Battle-Log
Planet: 5687-C
Location: Western Region; “Resquis” - Oregon, United States of America.
Time: 03:00 - PST - -3 hours Pre-raid
Operation: RESQUIS Elimination - Ongoing.
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Major Participants:
The 5th Imperial Army of OverWatch:
Command:
Satoru Marude [Commander]
Matthew McConnery [Lieutenant Commander]
SIGMA Company - Designated “Squad 1”:
Kenya [Squad leader]
Tobias Jackson [Deputy squad leader]
Zachary Calsin [Squad combatant - Reassigned Mesa]
Notches Vice-Commander - ‘The Eye’ [Support - Sniper]
Notches of the third / fourth belt [Support - Sniper]
MESA Squad - Designated “Squad 2”:
Rei Fiquel [Squad leader]
Raikan Velstin [Deputy squad leader]
Zhar Kronicus [Squad combatant]
101st Naval Regiment Fire team 3 / 4 - Designated “Squad 3”:
Naofa Niro [Squad leader]
Jock Montagne [Deputy squad leader]
Dorian Macarae [Squad combatant - Support - Elite Sniper]
Notches of the Fifth / Sixth belt [Support - Sniper]
42nd Naval Brigade Ghost Regiment - Designated “Squad 4”:
Kuruya Remi [Squad leader]
Donato Feretov [Deputy squad leader]
42nd Fighters [Squad Combatants]
Epsilon-2 - Designated “Squad 5”:
Fox Cecil [Squad leader]
Newt Grant [Deputy squad leader]
Epsilon Combatants [Squad Combatants]
Joint Fleet Observer Fleet; Earth Core, Oppressor Fleet; Core 3; Section 7 - Atmospheric Defence and Supply:
Hirmus Kirsk [Air Marshal]
Guy Fish [Fleet commander]
Sera Jelastock [Trauma Response]
Resistance Initiative:
Command:
Rythian Jeremiah [Commander]
Aaron Rodriguez [Lieutenant commander]
Exterior defence:
WAR - Infantry Trooper Branch.
Roof defence:
FAMINE - AirForce - Low Atmo combat Branch.
Eastern defence:
PESTILENCE - Chemical warfare Branch - Trauma Response.
Southern & Western defence:
DEATH.
Ace.
Independent:
Equinox - The Butcher.
Cassian Whitlock.
Filianore [REDACTED]
Odessa
Jacob - The Student Body.
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A single breath.
Everything can change, over the course of a single breath.
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[https://img.wattpad.com/f2e67bfef72362ed7c0a891e64b4d7de9b182988/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f5f7272683250794664616f7153513d3d2d3938343431343138332e313634393562656139383261613131643235393533353837303532312e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png [https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png]
The early hours of the morning usually brought stark vibrant scenes, and colour’s that could scarcely be imagined. Yet today, a thick layer of clouds blotted out the sky, gentle rain sweeping through the area. The storm was yet to begin in earnest, but even that wouldn’t bother the soldiers. Their thick battle armour and face masks obscuring them, protecting them. The Raid had officially begun, although no fighting broke out. The tense silence around the school was deafening by its very nature. Even the birds withheld their songs. Neither side was willing to engage the other, both holding this tentative peace for as long as possible, waiting for the other to slip up.
OverWatch had surrounded the entire Academic complex with heavily armoured reconnaissance vehicles and APCs. The front of the school however, held the most important stations and people. An even denser line of vehicles sat there, the ones behind the preliminary line acting as field hospitals, command stations, and supply booths. Admiral Kirsk, and Commander Fish - both stationed within a small fleet of cruisers above - held the Air-space in tandem with the medical frigates of the Oppressor Fleet, having been tasked with defending the Low to mid atmospheric regions, effectively cutting off the Resistance from reinforcements.
The vehicle convoy stretched out into the forest itself, The Resistance could hardly believe that OverWatch had brought this much firepower with them.
Deep within the host of armour and machine, sat High Admiral Marude - within the main mobile communications centre, much larger and heavily armoured.
The man ground his teeth with vicious abandon. The fact that neither side had an opportunity to engage enraged him to no end. He flicked his eyes over to the monitors connected to the external camera’s of the frontal armoured line. Each one was equipped with top of the line Night-Vision optics. He could make out the lines of men on top of the heavily armoured vehicles, riot shields and rifles pointed towards the building - and even further beyond them, he could make out the front of the school. Each window, rooftop vantage point, and other way into the school, had been covered in a thick layer of sandbags - a tiny porthole visible. The gleam of barrels became obvious to Marude, as he realised he was staring down dozens of MG nests.
Marude brought up his Radio, clicking a button on the side, “All squads final radio check.”
Kenya, who Marude could see amongst the frontal armoured vehicles, was the first to respond, “Squad One, standing by and ready for Injection.” he said.
Kenya looked to his team - the dirt covered boy from Mesa Squad, Zachary Calsin, was picking old food out of his teeth to Tobias’ dismay, the few grunt soldiers they had sharing the sentiment. Kenya lifted his own radio, switching the channel.
“Notches report in.” he said.
A quiet voice came back just a second later, “We’re in position Kenya, eyes on the MG nests.”
“Understood, continue to monitor.” Kenya switched the channel once more, just in time to catch the next squad reporting in.
“Squad Four; 42nd Naval Brigade Squads one and two, standing by and ready for Injection.” Kenya recognised the lilting voice as Kuruya Remi.
Fox was next, the hum of his dropship obvious over the radio, “Squad Five; Epsilon-2, ready to drop.”
General Rei stood by with his men from afar of the Eastern Wing, “Squad Two is on standby, ready to enter at your call. Over.” the General spoke through his inbuilt communicator.
Marude grunted approvingly, “Naofa, report in.”
Naofa’s earthy accent came over the radio a second later, “Squad Three; 101st Regiment’s Fire Teams three and four in position, Notches ready sir.”
Marude put his radio down, his voice a low growl, “We need to get this moving, we don’t have all day!” he slammed his fists down onto the panel in front of him.
[https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png]
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A single blink.
All it takes is a single blink, to alter history irreparably.
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[https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png]
Kenya stood low among the APC’s at the front of the building, staring up at the rain slick wood of the school. His squad crouched next to him, hands on their weapons. He let his eyes trail along the gravel path leading up to the front of the school, everlit by braziers that seemed to fight the rain with unnatural efficiency. His job would be to charge the front door, and begin clearing out all Initiative combatants, working his way up and through the school. Each squad had their defined areas, but he was sure he would end up running into them for one reason or another.
Zachary coughed, Kenya eyeing him from the side.
He pointed to an expensive looking car - earthen in make - “Who’s car is that? Why is there a car at a raid? Who would bring a car to a raid that’s so stupid?” Kenya grimaced at the peppered questions, glancing towards the car.
“That’s… gotta be Marude’s car… I think?” he paused for a moment, trying to get a better look through the rain, “Yeah. He usually parks it at Site-88 but I heard he’s started taking it to every operation he commands on earth. Guy’s just asking for it to be blown up.” he sighed, cupping a hand above his eyes as he looked back towards the school.
Back in the command rig, Marude had begun to pace, his fury reaching a boiling point.
Marude clenched his fists so tightly that his palms began to bleed, “Why. Isn’t. Anything. HAPPENING!” he roared.
“We can’t risk making the first move sir!” Rear Admiral Matthew replied, his hands wrung, “I would presume they must think the same thing.”
Marude began to grind his teeth even harder, the noise causing Matthew to wince, “So that’s it. We just sit here and wait.”
“I would assume so sir, yes.” Matthew replied once more.
Kenya could see that the men on top of the frontal APC’s were growing impatient, the sentiment clearly shared by Zachary, who was stomping his feet, and ‘ughing’ every now and again.
Tobias turned to Zachary, “What’s the problem, Agent?”
Zachary growled, throwing his hands in the air.
“What the fuck are we waiting around for! I don’t get PAID to stand around and do nothing!” He screamed.
Kenya put his hand over the boy's mouth, a frown creasing his brow.
"If we rush straight in like idiots, we'd be gunned down by those MG nests." Tobias said, wiping the rain off of his gun.
"Okay. So take out the nests.” Zachary said, his tone nonchalant, turning back to look at the car.
“We can’t do that ourselves, can w-” Zach cut Tobi off.
“You two,” Zach pointed at Tobi and a grunt, “Help me flip this spare barricade and put it between the APC’s.”
Kenya peered past Zach, spying a soldier talking into an earpiece, “Things might just be getting interesting. Whatever you’re doing Zach, make it good.”
Zach grinned at him.
