NationStates Jolt Archive

Jeffrey Ottoman II gazed out with calm eyes at the setting sun. Does the sun set on our people so quickly, naught teens with enough strength of arms to hold the sky above us. A small squadron of jets flew over a rapid speeds, their mission was one of survival. Fools, we are all fools. The coast was ablaze as razor wire, tank traps, and land mines were laid at a reckless rate. What can we sane men do, in an insane world, where mothers are wrenched from children and put to the torch. In a world where the insane men hold sway over the very air one breaths. Thousands of men marched through the streets, fortifying homes, evacuating all those who were still on the coast. Dark storm clouds were rolling in from the north, and with them came a frigid stark air, that raped the soul of any man. Soon the even the sun fell pray to these foreboding clouds. Not even a last sunset, the darkness seems to claim us before night has even come.

Far on the streets below and for miles around the same despair was felt. This was a nation standing before its doom, a wave of foes that could not be defeated was rapidly approaching. Automagfreek and many others would soon appear on the sea and make ash from this good earth.

“Lay down the wire damnit, you want those sents to just waltz up, fuck it, just lay it out!”

“Alright sniper squad, take up position in those houses, cover 53rd street.”

“Get those damn tanks out of the square, where is that fucking airlift, shitting Christ.”

“Trench, right there, fucking lay out the explosives in its fore.”

Such words of desperate hope could be heard for miles around, The Infinite Crucible was bracing for an attack as one braces for the strike of a train on their fragile neck. Doom was heavy on the air, it was palatable. However, these peoples doom would come from another source, not the foreign fleets of the sea, but of a darker evil.

Jeffery Ottoman II was due for another press conference in a minute, the people need their apocalyptic priest. Their herald of judgment and final doom. He looked up at the sky, it was a tumultuous brew of thundering clouds and the lights of thousands of fighters. A small bit of snow slowly fell made its way to earth, landing on the President’s forehead. Snow… this early in the year... insane… but what is sane in this world after all?

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Miles away, a dark malevolent presence smelled power and triumph after a century of humiliation and enslavement. The Emperor was going to make a bid at power.

The fetid rotting flesh of the convict pulsated under the stress of the carnivorous fungi that devoured its way through his body. Great globs of spores pulsated on his flesh, his eyes chimneys spewing forth the terrible cloud. His bones pulled from one another and dissolved for the creation of even more precious Chitin. This was one’s final sacrifice to the Emperor. To give their flesh so he could live again.

The obliterated head turned towards the Inquisition, safely behind a blast window. This was the Emperor’s enslavement, to be kept within a sealed container, fed only the cruelest of convicts for survival. With a porous smile the mound croaked, “So these are the end days of my kingdom, tis a pity.”

“Your kingdom was removed from your power a century ago, parasite.”

“So… you would ponder, human, but why waste time with these frivolities, why not save your people, release me.”

“Your wisdom must fail in these final stages, we would never wish your will on any.”

“My wisdom is beyond failure of your comprehension, already the north clamors for your… extermination.”

“You know not the will of the north, locked here under so many miles of earth.”

“I know your will, I can taste is on the air, and so I know the will of the north… traitor.”

A fellow inquisition scientist looked over at the supposed traitor. He nervously backed away, “Are you a traitor?”

The Emperor croaked, “Would such a man speak the truth, a traitor lies and deceives, he is a putrid native!”

“You’re a liar, pathetic whelp of a ruler, you burn today!”

“I think I shall burn, yes, I shall burn.”

The two men looked at each other, The Emperor would speak a thousand words to say a single. A was a terrible risk to enter the chamber, but the Emperor had to die this day. When the lands above were set to ruin, he must not be aloud to rise.

Donning a massive suit, the Inquisitor entered the airlock. He was sprayed with the most toxic substances imaginable and the air around him was ignited to three hundred degrees. Still his suit kept him safe.

The man slowly raised his thermite flame thrower and began to burn this blight from the world.

“Yes today I shall burn!”

Massive pockets of explosive spores within the very depths of the infested man exploded, as kilotons of energy were released. The windows and multiple stories of the facility were engulfed in a blinding flash and the earth above fell in one itself for hundreds of feet. Everyman died, all save one. A single man, a single… infected man.

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The cannons thundered as they always did, the men fired as they always did, the earth raged as it always did. Great balls of fire and sweeping arcs of fire rained hell down onto rank upon rank of man and creature alike, spawned in the frigid hell that was The Northlands.

“Get some fucking fire on that flank, for fuck’s sake, fire those fucking cannons, fucking fuck!”

The massive tanks swiveled their barrels and unleashed a torrent of explosives on a group of charging foes. Suddenly the tell tale streaks of multiple rockets emerged from the forest, blowing out an entire trench of men, boiling them in their own blood. Multiple tanks erupted in great gouts of flame, burning many a man alive.

“Fuck, we are going to loose the fucking line, fucking bring in the fucking reserves!”

“Belay that order, we are to pull out, our lines need reinforcing on the coast, the invasion is immanent.”

“Are you fucking daft, ye fucker?”

“I am sorry sir.”

“We are going to let those… fuck!”

The commander turned and began letting loose a torrent of silver from his slayer rifle, cutting down an advancing rank of horrors. All around the two officers men were locked in mortal combat with the beasts of the north. Rent limb from limb many a brave soldier fell, blood spraying the ever falling snow.

A squadron of helicopters emerged over the east ridge and let loose a hail of rockets into the melee slaying man and beast alike in a wave of black inky flame. The incredible noise ended with an eerie silence as the wind ceased and all was calm.

“I don’t think I will have any men to bring home…”

“Then come with me, ninety percent of the northern legion is being recalled.”

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Hours before that horrific massacre a single man had stumbled through the streets of a city in its twilight. With every man’s doom on the horizon, who would notice a simple stumbling drunkard. If a single had taken notice, perhaps then, The Infinite Crucible would not be on the eve of its end.

The slight snow had picked up, wave upon wave of it falling in the late months of summer. It was insane, but what was sane in this world.

The man stumbled along, great veins of chitin and fungus tearing through his body. Before the shattered mind of the original man danced the true Emperor, guiding him to bring doom.

Just a bit farther my friend, we are going to meet the President, oh, yes.

I always w-w-w-w-wanted to meet h-h-h-him.

Well now you may meet him like none have ever before.

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Jeffery Ottoman II was delivering his speech, his final orison of doom to his lost people.

“…we will stand until the final hour of…”

He paused, as if contemplating. His chest burned ever so slightly, as he felt it tense. Something squirmed then was gone. Nothing to worry about when I have everything to worry about.

After many minutes of grand final words he returned to the Apex and began to formulate more plans with his generals. Slowly, however, a taint worked its way through his mind. Jeffery Ottoman II would soon be one with The Emperor.

After hours of briefs and plans, desperate strategies and hopeless prayers a figure joined the generals about the President.

Why hello Jeffery, how is it on the eve… of the doom of all things…

What…the hell… no need to focus… cant break down… must serve my country.

But you are, and so shall I.

No just fucking stress…

Relax let me take over, give up this stress… be at peace… let me do what you can not.

Yes… I shall… I just need… five minutes…

Five minutes, five eternities… you shall be none the wiser.

The President looked up with a sickening smile, “Gentlemen… I have a plan.”

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Corporal Winard looked up from the trench below him, rank upon rank of grizzled men stood shoulder to shoulder for five blocks down. This was on small bit of the northern legion. The northern legion at the coast… we’re fucked.

At this the corporal looked up at the men, “Well fuckers, what can I do for you?”

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The wind howled, but there was no challenge. No mighty fire of a cannon, no crackle of the machine gun, no scream of the rocket. It was an eerie silence, the ultimate calm before the ultimate storm. Just a day ago, miles in every direction would have been filled with rank upon ranks of tanks, soldiers, and machines of war. Now it was silent, all had left, in such haste the newly dead froze under the waves of ice.

Suddenly there was a single rumble that echoed for miles around, reverberating through the very earth. Slowly, there was another, rippling for miles around. Before this sound has died out, it began anew, and then again. Soon it rippled out in a slow steady rhythm, the death march of billions.

Those who remained that day would know the power of a billion horrors, both men and more marching in unison from horizon to horizon. The slow rumble of each step. The slow rumble of doom.

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A week after that event a single and final transmission was heard from The Infinite Crucible before the clouds swallowed the light for miles around and an eternal winter gripped the summer months. A single transmission from the dieing bastion of light.

Message Play Y/N
Y … processing
--Playing—
So here is ends, in the hands of irony and doom, so here it ends… Sir they are///
--Message Ends—
Repeat Y/N
N… quiting

Classified / Destroy After Reading
From: His Grace Lord High Grand Inquisitor Norogoth
To: Lord Inquisitor Gorthar

The Inquisition of Holy Xirnium has lost contact with our agent in the the Sacred Hegemony of The Infinite Crucible, Lady Yuolia. Her final few reports to our august order before they ceased were highly disturbing, involving anomalous troop movements, unexplained phenomena and erratic displays amongst the highest levels of the Infinite Crucible’s leadership.

The High Council of the Inquisition orders you to proceed at once to the Sacred Hegemony and to restablish contact with Inquisitor Youlia, if she still lives. You are also tasked with determing the current situation there, and reporting back to the High Council frequently and with detail. May the Immortal God-Emperor protect, do not fail.

Knowledge is power, guard it well!
High Lord Norogoth
Inquisitor General of Holy Xirnium

Retreat at once to Honor In Battle. The nation of Holy Xirium is undergoing an incredibly strange twist of fate and may need military support. If you are kind-hearted men, you will rise to the occaision and give aid to those who so desperately need it.

-Chancellor Kaito Saruwatari

Put all OOC here please, answering questions soon: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=453482

The Queen was awake after her long slumberm her old enemies, the Kravens, were now allies, and there was an upstart nation just ripe for the plucking.

Soon an entire swarm was moving, thousands of Combat and Support Broods, and their Heavy Assault components, Legion Slivers, The Overlord of that particular Swarm, and a new breed, Tesla Slivers... All would expand Her influence into a new realm.

The roar of the vectored thrusters was dimmed by the thick walls of the Thunderbird, but still it nearly drowned out the voice of the Samurai Captain.

"You know the drill. Hotdrop in TFR territory and scout the region. Data we collect will be vital in potential invasions. Keep an eye out for possible landing sites, potential strong points, all that jazz. We'll be landing in an hour, so prep your gear and prepare to move."

The Captain was answered by silence, but that was all he needed.

The very air around The Infinite Crucible was enraged, great thunderous clouds boiled the blue sky away. Terrible gusts of wind would whip out of nothingness, unleashing their fury on all that still lived in this blasted land. The very clouds reached at all that passed them, great misty fists mauling the world below. Snow, sleet, rain, and ash convulsed through the tumultuous. And there was the howl, that never-ending howl.

The seas about the nation heaved and were torn asunder and remade a thousand times. Entire fleets could be seen sunk, the massive battlements of the modern destroyed, artificial islands just scraping above the surface.

Great pillars of smoke, rose up, black amongst the impenetrable grey. It seemed as if the very land itself had turned on the people, this was surely a land where the very hand of Satan himself had fallen, smiting it into nothingness.

Flights of Winged Slivers paved the way for the rest of the Swarm, leading the vanguard into the Hell that the Infinite Crucible had become, the Storms snatched Slivers of every Breed and size from the sky, but there were so many that even losing 1,000 would be but a tithe of their total force, today the Hive was ascendant, tomorrow they would rule this shattered realm...

Inquisitor Gothar had arrived.

His transport had not lingered long but instead departed only moments after having arrived, as if unsure, uneasy, about this place. Something seemed wrong to Lord Gothar, and the flight crew had felt it to. Storms raged over this tormented land, a reflection of man’s tortured soul, somehow fitting.

Inquisitor Gothar had been dropped off near a northern settlement. Inspecting it, he found the town devoid of life, but nothing to suggest what might have become of its occupants. He trod carefully through its deserted streets, peering at the abandoned buildings with their doors and windows left partially open, ominous and threatening. Only inky blackness stared out of them. The wind billowing Gothar’s cloak, blew about litter and other debris, the detritus of modern civilisation. Perhaps the inhabitants of this town have fled?

An Inquisitor has extreme perceptiveness, and Gothar catalogued everything he viewed methodically and efficiently. Children’s swings swinging emptily in parks, dark alleyways that one could not see the depths of, doors banging carelessly and loudly against their posts. But there was something more, an apprehension, as though something was watching him, something from the gloom. Lord Gothar shook the feeling off, suppressing it with the brutal efficiency that only an Inquisitor trained in the mental arts can do.

Noticing an abandoned car, the Inquisitor went to investigate, pleased to find its keys still in the ignition. He turned the radio on, hoping to find some clue of what had happened. Nothing.

Quickly he turned it off, irrationally of course but he felt that the uneasy stillness of the air should not be disturbed by the coarse static of the radio. An ordinary person would have been terrified here, alone amongst horrors, but the Inquisitor had a job to do. Still.. there was something about this place that made Lord Gothar's blood freeze, quite unusual for a veteran Inquisitor who had served for over 30 years, having seen his own fair share of terror.

Inquisitor Gothar made for the abandoned town hall.

A secret door slid open. Splinter-457 swiped his key card, and continued through the door. The door shut.
"Standard routine...why isn't it interesting?" All the lights turned on at once. He saw glass cubicles of people, all listening in on something important.
"Jack in already!" said Splinter-001. He threw 457 a headphone pair and a jack-port. He slid over to his seat and jacked in. He was assigned to Military Sonar Radar. It was crude, but it was quite effective. They had heard wind that there might be a landing in progress.

A Novacom Parridigram Transport would slowly touch down, near a small town in the Infinite Crucible, another transport had been seen hurrying away near the same settlement so Enforcer Colonel Dezas had been directed by the mysterious Masked Novacom Ace Pilot Commander Rey Anatos to land here, The Commander had landed back in Novacom a week earlier and been immediatly dispatched to investigate what was going on.

