The Origin Seekers compound was in full disarray. The assault by the player army could never have been anticipated.
While the Seekers had prepared for attacks from the world government and the Ravenous Spiker horde, they never imagined facing a relentless army of Immortals. With no fear of death and the minds of men, the Immortal Braves had the tenacity of the Spikers and the insidious cunning of the government forces. It was truly a worst-case scenario for the Origin Seekers.
Not all was lost, though. The Director, a reclusive figure of great importance to the organization, had stepped forward in this time of calamity. He had consumed a gene-editing cocktail and transformed into something beyond human.
The director's body had morphed, with elongated arms, vicious teeth, and claws, his complexion had taken on a dark purple. Unconcerned for the aesthetics of his transformation, the Director had attacked the army of players who'd invaded his sanctum.
The players, intimidated by the raid boss, rallied around their barbarian leader while a handful at a time of them were shredded by the overwhelming force of the new horror. The protectors of the Origin Seekers cheered for their champion and rejoined the melee. A fresh bloodletting came over the battlefield.
Dancing Dagger, having infiltrated the Origin Seekers was called upon to defend the compound. But, his loyalties remained with the other side. While the battle was fully engaged, the player skirted around the periphery of the field until his eyes fell upon another of the infiltrators.
Winter Storm met the man's gaze, tension filling his own. And, when Dancing Dagger signaled to move, they both hastily exited the battlefield, each hoping the NPCs were too busy to notice.
"We need our weapons," Dancing Dagger said.
Winter Storm nodded, "Follow me."
The pair moved off across the compound. The armory had provided them with common weapons used by the Origin Seekers protectors in case of emergencies. But, they paled in comparison to the ones that had been confiscated when the players had joined the cult.
Together, they came upon a nondescript white building. At any other time, the weapon's lockup would be guarded. Instead, due to the invasion, it had been left with only a keycoded lock.
Winter Storm, having spent more time farming reputation points with the faction, was the only one with high enough privileges and brought his keycard up to the lock. With a beep, the door opened and the pair entered the building.
Finding their items was a simple matter, each storage space bearing the name of its owners.
Pulling, his epic daggers free of their tomb, Dancing Dagger finally felt liberated from the yoke of the Origin Seekers.
Finally, the pair retrieved Wu Lan's wand and orb.
Once more outside, they heard the cries of anger and pain that defined the battlefield.
Winter Storm, still alarmed by the war being waged, asked, "What do we do now? Should we go fight?"
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Dancing Dagger shook his head. "We need to find Wu Lan. We need that virus."
Winter Storm took a deep breath and nodded.
The dashing blonde enforcer, Dancing Dagger, pulled up a private chat with their other companion.
"Wu Lan, where are you?"
There was a pause before he received a reply.
"Dancing Dagger," she said, "I'm trying to enter a restricted area. But, the protectors won't let me through."
With a thought, the man invited her to his party and, together with Winter Storm, they chased her beacon on the map.
Breathing heavily from sprinting the distance, the pair of men come up on a fenced-off gate. A pair of muscular-looking protectors barring entry.
Wu Lan sighs with relief when she sees the newcomers, "Finally."
"You two!" a gruff voice sounds from one of the protectors. "The hell are you doing here? You should be with the Director."
Suspicion seems to grow in the hearts of the gate guards. But, Dashing Dagger and Winter Storm merely brandish their weapons, daggers and a sword.
Alarm takes the defending men as they pull out batons and rush forward.
Each taking one for themselves, Dancing Dagger and Winter Storm draw close and begin cutting into the protectors.
The batons, common items as they are, do minimal damage to the hardened Immortal Braves. But, the hard metal edges of daggers and sword cut deep into the bodies of the Seeker protectors.
Wu Lan watches impatiently as the two players easily dispatch their foes.
"Here," Dancing Dagger hands Wu Lan her weapons. "Thought you might need these."
The woman smiles momentarily before looking to Winter Storm, "I'll be able to access the doors inside. But, I need a protector to open the gate."
The heavily breathing player nods and steps forward to press his key card against the scanner.
With a discouraging buzz, the scanner denies access.
Winter Storm's lips twitch.
"I should have access."
He tries again, only to be once more rejected.
Dancing Dagger thinks, "It might be from unlocking the lockup. The system sees you as a threat."
"Shit."
Dancing Dagger steps up and hopes he farmed enough reputation.
With a positive beep, the gate unlocks.
"Phew," he exhales slowly.
Wu Lan wastes no more time and runs to the building. With a beep, the door opens and she holds the door for them.
"Hurry!" she says as they idle a moment too long.
The building itself is empty, the other scientists having found their way to the bunker.
"Put something in the doors to keep them open. I might get locked out."
The two men nod at Wu Lan's suggestion and as she moves from one door and one hallway to the next, they quickly wedge each door.
"Wrong way," Winter Storm says as Wu Lan moves in a direction.
She breathes unsteadily and follows his instructions.
Hastily, the party makes their way to a nondescript lab with many refrigeration units filled with vials.
"Look for a vial labeled N-Gen."
Wu Lan and Dancing Dagger join Winter Storm in the search.
Soon they find the item they're looking for and Wu Lan retrieves a refrigerated case to store the vial in.
Smiles come across the party's faces as they have nearly completed their task.
With speed, they run through the hallways and wedged doors to find their way to the exit.
If they can just make their way to the battlefield and join the other side, they can escape with their prize.
Exiting the building, they're met with the hostile gazes of a dozen protectors.
These footsoldiers aren't armed with batons but with kinetics and laser swords, their armor far superior to any of the protectors fighting at the Director's side.
"Traitors!" a leading black banded protector spits.
Dancing Dagger, Wu Lan, and Winter Storm share a look. The two men break for the protectors with daggers and sword. Wu Lan guards the N-Gen vial while brandishing her wand and orb.
Dancing Dagger agressively makes his way through the first protector, whose sword singes his eyebrows as it flies over his dropping head. In a moment, two daggers lift the protector up by the gut. And, Dancing Dagger throws the man into the line behind him.
Winter Storm wields his blade with finesse as he deflects kinetic fire by a hair margin. He pushes into the line, finding weak points in armor and penetrating them with piercing attacks.
Wu Lan, for her part, begins to cast AoE effects on the rear line of protectors, bringing down spikes of ice in a mini blizzard.
The protectors are fazed by the ferocity of the smaller group's attacks. But, recovering, they walk over their dead to face those who betrayed Origin.