The soldier nodded to the men around him, taking a flare gun from the side of his hip and pointing it high into the air. He walked forward, the gun still pointed high, and nodded to Kenya, who nodded back.
“Marude has given the order to engage upon the flare’s firing, the other squads are being notified now. Be ready.” The soldier said, walking backwards once more.
He pulled the trigger.
A soldier was seen holding his ear piece, Marude had given him an order - prompting him to grab a flare gun [https://img.wattpad.com/445575334ae1afc49122717c6d74fdea331c5937/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f553742653263564b67316f5871513d3d2d3938343431343138332e313634393563396231633961346361383737333339383032363338382e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
[https://img.wattpad.com/story_parts/984414183/images/16495c7e777e48a4501718734819.png]
The land was washed with faint blood red light. The storm picked up, Kenya held onto the truck beside him.
Everyone could see it, even Aaron and War - both snug within the MG nests.
This was their signal to engage.
Our once silent night was filled with the echoing violence of fire and brimstone, as the MG nests opened up, gunning down men on top of the armoured vehicles. As the flare fizzled out, overhead Dropships turned on flood lights - electricity within the building promptly being turned back on, their defences truly raised - to prepare for the coming infiltration.
Marude observed the firefight with no small amount of rage, they were already behind schedule, and this was too slow. He watched as his men were picked off, one by one.
"What's the hold up Matt, why aren’t those nests suppressed already!” Marude said, his eyes hard.
“The openings are too small sir, even our snipers are having trouble getting shots through them,” Matthew grimaced, “They’re using target finders on the end of their gun’s too…” Matthew said.
Marude frowned once more, another problem arising. The men on top of the armoured vehicles, were being shot at more frequently than anyone else down there. This entire gulch was a trap.
“We need to get in there, now!” Marude said.
“I just told you we can’t hit them sir!” Matt argued back, throwing his hands in the air.
“Well why didn’t you SAY SO,” Marude shouted, Matthew flinching at the tone, “this is completely and utterly ridiculous, we cannot allow them to treat us like this!” Marude kicked open the door to their mobile command centre, walking out towards the frontline.
Matthew followed him out, a folder above his head to block the rain, “Sir! What in the galaxies are you doing!” he shouted.
“Showing these limp wristed maggots a thing or two…” He muttered, the sound covered by the storm, “YOU!” he said, walking up to a soldier sitting between two armoured vehicles, reloading his gun, “Hand over your rifle!” Marude held out his hand.
“Sir…?” The soldier's face was a mix of confusion and shock.
“Your gun, boy.” The soldier apprehensively handed over his rifle. Marude looked it over, reloading it himself. He raised his voice, “WHEN YOU ARE FIRING ON THE MG NESTS, YOU WILL AIM SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE OPENING,” he leaned on the hood of an armoured vehicle, firing two bursts from the rifle at a nest on the roof of the building.
The MG nest went quiet.
“LIKE SO.” He shoved the gun back into the soldier's hands, “Lady Fantasia and above, I’ve seen kids playing holo-tag aim better than you people…” he muttered as he walked back to his command centre.
Kenya, who had witnessed this display, crossed his arms - amused. He picked up his radio, “Eye, can you take out the MG operators blocking the front door, it’s time to start improvising.” His grin was nothing short of fiendish.
The Vice-Commander chuckled over the radio, “Aye aye sir.”
Kenya watched with silent awe as a single red-traced bullet smashed through the optic of the Machine Gun, demolishing it, and the gun.
“NOW’S YOUR CHANCE ZACH, GET A MOVE ON.” Kenya shouted, looking towards their makeshift ramp, made out of the flipped barricade.
Kenya flung his hands forward, reinforcing the ramp with his tendrils.
Marude heard the rapid revving of an engine, and turned towards the front line again, “Matthew,” he said, turning towards the approaching officer, “Why does that look like my Sedan?”
"Sir... I believe that is your Sedan." Matthew replied.
“Now that absolutely can’t be right. I have my keys right… right here…” He felt his hip, his hand coming away empty, “oh no, no, no, no, no.” he began to sprint, waving his hands at Agent Zachary in the driver's seat.
He pulled on the handle, fruitlessly trying to open the door.
“Mr. Marude! Fancy seeing you here Sir!” Zachary said, revving the engine once more, “You don’t mind me using this car right? I promise it’s for a good cause!” He chirped.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND? THIS IS MY CAR! UNLOCK THE DAMN DOOR!" Marude screamed, he could feel the scratch of his tone in his throat.
Zachary giggled, “What? Can’t hear you, sorry sir!” The boy looked to Kenya, who gave him a terse if not amused nod. Zach gunned the engine, speeding for the barricade like his life depended on it.
Marude, who still had his hand on the handle of the door, was dragged a good ten feet before he finally let go, a defeated sob leaving his lips as he watched his car careen through the sky. Zachary pulled himself out of the window, flinging himself to the ground mid-arc. He whooped with joy.
Aaron and War, both of whom were stationed at the front door, began to order the surviving men away from the nest.
“MOVE!” War roared as he leapt for Aaron, covering him with his body.
The car exploded with a massive, KABOOOCHHHH, leaving a tremendous hole where the ‘front entrance’ would have been. Kenya grinned, looking to Tobi. His L.T’s mouth was hung open.
War dragged Aaron away, Kenya couldn’t see where they went beyond the smoke.
"God I love it when we improvise,” Kenya said, turning to Marude, “Orders sir?”
Marude, his eyes now filled with tears, anger, and sorrow, stood - pointed at the enemy and yelled. “GIVE ‘EM FUCKING HELLLL!”
“Aye aye sir!” Kenya nodded to his troop - to the grunts that were following them, and charged the front door. He knew that the order would be relayed by Matthew to the other Squads - he could almost hear the sound of Fox's dropships opening up with their weapons, proving covering fire for his drop. The idea confirmed when Fox came in over the Radio, saying;
"Let's wrap this up quickly, boys,” Kenya could barely make out what he said as he left the channel, something like, ‘Alright Doc, let’s see how effective this thing really is.'
Kenya’s radio began to beep once more as he shoulder checked a Initiative fighter knocking him over, Tobi finished him off with a bullet between the eyes, shattering through his helmet's visor. A voice came over the radio, it was the Notches Vice-Commander.
“Orders, Sir?” he said.
“Do your best to provide us with cover from the ground, when you lose sight of us reallocate yourselves among the other Squads and provide support where necessary.” Kenya said, a flung hand creating a wall of tendrils to shield his men from the hellfire being thrown at them.
“Copy all, sir - moving out now.” The Eye said, the radio going silent.
Kenya brought his hands together the same way you would if you were going to dive into water, and parted his wall down the middle, rolling into the foyer of the school. Each level was open in the middle, glass railings lining the walkways of each floor.
Kenya marked all of the Initiative soldiers he could see, and began throwing punches into the air - The flesh like material that made up his tendrils apparating with each thrown fist, tossing spikes at all those unlucky enough to be spotted.
He spun, having pushed into the middle of the foyer, to see an Initiative trooper rushing him. He attempted to duck a hair too slowly, allowing the trooper to greet his nose with the end of his rifle. Kenya slapped at the rifle as he fell, successfully dislodging it from the man's grasp, forcing him to try and pin Kenya to the floor.
The trooper threw punch after punch, laying into Kenya with religious zeal. Blood began to drip from Kenya’s nose, the boy growled animalistically.
“That all you got mother,” Kenya cocked back his arm as far as he could, slamming it with all his might into the troopers ribs - he could feel the metal armour dent with the blow, “FUCKER!”
The trooper let out a surprised gust of air. Flung from Kenya, he found himself surrounded by the advancing combatants of SIGMA Company.
Kenya flung his hands up again, a wall of black flesh separating SIGMA Company from the ongoing struggle, trapping them within the entryway. Several other squads led by lesser officers had entered after them to try and give them room. He supposed they would have to fend for themselves for a moment.
Zachary aimed his pistol at the man's face, “Stop fighting and we’ll let you live!” his tone was alarmingly chipper.
The trooper spat in his face, “I’ll never surrender to you OverWatch do-” he was cut off by a bullet, straight through his mouth - exiting via the back of his neck.
Tobias slowly looked at Zachary, the end of the boy’s gun smoking.
Zachary gave him a nonchalant smile, “Death or Peace, remember.”
Kenya looked to his men, “Right. Ready?”
His squad nodded, he braced himself once more, “GO!”
Kenya brought the wall down, his squad charging the foyer once more, rejoining this increasingly bloody conflict.
https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png [https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png]
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The lifeblood of the Universe flows through all things.
Every creature, no matter how small, has the power to change the world.