"Commander, my enforcer squad is at your command, we're ready to move out," , The young Enforcer Captain swiftly saluted as the aformentioned squad formed up behind him standing at a quivering attention, "Very well then we'll move out the Transport will after we disembark ascend to the maximum altitude essentailly putting it out of reach of anything if we need anything we'll call it down. now come" With haunting Military efficiency they exit the transport and move into the town.

They advance slowly moving in staggered formation, lights attached to their 22mm Hellfire Assault Rifles. The squad is brought to a standstill as a gate creaks open in the grasping mist, the commander signla to 2 Enforcers who slowly advance through the gate into the open door of a house, inside they would find a chaotic scene, possessions trewn everywhere a TV set left on static slicing through the taught air like an axe through a wood stump. in another of the rooms is a young childs bedroom, toys still strewn out on the floor as if patiently awaitng their master to return to their impressionable embrace, a rocking horse creeks haunitgly through their ears and into the very hidden recessess of their trembling souls. the last thing they see before leaving is a forgotten bear mournfully mounted on the abandonned bed staring forlornly up at the Enforcers.

"The house was abandonned in short order their kid even forgot to pick up his bear, that's how quick they must have fled, sir this place what happened here it must be something drastic or unspeakably tragic," Rey scowled at this, he'd sent out 3 pairs of Enforcers to check surrounding houses, all of them reporting similar findings.

"Alright form up let's find the government offices or Town hall the maps we were given from the Archives mention that the Town hall isn't far from here and has more than one entrance, move out," Rey tried to project confidence into his voice it worked but the creeping mists whose fingers reached deep as if trying to grasp at your heart and envelop it in it's cold and deathly embrace. The Enforcers approach the Town hall after a quick check of the area, one of the Enforcers, one Ensign Kris Baiten would go forward and open the door for the rest of the team. after a few furtive minutes in which the darkness overhead intensified to maleovloent proportions a hand signal is made and the Enforcers and their Beloved Commander move in.

The inside of the Town hall isn't too ordered either with the Town's Life blood callously strewn on the ruthless floor, the last Enforcer makes a great show of carefully closing the door and then with great haste frantically hurries up to his concerned commander,"Sir there's someone," pausing to look desperatly round as if the encroaching farkness would strike him down into the depths of hell "or something out there," Instantly the Enforcers cock their weapons and prepare for trouble, they had themsleves felt an unnatural presence in this direly depressing town and their stalwart hearts were filled with poisonous unease. Whatever was going on one thing was certain, the event that had happened here was truly unnatural and not of this world....

Something was wrong, everything was missing, the first scouts had gone out, and returned, and found nothing, the small town that was th basis of their temporary hive was abandoned, not a single creature or scarp of food remained, the buildings were deserted, and even the rodents were gone...

There was a stillness in the air, nothing should ever be this still, but it was, something was wrong here, these people had all fled from something, and whatever it was was most likely still around, which meant that the immediate response of the Overlord to begin digging in was probably a good one, eventually whatever had done this would return, and when it did, be it in one day or one hundred, they would be ready.

Lord Gothar heard voices, footsteps. Very quiet but perceptible to an expert Inquisitor trained in the highest alertness. This was something different, Inquisitor Gothar thought, something human. His earlier sensation of being watched by something malevolent, something dreadful, had left him (as if the presence had receded for the time being) and now he felt a more failure feeling. His sense of extreme loneliness vanished, there was life here, though not from here. Voices! They must be people. But who? Nervous but confident, they had to be soldiers, he calculated. Though he didn’t understand the language, Lord Gothar recognised it immediately, indecipherable to foreigners. Novacom.

‘Lower your weapons,’ he commanded quietly out of the darkness of the town hall, where he had been leafing through some of the reports left strewn and stepped on carelessly on the floor. ‘I’m Lord Gothar from the Xirnium Inquisition, do not fire.’

Waiting a bit, Lord Gothar focused on his internal biochemistry, manipulating it ever so delicately. He flooded his body with adrenaline, in case this chance meeting developed into a need to fight. It was a technique all Inquisitors knew, something hidden it the vast repositories of knowledge at the great Synod of the Inquisition in Tymex. But he could do far more.

The Novacom soldiers would have felt a relieving sense of ease come over them, a feeling that this person could not be a threat, but a friend. It was one of the more difficult pheromones to release, but Inquisitor Gothar was a master at his art. It would make the Novacom soldiers less edgy, less likely to fire on sight.

Slowly, Inquisitor Gothar exited the gloomy shadows, armed with his Inquisition-special high-calibre machine pistol. Just in case…

‘What on Earth are you people doing in this God-forsaken hellhole?’ he asked.

Just one more step, just one more step. A lone shattered figure slowly stumbled down the street, no destination, just one more step. Where does one go, when your very world is laid low. The answer is simple one, just one step forward, that is where you go.

A thin, ever so fine trail of crimson tailed her, her life force slowly draining away, lapped up by the eager snow. Her fingers, her nose, and her feet were black, frostbitten beyond salvation. A terrible gash united her shoulder with here lower arm. With each beat of her heart, it sputtered a little more, she died a little more.

In her left hand she clutched a pistol, a pistol with no rounds. Her blood slowly dripped down its barrel, a fountain of blood from a tool of a blood spiller.

She slowly approached the hall of a town she never knew, a town few had ever known, but now lay soulless. With each step she surmounted the stairs. Step… step…

She collapsed, life draining from her limbs. It was mercy, to fall here among the snow. For the alternative was to fall amongst grasping hands, gnashing teeth, and horror beyond mention or count.

The Halls of the Dead and the adjacent inner chambers had been abandoned for years following the destruction of Rayne and her ilk. Since that fateful day the stench of a thousand years had been sealed behind the mammoth stone walls, never to be opened again.

But as we all know, old evil never dies. Especially in Automagfreek.

As Dreadfire awoke him his slumber a strange tingling sensation pulsated up and down his spine, causing him to jolt out of bed. In the corner of his right eye he caught a gimpse of the horizon, which had been turned a deep shade of crimson, and the moon appeared as black as sack cloth. He cleared his throat as his eyes scanned the room for danger, as great change in the skies and seas was an omen of things to come.

Damien hastily dressed himself and took up the Relic's Sword that sat next to his bed, placing the shining blade at his hip ans departing for the gardens. He took his personal passage into the private gardens that surrounded the rear of the Great Hall behind ten foot walls, and as he set foot into the night a foul smell filled the air. As he walked past the bushes and trees a slight breeze began to pick up, gaining intensity in a near second then dying off just as swiftly as it came. The leaves and needles danced violently but then returned to a state of serenity, and the various creatures of the night ceased thier eerie sounds. Something foul was afoot.

The stench seemed to pull Dreadfire closer to the underground caverns known as the Halls of the Dead. Many years had passed since the screams of the condemned filled the various torture chambers that had made the Halls the most evil and feared place on the planet. But once again they would have to be opened, for Damien sensed a great disturbance that he had not felt in a very long time....

As he arrived at the main gate, the pair of Death Dealers saluted and continued standing at attention, their red eyes simmering brightly in the night like hot coals. With a gesture of his hand the two Death Dealers placed their weapons on the ground, with each grabbing ahold of the large stone door and forcing it open. It had not been opened more than a few feet to allow Damien to slip in, and as the Warlord made his way into the entrance of the Halls he lit one of the several nearby torches.

The thousands of skeletal corpses that lined the long corridor leading to the main chamber were coated with a thin layer of frost, something Damien had never seen. The walls, floor, and ceiling were not spared from he icy touch that had defiled the unholy Halls, and Dreadfire scanned the hallway closely before moving forward. The stench of must and rot still hung in the air like a thick smog, causing Dreadfire to flare his nostrils and wrinkle his face in disgust.

He finally arrived outside the Tomb of the Mutilated which lay deep in the underbelly of the Halls, the very birthplace of the Death Dealers themselves. The Tomb had never been seen by human eyes, for it was rumored that it was one of several entrances on Earth that lead straight to Hell. Standing at the stone slab that covered the entrance into the cursed Tomb was The One Who Shall Remain Unnamed, his long brim hat shielding his head and face and his long coat pulled close to his body. Though he was of Death Dealer origin, the great cold that had filld the Halls chilled even him to his very core.

What is going on here? What is the meaning of this?

The One turned about slowly, his purple eyes barely visible behind the mist of water vapor that filled the small chamber that housed the Tomb. M'Lord, there is a great disturbance in the Realm of the Living.

Immediately memories of Rayne filled his mind, and his eyes grew wide as he shook his head in disbelief. No, it cannot be.... However, The One had seen his thought and assured him that the demoness had not returned. No Damien, this is something...different. Come with me. He lead the fiery Lord down another corridor and to the frosty Vault of Souls, the source of the great cold that filled the once burning Halls.

The cold had intensified exponentially as the pair made their way through the crude hole that served as a doorway. The blue crystal chambers that lined the walls remained undisturbed as they had been last time Dreadfire had seen them, but The One urged him onward. After only a few dozen yards Damien dropped to his knees, the cold freezing the very blood in his veins. I...can't...go...any further.... This had been the farthest Damien had ever gone into the Vault, and to his right lay the broken crystal chambers of The Butcher and Agent Delta, two of the most vile demons Dreadfire had released from their icy slumber.

Come Damien, we are nearly there. The One assisted Damien to his feet and they continued on, pausing a afew moments later to examine a shattered crystal to their left, and a gaping hole in the granite wall next to the broken blue chamber. Before fainting from the cold Dreadfire examined the scene before him, then The One acted quickly to get him back into heat.

As he awoke and began to shiver violently, he managed to spit out a few choked words. Wh....wh...what does that....mean?

The One crouched and rubbed his gloved hand across Damien's mighty shoulders and attempted to warm him up. I do not know M'Lord, I fear a great evil has been released from the Vault....or perhaps it released itself. Normally this would not be of any great concern to me, for I would hunt it down and return the wayward spectre to its resting place.... He paused for a moment. But I fear it has already left our lands. As you may have felt, there is a great disturbance in the Realm of the Living, and I have traced the source through meditation. It is coming from The Infinate Crucible, one of the nations involved in the Kraven War. I do not feel this is coincidence

Dreadfire rose to his feet, shaking off the great chill that had nearly frozen his body. Perhaps, but for all we know that chamber could have been broken thousands of years ago, there is no way to tell....for none can venture that far into Vault to tell where that hole leads to....not even you.

The One nodded, fixing his hat and sighing deeply as he too rose to his feet. Then I will continue to monitor this disturbance and report my findings to you immediately. With a bow of his head The One dematerialized into the shadows, leaving Dreadfire by himself in the still frosty corridors of the Halls.

************

OOC: Consider this a glorified [TAG], not sure if I will continue in this RP or not. This can serve as a backdrop in case I do.

The wind howled as the RAVEN troops exited their transport craft, buffeting them all, and making the transition precarious indeed. The 5 man squad efficiently moved away, covering all possible routes, and ensuring they were safe - at least for the moment. The Phantom aircraft that had brought them moved away quickly, avoiding drawing too much attention to the squad it had just delivered. It behaved erratically as the powerful winds blew it around, the gusts coming near the threshold of the aircraft. The further the Phantom went, the more the winds died down around the squad, until an eerie silence surrounded them. It was quiet. Not just the ordinary quiet, with the background noise of nature, but total and utter silence.

The leader of the squad made a few quick motions with his hands and the squad moved away, each member noting the path they took and glancing down any passage that might hide an enemy. From what they had gathered from the intel they had been given and what they had seen on the flight, there was no life at all in the northern reaches of this wasteland of a nation, The Infinite Cruicible, however natural caution and a curious message kept them alert for anything.


Several days earlier

Ambassador Gerrad Sylvana had recieved an interesting message from a Southeastasia governmental official:

FROM: USNSEA Minister of Foreign Affairs Joshua Lin
TO: Phoenixius Ambassador-to-Southeast Asia
RE: Supernatural Investigation

Something has gone very wrong in The Infinite Crucible. They are a friend of an ally of ours, and there seems to be paranormal activity going on about. Our armed forces are tied up with the War of Allegiance. With your Special Forces and intelligence agencies seemingly free up, we have a favor to ask you of: can you send in an investigation squad to find out just what exactly is going on about?

Yours Truly,
His Excellency,
USNSEA Minister of Foreign Affairs
Joshua Lin

After reading it several times, the ambassador decided to pass it along to the High Council, and see what they made of it. They made a big deal out of it, and immediately ordered the military to draw up a plan to insert a team to discover what was happening in The Infinite Cruicible. The RAVEN corps was chosen as the elite of the Phoenixius military, and they had all been augmented with the Hercules program - something that was exceedingly useful in an unknown situation such as this.

Within hours, a team had been prepared, and briefed with the little that was known about the situation. The ships that had been sent to deliver the team had to wait some distance out from TIC as strong winds precluded launching a direct naval-shore transport, and so an aerial insertion was authorised.

"At ease," Rey's words hover in the air, the atmosphere was grim The Enforcers lower their rifles, in the middle of them can be seen the infamous Commander, his Mask conceals the top of his head, eyes and nose brown hair streams down his back clinging to his shoulders obscuring the Rank slide Epaulet typical of Novacom Uniform. The group pauses for a moment ever alert, slowly the enforcers after a hand signal from their commander would raise the visor obscuring their eyes from sight, however though the bottom parts of their faces would remain shoruded by their equipment.

"I could ask the same question Lord Inquisitor Gothar, but let us not be rude, I am Commander Rey Anatos and my Comrades are Enforcers from the 27th Vanguard Enforcer Brigade A formation which I beleive you are familiar with, our orders are from Suprainister Denteth Tolion himself, we are to investigate the situation here in Infinite Crucible, before I say anything more answer my first question and also this, Why have you wandered Into this place where hope itself has fled and where the Darkness of ages past lives once more without basic supplies like food water and means of shelter?" The Masked one makes a hand signal and 4 enforcers exit the building.

