’t want to be here when the Demons figure out where we touched down,” Sgt. Sirsir said.
Lt. Rayshe took the center of the formation, with Sirsir at his side. Sala was on point, with Corporal Yasiin close behind, and Amara and Akamori brought up the rear. Everyone fed their armors enough of their various aspects of magic to fly, then rushed for the cave of Xanofex’s mind. On the way in, a pair of demons dropped down from above the entrance, blocking the opening. They were easily three meters tall and packed with muscle. Dark lavender skin covered their bodies with large dark brownish black horns jutting from their heads that curved back forward like Ram’s horns. They had black eyes that looked like shark eyes, void and lifeless. Their mouths were full of thin, pointed teeth as well. Spittle dripped from their lips as they curled, baring their teeth at the interloping mages. Both of them brandished massive crude axes fashioned from an off white material.
Akamori’s blade thrummed in his hand with eagerness for combat. He sprinted forward, using his air magic to push himself along faster. He fell in next to Sala, who was power sprinting ahead. Sala had no weapons because he was the weapon. Sala’s skin rippled grey under his helmet visor, and his body glowed with a gold aura of light magic. It was a clever defense. Stone skin meant being virtually invulnerable and any damage he took would heal extremely quickly thanks to his healing aura. Strength and Stamina would also be limitless with the aura up. Akamori couldn’t help but admire the spell warrior's danger, even if he was a slave.
Akamori whispered to his blade and felt the magic and the air vibrate along with the weapon. It strummed and sang like a tuning fork, and he flicked the weapon upwards in a diagonal slash. The blade flashed a pulse of energy and launched a blade of compressed air magic. The air slash caught the demon ahead of him square in the chest, but the attack only bit into its dense skin and muscles, leaving a bleeding furrow in its wake.
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“Well, that didn’t work like I expected,” Akamori complained.
The Demon retaliated with a powerful chop of its axe down into the snow and dirt. Akamori skated around the attack nimbly, using air magic to power his thrusters, making him lighter and redirecting his movement to flow around the attack. Always move forward and find your path of least resistance. Rounding on the demon, it tugged at the axe buried into the white stone, but his own sword was already moving. The blade and axe clashed, sparks glittering in the air for a moment as it forced Akamori back. He darted forward, and used a burst of air to slip under the demon’s strike, and brought his sword down, using his air blade to attack again. This time the attack passed clean through the demon, a sicking slipping sound issued from its stump as the head slid cleanly free of the body. Black ichor splashing into the snow as the severed head tumbled away. Landing in the snow next to the body, he sheathed the blade in its scabbard.
Sala tackled the other demon head on and smashed his fists into its face again and again, not relenting until he’d punched the demon's face to mush. It flailed at the primal feebly until it lurched finally and then fell still. The limp body slid down the craggy rock wall next to the cave. As the rest of the squad filed into the cave, Akamori glanced over and gave the Primal a nod. Sala nodded back. Akamori made a mental note to never piss Sala off. Ever. Akamori clapped the panting primal on the shoulder and the golden aura faded as the rock skin spell dissipated and the two brought up the rear of the formation.
Another cluster of demons fell on the squad from a different corner. Light bolts scorched the lead demon’s skin before Akamori removed its head with his blade. He drew his slung spell rifle and ripped off a burst of level one bolts into its torso, staggering it. Sala punched its head into the wall, splattering it like a ripe gourd during harvest day. Amara fired off several mind spells at the demons, trying to slow or stagger them. Sirsir’s heavy spell machine gun roared, forcing the demons to wade into enemy fire.
“Akamori, watch your back!” Yasiin called out.
A ragged battle axe bit down into the back of his armor, buckling his knees and throwing him down violently. The demon holding said axe looked down at him, its mouth drooling slightly at the prospect of fresh meat. “I always wondered what a ginger air mage would taste like.” The big brute crooned.
“Like wanderlust and whimsy with a pinch of rage. Trust me, stick with fat binders. Probably bit more up your alley.” Akamori shot back with a grunt.
“I will enjoy grinding the marrow from your bones and using it as soup stock.” the demon said.
“Graphic. And pass.” Akamori inhaled deeply, his chest distended and swelled like a balloon. He let out a roar that blasted the demon square in the face. The demon’s ear drums popped even with their extra fortitude, and the air blast threw it from its feet and across the chamber. Sirsir laid down a layer of spell bolts on it, finishing it.
“Nice setup, private. But don’t get cocky.” Sirsir said.
Yasiin held a hand out for Akamori, helping him back to his feet. The two shared a nod, standing shoulder to shoulder as they laid down fire on the encroaching demonic lines. Akamori’s attacks were less effective than Yasiin’s or the others. He was understanding the need for their presence here more keenly than the others. These were tough foes. Without true destructive combat magic, there’d be little hope of stopping them.
Something pulsed within the mind of Xanofex that resonated within him like a beacon. It called out to him, to some dormant and buried part of him. The sensation was like having a limb that fell asleep wake slowly. All pins and needles.
Curiously, the demons also fell back at the same time. Like someone had called off their attack. The squad regrouped, alert for a second surge. But none came. After a few long tense minutes of silence and inaction, Sirsir lowered his massive machine gun with a huff.
“Alright. Looks like we made the list. Let’s get inside before the bouncers change their minds.”
The squad pushed ahead a little further and finally found the opening to the magic. It roiled and rippled like a vibrating bowl of ink. But it seemed to move with a mind of its own. It overcame anyone peering too deeply into it with shivers and a feeling of being watched. Many superstitions flew around regarding void magic. Some said that it corrupted users into Voidspawn. Others said that it allowed Voidspawn control over you. Akamori wasn’t sure where exactly the truth sat, but he knew if he wanted to help fight the power that destroyed his home, need more power himself.
The mission was simple. Morwen needed to empower the squad with more magic before bringing them to fight the Sauridius forces again. And since The Forge was closest to Xanofex Prime, that offered them a chance at the void well where Xanofex’s disembodied consciousness sat. Get in, get the magic, get out. Rayshe stood next to the swirling orb of violet and black aether, intending to be the last in after the lower ranked mages went first. Yasiin was the first in, but the Sgt pealed off to the side. The two light mages would struggle with the polar opposite aether.
“Someone’s gotta hold this position. Go on in.” Sirsir said, as if to explain why he was stepping aside.
Amara regarded the dark wellspring and wilted. “I’d rather not.”
Akamori put a hand on her shoulder. “You stay here and back up the Sgt. then.”
She regarded him for a moment, the light magic in her eye flashing an appreciation. Some elements didn’t mesh well, and she was primarily of the light and air. Not of the darkness. He lacked the light, though, and saw no reason to say no to the wellspring’s offering. Sheathing his blade, he took a calming breath and then advanced into the swirling orb. His entire body went cold as death as his vision faded to black.