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https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png [https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png]
"Don't lose em'! Block up the entrance quickly!" Pestilence ordered [https://img.wattpad.com/99f6f398afc8f716bbccfc46f9e62ba301b6c5e0/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f7652596274486f436850626b38513d3d2d3938343431343138332e313634393563613964643533396561663233343434373138323039372e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Where Rei walked, corpses followed. His Cybernetic form was made for war, crafted to draw blood from all those who opposed him.
He would see this place darkened by the end of this mission.
Rei, and his men, had entered the building in a similar fashion to that of the front team - almost simultaneously - by blowing a hole in the wall. Zachary always did tend to have brilliantly stupid, yet somehow workable, ideas.
He had encountered somewhat heavy resistance upon entry, forcing them to take the better part of half an hour to thoroughly clear out room after room before approaching the railing covered walkway that looked over the main foyer, where Kenya and his squad would have already pushed into by now.
He moved in fast, grabbing an Initiative fighter by the skull, and promptly turning it into mush. The second fighter, to the firsts right, had been distracted by the fighting down below - over the railing - and met an equally cruel demise. Rei supposed being dead would mean he wouldn’t have a chance to miss his heart.
A second squad of fighters approached, opening up on the Cyborg and his men. The firefight became a stalemate in moments, Rei grunting with frustration.
Rei raised his arm over Zhar as the two began to push towards the line of men, bullets ricocheting off of his armour, and cybernetic plating.
Zhar grinned with devilish delight, “I’m ready to start cooking boss.”
Rei nodded, “I’ll take my meat extra crispy.”
Zhar began to laugh maniacally, heaving a metal tank onto his back. Rei moved to fully cover his subordinate as he lifted the second half of the weapon - A large weaponised nozzle.
He rolled from under Rei’s arm, the nozzle squirting liquid into the air. Each drop that fell landed with a satisfying sizzle, searing the flesh of the men and women it touched.
“NOW DIE.” Zhar roared.
The nozzle straightened out, belching liquid white flame - entirely incinerating the squads that stood before them. Rei gave a morose nod, in abstract respect to the dead.
The Cyborg walked forward, finishing off the remaining charred bodies with an inbuilt plasma cannon, situated in his arm. He turned to his subordinate.
“Contact Agent Niro, I want an update on their progress. It would be wise for us to meet in the middle,” he pointed towards the top of the grand staircase, “there.”
There was a tense moment of silence.
Zhar shook his head, “Nothing Rei.”
“Try her Lieutenant, Jock.” Rei said.
A muffled conversation only intensified Rei’s worry - he imagined that if they could, his palms would be sweating.
“Commander Jock says they were ambushed on entry, not regular troops either, something stronger,” he listened a second longer, “they’re trying to reach her now - but they’re being pinned down by enemy fire.”
Rei nodded, “Then we’re headed that way, I can only imagine what horrors must be fielded to keep her down.”
Mesa Squad began to move.
Rei hoped he wasn’t too late.
https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png [https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png]
In the open room at the bottom floor, otherwise known as "the main hallway", concrete barricades were placed down as the Resistance's means of protection [https://img.wattpad.com/ce01fd11efd8cdbf8bd17eae26dd201fa8096642/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f46625330334d326c6b69685a70413d3d2d3938343431343138332e313634393563613361333964393264353535383231343433343133392e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Back on the bottom floor, Kenya had managed to push OverWatch past the foyer, into a new area dubbed the ‘main hallway’; The Resistance had begun to replace their concrete barricades, most having been turned to rubble by the now suppressed SIGMA company, of which were being held at the far end of the corridor. Kenya turned to Tobias.
“That Zach kid’s a fucking maniac,” he said, looking back to where he knew Zach was rounding up the stragglers, “I’m sorta glad he’s back there, suppose that leaves us less trouble.”
Tobias laughed under the rain of bullets, peering around the corner, “Yeah… Naofa always had me thinking that the Agency had standards.”
Kenya himself laughed, a faint tingle on his skin.
He had already attempted to push forward with a line of ballistic proof body shields, and had made decent headway at first.
That was before Pestilence had made his appearance.
The shields had started to fatigue, the heavy rain of bullets peppering them with small holes. He had felt it on his skin first. The subtle scent of bubbling flesh. The misty yellow smoke, wafting in from down the corridor.
He hadn’t seen it at first. The heavy hazmat suits, the thick material covering them in swaths.
A soldier next to Kenya unpinned a grenade as they approached a second time, the boy attempting to help them evade the yellow smog.
Tobias could feel the gas entering into his lungs - he could taste the blood pooling in the back of his throat.
The soldier stood above the ballistic shields, preparing to throw the grenade. He was met by death, swift and strong, in the form of a bullet between the eyes.
Kenya watched as the grenade, the pin pulled, dropped to the floor. He was caught off guard for the moment, he stood in silent shock as he watched it roll to his feet.
He didn’t have time to recognise Tobias’ form flying towards him, sheltering him from the worst of the blast.
Members of their squad were thrown in all directions. Kenya was barely able to keep his hands on Tobias as they flew through the air, smashing into a nearby wall. He dragged himself along the floor towards the fuzzy outline of Tobias body, covering his comrade the best he could.
He hoped the ruse would work.
The hazmat laden soldiers began to approach, Pestilence himself bringing up the rear. Kenya kept his head down, but the sounds of solidarity bullets flying rang in his ears. They must be executing survivors.
Kenya dug his fingers into Tobias’ side as Pestilence approached, the Initiative leader rolling a bullet between his fingers.
“Idiots, all of them,” Pestilence said, “That grenade would never have worked.”
He loaded the bullet.
Kenya’s pointer finger began to twitch - he could feel his back begin to spasm, the act of remaining still had begun to strain his body.
Pestilence kicked Kenya’s body over, the gun pointed at the rowsing figure beneath him.
Kenya hadn’t noticed that Tobias’ foot had begun to twitch too.
Tobias rose, his forehead unwittingly bumping into the barrel of Pestilence’s revolver. The boy’s eyes widened, horrified.
Pestilence hesitated a moment, “Walter, buzz in the director, I wanna know if prisoners are acceptable today - we didn’t have time to discuss it.”
Tobias’ hand began to drift towards his concealed side pistol, his eyes darting to and fro, from Kenya - back to Pestilence.
The Soldier, Walter, began to walk towards Pestilence having just put down his radio, the branch leader turned towards him for just a brief second, Kenya knew this was his only opportunity.
Stuck on his stomach he raised his left hand into the air, slamming it down with all the weight he could muster. The entire floor shook as he struck the wooden planks. His fingers melted into black sludge, seeping into the ground. Kenya gave them the time to see his little smirk as the black consumed his veins, before liquifying the ground beneath their feet.
Dozens of black tendrils struck out from all directions, leaving most of the enemy as bloody red heaps, their ichor mixing into the undulating black growth that now covered the ground - Kenya grinned with rabid satisfaction. He struck out with a hand towards Pestilence's leg, twisting his entire body with reckless strength - tossing man down the hallway as if he was nothing more than a damp cloth.
He leapt to his feet, each tensing muscle in his body forcing more and more tendrils, interlocking them all throughout the hallway, hopefully not only blocking himself from the rest of the Initiative fighters, but also splitting them up. It should buy them enough time to regroup, nevertheless.
He shoved his hands under Tobias’ armpits, the other surviving members of Sigma Company rising to their feet. Tobias held up a slightly damaged radio, crackling words from an already ongoing conversation streaming out of it.
“Seper_t_d, we ar_ pin_e_ do_n, th_r___ n_ way fo_ us to get t_he_,” Kenya recognised Jock’s accent, he set his jaw, looking up towards the second floor.
Rei’s voice came through a second later, clearer, “Unders__od, Me_a squad is on it’_ way. H__d tight.”
Kenya clenched and unclenched his fists, “Tobias help me find another way around this corridor.”
Tobias gawked at him, “But sir!”
“Rei’s on it,” Kenya looked nothing short of furious, “the mission takes priority.”
“Sir.” Tobias nodded, leading him towards another corridor.
Kenya knew he could rely on Naofa to walk out of this fight alive.
https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png [https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png]
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The smallest flowers can have the most potent effects.
Poison and medicine, healing and killing.
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https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png [https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png]
Cassian had been ambushed by the Blondes Squad. He hadn’t at first realised how, but was relieved when Filianore effectively separated her from the rest of her men between the terrace that ran around the second floor, and a hallway that bisected two classrooms. He also hadn’t realised how much resistance the squad themselves would put up, after he left the group of men assigned to him to deal with their leader. The woman had torn the first hole, that her troops had entered through, in the outside wall of one of the two classrooms, giving them the opportunity to push out onto the terrace overlooking the foyer. She had seemingly left them to be pinned down by himself and Filianore.