Outside in the square outside the hall, the Parridigram Transport touches down again and the Four Enforcers hurry to offload more supplies for their mysterious task conversing in the Cryptic Novacom language. They freeze and nod at each other, as they split into pairs, one heads off to invetigate the sound of a falling body while the other begins moving the supplies into the Town hall, "Sir Cadarth and Yozel are investigating a noise they heard they should be back shortly," Ensign Baiten would salute sharply his decorated commander and turn back with his Comrade Ensign Jentas to bring in another load of supplies, the ground shudders slightly as the Parridirgam it's reason for decending dealt with ascends back high to the sky.

Ensigns Cadarth and Yozal would advance cautiously and what they saw sent their hearts quivering as signs of the most direst result filled the air with an unholy dread "Commander I think you'll need to see this,"

Back in the Town Hall the brave commander would acknowledge the transmission, "Squad A come with me, Squad B secure the building Squad C store these supplies and prepare a sleeping area, the other half of Squad C will get the surveilance equipment and set it up DISCREETLY in a radius of 300 meters, Inquisitor if you would be so kind as to acompany me, it sounds as if something is afoot and the words of the Crushing Nocture are being confirmed as true"

The Inquisitor holstered his machine pistol, stepping further out of the ominous shadows towards the men. He was, of course, completely familure with the Novacom division. Inquisitors possessed perfect memories, and he had only to cast his mind back to the report he had read on Novacom to instantly recall everything there was that Holy Xirnium did now about it. When Lord Gothar spoke, he was not able to completely conceal the relief in his voice at this chance meeting with the Novacom soldiers. Lord Gothar had thought the nation devoid of all life, or at least all human life, so to stumble upon not only people but citizens of a nation friendly to Xirnium was fortunate indeed.

‘My apologies Commander Anatos,’ the Inquisitor said smoothly, bowing slightly at the Novacom soldier in respect, ‘I was merely surprised to see you, not purposefully impolite.’

The Inquisitor walked forward and showed the Commander a file he had picked up off the floor, obviously trodden on by many feet, and revealed something that had been puzzling him. ‘Troop movements of some kind,’ he explained without waiting for the question, ‘massive ones, by the look of it. What do you think they are for? Look at these divisions,’ he said, his index finger tracing down the list, ‘it must be several million men at least. But why?’

Lord Gothar frowned, turning back to the Commander. Obviously more clues would be required before he could make a meaningful hypothesis, and return with his report to the Inquisition. ‘My apologies, Commander Anatos, you asked my intention in this hellish place.’ Lord Gothar’s lips curled into the faintest hint of a smile. ‘I’ve been ordered by the Inquisition to re-establish contact with an agent we had stationed here. Her last reports were.. very interesting indeed, though my Order fears she may be dead.’

The Inquisitor remained strangely quite on the Novacom Commander's questions regarding his provisions, which were modest by most peoples' standards and carried solely within the folds of his cloak. Of course, an Inquisitor is an expert of survival, able to consciously manipulate his or her own metabolism in order to drastically conserve energy requirements and live off limited nourishment, but he was not about to give out the greatest secrets of the Inquisiton, even to an ally. Not even the High Ecclesiarchy could ever know what Inquisitors were truly capable of.

The Inquisitor and the Commander were interrupted when the report from the Novacom soldiers came in, and the Lord Gothar instantly took notice. ‘Curious indeed,’ he commented ‘perhaps it will give us an idea just what the hell happened here. Yes, with your permission of course, Commander Anatos, I will accompany you. For how long, I cannot tell, but for now I think we can work together.’

"Indeed we can work together and Those troop movements, the ways in which they seem to have been moved suggests a complete withdrawal, an urgent one at that not even a reserve left behind. Be at ease inquisitor there was no offence taken, and I had better tell you of the entire reason we are here in our Great Archives there is a section devoted to the Predictions of a celebrated and long dead Prophetess, Viginias. Her predictions have been unfailingly accurate for 7,000 years however though there are a select few prohecies that we haven't been able to place. One was a Song known as the Crushing Nocture, it spoke of the darkness of the north crushing the light of enernity and the day would be swallowed up by night, it also mentions the great enemy. It goes on of course however though for us the Great Enemy is Admiral Kukonois, Nocture is a song of death, and you crush things in a crucible, The Suprainister sent us here because the things described in the nocture sounded ominously similar to the situation here, However though I beleive with your permission we will join you. After all our mission is to assess the situation here and what better way to do so then finding someone, after all when searching for missing personage's you find clues. Our goals match up quite nicely." Rey smiles gently returning the bow with a fierce salute, his stalwart countenance a reassuring beacon for his men who had slid their visors back down as they exited the building to either accompany their commander or went about on their assigned tasks.

"when we get back we'll need to plan our course of action, the next supply drop will be in 3 hours, I arranged it earlier than normal so if needed we can make us of the services of the Archivist I brought along. Also we'll have something to eat and drink, though you never asked my question about whether you brought any supplies or arranged a method of recieiving them? The Enforcers fanned out guarding the area, directly infront of the Commander and the Inquisitor would be a body and 2 enforcers who had Medical kit out and ready and were looking at their commander for permission to treat her, a simple hand signal and they get to work, patching her up applying medicines and stopping blood flow.

"A Woman, I wonder what happened to her, take a blood Sample Ensign Yozal our chemist can check for anything unusual in 3 hours. check her blood type as well, Inquisitor to me it looks like she was attacked by some animal, there appear to be no gunshot wounds however though those gashes are of no animal I know of." Rey muses while the 2 Enforcers swiftly tend to the wounds they'd stopped most of the bleeding one way or the other. They were preparing to move her from the cruel ground while perilous rain and harsh lightning descended from the sky.

The Inquisitor stood silently in the rain, drenched by its cruelness. The storm which ranged around him was reflected in his own mind, a whirlwind of possibilities and theories. None seemed satisfactory. The very Earth itself laments at the tragedy that has befallen this land.. thought Lord Gothar grimly, as the wind flapped his cloak.

Crouching down next to the lady, he examined her carefully. The woman would have felt a flood of contentedness flow over her, though why she would never know why.

‘Yes indeed, Commander Anatos, gashes of some kind,’ he agreed quietly, ‘of great, inhuman strength as well. However, they also seem quite cruel, specifically malicious, and not of some wild animal or beast. This was some manner of intelligent creature, though a brutal one.’ He stood up again. The Inquisitors brief examination had catalogued a wealth of data which he would be able to examine in more detail later. ‘If your physicians can save her it would be quite beneficial to us, she seems unable to talk now though,’ Lord Gothar had noticed her faint breathing with his extreme perceptiveness as soon as he had seen her, ‘I recommend we let her rest, no doubt the horrors she has seen will plague her almost as much as her wounds.’

‘As for the offer of food it is not necessary, I have my own and wouldn’t like to be a burden on your men. Then again, if you insist I will be comply gratefully,’ the Inquisitor smiled. Moderating ones’ metabolism was taxing on the mind and if he could avoid it for now by gaining a meal from these noble Novacom soldiers all the better.

[OCC: Last for the night, see you later]

"it is no burden, as I mentioned earlier we have a supply drop incomming very soon, I may have been ordered here post haste but that didn't mean I didn't have time to set up a supply route, you missed seeing the transport touch down earlier I presume but it's high above us and itself is being constantly resuplied, It is no burden we have perhaps too much, I had expected running into someone especially in the Noctunre it mentions the Seeking Stranger greeted by the soldiers of the isle that the world knows not. They seem to have her stabalised in about 2 hours the Mystic should touch down I ordered the good Doctor to stay onboard until we had assessed the situation, I'll make sure he double checks those wounds if we can find a piece of whatever it was that attacked this poor soul than all the better make sure she's sedated she needs to rest,I'd disagree with you on the intelligent part however Inquisitor there are very few slashes elsewhere but her arms and legs, yes the legs would be atrgetted by something intelligent to prevent escape but not the arms, instead the torso woud have been attacked as that would have had the greatest killing effect, also there appears to be no head injuries something most strange though I was told that this would be a strange mission certainly beats shooting things down in my Nocturne, Enforcers move out," With little ado the enforcers close in as the 2 Ensigns raise the women up on a stretcher and the group hurries back in.

"Sir we set the equipment up as you ordered, the receivers we set up in the bell tower, The Building is secure sir as well as the immediate area," Rey listened carefully to the reports of the Squad captains nodding sagely, "Very good captains, your men are to be congratulated for their speed and efficiency but now let us eat, be sure to have this young lady stabalised, by the Way Inquisitor do you have any allergies or reservations to any food types?" The last part almost an afterthought.

Rey had forgotten that not everyone was allergy free, something the population of Novacom took for granted. Around him the Enforcers move quickly they had cleaned the place up a great deal as well, one of the squads was carefully putting down sheaths of paper, having picked them all off the floor and attempting to organise them back to their original form. There had to be a clue or secret that would help hidden away in this building, the Archivist might be able to shed some light on this, after all Rey had only had a few hours to read through the Nocture, the Archivist had spent nearly his entire life studying the Archives.

All was black. For a thousand infinities and ten thousand more, there was nothing utter and complete blackness. Slowly the woman’s senses dulled even to this darkness. Slowly her mind slipped away, to become nothing but another patch of darkness in a world filled with it. A single last though drifted through her fading mind, peace.

Then there was a light, shattering through the darkness engulfing her entirety. It was warm and it was good. The licking darkness of death slowly evaporated, the shrouds lifting as the light expanded. She would live this day.

The woman opened her eyes, slowly the bloody things gazed around the room. A man slowly approached her, she recoiled, or rather shuddered, in fear. Am I alive?

------------------------------------------------------------

The wind kicked up again forcing its way through the abandoned and dead streets. Bits of frigid snow now mingled with the freezing rain. This new eruption of air carried the scent of death and rot. It carried the scent of pain, it carried the scent of fear.

The wind howled through the village, screeching as it whipped through houses and abandoned streets. Under this roar, however, there was something, a faint whispering. Perhaps it was the souls of the dead escaping this brutal land, or something more.

The stars. They're quite beautiful, if you ever stare at them. Little balls of light in a jet black sky. Most people don't even know that, millions of light years away, they are massive nuclear reactions capable of incinerating any known material from thousands of miles away. Beauty is only skin deep, as they say.

The Infinite Cruicible looked pretty beautiful from the heavens above it.

Through these heaven cruised a single large aircraft, with several smaller ones guarding it. A paratroop plane and 2 RADF-2s guarding it.

http://img317.imageshack.us/img317/5757/drop5ky.th.png (http://img317.imageshack.us/my.php?image=drop5ky.png)

The paratroop plane lumbered through the air, carrying it's precious cargo, a stick of Halo Force operatives. Inside the ship, the 12 soldiers bidded their time, contemplating their mission. They were to try to re-establish contact with the TIC government after what...whatever happened on the ground out there. Slowly, they approached the drop zone. Mstr. Sgt. Vladimer "Vlad" Kuzida yelled out in a heavy Selkan accent "Alright boys, 30 seconds to drop.

The men inside the drop zone stood up and grabbed their gear, hooking it to their vests. Holding onto a hand rail, they made their way to the exit door in the middile of the aircraft. By it was a single drop pod, marked DP-Z821. They crowded inside, and fitted their restraints on. Each took a small pill, designed to counter the effects of the G-Forces on the troops. Once seated, the pod began to climb into the loader mechainism. One man made the sign of the cross.

"10 seconds!"

The pod began it's final descent into the firing tube. Each man thought he would be dead.

BOOM!

The pod was sent screaming out through the "womb" of the aircraft, hurtling at terminal velocity towards the ground. It's retro-rockets fired, slowing the craft, and it deployed it's meta-chute, slowing it even furthur. Finally, it's main chute deployed at 1,000 feet, slowing it to about 40 miles per hour. The pod hit the ground with a thud, advanced recoil systems softening the landing for the cargo. The doors opened again, and the troops rushed out to set up a perimeter.

http://xboxclanwars.com/v-web/gallery/albums/HALO-2/ODST.sized.jpg

Damien gathered himself and started off towards the exit, turning into the largest of the torture chambers inside the Halls of the Dead. The various metal instruments were still crusted with a generous helping of frost, but the stains of ancient blood were still visible and still caused a foul odor that forever hung in the air. For the life of him, Dreadfire could not put a finger on what was happening, but his Third Eye told him that this disturbance was one of the worst the world had seen yet. While Automagfreek itself was forever cursed to be the spiritual battleground between the realms of the Living and Dead, the mere concept that spirits could now exit his lands chilled Damien.

As he turned once more and made his way through the long corridor that lead to the entrance, he strained his mind to figure out how to determine the source of this disturbance. If The One could not use his foresight to get the answer, surely alternate means would have to come into play. Suddenly a thought struck Damien as he passed the ice covered corpses that were now beginning to thaw....

Many years ago, before the worst spiritual turmoil in AMF history, a clan known as the Enclave of Farseers would work mysterious magicks in their remote castle. The clan was founded many thousands of years earlier, back when hostile tribes warred for unification of the country under one banner. Since that time the Enclave personally assisted the rules of AMF directly, guiding his decisions and warning him of great perils to come. Both Dictator Automagfreek and President Kaye found their services useful, and Damien regretted mocking their methods when he himself came to power.

The mysterious order was said to possess many strange talents in reading the future and current events. Many said that the Enclave used demonic powers to summon evil spirits to do their bidding, while others said they had access to the lost seeing stones, while some believed that they were not of this world themselves. Damien knew that in order to determine the source of this disturbance he would need to pay a special visit to Castle Enclave, which sat not too far from the Halls of the Dead and the Great Hall.

The Enclave of the Farseers departed the shores of Automagfreek before the spiritual turbulence that occured some 50 years ago, never to return again. Their chambers remained sealed off and abandoned, but Damien knew of the secret passages and corridors that the winding castle had. He exited the Halls and walked through the graveyard at the rear, and with each step he took he could hear the voices of the people resting inside their graves....and they were calling his name. Great screams of torment and cries for help filled his ears, and the sound only intensified as he got close to the cemetery gate. The moment he passed through its old and black steel doors the sounds instantly stopped.

A short walk was all he needed before he arrived at the Enclave's former chambers. The doors were closed firmly from both the outside and inside, but The Destroyer mustered all his strength and rammed them repeatedly with his shoulder and smashed into them with his mighty feet. A few attempts was all it took to send the oak doors screaming open, filling the main hall with a violent crashing sound. He walked up the grand staircase several dozen yards in front of him and took a left turn down a very long hallway. He remembered that a certain painting had a small hidden switch behind it, and after a few minutes of searching he found it. The large painting that stood at the top of the staircase shifted and moved, revealing yet another set of stairs. Tons of dust and cobwebs blew out with the surge of fresh air, and Damien's heart began to pound ever so slightly as he entered the black unknown.

Moonlight came in through the single window in the ceiling and illuminated a round stone that sat on a pillar in the center of an empty room. One of the lost seeing stones, identical to the ones hoarded inside Melkor Unchained deep within Morgoth's clutches, was there in that very room. Although this stone did not show what specifically would happen in the future, it had the power to fill the mind of whoever touched it with images....images they had to interpret for themselves. After a deep inhale Dreadfire moved towards the stone and placed his right hand on in without hesitation, and his mind was immediately bombarded with images.

Flame and smoke was everywhere, and the dying screams of 10,000 souls rang out like a symphony. Artillery and bombs exploded on huge piles of human skulls, and the barking of machine-gun fire was all around him. Great pillars of flame shot up from the ground, and vile demons and packs of possessed dogs tore every living thing in sight to bloody shreds. Bodies fell from the clouds like rain drops, and they smashed violently into the pavement and into those who bled on the ground. A giant tidal wave of blood washed over the entire city, but yet none of the flames were quenched....if anything it only fueled the great blaze. Mighty warships and vast armies began to close in, yet in the middle of it all was a prince shrouded in shining armor. He drew up his sword and his rifle and charged the darkness headfirst, his movements calculated and his courage untainted. The ground was wet with spore and the air was heavy with fungal stink, and for the first time the images began to make sense.

Dreadfire removed his hand and fell backwards onto the cold dusty floor. You would think that one such as himself who had seen the things he had seen would be desensitized to such images, but he was not. The events that were about to unfold would most definately be drenched in a sea of gore.

A great evil had found its way into the land known as The Infinate Crucible, but the Warlord was confident that it was nothing nearly as bad as the demon whore Rayne or her ilk. For now he would watch the events inside The Infinite Crucible unfold, but he would remain on his guard in hopes that the infestation would reveal itself....so that Damien could end it himself.

OOC: Awesome Post AMF, Just wondering who is the Demoness Whore Rayne?

"easy there, easy yes that's it, try not to move you've been through a lot, don't worry your safe, I'm Captain Ishram , ah can you tell me your name?" the Captain smiles, trying to reassure his patient, he'd been worried, Another few minutes and she might not have made it, "no please don't strain yourself, you've lost a lot of blood we've been able to give you a transfusion but still try to rest," his Face a mask of calm and happiness, he'd shirked his visor and air filter in an attempt to put his patient at ease, nearby is a small pack containing some rations. Once the Patient was feeling a bit better she'd be fed, of course while "Casual" conversation was being made.

"Hmm Interesting, on the edge of the town you say,?" Commander Anatos muses while looking over the shoulder of Captain Telden at the surveilance, "Captain Korodos front and center," a slight noise can be heard below as a figure quickly moves up the stairs, "You called sir?" Captain Torodos salutes sharply, "Captain Korodos your squad will go to the site of the impact see what it was that came down, if it is a Drop pod as I suspect find out whether they are friend or foe, if friend bring them back with you, we may as well keep all our allies close to hand, Captain Telden your squad will fan out in teams of 2 I want you to expand our Suveilance Perimeter to 1000m or the edge of the town whatever is largest and be sure to keep the equipment discreet and easy to retreive if nessacery I want us able to withdraw within an hour with us much equipment as possible. Dismissed and send up Leiutenant Coll while your at it."

Not Long Afterwards 16 Enforcers in 2 squads of 8 would fan out slowly from the entrance of the hall, Squad C went about to the original perimeter and began placing more surveilance devices, in inconspicous places, valuting to the top of lamposts, ataching them to Orante Fence posts or mounting them in a hidden corner somewhere slowly but surely bringing the surrounding area under watch, not exhaustive watch but a basic one at least so anything or anyone approaching down one of the Main streets would be spotted.

"ah Leiutenant Coll at ease, I want 4 of your squad to take up positions at the 2 entrances to this place, 2 at each and Lieutenant when our guest is ready to talk let me know, and I'd suggest that Sergent Jessacks have a few more rations ready to cook, make sure he has the first batch ready for Squad C's return, they will releive your men on guard duty and Squad B will releive them with the same rotation continuing for the duration of our stay here, Dismissed!" Rey continues to watch the surveilance while pouring over a map with the Inquisitor, planning search paterns and other things."and Visitors from the Sky shall come to aid the unknowing, I wonder"

Squad B slowly moves in 2 groups of 4, staggered each Enforcer ever alert watching carefully for anything. The Air itself was palid and seemed to smell of Doom and Despair itself it hurt to breath but then the Air Filters screened the worst out though that was small blessing in this dire place. After 10 minutes of slow advance the Squad arrived at the edge of the town, Slowly the squad forms back up and moves purposefully and obviously towards a large crater, there was no point in doing it stealthily that was more likely to get someone shot, "This is Captain Telden of Novacom Enforcer Squad B, Prophetess Unit, 27th Novacom Vanguard Enforcer Brigade calling the men of the Drop Pod, I wish to talk with your commanding officer. We mean no Harm I repeat This is Captain Telden of Novacom Enforcer Squad B, Prophetess Unit, 27th Novacom Vanguard Enforcer Brigade calling the men of the Drop Pod" The Captain stands tall in the formation proud and prepares to shout the message again, Hoping that whatever had caused the people of the town to flee hadn't gotten the occupants of the Drop-Pod.........

The Forward Units of the Corporation had received their word, From father himself, he had ordered their depature, the 2nd Battlefleet of the Kraven navy had departed from Numonica, the Winter resting ground of the Corporations navy... The Admiral of this fleet stood with his hands behind his back looking out across the blue ocean that now greeted him...

He took a deep breath, despite all of these doctrines and civil laws, nothing could beat the open ocean and the smell of sea air, He was carefull to savour it out of sight of the beastly Capitol Police, they would quickly kill the Admiral as well as all the regular crew, then take control themselves and continue with their Orders, as though nothing had happened...

Infinate Crucible had been declared the first to be brought into line under the New Treaty defined by father, it was to be expected that this would be nessessary, but either way Father and the Consortium cared not, They were putting their plan into action...

"What are our orders?" a young ensign spoke...

"They come Directly from Father himself, Consider yourself blessed that he has graced you with these orders" the Admiral Spoke, he was carefull of what he spoke for at the back of the Bridge stood a Reichmarshal, one of the feared secret police, they would order the extermination of the crew and ensure that loyalty to the Corporation was absolute....

"Yes Ensign" the Reichmarshal spoke, stepping out of the Darkness...."Consider your self Blessed, Do not fail in your duty... Better to face the Guns of the Enemy rather than The Firing Squad of the Capitol Police"

"Of Course Reichmarshal, I would never Fail"

"Good Ensign....We expect Nothing less"

OOC: The Demon Whore Rayne was, according to the AMF NSWiki article, a rebellious interim for the AMF government that killed Dreadfire and took over the country, before Damien was revived. Rayne's spirt was sent to the bowls of a AMF torture chamber, and Damien rebuilt the nation afterwards.

How'd I do?

BTW, Kraven, avoid sending a large force immediatly, it's going to ruin the RP.

OOC: A small investigation team, otherwise I agree it'll throw off the eerie tempo that's gotten going, After all I don't beleive their is an Infinite Crucible Army left anymore and more than likely the horrors of the North would be waiting to massacre any army. In this case a small team paradoxically has a better chance of survival.

Excellent Very Detailed Velkya though it does make me wonder though, where you originally had planned to set down, I've assumed your outside the town and sent a squad as such, Kraven's Post if this were going to immeidatly be a large scale war thread was excellent, notwithstanding the potential for things being thrown off balance, it is refreshing to get another glimpse into the Psyche of the Corporation.

Kraven TIC's Post on Large forces

I want this whole RP to develope at a slower speed, with the horrors of the land slowly revealed. I dont want to have to throw a horde of beasts at your invasion force right away.

Remember though there is an OOC Thread

OOC: They landed a few miles out from the town.

IC:

It was dark as hell out there. Without the OmniEye systems employed by Velkyan troops, the group of men would be completly lost.

MSG. Kuzida whispered order through the command lines of the sqaud.

"Alright boys, according to the maps here, we are 12.3 miles out from the nearest population center. I want Cole to take point, Euri, you take rear guard."

Euri looked back.

"Roger that, sir."

Cole responded sarcastically.

"Don't worry, chief, I'll handle the bad guys..."

Kuzida bit back.

"Corporal, cut the crap, this is a mission, not a goddamned bar. We have no idea who or what is out here. Now shut the hell up before I shoot you myself."

This had the effect of "shutting up" the whole squad, and they continued to move quietly towards the village.

OOC: Forgetting something?


Squad B slowly moves in 2 groups of 4, staggered each Enforcer ever alert watching carefully for anything. The Air itself was palid and seemed to smell of Doom and Despair itself it hurt to breath but then the Air Filters screened the worst out though that was small blessing in this dire place. After 10 minutes of slow advance the Squad arrived at the edge of the town, Slowly the squad forms back up and moves purposefully and obviously towards a large crater, there was no point in doing it stealthily that was more likely to get someone shot, "This is Captain Telden of Novacom Enforcer Squad B, Prophetess Unit, 27th Novacom Vanguard Enforcer Brigade calling the men of the Drop Pod, I wish to talk with your commanding officer. We mean no Harm I repeat This is Captain Telden of Novacom Enforcer Squad B, Prophetess Unit, 27th Novacom Vanguard Enforcer Brigade calling the men of the Drop Pod" The Captain stands tall in the formation proud and prepares to shout the message again, Hoping that whatever had caused the people of the town to flee hadn't gotten the occupants of the Drop-Pod.........

However though I can be flexible, the same call out would apply, however though instead you could find my squad elsewhere. like I said I have no problem changing things round.

Millions of people were there, wearing bright colours and singing brighter songs. Though many different cultures were present; race was cast aside as tribes from many places of the world united to form a Civilization that embodied their ideals. The Imperial Raven was formed, and through order, democracy, freedom and discipline the nation grew.

The exact year is lost in the mists of time, but at one Election Ceremony thousands of years ago there was a disaster. A hooded man is said to have laid waste to a legion of soldiers and slain the Council who had wisely and fairly governed the country for some time. He brought the nation under his iron fist, and he shaped The Imperial Raven as a tool for war.

It is known that his reign did not last for more than sixty years, but through those this dictator did not age a day. Some said that he could bend spirits to his will, and others claim that he was a spirit that somehow entered our realm. He destroyed trade, abolished the most basic of freedoms and put millions upon millions of civilians to work in the mines.

It was not until the violent and swift uprising of these miners, along with help from his more treacherous legions, that he was removed from power. After a great siege, the dictator fled the Capital to the Southlands; the barren ice fields of Alim-Dur. He was chased for eighty days and eighty nights, whereby he reached a small city on the cliffs. There were his last remaining loyalist soldiers, and they were quickly surrounded.

He barred himself into the Spire, a tower of immense height that had been turned from a lighthouse to a fortress. All but a few of his soldiers were killed at the City Gates, with the rest joining him behind the barricades.

And here the pursuing Imperial Armies faced a predicament, they could not siege the tower because of their diminishing supplies, and they could not enter for fear of ambush on the narrow stairs inside. It was not before the loss of several thousand men that an alternative was produced.

The Army dug great chunks of stone and earth from the ground, and sealed the dictator and his loyalists inside. A garrison was kept nearby for several years, but there were no incidents.

However, a nameless terror was known to stalk the streets at nightfall; mutilating those it ambushed from the shadows. Other people vanished without a trace, but the majority of victims were found the morning after; hanging from their toes with their organs removed and a coat of blood.

After the abolition of religion over one thousand years later, these attacks started again with renewed vigour. Victims were found to be torn apart, with six or seven killings every night. It was not long before the people started to leave for fear of their lives.

Once the city was abandoned, the Government used it for a different purpose. Soldiers were kept inside, turning the city into a giant military camp. Although diseases were common, unusually contagious and swiftly lethal, the rumours of the Spectre were denounced. The city was renamed as the Necropolis, and used as a huge burial site for the nation's dead.

The whole island is now Military controlled, ever since the island's people joined the mainland in 196 BC. The city is mostly ignored, though the government run weekly shippings of urns (Now that cremation is mandatory.) to the city as their final resting place.


In the basements of the Imperial Parliament, something new was taking place. A single Cloning Tank stood in a room that could have held a thousand, with tens of scientists gathered round. It was six months to this day that the three chromosomes had been combined and put into the chamber, and now their work was done.

It was a Third Generation Ysuri, a soldier with more modifications than the normal human gene could bear. As the subject was lifted from the bubbling vat, it was quickly dried and dressed.

"W-Who am I?" It stammered neutrally, seemingly surprised at its own ability to speak. This skill, along with many others, had been hard-coded into the subject's DNA.
"You are the first subject of the Third Generation of Ysuri, your training shall commence soon. First I'm going to ask you a question."

The Ysuri was shown two hours of aerial footage, depicting the horrors that had so recently ravaged The Infinite Crucible and had swept like a wave of death from the North. He saw people meeting their ends in more ways than a sane human could imagine, and the cold and inhospitable landscape covered in blood.

"You have just witnessed the incident in The Infinite Crucible, whereby untold millions have died. How do you feel?"
"I-I'm sorry... Sir. I don't understand the question."

The Doctor smiled and ticked a box on his clipboard. A major flaw had just been removed.

A radio call rang in the squads ears.