At least that’s what he thought, before she reappeared down at the deadend of the hallway. She had tore a second entry way at the very end of the hallway - destroying the outside wall almost entirely in the process. Silhouetted by the still bellowing storm, Cassian couldn’t help but shiver at the sight of her before he had been forced to retreat into cover. Filianore couldn’t deal with her - she was engaged by the sniper, who’s aim rivalled her own - although Cassian thought that his rifle might just outmatch her bow. He knew that the women couldn’t be left to her own devices.
So Cassian had sent his men down the hallway. It was unfortunate however, that he was unable to get there himself under the heavy fire of what he assumed was the group's second in command. The brief window they had managed to buy for his men wasn’t enough to allow him to follow. He hoped that they were enough to put her down.
Part of him knew they wouldn’t be.
It wasn’t four minutes before the blood began to seep around the corner of the hallway onto the terrace, lazily making its way towards his feet.
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Cassian growled, the noise deep in his chest, “Filianore I need another distraction - gotta get around that fucking corner.” He ducked behind the concrete barricade in front of him - narrowly dodging a whizzing sniper bullet.
Filianore peered at the men around her - the remnants of war’s command that had been spared specifically for her use. She knew that she had the enemy pinned - there wasn’t a route out of the situation they were in so long as that leader of theirs didn’t bust through anymore walls. She had decided to hold the right hand side of the upper terraces, if you were facing the school from the front, hoping that she would be able to force this fight into existence. Give her brother the opportunity to face OverWatch's so-called ‘Death on swift wings’.
Maybe she was out of her depth once more - Rusty still, in the art of killing.
Filianore nodded, notching a glowing white arrow, “You ready Cass?”
Cassian sunk down to his haunches, hammer in hand, pointed towards the hallway opening. He gave her a terse nod.
Filianore sprang upwards some six feet from crouching, firing the arrow with pinpoint accuracy, bullets peppering her auburn hair. Cassian watched it fly, the shaft of the arrow warping as it travelled. The head popped with a satisfying ktch, plumes of smoke expanding outwards in all directions, before crashing back into each other - smothering the area in white powdery smoke. Cassian launched from his position, bullets attempting to find him as he ran towards the ever deepening pool of blood.
He crashed into the wall of the hallway with a crunch, his shoulder throbbed with distant pain. The thoughts ebbed from his head once more, his eyes grasping a familiar emptiness as he stared down the hallway to a faraway, crouched shape.
The hallway was dark, his eyes poorly adjusting to the sudden lack of light. He couldn’t make out any of the major details from where he stood. The only things that were apparently obvious were; The large hole in the outer wall and the storm raging outside - rain peppered him at even this distance, the winds strong enough to carry the scent of fresh earth to his nose, if only for a moment. The blood continued to pool around his feet, the stench of iron permeated in the air, drowning out that earthy smell. He couldn’t figure out if the blood was only his men’s, but looking up gave him a fairly decent idea.
The walls, the floor, the ceiling. They were all lined with bodies. Faint trails out light drifted from all of them, culminating around larger… He couldn’t tell what they were, but they appeared to resemble spear shafts. He could see that they pinned the bodies to their respective surfaces however - these light ‘shafts’ dripped blood and ichor. All he could hear was the gentle drop of blood from the men stuck to the ceiling. He could hear the rasping breath coming out of… all of them. She hadn’t killed them.
The light from the bodies, from the figure in front of him - were the only things lighting his way.
Cassian readied his hammer, taking a step towards the figure. His eyes adjusted to the dark and he could faintly make out the blonde back length hair, matted by blood. The formerly blue bow - drenched also. She was wearing a dress, for some reason, instead of battle armour, and despite being covered in blood - it looked remarkably intact. This woman - who he had now guessed was the squad leader - had similar drifting trails of light coming off of her, although he thought it more resembled steam. Most stark of all, were the wings on her back. Draped loosely on the floor, as if she hadn’t the strength to hold them up. He could see the blood leaking into them, staining the feathers a familiar crimson.
“You truly are their monster then,” Cassian said, the figure’s back straightened, “I’d heard rumour of the Fae princess that had become one of OverWatch’s top killers. I hadn’t realised we’d fallen so far as to need to bend the knee.” He planted his feet some four paces from her. The hallway was longer than expected.
The figure peered at him over a shoulder, matted hair falling around her shoulders in loose clumps - framing a singular permafrost coloured eye. She sniffed at him, that eye narrowing.
“You must be one of the old guards, if you don’t know why we had to do what we did,” he could see her jaw twitching, “Your scent is hidden, yet you claim to care about the status of our people. It’s pathetic.”
Cassian watched as she turned back to whatever was in front of her, her hands working.
“Your God returns and this is how you speak to one of his heralds?” Cassian said.
The woman turned fully, standing, facing him in earnest. “I don’t care for gods that abandon their people. Nor heralds that hide in remote corners of the galaxy. Although I suppose I should thank you for confirming my suspicions that it was in fact The Sky Cardinal that you summoned. The old words still affect his legacy it seems,” she gave him a sheepish, placid grin, “I’m happy to hear that the herald of a mighty god knows my stories though.”
Cassian could make out the form of a body at her feet now. It was one of his men… and his wounds were… bandaged up?
He couldn’t let it distract him, so he pressed on.
He took another step forward, “Yeah - well, we’ve heard all about you Alexandria,” he bit the name out, “we know who you really are. What you really are.”
Naofa gave him a confused look, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Your strength and power never surprised you? The fact that you’re the only Fae in a thousand years to have wings never surprised you?” Cassian said, inching closer.
Naofa spread her feet, her wings tightening, “I’m a royal - it’s not uncommon for us to have unforeseen connections to the realm of the gods. Mine was just…” She gave him a very angry look, ”How do you know about my connection? The extent of it.”
“We both know it’s far more than a connection,” he said, “I’m not here to give you a history lesson, though.” He hefted his hammer into his hand - having placed the head on the floor as they spoke - and gave her a small smile.
The skin across his arms and face began to crack, spider webbing like broken glass. Naofa watched as licks and spurts of flame began to pour out from the open wounds. Liquid fire dripping like ichor. She could see it was the heaviest around his hands, and his eyes. In fact, his hands were almost entirely flame at this point - she could feel the heat pressing down on her, it was suffocating.
It had taken her a second to realise how brightly his eyes shone in the darkness of this hallway.
Naofa raised two fingers to an open wound on her cheek, drawing away still running blood. It floated in the air in gentle blobs - still somehow connected to the movements of her fingers by some phantom power.
She regarded the blobs with tired eyes.
“You’re sure you want this fight… herald?” She traced a lazy pattern in the air with her right hand - the blood following her in a slow figure eight.
Cassian’s only response was to leap the ten feet between them, bringing down his hammer in a brutal wheel of flame.
Naofa dug her heels in as she raised her left hand to catch the head of the hammer. She could feel the joints and bones in her arm groan and scream against the intense weight of the weapon. She held him in the air for a moment, before slamming the hammer down into the ground between her feet.
Cassian attempted to, even with the way his body was now awkwardly held in the air, use the momentum of her attack to flip himself over her - but was met with a swift thwack to his back, sending him into the ground.
He lost his grip on his hammer.
Cassian looked up to see the woman with his hammer in her hand, her body bent with the effort it took for her to sweep it in his direction.
It was too fast for him to move out of the way, his instincts were still catching up with him.
The hammer crashed into his abdomen with a brutal crunch, sending him careening into a wall. Cassian gasped for air - she shouldn’t even be able to lift that fucking thing.
He grinned with feral delight.
Naofa threw the hammer aside with a grunt, he could see her palms were scorched, burnt.
“We’re not having this fight in such a cramped space,” Naofa grabbed Cassian by his shirt, lifting him into the air - his legs dragging on the floor, “Now on your feet.”
Naofa shoved him upwards, forcing him to stumble backwards as he caught himself.
Naofa grinned to herself as she reloaded her arms. She began to slowly walk forwards - fists raised.
Cassian could see it in her eyes, the love for genuine contest. For bouts of true strength. He stood, raising his own fists.
Naofa leapt at him, throwing a single brutal jab towards his stomach - Cassian responded in kind, his hand flying.
Their fists collided with a disgusting thud.
The resulting shockwave took them both off of their feet. He could hear her laugh over the shockwave, and could sense her delight.
The ensuing melee was animalistic, at heart.