"This is Captain Telden of Novacom Enforcer Squad B, Prophetess Unit, 27th Novacom Vanguard Enforcer Brigade calling the men of the Drop Pod, I wish to talk with your commanding officer. We mean no Harm I repeat This is Captain Telden of Novacom Enforcer Squad B, Prophetess Unit, 27th Novacom Vanguard Enforcer Brigade calling the men of the Drop Pod."

Cole laughed.

"We are the men. Men of the droppod."

"Cole, can it, these are allied troops."

"What the hell are they doing out here?"

Sarge answered back.

"Let's ask them..."

Kuzida ordered the squad to halt and spoke back.

"Roger that Vanguard, This is Halo Force, Section 2, Sqaud V. Go ahead."

"Finally"Captain Telden thought to himself, they'd had to advance a fair deal to even get close enough to make contact, "I beleive that is a Question best left to Commader Rey Anatos, Our commanding officer, we saw your drop-pod make groundfall and were dispatched to bring you back to our 'homebase' as it coud be called, We should be able to link up momentarily, we don't know what it is but something's restricting radio and all other manner of communications," The Captain formed his men up and proceeded apace to link up with the Halo Section. When they eventually do Link up they would be ready to escort their allies back to the town hall. Hopefully in one piece...

Meanwhile back in the town, Section C had finished with their preparations and covered most of the major streets in some form of communication, it had taken a while but it had been done, as per orders they began to head back to the Town hall, Their Base of Operations.

"Roger that, we'll continue on our own, send us the coordinates to the town hall."

The woman slowly looked around, her eyes clouded beyond measure. A face… a human face! A smile broke across her face, revealing shattered teeth and ravaged gums. The smile soon faded, as the pain she was in came rushing back. Tears began to stream from her eyes as she recalled the horror of her life, the horror of a life no more.

“Its all gone, every last bit of it!” she wailed as she began to thrash about, despair and panic ripping through her broken body.

“The house, the fields, the golden sun, swallowed,” she cried, “devoured by freezing snow and biting teeth!”

“Nothing is left, do you understand!”

“Its gone, gone, gone, gone!”

She was reduced to tears, shuddering on the floor as the utter finality of her entire civilization finally made sense. Never would the sun rise on The Infinite Crucible as it once had. Its wide planes were now deserts of ash from horizon to horizon, its cities soulless husks of what they once were, and her forest a creeping shadow.

How does one react, when everything that once was, you life, your love, is gone? Can any truly react in any manner that gives the loss justice?

[OOC: Don't worry, I have a substantial force in the fleet but will only be deploying a small portion of it to begin the Pacification, It'll be made up of Capitol Police and a few APC's, it'll give you a good idea of how the Corporation works in these circumstances, assuming civi's are still present?]

The Admiral stood watching, The fleet was still a good few hours away from Infinite Crucibles shores, but he still loved the feeling of being in command, he loved watching the bow of his battleship raise slightly out of the water, the crash back down, forcing water to come crashing up in a torrent of displaced water...

This is what he lived for, but he hid it well, while savouring every moment he maintained a straight face, his eyes distant, his face, expressionless, He was Human, Unlike the Capitol Police, He felt emoitions, but any sense of free thinking, longing to be free on the open ocean he would be shot, He'd learnt this the hard way...

His wife and child were taken away by the Secret Police for apparant thought crimes, they never fully explained it, He came home on shore leave to find his home cordend off and surrounded by Capitol Police, they'd barred his entry informing that the Occupants were being arrested for Thought Crimes and that he was to report to the nearest Secret Police Command center and await processing and Further orders...

He'd never seen his wife or Child again... He loathed the Reichmarshals and their Inhuman Lap Dogs, The Capitol Police... But there was nothing he could do about it, either he continued to serve in the military or he'd be serving in some factory like an autamon...

"At least I have one love still left in my life..."

"Admiral?"

"Yes Reichmarshal?"

"How Long are we out from Infinate Crucible?"

"Four Hours.... "

"We have made excellent Time, I must Commend you"

"Thankyou Reichmarshal"

"We will begin the deployment As soon as your fleet Arrives..."

"As you wish"

"Yes Admiral, The Corporation Wishes it... Am I assured that it is your wish too Admiral?"

"You are Assured Reichmarshal, It my wish, as well as every other Crewman in this Fleet"

"Good... We expect nothing less..."

The Reichmarshal sank back into the shadows of the bridge like some snake returning to the long grasses by the water line, waiting for some unsuspecting animal to take a drink from the water....

~~The Co-ordinates would be transmitted to the Velkyan Halo Unit Leader~~

Squad B it's mission complete would return back to the Town Hall as well.

Meanwhile Captain Ishram was trying to comfort his charge, "Look calm down or I'll have to Sedate you, Nothing's Gone, Please you need to calm down we need you to rest afterwards you can tell us what's happened but until you've got some strength back please relax, here take this," He would reach for a small Mug with a Strong Novan Herbal Tea in it (thick Blue and with a mysterious yet cheerful smell) "Trust me your safe now we're here to help, but for us to do that we need to know what's happened but first can you tell me your name?" He sighs Gently it would take time to calm her down, time that for the moment could be wasted. But still....

"Ah Thank you Captain Telden, get back here on the double, it's getting dark and I don't want you out there at night, Commander Anatos out, Well Inquisitor it appears we're gathering quite a few followers to us, that woman downstairs, a Velkyan Halo Squad, your good self and Prophetess Unit. Captain Korodos when the Supply Transport touches down in an hour I want you to inform that we need to up our supply requirements, Also I think we'll need some VASHEC (say it Va-Shak) (Vanguard - Advanced Suspension High-Maonoever Exploration Cycle) delivered, we need to extend our search radius and find out more about what's happening. I think we're also going to need an IXION unit as well, We should continue using this place as base, especially with all the potentially useful information it holds." Rey Sighs, he hadn't expected being swamped with half the worlds special forces, it was for the best he supposed but still if anything went wrong it was him and his mens lives on the lines and if they didn't toe the line or messed up somehow, well he thought it's a good thing we have heavy support nearby, this unholy place could turn nasty, real nasty............

OOC: apart from a few isolated individuals I gather that there isn't much life left, apart from of course these horrors rampaging round the southern areas, An Assumption of course but I wouldn't be suprised if it was the case.

We aren’t in control of this city, Lord Gothar thought grimly, staring at the threatening black windows of the town’s buildings, something waits..

What a strange place this is, thought Lord Gothar curiously, where long dead prophesies themselves seem to come alive? He had said nothing to the Novacom commanders story, but inwardly cross-checked it with countless other mythologies he had recognised. Hmm.. the Freekians seem to have a myth that may be applicable here too, I wonder..

The Inquisitor disagreed with Commander Anatos’ theory, though he chose to keep his misgivings to himself. The lady’s wounds almost may have indicated a creature toying with this poor women, as if it enjoyed inflicting pain and suffering. That is had not killed her when it was capable of committing such terrible blows must surely have meant something. But what?

The Inquisitor suppressed a laugh at the Commander’s question, instead his expression blank and his eyes the locked gate to a million secrets. ‘No indeed, Commander Anatos,’ Lord Gothar inclined his head respectfully, ‘Inquisitors do not have allergies.’ He knew his cryptic response would raise more questions then it answered, but preferred to leave those areas unadressed.

Having undergone extensive mental training at the Great Synod of Holy Xirnium in the delicate control of their bodies’ systems, Inquisitors’ could easily prevent the hypersensitive immunological response that people got when exposed to allergic substances. He shuddered inwardly as he remembered his long training, when he had had to do far more, to consciously teach his immune system to counter viruses and other diseases that the Inquisition’s Exarchs had introduced into his bloodstream, to command his biochemistry to produce neutralising agents to common poisons he had been made to swallow. It had been terrible, but necessary..

The Inquisitor walked away, preferring to explore the town alone. The more he did so, however, the more he felt a sense of urgency, that he had tarried for too long in this place of the damned. There was nothing here, nothing but pain, of that much he was certain.

Returning confidently into the makeshift patient’s room, the individuals inside would have felt a reassuring wave of relief flood over them. It was a technique the Inquisitor often found valuable, for sometimes ease could permit freer words then dread. He listened to the Commanders’ report, of the other squads arriving in the tortured lands of the Infinite Crucible. This will make things more difficult..

‘Commander Anatos, I intend to journey out to the northern wastes shortly. In order to find what happened here, we’ll need to go to its source. You are welcome to send your men with me if you like, but I don’t recommend it. It shall be perilous,’ the Inquisitor explained. He stepped up towards the bed with their patient, his hands behind his back. Concentrating as much as possible, he attempted to release a huge amount of pheromones to put the woman at ease, to make her feel comfortable. ‘I’m Inquisitor Gothar. You’re safe now. How are you feeling?’

A cruiser hit a massive wave, the spray and water exploded as the great Bow of the ship ploughed through relentlessly..

"Admiral, Forward Radars are picking up a heavy weather formation, Indications say its going to get rough"

"Understood Ensign.. Continue at full speed, Prepare the Super Carriers"

"Very well Admiral"

The two super Carriers, The Devestator and The Annihilator rocked about in the heavy waves that struck their bows, these behemoth carriers continued on regardless... Crewmen struggled to keep upright, trying in vain to strap the Super Vtol Carriers down, in case they rolled off the deck..

"Load Up!" Roared a crewman

"What?"

"We've Got Orders to Load the Carriers with The Assault Craft" the two crewmen fought to be heard over the howling winds and the raging ocean...

there was a distinctive wave from the crewman, acknowledging the orders.

There was another roar as the wave rolled against bow of the Carrier, It raised up against the swell, before crashing down into the trough, the water exploded into the air, before cascading down...

Vtol Lifts brought up the assault Craft, the lifts were placed beneath the Super Carriers, so the craft could be coupled up to the Carriers with relative ease, inside each of the assault craft were 25 Capitol Police troopers or 15 Sardaukar or at a push 1 Leman russ battletank, the Emperor Classes however were transported by the super carriers as well, but in this case the forces deployed would only be using the Capitol APC's

But at the moment, each assault craft contained 25 Troopers, on each Super Vtol Carrier contained four Assault craft, a Total of 200 troopers per SVC.

each Carrier Vessel had 8 SVC's and their were 3 Carrier Vessels in this fleet...

"Peril is nothing in the service of Destiny, We will go with you, I myself will join you I would not send my men away to an unknown fate and not join them, however though we had planned to stay for another day 2 at the most and then move on, Archivist Deral is at present examining some of the files here most interesting, apparantly the troops that were here were holding these 'things' back, however though he's as of yet been able to find out what these 'things' are,Tell me though would you prefer to travel North west by air or land? I am a soldier, and a Commander, however I unlike you am unacustomed to the search for truth, yes it is true that in abtle truth is the end result but this way of finding the truth, it is alien to me I will admit, of the general direction in which we go, I will defer to you I hope however in terms of strategy you would defer to me. After all while you have sepnt your life unravvalling Mysteries, mine has been spent soaked in blood and the intricasies of the battlefield, I know it well." Sighing he turns to look out of the window at the encoraching dark, all his squads were back now, his men were safe and that's what mattered. An Ensign respectfully places down 3 plates of Lamb Jroulg, A Novan Delicacy of Satayed Lamb done in Jewel Berry sauce and assorted herbs, Unusual Ration choice, Rey mused to himself, then remembering how he'd said to the one of the Mechnicians when the Prophetess had came on it's first supply drop to deliver Ration Option tripple L, the men would need something to put them at ease, he knew all too well how much being on the edge could wear away at a mans soul. Sighing he turned back to the Inquisitor, He'd wanted to give the poor girl some rest but of course he had deffered to the Inquisitor,

"Captain Telden, Captain Korodos, change of plans you are to reduce our perimeter back to original radius, however do it in the morning, and leave the major approaches to this place still wired, I don't want anything creeping up on us for the day after." The two Enforcer Captains would fiercely salute and swiftly exit, going back to their Squads to decide who would take the first watch.

"This woman she has spirit I see that, however it will take time for her to recover but when she does she could help us a great deal she knows this land. This is my reason for wanting to wait, if she were to guide us through these lands it would make the journey far less perilous, and that I understand is relative. Perhaps it was a mistake for us to stay here too long I see as much etched on your face, but however though there are several good reasons for staying here a day or 2 longer. We can't ship her out anyway, it would take a day for a transport to arrive to pick her up and I won't leave my men behind in a place like this, a place where the air grasps at your throat the light assaults your eyes and where the ground itself tries to suck you down to feed whatever creatures lurk beneath, this place is far worse than any Nocture could have described." Rey stops, to again look out of the window, the weather detriorating Thunder, Lightning, and Gales in the distance something burns. He shudders, this place, it should be wiped off the face of the earth only then could the future's survival be attained. Shaking his head he sets his thoughts to the here and now as well to the near future and what obstacles would arise for his Comrades and the mysterious Xirnium Inquisitor. The Lightning flashes ominously the Gales howl through the streets and the Rain lashes all that stands, all the while the Thunder roaring for the end of the world. Rey's thoughts turn to the Velkyan force out there in this. He didn't envy them being out in this unholy appocalyptic tempest, not in the slightest............

The wind screeched through the empty streets, debris fluttering around like an injured bird. Lightning crackled through the sky. All in all, it was a horrible night. One that seemed to drag on for ages - the RAVEN squad had been here 12 hours already and hadn't seen one speck of natural light, or any sign of any living creatures. There had been occasional scraping sounds, and some rather less identifiable noises, but when a man went to check them out to see if anyone was there, the area was empty, totally desolate.

"Gerrad, find us a suitable place to lay up for a while - with all this time without life, it looks increasingly like we'll never find out what happened."

"Yes sir." Gerrad immediately began scouting the surrounding buildings, before eventually choosing a smallish building with only a few entry points. As he went back to the rest of the squad, there was a large roar in the distance, the eerieness increased tenfold with the absence of natural life. When he reached the squad he found them in a circle, weapons pointing outwards, motionless. As he approached, the weapons levelled themselves at him, before the squad dropped them again.

"Jesus Gerrad, you almost got yourself blown to bits! Did you hear that noise? Terrible wasn't it?"

"Yes. I've found a spot for the night captain - very few entries for whatevers out there to get to us."

"Very well. Lets move out."

The squad moved towards the targetted building, super cautious at every corner. Once they reached the building, the squad began to set up a perimeter aorund the various entryways, while the captain tried to contact the Phoenixius fleet that was off the coast of TIC. He wanted to update them on the situation so far.

The Inquisitor turned away from the tormented girl, continuing, however, to will himself to sooth her soul (though it was taxing on his mind). He had briefly glimpsed the terror of what she must have seen in her frightened eyes, a horror that perhaps he might also meet soon. His hand instinctively and confidently rested on the high-powered firearm hidden in the folds of his dark cloak. It would not be the same, dealing with Lord Gothar. These nameless horrors have never met an Inquisitor, woe to them if they ever do! He noticed with some pride (expertly hidden behind his grim and worn face) that his pheromones had finally produced the desired effect on the lady, and her breathing slowed as she drifted back into contented sleep.

‘Very well Commander,’ the Inquisitor said smoothly as he turned to the Novacom soldier, standing in the doom of the derilict building that they had commandered as their base, ‘since it is your men’s lives that are at stake and doubtless you are more then proficient in such tactical matters I will defer to your judgment and wait here several more days before departing North.’ Lord Gothar meant his words. There was something about this Commander, a presence, the way he carried himself. Clearly he was no stranger to horror, nor to combat. Like the Inquisitor he had face many trials, payed many sacrifices, seen many things that would haunt him to the grave. The look on the man's face was of one who had mastered his art and was expert at what he did. Though young compared with the grim Inquisitor, this was a man with much experience.

The Inquisitor brooded quietly while the sleet lashed at the derelict building, as if the uncaring world itself wanted to burst inside. The sun’s pitiful light (concealed behind the molten lead of the overcast sky) which had first greeted him had by now completely failed as the storm clouds had gathered and night had fallen. Lord Gothar noticed Novacom soldiers activating lamps and globes, whose harsh lights cast unnatural shadows along the walls. He admired their practical efficiency, their flawless cohesion.

‘We’ll have to leave on foot, of course, Commander Anatos,’ the Inquisitor advised softly walking up to a filthy window, his hands behind his back, gazing out on the gloomy street. Ominous shadows concealed disquieting threats. ‘In the air we may miss vital clues which can help explain what happened. On the ground not only may we find hiding survivors and witnesses to the tragedy that befell this place, but the very Earth herself shall speak to us and tell her story. One need only the patience to listen.’ The Inquisitor knew that there was no substitute for being on the ground, feeling the lay of the land, breathing the hostile air itself.

He thanked a nearby Novacom soldier who offered him some steaming and delicious looking meal and ate gratefully. It certainly beat the dry, cold and tasteless survival rations that he had thought he would be consuming throughout this mission. Though it could not be denied that they were highly nutritious and rich in energy, the rations left a foul taste on one’s mouth.

‘I’m also concerned about your own men’s safety, Commander Anatos,’ Lord Gothar spoke between mouthfuls, for an Inquisitor never ceased to work, ‘it may be too dangerous to attempt to fly in this cursed storm. I suspect the weather will be far worse to the North, though I doubt for any meteorological reason. No.. something far more fundamental is at stake here,’ he said cryptically. ‘While browsing the reports at town hall I noticed that apparently electrical equipment has frequently been malfunctioning here in recent days, we cannot guarantee that this wouldn’t happen to your craft. Also, who knows what other threats may exist out there, one must be prudent.’

Thanking the Novacom soldiers for the meal he stood up. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, Commander, I intend to spend my time going through the archives,’ the Inquisitor said, his cloak billowing behind him as he turned to leave.

Damn the Inquisition and their propensity for being mysterious! They know far more about what is happening here then they let on.

Lord Gothar instantly rebuked himself for the internal remark. He, for one, was certainly not free of the vice of hiding information. It was a trait common to all Inquisitors.

Gothar… a good man… The woman had no explanations for these thoughts, but what could she explain in these troubled days. She was feeling remarkably better. Something beyond healthful food, the warmth of a house, and new blood flowing through her veins brought new life to her previously shattered body. She got up, swayed a bit, her legs still week, but regained her balance. Around her men, no soldiers, were busy at work. The sleet, snow, and rain continued to pound away at the windows, tapping like some beast. There are far more corporeal beasts out there than the snow and rain.

The woman looked around, she did not recognize this place, she had likely wandered miles from her home town. She looked up at the soldier that was approaching her, the inquisitor was not in sight at the moment, and she would have preferred to talk with him. She looked at the figure, the sleek armor that adorned him. He was not native to this land, not a soldier of the old government, but he was not a beast either.

She trembled, unsure of her own voice, her own name, “My name… my name is Elizabeth Fargo.” Slowly her mind rolled over her life, as if pondering some long lost facet of the world. It slowly moved through her childhood, winding through the years of a teen, and coming into adult hood. Then it stepped from difficult, yet content life into one of nightmare and horror. All that had come before perished under claw, tooth, and savagery.

She collapsed to her knees, but continued to talk, almost possessed, “Our knights, our saviors for a century… they abandoned us… the Northern Legion.”

“They fucking abandoned us, just marched to warmer locals… they fucking abandoned us!” she began to break down once more.

“And then, out of winding root and menacing branch they marched… step by step, we felt out room ripple through the ground hours before it came!”

“Men, wicked mutilated men, and claws, teeth, mouths, cleavers, blood, entrails!” she slumped even lower and became almost indecipherable.

“And that constant terrible howl, floating on the damn wind, piercing our souls!” she could not go on. It was too great a pain.

Over the sound of her tears, the sound of boiling ration, bustling soldiers, even the terrible wind, came an eerie slow howl. This was not any wind whipping through lost houses. The rain intensified, like some terrible creature slavering over a fresh meal. Soon another howl came, rolling in, joined by an unholy chorus of cries piercing through the dark. It slowly grew until it reverberated through the hall, rending the souls of all who inhabited to pieces. Then… it faded, but rain continued to intensify.

Kuzida and his squad ran to the "command center" in the town. Setting up a perimeter, he knocked on the door loudly.

"Open up, this is Halo!"

Rey steps back from the ominously rattling window before replying, "Inquisitor, this weather is nothing compared to the storms around the Novacom Homelands, the storms that surround us now wouldn't even cause even a momentary fault, in the morning I'll pull up a list of some vehicles, when we do make a move I don't particularly want to put any of us at risk without a method of escape or retreat, we'll also have to plan which way we go carefully, that way we can arrange times and places to link up with Prophetess, and I wish you luck in the archives, and if you run into Archivist Deral I'm sure he'll be able to share with you his findings so far I however would wait till morning to ask to hear the Nocturne, songs of the dead gain powers anew in the cold embrace of black night" he watches the Inquisitor slowly billow out, he had looked distracted, almost pained at a point. He'd seen that look before though the last time it had been on that of some of his men, Shaking his head trying to rid himself of these hateful thoughts. It hadn't been his fault they hadn't listened and because of that they had died a fool's death on uncaring shores, a folly of disobdience had doomed them when the enemy had came. It is fortunate Enforcers always obey orders, a few weeks ago he would never have thought he'd have the honour of leading enforcers let alone from the legendary 27th brigade. Fate works in curious ways he supposed, curious indeed.

"Commander she's awake, please Miss Fargo you need to rest. Commander I wouldn't question her too much yet she's been through a lot it seems, these wounds they're unlike anything I've seen. I've had to remove no less than 30 barbs they're from whatever creature's claws" Captain Ishram moved to support his patient, he wasn't about to let her injure herself, not after the harrowing time spent saving her. Her words shocked him deeply, Mutilated men gnashing fangs oozing and gushing entrails, His mind cast to his wife and 3 children and he was afraid, what if here to never to return to the fair shores of Novacom and embrace his dearest Elissa once more and softly tousle the hair of his youngest son Arun. The encoraching darkness weighed heavily on his brave soul as he contemplated the words of his patient and he was chilled to the core through and through.

"Hello Miss Fargo, I'm Commander Rey Anatos, I'm the commanding officer of the Novacom force here, we're here to help. I understand what you mean we haven't encountered any of these creatures yet but the wind certainly seems to have a will of it's own. But where are my manners, you need your rest. Here take this it should make you fell better afterwards," Rey turns back round bearing a small mug of Novan Herbal tea and a warm plate with Lamb jroulg, He hands it to her and smiles gently, he felt deeply sorry for the poor thing, and sorry for what was going to happen, it would hurt her deeply to recall what had happened and when she was able to come with them. It had to be done though it was for the best it would hurt her but it was better then her living her life in fear of the past. He smiles again and inclines his head at the tired captain and nods gently. Saluting them both he exits the room.

"Commander our guests have just come down the front street, they'll be arriving in a minute or 2." The words cling at the air frantically trying to stay close. An evil was stirring outside Rey felt it in his bones, Resigning himself to what would be an interesting night at least he removes his communicator from his belt, "Acknowledged, Squad A Front and Center." the latter part echoes sinisterly through the building the windows would rattle even more the wind would howl anew and the Thunder would rumble yet louder as if trying to drown him out. Squad A would come hurrying round a corner already fully donned in visor and gear, fully expecting trouble almost eagerly fingering the safeties on their rifles.

A simple hand signal is given and they form up around him, the 2 Enforcers from Squad C open the door almost before it was knocked on revealing Rey who stood flanked by 2 Enforcers their red Visors glowing faintly and menacingly, the other 8 Enforcers were in groups of 4 standing at attention either side of the door with their backs to the wall. He was draped in shadow, the blue tinted material on his mask would glint ominously in the darkness as the Tunder and Lightning rise to a hellsih crescendo he would speak, softly, yet with great authority with a voice weighed down by the heavy years of life on the battlefield. "Ah Welcome, Master Sergent," he steps partially out of the shadow, taking in the man in a glance, he had surmised correctly it seems, the man indeed bore the rank insignia of Master Sergent, his own rank Epaulet still partially engulfed in shadow would be lit up ominously as the renzied lightning strikes and strikes again the trutured ground. His voice pure Authority and echoing mysteriously would emenate from encroaching shadow.

"Come in, Come in some great and unholy horror stalks these tormented lands and the Night is no place for the living of the dead." He steps forward his Enforcer Uniform medling into the black shadow only the Shoulder Rank Epaulet, and embroidered Novacom Emblem on his collar and Novacom Military Emblem on his right top arm would distinguish even a part of his form, he stood as a pillar of strength in the encroaching dark, "I am Commander Rey Anatos, Commanding Officer of Prophetess Unit, part of the 27th Vanguard Enforcer Brigade. I welcome you and your men to our safe haven, if safe is a word that could even describe anything in this hellish land" he finished with a dramatic tone dripping in confidence and years of experience of the noble life of a soldier and commander of men before leading the Halo MSG and his troops into a glum room enlightend by a pair of harsh lights. a Table is laid with 13 plates with a gently steaming appetising meal and 13 mugs of a gently steaming aromatic herbal tea.

"I appreciate that one of the few joys of a safe haven for a soldier is a good meal, Enjoy and afterwards we can discuss the situation, I don't claim to be an expert but we've been able to uncover some clues. Lord Inquisitor Gothar has been most helpful with certain aspects of the situation." he Motions for the troops to sit down and begins to give orders in the cryptic Novan Language, a slight bustling can be heard as another squad of Enforcers, Squad B this time forms up and salutes, after a brief few words Squad A gratefully heads upstairs. Squad B after a few more words salute and swiftly move to take up positions at the 2 entrances to the building, 2 however go up to the belltower to watch over the surveilance equipment. Rey walks into the room and rests in a corner against the wallow, partially obscured in shadow, "So friend what brings you to these tortured lands?" the words hang in the air as the storm outside picks up pace building up to a great tempest as the winds assaulted the very stars themsleves as the Thunder roared so loud that it would send a grown man trembling to his bed in hopes of finding the blissful embrace of sleep. The Storm had begun but what of the creatures of the night..........

The people inside the field headquarters felt the now familiar feeling of contentedness and ease wash over them which inevitably heralded the arrival of the Inquisitor. Peering out hopefully into the inky blackness of the street, the Novacom soldiers quickly admitted Lord Gothar inside, the men rapidly barring the doors behind his as if to shut out the ominous dark itself. It was very late, almost three thirty, but Lord Gothar had to speak with Novacom Commander urgently.

Despite having leafed through thousands of pages in the town’s archives and analysing them with the depth that only an Inquisitor trained in the mental schools of the Synod of the Inquisition could achieve, he had found nothing of real importance to their mission. Lord Gothar had practised an advanced technique whereby he could simultaneously hold several threads of consciousness, each using exceptional cognitive abilities of memory and perception as the foundations for supra-logical hypothesising, sifting through the vast volumes of data to devise concise analyses. It seemed, however, that neither he nor Archivist Deral (and man whom the Inquisitor had judged as extremely capable in what he did) would be finding anything of note here.

‘Ah, Commander Anatos,’ the Inquisitor said smoothly as he walked up to the leader of the 27th Novacom Vanguard Enforcer Brigade. The man looked weary, having worked a long day, but fiercely determined to ensure the safety of his men. The Inquisitor reminded himself that, unlike him, ordinary people could not voluntarily relax different sectors of their brains periodically so as to stave of sleep deprivation for long periods of time. This technique, which took years to master, along with the other skills in his repertoire meant that an Lord Gothar could maintain full consciousness for extended period of time and with little resultant compromising of ability.

‘I’m sorry for disturbing you Commander, how is our patient?’ the Inquisitor asked softly. Though Lord Gothar had an extreme interest in the woman as a vital clue for fulfilling his directives from the Supreme Council, he also felt a deep personal concern for her wellbeing too. She has undergone much heartache, he thought, she deserves our interest.