Every punch he threw she somehow matched with equal, if not greater, strength. It was as if she could read his every intention, his every thought. He couldn’t land a hit, couldn’t get past her ironclad defence Everytime he thought he was about to hit her, she somehow weaved, everytime he thought he had managed to evade one of her punches, she somehow landed one on him.
He could see that her fists were bloody, the skin around them burnt beyond recognition. Their fighting had placed her close enough to his flames that even her wings had started to burn, he could see the singed feathers.
Yet that placid, empty smile never left her lips.
Naofa threw another jab, the strength of the blow knocking Cassian momentarily off balance. Forcing him to land hard on his left foot, literally putting him on the back foot. Naofa took the opportunity to strike.
Naofa hopped from foot to foot before fly kicking Cassian in the centre of his chest with a triumphant chirp of glee.
Filianore, who was still pinned down by this incessant enemy sniper, watched her brother get sent flying into the main foyer, a winged woman hot on his trail.
All the fighting around the building stopped, as their weapons were thrown at one another, forcing them to collide mid air. The magic of their abilities holding them aloft, giving them a moment to pace around the still colliding armaments - a sizable divet driven into the floor of the foyer by the sheer power behind the throw. Filianore couldn’t hear their hushed conversation.
But she watched as the woman recalled her spear, and charged Cassian, sending both of them flying into the western wing of the building.
Filianore spared a glance for her ranged counterpart - a blonde haired freckled man.
He gave her a sympathetic nod, as the fighting resumed.
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Life is the beauty that we find in decay.
Death is the nuance that we search for in growth.
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Fox’s squad swept the roof with the ease of a highly trained, and cohesive, unit. Every defence they encountered was decimated without issue. Fox had already been praised by Marude, much to Matthews' annoyance, for his quick work.
Fox raised his hand, pointing towards the rooftop entrance to the school.
“Epsilon move in, I want to get this all over with as soon as possible.” Fox said.
Two men approached first.
Two men were turned to dust.
Fox watched as Jacob, the purple eyed boy, walked out towards him - calm purple energy wreathed his clenched fists, coalescing around his knuckles.
Fox was rather impressed by such a bold display.
“Hey Scarface. Sorry to just walk in on y’all when you’re doing such a good job - but the schools closed for the night.” Jacob said, raising his fists.
Fox grinned, “Real funny boy, but it’s gonna take more than witty banter to stop us.”
Fox tightened his grip on the briefcase he was holding, clicking a button on the handle. Jacob narrowed his eyes as the briefcase opened, transforming into a long, black, cylindrical railgun-esque weapon. Purple lights blazed to life one by one on each side of the gun, illuminating the words ‘EPSILON-2’.
Jacob stopped his slow advance, his fists still raised. He could feel the energy flowing out of the gun's barrel begin to condense, a pulse rocked his senses every time the lights flared. Jacob took a step backwards, a glare on his face.
“What’s wrong kid?” Fox asked, his voice a harsh laugh, “You intimidated?”
Jacob remained silent.
“Good. You should be.” Fox dropped to one knee, the railgun’s barrel began to charge - a thick purple energy gathering within the centre.
Jacob slapped his hands together, a thin line of green energy rocketing for Fox. The man grinned as he jumped over it, leaping into the air from his crouched position. Fox held down the trigger, spraying out purple crystalline shards. He ground his teeth against the kickback - it was strong.
Jacob clambered his way onto the top of the small shed that housed the stairs down into the building.
Thwick Thwick.
Jacob felt the wet thuds in the back of his left leg. He stumbled, falling off of the roof. He frantically felt at the back of his leg. His jeans had evaporated.
His fingers came away clean - but when he peered back, he saw a partially exposed femur
It had disintegrated his skin.
Fox approached the boy slowly, “You never stood a chance,” he ran his hand down the gun, “This here’s’an experimental weapon. Have you ever heard of Enderite Crystallizations?”
Jacob gave him an unamused, confused look - his face a mask of pain and disdain.
“I didn’t think so,” Fox’s face tightened, “I’ve always hated you power wielders. But your AuraCell’s really do have merit. These Enderite Crystals are a… touchable, form of AuraCells. It takes thousands of years for AuraCells to gather together, condensing into something… physical. Something useful.”
Jacob started to crawl away, but felt the cold metal of the Railguns barrel against the back of his head.
“Sorry Kid, I guess the lesson’s ov-” Fox was struck in the chest, cutting his sentence short, his battle armour creaking with an intense eeeeeeek.
“I thought I told you boy. I don’t want to see your guts spread all about the floor.” Jacob recognised the voice of war, even through his haze, “Here’s some new advice. Don't fight powerful enemies alone. No matter how powerful you think you are.”
War lifted Jacob off of the ground, lifting his hammer - pointing it at Fox. Two Resistance medics rushed out behind War, dragging the boy back into the school.
“You and me cunt,” War said, “You die here!”
War rushed in, hammer raised.
Fox laughed with joy, sprinting towards war - gun raised high.
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Timelessness, in a constantly shifting age.
Thoughtlessness, in an era of progress.
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Remi saw no major advancements in the hour that she had been fighting this uphill battle. It was only exacerbated further when Death decided to make her his latest target. He had already gone on a rampage throughout the southern sector of the school - decimating many of her squads and nonaffiliated combatant soldiers. She hoped Captain Feretov, who she thought she might spy out of the corner of her eye hiding behind an overturned barricade, wouldn’t try to be heroic.
Death bounced back, his sabre glimmered in the rain, “You’re certainly a fast one young miss! I am certainly not surprised that they placed you in charge of one of their main squads,” He took a cautionary swing at the circling woman, forcing her back further, “I suppose you certainly fit the recent trend of OverWatch officers being much younger than they used to be.”
Remi continued to pace - twin daggers held in tightly wound hands, “I’m not interested in talking to you creature. You will not stop me from entering this building.”
She swung her body back, her shoulders tensing with remarkable strength as she threw both of her daggers at Death with lethal accuracy.
Death, his body vibrating with a patronising laugh, brought his sabre up with intense speed. The daggers clattered against the alien metal of his blade with a vibrant tink-tink. Death shot out a hand, aiming to catch the daggers and deprive her of her weapons, but found himself unnaturally surprised.
He watched them, as if of their own accord, slash through the air away from his hand - returning to Remi, they formed a gently drifting halo around her head, the blade still gleaming.
He watched the veins along her hands and forearms glow a loud sky blue as they flew for him once more. Death let his entire body bend ninety degrees, the daggers passing over him with a siiiiiif siiiiiif before returning once more to the orbit of her head.
Death relocated his torso with a crunch.
“Immmmmmmpressive yet again Miss Remi. I see you have learned to grasp your Aura Abilities with much gusto…” Death said, his tone distracted.
Death turned towards the upper windows of the southern second floor, watching them fill with Resistance troops - many with large calibre machine guns.
“That’s my cue. Until we meet again.” Death said.
Remi could hear the disdain in his voice, his hate and rage.
Feretov slammed into Remi, dragging her behind another barricade before they were met with raining lead. She could see the other members of her squad similarly taking cover.
Feretov held his communicator up to his ear, before screaming in her ear over the rain and hellfire.
“MA’AM, THE 101ST CONVOY IS HERE - THEY SAY IT’S A REUNITING GIFT!” Feretov yelled.
Remi peaked over the barricade, The Resistance troops had repelled out of the windows, and had begun to push forward. Remi thought that they might think they had managed to finally push back their attack.
They were surprised however, to see a convoy of six large heavily armoured tanks approaching from the woodlands behind the school - trees falling in their wake. The troopers began to run with all their might back towards the school.
Remi stood back up, her back straightening as she stared at the fleeing Initiative fighters. She raised a hand, halting the tanks. They followed her finger as she pointed at the troopers.
She sighed to herself, “Fire.”
The tanks opened up. Massive Ion blasts slamming into the back of the building, turning the wood to dust. Remi looked towards her men, giving them a small nod.
They charged into the building.
Remi made a mental note to find Naofa in their down time, and thank her for the tanks.
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Progress, in an age of regression.
Turmoil, in an age of calm.
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Pestilence was nowhere near close to finishing up his defensive line in the grand hallway. When that boy had managed to separate them, he had thought to use the opportunity to set up a defensible position. He was cut short, by an explosion massive enough to shake the entire school - although he felt like it was coming from eastern wing .
He could faintly hear the sounds of troopers fighting someone - but it grew closer and closer still.
Down the now open hallway, he could see Rei, drenched in blood. The troopers would hold him off for now, but he didn’t know if he would have time to finish.
Famine came running moments later, a mobile turret across his back, he looked strained.