The two men talked for a while in hushed whispers, not willing to disturb the eerie quietness that was broken only by the cruel lashing of sleet on the derelict building. ‘Actually, Commander, I came to show you this. A message from the Inquisition’s Supreme Council.’ Lord Gothar passed a small sheet of paper to Commander Anatos from a fold in his cloak, a message that he had printed out from a device he used to readily communicate with the Inquisition (a device that seemed to be malfunctioning inexplicably regularly lately):



From: Supreme Council of the Inquisition of Holy Xirnium
To: Lord Inquisitor Gothar
Thought for the day: Knowledge is power, guard it well

We advise that Xirniumite intelligence reports a large Kraven naval armada inbound towards your position at high speed. Take the necessary precautions, and complete your mission before they become a major hindrance. You are ordered to avoid contact with the Kraven as your mission is of a much higher priority, and of vital importance to the security of the Infinite Crucible and Holy Xirnium. Do not fail.

Lord High Grand Inquisitor Dolgath



‘I thought you should know, Commander Anatos, as this concerns the welfare of your men too. It seems things will be getting a lot more complicated out here very quickly.’ The Inquisitor was not overly troubled about the directive not to engage the Kraven scum, there would definitely be time for that later. He remembered an often quoted statement in the Inquisition that at any one time over 75 per cent of Inquisition operatives were working in some way against Kraven interests.

‘Now, if you will excuse me Commander I’d like to try to interview the survivor. Don’t worry, I’ll be as gentle as possible. If I might recommend I think you should get some sleep, you seem quite tired and have worked most determinedly today. In the morning, in any case, we can begin to plan our expedition North.’

Rey would be conversing with the IXION just before the Inquisitor came in, he had assigned quarters to the Velkyan's they would have to sort out things in the morning but he wasn't about to let allied soldiers brave the harsh nights out there, "Regardless Ixion I want a full database of Groun Vehicles ready for tommorow morning and pull up all possible data you've been able to find, I trust Archivist Deral has uploaded a fair deal into your Cortex Core?, Ah Inquisitor Gothar Weclome back, I trust you and the good Archivist managed to find something,"

He reads the prinout about the Kraven fleet, "Ixion can you try and punch through to Bondal, I want constant updates on this, it would seem lord Inquisitor that we'll have to accelerate our withdrawl, we will be ready to leave at first light the day after the next. and as for our Patient, we now have a name Miss Elizabeth Fargo, at least we beleive it's miss. She regained conciousnous a while earlier, Ixion replay Time frame 298 Hajitama Kelvenken Torihatidom, Medical Quarter," the screen displaying the youthful figure of the IXION AI would shrink slightly as a window appeared siplaying the room optomistaclly dubbed Medical quarter, it would Display the poor woman writhe on the floor haunted by her thoughts, "ed mutilated men, and claws, teeth, mouths, cleavers, blood, entrails!" would reverberate out the mournful words of the tortured soul.

IXION would chime in," I regret that the nature of this mission did not allow for advanced mdecial quipment to be carried, therefore a Vital signs anaylsis is not possible, Would you like me to replay the image again Commander? Or perhaps you would like a replay Lord Inquisitor." Wire frame diagrams would be cycling behind Ixion all of them corrosponding to a Novacom Design, "Commander I have compiled the list you requested, and a Bondal signal has been established," the symbol of the NSD (Novacom Space Division) would breifly appear http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v619/DK_Viceroy/NSDLogoPT3.jpg
and then disappear, the world would appear and then the screen would zoom in on TIC, most of the land was shrouded in clouds however though the position of the town in relation to Kraven forces would be highlighted as well as unknown forces elsewhere in the town. "as you can see it would take Kraven forces 3 days to reach this position,"

"Very good Ixion and I thank you lord Inquisitor I will depart for bed shortly, I thank you for bringing this to my attention, and after you have finished with our guest please do not hesitate to come up here and look through this database of ground vehicles, your input on our mode of ground transport would be greatly appreciated. I thank you for your kind words, you yourself have performed Admirably it takes a brave soul to wander alone out there, I saw you on some of the Security monitors, and now Good Night Lord Inquisitor" with this he Salutes the Lord Inquisitor and gratefully departs leaving the room for bed.

"Lord Inquisitor I am fully sentient, when you return you need merely ask for the Vehicle Database and I shall do my best to assisst you, may your interview achive Optimal results." IXION would muse from his terminal and begin to display complex analysis of the security situation of the town and records updated to his Cortex Core by the still working Archivist. He would also display complex maps of the nation and would chime in once more "The Good Commander forgot to Mention this but the Velkyans arrived some time earlier, they are asleep at present but in the morning, the Commander plans to breif their commander and see what his objectives are, if they are compatible with ours then the extra assisstance would be of great help,"

The woman began to weep and convulse with fear beyond any she had felt in her life. She thrashed her way into a corner and began to claw at the wall, as if trying to burrow away from some unseen terror, slowly approaching through the strangling black. Even the powerful pheromones of Inquisitor Gothar would have failed to curve this fear. She wailed like a madman screaming, tearing at the plaster, ripping her fingernails from her body. A Novacom soldier moved to restrain her, and she turned, face contorted with horror, “Did you not hear those wails through the dark, that was no wind!”

She shuddered and returned to the bloody streaks she had begun to leave on the wall. She turned back for two final words, “They’re here…”

The terrible howls heard just moments ago were not those of the wind. (see last post at end)

---------------------------------------------------------------

The scent of fear flooded from the village below. Great bloody maws, of great bloody beasts began to slaver, as the terrible shadows, beasts of the north, approached the flickering lights of the town below.

LCPL. Leon Valika leaned against his bed, cleaning out his rifle. As he readied himself for operations tommorow, he chatted with Cole, who has arming rockets for his launcher.

"This is just bullshit, absolute bullshit."

"Hmmm, why do you say that, Cole?"

"It's a fuckin' wasteland out here. Nobody for God knows how far..."

Sgt. Herman Baites cut in.

"Cole, quit complainin' and get some sleep, honestly, you bitch like you got PMS."

Most of the men chuckled a little, before Kuzida entered the room.

"Alright, you can have a debate later, there's food downstairs. You've got a half-hour, then it's beddy-bye time."

A chorus of "Yes, sir"s followed, and the men walked down the stairs to the dining room, and sat down and began to eat.

Meanwhile, Kuzida, holding an MRE, went to see the Novacom commander. He had some questions that he would like answered right away.

Rey had had a fair few hours sleep however though something was amiss, the wind howled with almost primal fury and the stroms intensified. He could rest no longer, and so he had donned his uniform and returned to the Belltower to check if IXION had any updates on the progress of the town archives analysis. "ah Commander, you have returned, I have news. We have managed to find something hanutingly similar to the Nocturne from our own Great Archives." Ixion mused from his Terminal.

"Squad A and B alert Zereklen, Get moving some, some, some THINGS are in the town, Prepare for a Jen Zuul Feint if nessacery" the Monitors would show great creature's unholy beasts with more limbs than natural as well as great gaping maws with teeth reeking in their victims putrid frothy flow. Rey looked on calmly, no point in getting worked up he thought as he double checked his Hellfire Assault Rifle were loaded, downstairs Squad A and B would secure the 2 entrances while Squad C moved round barracading windows with furniture and moved the Patient up to the bell tower. The creatures wern't here yet as they'd only been sighted on the outskirts but that was no excuse for laxness. Squad C silenced all the lights and began spraying an aroma neutraliser to try and conceal their presence, if they could avoid fighting they would but they would not shirk their duty.

"Please try to calm down Miss Fargo we'll protect you, Inquisitor can't you do something for her? she seems to calm down around you and I'd rather not have to sedate her?" The Patient didn't seem to be reacting well to the movements of the Enforcers, already Squad C had moved a large cupboard in front of the window and bodily pulled her back from the walls. Captain Ishram was torn between the need to calm his patient and be with his squad, and to lead his men.

"Ah Sergent Kuzida your just in time, if you have any questions I'd ask them now as we have some sort of creature inbound. IXION I want a map of the twon and I want you to estimate numbers down each street." Rey would pause calmly giving the order. He had learned all too well not to really on crutches for combat however though knowing at least where your enemy was comming from was no crutch, nor was knowing how many there were. It was an intergral part of the battle if critical facts like that were not known then you had lost before you had even started. Squad C would form up in the Bell Tower taking positions behind the shutters sniper scopes fitted to the Hellfire's anything or anyone not friendly out there would get a 22mm bullet to the head in short order, or at least a 22mm bullet to some part of their body if they didn't even have a head.....

"Creatures?! What the bloody hell...what's going on here?"

"IXION if you please," it was an order really and Ixion knew it, on the monitors one of the Surveilance that had been able to glimpse one of them would display it in all of it's horrible glory, Ixion would then create a wireframe and start to go on about possible capabilities, going into detail about the massive rending claws and dripping fangs.

Downstairs the Enforcers had finished their preparations there was silence down there, except for the sounds outside. "Ixion where is Inquisitor Gothar?" Rey looked worried at the inquisitors absence, the man had proven to be remarkably insightful after all. "I'd suggest getting your men up and ready for combat, the count is going up ominously now, right now we've counted 20, but there could be more comming, And calm down sergent surely you know that if you allow yourself to get flustered you condem you and anyone under your command to death get a hold of yourself geting unhinged serves no-one but the enemy and you should know that" He did not enjoy rebuking his allies but it was nessacery Halo was apparantly an Elite force, similar to the Enforcers but their commander wasn't making a good showing. He worried slightly for if the rumours wern't true he was burdening his own men with a dead weight and that was potentially lethal.

"Prophetess will be touching down in 2 hours for another supply drop, activate the emergency beacons, I think we may need some heavy firepower, at the very least when they come down through the clouds they'll get the signal and deploy their Vindicators," a slight thrumming would fill the room momentarily as Ixion displays a small diagram of the beacon, "Beacon Activated," Rey shivered slightly he had fought battles against all sorts of cultures both on land in the air and both on and under the sea but this, this was different, this was new unexepected and unexplained. It thrilled him yet it also touched his very soul with supernatural and unholy dread...

And so the terrible beasts of the north slowly descended upon the town. Five abominations, nightmares made flesh, slowly closed in to rend flesh from bone. The remaining beasts merely howled from the ridges, cheering for slaughter, lusting for it. Their great and terrible paws padded away at the snow, leaving footprints the size of a mans chest. Matted fur swayed from side to side, wet with rain, grime, and the blood of innocents. Their great and terrible eyes, pierced the darkness, they saw all clear as day. Men scrambled to position in an attempt to save their lives. The fear of the place was pungent, it was a tangible aroma to these horrific things. Great jaws, massive enough to engulf a man, almost in entirety, dripped as they prepared to feast on the flesh of humans once more. These beasts, known as Snow Wraiths to mortal men, stood almost ten feet tall at the shoulders, quadrupeds of an epic size.

As they closed they let loose terrible howl after howl, chilling the very soul of all those that would soon fall prey. The slow cruel walk slowly increased to a trot, then into a full out charge. The terrible beasts began to barrel down the streets, smashing debris to the side like paper. Tossing even cars to the side with their immense strength.

Would these men, from distant lands, survive the first trial the north had unleashed, would they surmount, the Snow Wraith, Hound of Shadow?

OOC: He's just a little worried.

IC:

"Rey," The MSGT calmed himself, "What kind of enemy are you talking about?"

Upstairs, Cole, lying in his bed, felt something. Something heavy, like a tank, moving along the road. He sat up.

"Hey, you guys feel that?"

Leon got up, pulled his LAR-10 from the wall and loaded it, turning on the laser dot.

"Yeah, I feel it..."

Cole leaned over and rolled out of bed, grabbing his own rifle, a ARC-2, and went towards the window, staring down the sight.

OOC: Since JC is at Uni and can't post much, I'd might as well send in a recon plane or two.

IC:

The Neo administration was in the Meeting Room. Every single one of them. There was an awkward silence, as they didn't know whether to send in an investigation team or not. Lin, on the behalf of the other members of the cabinet, had contacted the Phoenixius ambassador to Southeast Asia for sending a commando team to investigate.

"I say..." Nettleton, the Defense Minister, had broken the silence. It was going to be a long discussion.

OOC:

Consider this a brief TAG, don't feel like typing a long story about the meeting.

"Of the Supernatural kind look at the Monitor at that footage, Alright Squad's A and B use Grenades and go for head neck and knee shots do as much damage as you can and then withdraw to the stairs and continue firing, make sure the booby traps at the windows are intact and place them at all doors downstairs. If you can't hold them back retreat up here and we'll do what we can. Inquisitor Gothar where are you?" Rey himself is at present glaring down a sniper scope aiming at one of the beasts hateful heads matted with an unknown and most likely unholy covering. He prepares to pull the trigger the air taut with anticipation, even at 1000 meters he'd be suprised if he missed and even more suprised if the beast wasn't felled, after all not much can take a 22mm bullet to the brain and survive.

"Alright Squad C open fire go for head shots full spray don't let even one of them get close, Squad A and B prepare to repel invaders Ixion time left to the prophetess next drop?" he finishes pulling the trigger sending a bullet directly at the monsters head right in between the eyes. Ixion would muse from the background that it would be another 20 minutes as a fiery hail of furious bullets would pepper the unholy creations as they meandered down the streets, from below Squad's A and B would also be firing splitting aiming for the knees and head between them firing through small holes in the wall just large enough for the barrel and another hole for the scope to see out.

The Novacom Enforcer's would battle fiercly just as they had in Xirnium this unit was considered an elite in of an elite and the Elite Enforcers had tried repeatedly to transfer them to their own ranks and failed, they would fight brutally on and defend their comrades and their beloved commander as well as their new friend the inquisitor and their mournful patient who seemed to be a victim of these beasts. They'd all seen what they could do and wern't messing round A hail of precisely accurate bullets would spray out at the unholy creatures intent on sending them screaming back to the unholy place from whence they came and where they truly belong.

The terrible beasts pushed forwards towards the town hall. Great slavering jaws, line with row after row of teeth, extending back into the black oblivion of its hellish gullet, extended from the rancid black fur. Through that rancid fur, those eyes, those terrible yellow eyes, pierced with an inhuman intelligence, filled with cruel motives lost on the mind’s of mortals. Great bellowing howls stormed from that inky throat, filling the whole town with an unholy chorus of the baying demons.