"Where are the others?" Pestilence asked in a frantic voice.
“Right behind me,” Famine replied, three soldiers approaching from the same direction that Famine had come from.
He could see that they were carrying heavily armoured mobile turrets. They began to work with evangelical resolve in an attempt to get them ready for the inevitable fight they knew they would be having with Rei.
It would be mere seconds, before a flash grenade was thrown into the room - blinding the troops. Famine and Pestilence were smart enough to cover their eyes.
The troops were met by a far more gruesome fate. Turned to mist by the barrage of plasma.
Famine rushed, crawling along his belly between concrete barricades and dismembered body parts. Famine heaved with the effort it took to pull himself up towards the…
The broken activator.
Pestilence yelled his name, throwing him a remote activator. Famine caught it and slammed it up against the turret.
The machine whirred to life, gunning down most of the grunts in Mesa Squad, prompting Rei to halt his advance, although he had gotten remarkably close.
Rei looked to his Lieutenant, Colonel Raikan, splitting the force in half in an attempt to try and flank the turrets. Rei unpacked two anti-tank launches, carried in by one of the grunts of his squad. He tossed one to Raikan, spinning a finger in the air.
He wanted him to go around the other side.
Both groups managed to get around the sides of the turrets, Raikans group laying down covering fire.
The first launcher was decimated.
The second, got through.
“INNNNNCOMMMING!” Famine screamed, the words almost covered by the ensuing sounds of explosions and falling substructure.
Pestilence was thrown against a wall, his eyes became blurry - his vision fuzzy. He could make out the burning piles of shrapnel and machine. They had managed to decimate the turrets.
Famine himself stood with trembling hands, picking metal out of his forehead. He was dazed.
Rei made his move, a plasma cannon pointed at Famine's head. The man didn’t realise, couldn’t realise, that his life was seconds away from ending.
Pestilence had seconds to react. Reaching down, he unclipped a lime green grenade from his belt - throwing it at Rei’s head.
Rei caught it, as it began to vomit forth a similarly coloured smoke.
He threw it to the ground, shoving all of his men back.
Nearly a quarter of them fell, giving Pestilence enough time to help famine to his feet. They exchanged a grateful set of nods.
Rei let out a pained scream, firing again and again with his plasma-cannon.
Each one was deflected by a shimmering lightscreen - a familiar white haired boy had reappeared.
“Ace!” Famine shouted, the act causing his ribs to throb with pain, “You came back!”
The boy merely nodded, looking towards a slim looking man wearing a white coat - carrying a rocket launcher that, despite his frame, seemed like a familiar comfort.
Ace waved him on.
The man fired, slamming Rei with deadly explosive ordinance. The Cyborg was blasted back. They had granted themselves a moment's rest, it seemed.
War joined them with reinforcements shortly after, the devastation that Rei had caused alone didn’t seem to surprise him. Famine took a mental note to ask him about that later.
War approached Famine and Pestilence, "We'll have Famine patched up, how are you looking?" War asked.
"Probably got a couple pieces of metal up my ass, but I'm still walking..." Pestilence laughed at his response.
Ace turned to the man in the white coat.
"You mind checking up on my father, Odessa?" he asked.
"Father?" the man responded.
Ace rolled his eyes dramatically, “Death!” he said, “He was dealing with the southernmost defences, but I haven’t heard from him si-”
Ace had his question answered and his explanation cut off simultaneously, as Naofa was slammed through the westerly wall of the grand hallway.
He watched death descend with characteristic melodrama, his arms outstretched, sword floating aimlessly around him.
Naofa rolled her arm, tilting her head to the side so that her neck gave off a sickening little crick crick crick.
Cassian was nowhere to be seen - Ace gathered that Death must have intercepted Naofa, keen on a rematch.
The girl looked tired.
Yet unfathomable anger blazed in her eyes.
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Naofa’s animalistic hearing could pick up the tiniest vibrations, the smallest sounds. Sometimes she actually found it to be a hindrance, to hear the heartbeats of the people around her. She had never been a fan of loud noises, as a result. On the field of battle it could prove to be either - today, she was thankful for it. She could faintly hear the sounds of Rei trying to advance down the ‘Grand Hallway’. She’d somehow gotten separated from Cassian during their brawl across the west wing - he’d punched her so hard in the stomach that she’d been sent through four different classrooms. He’d smacked her on either side of the head before punching her - it had been effective, if disorienting her had been his goal. She couldn’t really tell where she was.
It was dark - the electricity had been preemptively shut down in the west wing due to Remi’s push forward. Naofa didn’t know why Remi was crossing into her assigned area, but she supposed she didn’t really mind.
Naofa’s eyes were about as keen as her ears. They were quick to adapt to the dark. She sniffed the air, following a vaguely male scent, before coming across a darkened figure, aimlessly wandering around the deserted hallways.
Naofa, on cat soft feet, grabbed the figure around the neck, covering its mouth. She began to drag it off into one of the pitch black corners of the corridor they were in, before realising it was Tobias.
“Tobi what the fuck are you doing so far away from your squad! I could have killed you!” She said, squeezing slightly tighter.
Tobi began to frantically hit her arms.
“OH shit, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.” She said, letting go of him.
She held him for a second, checking him over.
Tobias’ tone was nothing short of annoyed - although she could hear the fear under it, “Holy fucking hell Naofa Niro!” He smacked at her hands, “I’m fine, I’m fine. I never got separated, not entirely anyway, Kenya’s ri-”
“Kenya, is righhhhhhht here!” Kenya shouted, jumping onto Naofa.
Naofa spun in time to catch him, he watched the halo around her head glow softly as she held him a moment too long, before pushing him away.
Kenya smiled softly, “Good to see you’re alive Nao - this entire fucking place is like some fucked up maze,” he said, helping Tobi to his feet, “Where’s your squad? They’ve been radio silent, but we couldn’t tell if it was because we were being jammed or because they were just busy.”
"No, they’re fine. Dorian managed to get on comm’s during my fight with that Godly Herald or whatever he called himself. They escaped the second… whatever, and rejoined Remi’s squad - they’re helping her push across the school,” Naofa’s breathing became slightly more ragged, “I on the other hand, am very, very, close to being out of energy.”
“They’re with Remi…?” Tobi asked, his voice sheepish and shy. Naofa smiled at him, looking around once more.
Tobi looked over her shoulder, his eyes nagging on a large, hammer wielding figure, almost entirely wreathed in flames. He upholstered his gun, raising it.
“We’ve got company.” He said.
Naofa lit up like a bonfire, bathing the entire space in warm golden light - Cassian had found her.
Kenya moved before she could, her lack of energy apparent, creating thick walls of pillars and tendrils and black goo.
“I don’t know how long that’ll hold him! Get a fucking move on!” Kenya said, grabbing Naofa under the legs and taking off running - Tobi not far behind.
"Maybe it's not such a bright idea to make a wall out of flammable material,” Cassian said, laying a hand on the makeshift wall, “May the flames of entropy consume all.”
Flames of unimaginable heat, and hunger, began to seep through the wall - consuming it, engulfing it. Naofa began to hyperventilate slightly.
"Kenyahurryupkenyagetamoveonkenyagogogogoogogog.” Her words became jumbled, Kenya gave her a confused look.
“Breath, what are you trying to say.” He said, his pace increasing regardless.
“Those flames, come from the foulest hell’s you could possibly imagine, they’ll eat away at you - Burn away your soul. KEEP! MOVING!” She screamed, burying her face into his chest. Something about that man was getting to her, something he might have said or done was playing havoc with her mind, Kenya realised. She’d never once acted this scared.
“Right, of course they do. TOBI GETTA’FUCKIN’ MOVE ON DUDE.” Kenya shouted.
Tobi flipped him off, but picked up the pace.
Kenya could see windows at the end of this corridor, he set Naofa down on her feet - and she began to outpace him, spying the same opportunity to escape that he did.
“SMASH THE WINDOWS NAO, DON’T WAIT UP!” Kenya roared, a hand outstretched towards Tobi.
Naofa slammed into the window with her shoulder, the glass spider-webbing and then…
It didn’t shatter.
Naofa watched as the glass became covered in a thick sheet of ice and snow. Infact, that heat from Cassian had all but disappeared, replaced by a cold she could feel in the depths of her soul. It reminded her of fimbulvinter back home. She couldn’t see Cassian anywhere behind her friends.
But the raven’s feather was an obvious give away, for who her next opponent was going to be.
“Alexandria what a…” Death paused, “pleasant,” the word was full of hate, “Surprise.” Death began to approach them.
All of Naofa’s light began to drain out of her, forming an eloquent looking spear in her right hand. Kenya could see that a spike, coming off of the spear, was embedded within her hand. The blood seemed to be draining along groves within the light construct itself, seeping into the spear tip. Naofa turned to Kenya - looking at an offshoot hallway.
It immediately froze over, a thick wall of ice in their way.
“Gooooing somewhere?” It mockingly asked, before regarding Naofa and Naofa alone. “I knew we would meet again. Perhaps we should continue where we left off… hm?”
Naofa rolled her shoulders, “Two on one isn’t very fair.” she said.
Kenya huffed out a laugh, walking up to stand on Naofa’s left.
Death sighed, “I was hoping I would get to see your… Haematomancy? Sangumancy? Unchecked. You might have let go if it was just us alone, although I suppose you can show me the Alchemia Sanguinis another time. I also suppose a two on one fight is fine,” he waved his hand at them - his sabre forming from mangled flesh, peeling itself off of his exposed arm, “come then.”
Naofa flicked the head of her spear upwards, bringing it to rest against her shoulder. The motion forced the blood that had been kept within the grooves to spatter out in all directions, gently hovering in the air. Each one began to crystallise, taking the forms of various weapons. Their diamond-like facets gleamed as the Naofa’s light bounced through them.
Kenya could feel the black creeping along his veins, that threatening sensation - the hunger, the need to consume.
But that warm, glittering magic pressed on him - soothed his blood. He caught Naofa glancing at him a single time, as if to commit his face to memory, before launching herself at Death. Kenya wasn’t far behind.
The pair slammed into Death simultaneously, pushing the decrepit being into the floor.
The floor began to creak - he could see it warping around the beings body, as if…
The ground gave way under their feet. Tobias fell, his head connecting with the ground. He tried to stand, but something was holding him down, he couldn’t move, he couldn’t focus.
He lost them all in the dust cloud.
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Brilliance before God.
Strength in the face of the Devil.
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Tobias heard rushing footsteps. He tried to push the wooden beams off of him, but found himself stuck. He was relieved, when a faint set of hands gripped him under his arms.
Jock, and the rest of Naofa’s squad, had been almost directly under them when the floor collapsed. The Frenchman had watched Naofa, her spear alight, blood crafted weapons floating around her, pushing Death further through the hallway - away from them.
That’s when he had spotted Tobias stuck under the rubble. He rushed forward with Dorian. The man nodded at him as they both got their hands under the heaviest, and most troublesome, bit of rubble. Dorian began to count to three with clenched teeth, before going;
“LIFT!”
Both men heaved. Dorian - To Jock’s surprise - managed to lift his side of the beam almost over his head, before resting it on his shoulder. Jock managed to lift it to about hip height, before he turned to Remi - nodding.
It was Remi’s hands that Tobias felt under him, and it was now Remi’s shoulder that he was now resting on - he couldn’t entirely stop his blush, even in such a serious situation.
He turned to catch Remi staring at him, but his eyes were refusing to focus, “What happened?” She moved, taking his head in her hands, “Where did Naofa and Kenya go?”
“I… I don’t know,” he said, “They were fighting… fighting Death. They slammed him into the ground, but it fell away beneath them. I lost them in the dust,” Tobias’ words were fumbled, his tongue felt numb - his head hurt. He waved vaguely in the direction he thought they might have gone, “That way, maybe.”
He looked up into the now exposed superstructure of the second-floors… floor. He could see that some of it had been burnt? The embers still smouldered inside of some of the wooden planks.
Tobi pushed off of Remi, “I’ll be fine - we’re still clearing out this section?”
Remi nodded, giving him a worried look, “Come on - we’re nearly finished.”
Tobias couldn’t help but worry about his friends. He knew they were strong but the creature that they were fighting was a potential SS level threat. That was a whole rank above both of them. He thought that maybe, together, they would stand more of a chance - but he had a sinking feeling that Death was smart enough to know to separate them, and try and pick them off alone.
Jock could see that Tobi’s thoughts were wandering as they entered the final classroom of the western wing. If they cleared this one, that meant their mission was effectively complete, and the western wing would be under their control. Tobias raised his pistol as they entered slightly staggered. Jock threw in a small ball, which emitted intense light. It lit up two… students?
Tobi didn’t hesitate, shooting both in the back of the head. Jock hadn’t noticed the OverWatch soldier at their feet, being pummelled into the ground.
Tobi pushed in further in an attempt to check the body, Jock watched as a man came at Tobi with unimaginable speed, slamming a chair into the back of his head.
“SHIT, TOBI!” Jock yelled, slamming through stacked chairs and tables his rifle raised to fire.
The man pushed the barrel of his rifle backwards, slamming the butt of the gun into Jock’s nose, stunning him for a moment.
Tobi spun on the ground, getting to his feet - before firing at the man.
He dodged each bullet, a raised fist rocketing for Tobi’s face.
Tobi was fast enough to be able to raise his arms to block the blow, but it knocked him on his ass, breaking another chair in the process.
Jock rose, picking up an entire table - he slammed it down onto the back of the man’s head with a crunch, knocking him to the ground.
Jock could see now that this was Aaron, the Initiatives second in command.
He looked towards Tobi. Naofa would see to Tobi’s wounds first, and then apprehend Aaron.
So that’s exactly what Jock did.
Aaron, perplexed at this apparent act of mercy, took the opportunity to crawl away, regrouping with his men.
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Rage against your constraints.
Force them to yield to your might.
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Marude continued to grind his teeth, “All squads report.” he said over the comms
"Southern wing has been contained and is occupied, western wing nearly done.” Remi said, her voice crackly - gunshots could be heard in the background.
Marude cocked an eyebrow, “Why are you in the west wing, Kuruya?”
“Naofa is preoccupied with a foe.” She replied simply.
Marude rolled his eyes.
"Eastern wing is under our control." Colonel Raikan replied. "However, General Fiquel is engaged also, in the Main Hallway.”
"Roof and the administration floors are under our control, the kids never stood a chance.” Fox said, his voice a hoarse laugh.
"That's what I like to hear." Marude said, “Squad three report in.”
Jock’s comms signal lit up, capturing similar gunshots.
“Squad three reporting sir - we’re with Admiral Remi and Squad four, on the verge of completing our task. Currently conjoined with the remnants of Squad one.” Jock said, his voice loud.
“Wrap this shit up fast boys. I want to be out of here before I have to order a drone strike,” he paused, “and make sure that Zach kid get’s out in one piece, he’s gonna pay for turning my car into scrap.” Marude growled, “Any reports on Naofa and Kenya, Commander?”
"They're fighting the Horseman Death sir, last we heard. Assumedly heading towards the main hallway.” he said.
“Good. Over and out,” Marude said as he disconnected the comms, “Send in more men towards the main hallway, something tells me that we’ll find all of our horsemen there.”
"Your orders, sir?” Matthew said.
“Eradicate all remaining hostiles.” Marude said.
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They clipped your wings.
Make them pay for it in blood.
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https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png [https://i.imgur.com/mA3AY5I.png]
Naofa had become separated from Kenya somewhere in the west wing - Death having slammed him into a wall. As much as she hated the idea of leaving him there, it was integral to the mission that she continued to contest Death in this way. Lest he hinder the other teams.
This left her alone.
Almost alone.
She turned, spying Rei facing off against the remaining three horsemen, also alone. She had managed to drive them all together, somehow.
She backed up, placing her back against Rei, so that they couldn’t sneak up on her.
Rei raised his arms, fists balled, “What’s the plan Lex.” he said.
Naofa looked over her shoulder for a moment, past her burnt wings, “I don’t know General. I suppose all we can do is hope for the best outcome.”
"Hope.” Rei laughed, “We don’t typically rely on hope in the Army.”
“I know,” She said, spreading her feet slightly, “but it keeps me going.”
Both Naofa and Rei took off in different directions, reengaging their targets with religious zeal.
They tried to mix it up where they could - switching dance partners at random intervals. Going from Naofa clashing yet again with Death, to fighting War - and so on for her counterpart.
Rei was strong enough to be able to effectively counter War almost entirely. Naofa seemed to be able to handle the other three alone - for the moment.
Rei turned to check on Naofa, a smile spreading across his lips at what he was seeing.
Famine and Pestilence had backed off, Naofa having slammed her fist into the former's ribs, forcing Pestilence to try and tend to him - Naofa turned back to the more pressing threat, Death, almost instantly. She was fighting him from a distance with floating weapons made out of… blood?
Odessa didn’t know where to aim, or who to fire at - with how fast they were all moving. Ace moved in closer to Odessa, the man having put his gun down to watch the fight.
"Such a brutal fight hm?” he said, “It almost looked choreographed.”
"Is... that meant to be good or bad?" Odessa asked, confused.
Ace’s usually monotone demeanour shifted, his eyes alight with distant fire, “Naofa, Death - Rei, and even War, are being forced to carefully lay out a precise plan so that none of them bite the proverbial bullet. Essentially unintentionally choreographing move… after move… after move.”
Odessa gulped, his hands sweaty.
Death was an unrelenting foe. Naofa was at her tipping point. She couldn’t access any more of her internally stored AuraCell’s without permanently damaging her body, and relying on her blood was starting to eat away at her.
“Rei I’m running on empty, tag in!” She shouted, bouncing away from Death.
“Righty.” He replied, immediately blasting a plasma bolt through Death.
Rei did his best to keep up with both opponents, narrowly avoiding getting hurt over the six minutes that the fight raged on for.
But even the best warriors slip up.
Rei, after slamming his fists into Death and sending him far enough away that he thought he might have a chance to focus on War, was clearly too preoccupied to notice the fact that War had managed to sneak up on him.
War brought his hammer down with the judgement of a god, directly onto Rei’s left arm - turning it into scrap metal. Rei roared loudly, slamming his remaining open palm onto War’s porthole.
“THAT WAS EXPENSIVE YOU STUPID LITTLE FUCKWIT!” Rei screamed, his palm opened up - revealing a secondary plasma cannon, “EAT SHIT.”
The force of the blast, from such a short distance, was enough to obliterate the front of War’s helmet, and send him into the nearby staircase.
Rei was panting, his rage obvious.
War realised he couldn’t move, his armour was malfunctioning - locking up. He could feel the air on his chin. He couldn’t see his hammer, he was starting to panic.
War could hear Naofa approaching, her gentle footfalls against the wood the only indication of her position. She leaned over him, a dagger made of blood in her hand.
“If you surrender, I won’t have to spill anymore blood today.” She said,
Her eyes looked dull - tired. Her dress, while intact, was bloody and dirty - covered in gore. Her blue bow was plastered to her head, matted in her hair. Even deeper than that, she was covered in burns; her hair was singed, her wings, her face.
“I’m sorry Naofa. You’ll just have to kill me.” War said.
She sighed, lifting the dagger to his throat. He braced but…
She didn’t do anything.
He opened his eyes to see Jacob, a hand raised to her head - a ball of energy at the tips of his fingers.
She was frozen in place.
“Bye-Bye angel wings.” Jacob said, his hand flexing.
Naofa spun, slapping his hand upwards before he could fire - she moved so fast that by the time he had realised what she had done, she was already over by Rei - Death now by War’s side.
Jacob huffed.
"You're welcome, by the way.” Jacob said, his voice dripping with arrogance.
"Don't toot your own horn, kid." War growled as he got up on his feet again.
They both readied themselves to start fighting again, but Death placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
"We're done here." Death whispered in his raspy voice.
"What?" Jacob asked, he was expecting War to say the same, but as he looked at the armour clad man, he could see that his viewport was flickering from yellow to purple - War understood what Death meant.
Ace somehow preemptively knew what had happened, and got up to walk away, leaving Odessa confused.
"Hey, where the hell are you going?" Odessa yelled, his men similarly confused.
"Father said we're done here,” he smiled, “you're more than welcome to stay however." Ace said as he disappeared into a plume of smoke.
War shouted to Famine and Pestilence, Death took all of them into his hands and they vanished in a similar fashion. Into a plume of smoke.
Naofa panted, her hand on Rei’s shoulder - “What the fu-”
She froze, the words caught in her throat.
An eight foot tall figure dropped through the ceiling, directly in front of Jacob. A loose shirt and jeans… he looked like an oversized beach dad but… Naofa could feel it, his power skittered along her bones, it played havoc with her mind.
She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
His head slowly drifted in her direction, even with his eyes covered by a bloodied bandage, he could feel his graze like a brand burnt into her skin.
He turned back towards Jacob.
“You heard them boy,” Naofa’s breath hitched at his voice, “Go.” Nox boomed.
Jacob nodded, rushing up the stairs.
Nox lifted his overly large sword in Noafa’s direction, speaking to her, “They once dubbed this sword f̵̛̗̪̈́ ̴̢̎̒ ̷͚̏ ̸̢̠͊ ̵̳̺́̕ ̷̐̈ͅ ̵͕̹̈́e̸̠̤͋ ̷̩͉̃͝á̴̼͙̈́ ̵͖͙̈ ̵̺͓͒̍ ̸̻̚r̸̻̬̈́,” Naofa began to hyperventilate, she couldn’t hear whatever word it was that he just said - it’s like her mind refused to let her, “It’s not too dissimilar to the treat you picked up on Micrea… a couple of years ago now? I warn you only once, out of respect for your household as one of my most loyal sects of followers, you must learn to use it.”
Naofa’s hands began to twitch - Rei could see blood dribbling out of her tear ducts.
Nox then looked to Rei, “Tell your superiors that The Butcher marks them with a death promise. They will fall before my power’s run dry.”
Rei, not knowing what else to do, simply nodded. He was beaming a feed from an inbuilt camera in his eye, directly to Matthew.
Nox smiled, “You two will make fine warriors, before this is all over.”
Naofa watched the God of her people vanish before her very eyes.
It all felt like a fever dream.
So she promptly collapsed.
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Marude laughed to himself. "Mission accomplished! That's what I like to hear. They’re all retreating!”
His comms beeped.
"Mr. Marude, sir!" Matthew yelled in a shaky voice.
"What is it?" Marude said.
"Directly from General Rei sir, it… IT’S-”
"The Butcher…” Marude held his hands to his face, they hadn’t really won had they…
"Sir… What do we do?”
Marude somberly sighed, “I’ll have this sent to the Administrator.” He cut the comms off.
Marude was about to yell at Matthew to let off steam, before realising that the operation was still a success, even without knowing Nox was involved. He began to laugh "Well some 'deity' if you ask me. Even going in blindly we still managed to succeed in this operation! Ha ha ha!" Marude proudly exclaimed.
"That's the spirit, sir!" Matthew said, sighing.
As Marude was about to call his men back, an officer approached Marude. "Sir, you have a pending call on the comms." he stated.
"Eh? From who?" Marude asked.
"Chief of Navy, sir." the officer responded with a defeated look.
"Oh, Grand Admiral Juuro Harima ey? Well put me on the channel!" Marude replied with pride, as his comms were switched to Harima's channel
“Ah Harima, boy oh boy did you call in at the right moment. I’m proud to inform you that the operation, ‘Resquis Elimination’ was a complete success! Our casualty ratings are even lower than initially expected. What about them apples huh?” He said, totally blinded by his own pride.
“Lovely Marude,” Harima replied in a calm tone, “If that’s the case would you be able to relocate all of your available troops to Station-9? It would appear as if there is an ongoing raid, according to the ISF Group Leader at the station, the Initiative’s leader is heading it up all by himself. I’ve already ordered a fleet in, to counter attack, but it’ll be a while before they can reach the station. Since you’re done, and you’re the closest active unit, I thought it would be a better idea to just have all of you deal with it instead. Hope this isn’t tooooo much to ask, have a splendid evening otherwise, Satoru.” Harima cut the comms.
Marude was pale, and sweaty.
"Um... Sir?" One of the officers nervously asked. Marude took off his ear piece, his hand shaking.
"Withdraw our troops... We're leaving..." he quietly ordered.
"What-"
"I SAID WITHDRAW OUR UNITS, WE'RE LEAVING!" Marude boomed, the officer nodded, running off.
Marude was going to obliterate these damned rebels. Even if it fucking killed him.
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Raid report:
Date: 20/02/2009
The 5th Army managed to clear the entire building. At the last minute, the Resistance pulled out unexpectedly. Incidentally, the 5th Army was forced to pull out as well after being informed that the Resistance's main forces were detected at the 5th Army outpost Station-9, roughly 50 parsecs away from star system 569C. Station-9's ISF Team reports that several items had been stolen, among them were weapons, explosives and other essential supplies. The navy's office of naval operations deemed this assignment as a failure.
Casualty report:
OverWatch:
64 K.I.A., 52 W.I.A., 6 M.I.A.
Wounded in action:
* Naofa Niro
* Rei Fiquel
* Newt Grant
* Tobias Jackson
Killed in action:
* Marude's sedan
Resistance:
201 K.I.A., 96 W.I.A.
Wounded in action:
* Famine
* Aaron Rodriguez
* Jacob
Resquis defenders: 72 K.I.A.
Addendum: No further comment.