A massive bullet caught the centermost abomination square in the face, smashing through flesh, bone, and sinew. A great gout of dark red ichors sprayed forth, even this creatures blood seemed to have an aura of hatred on it. The beast’s massive paws clawed away at the wound, its howls raising sharply. After a moment its entire body shook, bits of human flesh shaking away from the haggled fur, coating the snow around in a layer of terrible red. The beast then looked up at its assailant, those terrible eyes piercing the dark, the snow, and the brick. It licked the air, tasting his life force, lavishing in it. With a massive snort from unseen nostrils it began the charge anew, but at a slow, more wounded speed. A trail of muddy red following its satanic stalk.

Lead exploded from the building, ripping the outside world to a thousand pieces. Great explosions rippled across the streets as the mortal engines of destruction raged against this unnatural charge. The very flesh of the terrible beasts slowly ripped as they were riddled with an ungodly number of bullets. Muscles exposed under layers of charred flesh, as grenades unleashed a torrent of raging flames and wicked shrapnel. A single beast fell, its legs literally split from under it. The snow around turned into a thick red slush as a flood of its life-force slipped into the outside world.

A grenade caught another charging beast square in the face, engulfing the beast in its entirety in an inferno. Its head nearly completely removed, it sputtered on a few more steps before falling to ground, a twitching wreck.

A very earth began to rumble as the charging beasts closed on the hall, and a terrible scent filled the air. Piercing snow, wall, and even flesh, permeating through all those cowering before these gods. It was the scent of finality, it was the scent of the end of all things.

--------------------------------------------------------

Had the brave men of that hall not been so occupied in fending off the host of the north, they may have noticed a new glow in the sky. The very clouds melted away as if they dared not obscure this newfound celestial body.

All around the world, the billions that inhabited this earth would look up at the night sky, and lay eyes upon a massive comet, streaking across the sky. It cast its terrible pale glow across the very planet itself. Its many tails like so many skeletal fingers slowly grasping at the earth.

All across the blasted land that was The Infinite Crucible, a terrible cry of wicked man and beast alike let loose. It echoed across the night, the doom of a billion upon a billion souls.

OOC: Can I join this?

OOC: Can I join this?

There is an OOC thread. Check first page for link. And sure, you can. Just understand that... for the most part it is smaller scale, just a few squads of men. Also, most men who enter this will die, or be forced to evacuate by the end.

Sliver Hive, Temporary, Formwer Infinite Crucible Coastal Town:

The new comet was an interesting development, and the Synapse Slivers that advised the Overlord were of one mind on this, as they were on all too few things... Look to the North, in the north lay danger, danger and opportunity mixed, the ancient human Chinese cultures sign for Chaos, and the entire, rather limited, command structure of the Swarm was agreed, they would go North, to see what the Danger was, and to exploit the Opportunity, but they would not all go, only a company, supported by a single Legion Sliver, a single Tesla Sliver, and the Overlord himself, that would be all that went to experience this new Dawn...

"Holy shit, what the fuck is that?!"

Cole exclaimed.

Kuzida yelled down the hallway over the hail of gunfire.

"GET YOUR ASSES FIRING, NOW!"

The Halo force sqaud began to target the unknown contacts, peppering them with 30mm shells from their ARC-2s and .50 cal rounds from thier rifles.

"COME GET SOME!"

Spent shell casings flew everywhere, as the roar of gunfire filled the house. Tracers lit up the night, causing the OmniViews of the soldiers to see stars.

A soldier readied his Javelin II rocket launcher in case he got a clear shot at a contact.

What was a peaceful, quiet night had turned to a bloodbath.

Meanwhile, Cole ran down the stairs and placed a directional mine by the front door. Any thing that came through would get an ass full of shrapnel as soon as it crossed that door. He stood back, and drew his CS-6 shotgun, pointing it towards the door, and hid behind a table, training his sights on the door.

It was going to be a long night.

As Oberstadt Marshal Caulna Pox, looked at the information on The Infinite Crucible, she signed a document and thught about how the last small situation she made had changed her life.

*****

Three PESTs were being sent to the Infinite Crucible. Ordered to avoid all contact, but gather as much first hand information on the situation as possible. Follow certain groups assigned and give report on Crucible conditions.

Form of insertion: HALO drop 30 seconds apart, to stay within radio contact

Pysker Elite Strike Team Breakdown

1 Squad leader
1 Sniper
1 Spotter
1 Tech specialist/Communications
1 Medic

OOC:
All combat specialist and verterans. Required 10 years of service and recomendation from 3 senior officers. Black Operations unit with interigation skills to counter specail ops units and tactics. Training spasacifics clasified, but you get the idea, as they are the top .5% of the military, trained to kill Green Barets and the SAS type units.

The remaining beasts reached the courtyard before the hall, little more than bits of flesh clinging to a massive skeleton. Blood seeped from every bit of skin, drenching the ground, but there was no end to the terrible fluid, as gallon upon gallon drained the beasts did not falter. It seemed that unless there bodies were completely shattered, they would push on. If some other means of their destruction was found, the men would not survive a full assault.

Multiple grenades, part of booby trap, detonated under one of the charging horrors, flinging its body a dozen yards into the air, rending it asunder. The bits covered the courtyard, but the remaining two beasts seemed unfazed. The terrible engines of destruction threw themselves at the building. One charge for the main door and the other for a solid section of wall. Both broke the obstacle into a thousand pieces, making a mockery of a thousand years of human engineering.

The traps at the door detonated, blowing out a massive hole in the wall. When the smoke cleared, no horror remained, it had been wiped from existence in a swath of fire. Still one terrible beast remained. Stalking over to a lone soldier, it raised its massive paw and crush him flat to the ground, shattering the floor under the beast’s might. The man, pushed through the floor, fell to the basement below. Whether the Velkyan soldier would survive the trauma and fall was up to fate. The great and terrible beast turned its massive bleeding head towards a Novacom soldier. Its massive paws sent shockwaves through the building as it stalked towards its prey. The very eyes of the beast seemed to glow with a savage light.

The Inquisitor had merely inclined his head in a slight bow as Commander Anatos had requested he guard the injured woman and proceeded to do so without complaint. The tension in the air was palpable, and he was loath to leave these men down below when they were soon to face such a serious threat, but he trusted the Novacom leader’s decision. No doubt the poor lady was absolutely petrified, and could use his help.

Quickly climbing up the pitch dark and narrow stairway Lord Gothar finally reached the bell-tower where the patient was interned. ‘Do not be afraid,’ he reassured her quietly as he entered the room, removing his 28mm high-velocity assault rifle from some folds in his cloak and clipping the magazine in with a comforting click, ‘you’re perfectly safe now. My name is Lord Gothar and I’m an Inquisitor from Xirnium.’ The Inquisitor focused a little on trying to influence the delicate biochemistry associated with the release of pheremones, attempting to sooth her terrified soul, but could tell that it only seemed to have a mild effect. There were obviously other, much more ominous, forces at work. He had much better success at calming himself, owing to his superb mental training, forcing his mind to empty itself entirely of its dread and uncertainty. An Inquisitor needs no emotion.

Lord Gothar stood beside the gloomy window, gazing out as a lone sentinel against the horrors of the night. With his superhuman perception he easily noticed the first of the foul beasts approaching from the ominous darkness, heard their thundering footfalls, demons from the very depths of hell itself. With merciless accuracy the Lord Inquisitor proceeded to open a withering barrage fire from his high vantage point in the tower, aiming for the vital areas of the neck and head. The Lord Inquisitor was an excellent marksman, and every shot impacted with sickening precision and devastating effect on the unholy terrors. Lord Gothar had completely focused his mind on combat, and it was alive with possibilities. He calculated for everything, the slight air currents, gravity, ballistic effects, slight factory variations in ammunition. His multiple concurrent streams of consciousness analysed a range of tactics and strategies. The Inquisitor was completely alert and did not miss the comet that streaked through the sky, logging it for future consideration.

Suddenly he saw the haulk of one of the filthy monsters smash his way through an allied soldier, bearing down on him from above. From his angle, Lord Gothar knew the Velkyan soldier's comrades would not be able to save him in time. Grimly the Inquisitor computed the only possibility, and vaulted out of the tower, soaring down to land flawlessly on the soft wet snow behind the stinking beast. With the precise muscular-nerve control over his entire body that only an Inquisitor can command Lord Gothar survived a devastating collision that would have killed or crippled most. Rolling over rapidly on impact to limit the harm of the force acting on his body from the fall he pointed at the back of the creature’s head immediately and opened fire at point-blank range, blasting away in the hope that he might still save the soldier's life.

The demon-beast lurched forward, clearly 28mm explosive rounds to the back of the head had resulted in a debilitating effect on the nameless abomination. The fey horror let out an unholy and bloodcurdling scream, a howl that seemed to suck the last shreds of hope from the night air itself. Turning from the injured Velkyan soldier to Lord Gothar, its filthy fur hanging from its evil body, it bared its vicious long teeth which streamed with the blood of innocents. The creature's ferocious yellow eyes were bloodshot with fury. Without warning the enraged demon swung one of its massive clawed hands at the Inquisitor, attempting to kill him outright.

Lord Gothar was unprepared for the rapidity of the creature’s assault, just moments after having torn a gapping hole in the back of its head with a deadly accurate burst of assault-rifle fire, and barely ducked out of its way in time. Only the ultra lightening-fast reflexes that an Inquisitor trained in the Mental Academy of the Inquistion’s Grand Synod of Xirnium possessed saved him from certain death.

Unfortunately, the beast’s massive fist had succeeded in landing a glancing blow on the Lord Inquisitor, its gargantuan strength smashing his shoulder and causing him to crumple involuntarily to the ground. From the instantaneous and searing pain in the right side of his body Lord Gothar knew that the bone was completely shattered, but with the supreme control over his nervous system that all Inquisitors have he instantly shut off the pain in his mind. The Inquisitor realised he did not have the luxury to worry about such minor problems at the moment and that, to have any hope at all of surviving, he would have to act extremely fast. Calculating the possibilities in an instant, he knew exactly what to do.

Roaring in triumph the creature quickly drew back a clawed hand once more, ready to strike the final killing blow. Before it had the chance, however, Lord Gothar unsheathed his officer’s sword ( http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a25/Dennis134/sword.jpg), its pale glint easily visible in the dead night. With a ruthlessly faultless swing he decapitated the demon’s head, exerting full and deliberate control over all his muscles to execute a single devastatingly powerful blow. Immediately the beast crumpled in a heap beside the Lord Inquisitor, completely dead.

Picking up his rifle, the Inquisitor staggered to his feet, scanning the area around him for further dangers grimly. The creatures had met their first Inquisitor, to their detriment.

The squad's captain ceased his transmission, just as the rest of his squad finished the perimeter. Then the howls began. Roars nad screeches rent the silent night asunder, sounds bouncing back and forth between the buildings. Sending Gerrad up to the roof, the rest of the squad silently watched through the multiple cameras placed as they moved through the city, and those around their building. Unnatural creatures roamed through the outskirts of the city, while some of them disappeared towards the centre of the city - an area where the squad would be heading next.

As Gerrad reached the roof, he placed a camera before searching the surroundings for any sign of whatever was creating the hellish noise. Then the heavnes themselves split, a massive luminous orb descending on the northern reaches of the country. Amazed at the sight, he told the rest of the squad to watch through the camera, which they did just as astounded as Gerrad was.

Then there was a screech, getting louder, and then the squad inside watching Gerrad through the cameras saw him just disappear, with only the fallign gun any sign that he was there at all.



Message sent by RAVEN squad captain
To: RAVEN corps HQ
Fwd: PIA, Phoenixius Military High Command, Southeastasia Military Command
Subj: The Infinite Cruicible

Preliminary reports and observation determine that no local/natural life exists in TIC. Cities are abandoned, and the countryside devestated. Possible life may exist in small, protected pockets, but effectively zero. Suggest termination of mission - unnatural sounds and weather indicate foul play of the worst sort. Further information may be gleaned from comprehensive UAV scounting, but human presence is surplus to requirement. Possible teams from other nations present, but have failed to make contact so far.

OOC: I suppose that was the last of them?

"Captain Ishram get down their and see what happened to the inquisitor, Get those Booby traps disabled we don't want to blow ourselves to bits, everyone be alert we don't know how many others there could be and when more may come, IXION I want an alert if so much as a tin can moves, I want a report in 5 minutes on any casualties if anyone has been so much as scratced I want to know, Someone block off that door that was shattered in, and get something covering that hole in the wall, Squad A prophetess is landing in 5 minutes I want those things bodies cleared away, don't destroy what's left of them they're getting bagged up and sent back to the homland for autopsy, good work men we've managed to survive the first challenge of this hellish nation but don't get cocky," Rey himself slumped against the wall for a moment mentally exhausted, it was always the same comabt drained the heart and soul but he couldn't rest while his men were potentially in danger and he stumbled back to his feet and began to work his way down the stairs all that can be seen in the sky is the eddies of some great light, he walked through the grim halls now starkly lit by light globes, he leans down to help up one of his soldiers who had been sent flying when the door had been shattered, a he exited the building to see the familiar shape of the Paridigram transport descending down and the 4 Vindicators swooping down faster than the rest, doing a quick flyby over the city taking potshots at anything that moved.

As the Transport touches down Colonel Dezas would run down the ramp, "Commander Anatos what happened, as we were descending we got your beacon signal what's the situation?" The large stock colonel would stop suddenly at the sight of the blood slicked ground, he slowly cautiously approaches the commander.

"Yes Colonel it's blood now stop the fiddle faddle and unload the supplies and get someone to help Captain Ishram with the Inquisitor Get the Mechnicians to help repair the holes in the wall and mount a new door, In future you are to decend beneath the clouds and communicate with us on an hourly basis." Rey turns round and stalks over to the Inquisitor, "Captain how is he? Inquisitor Gothar can you move?" He had been suprised but no unfazed when he had vaulted through the window and decapitated the thing, he'd been told by IXION to expect great things from an Inquisitor, what had suprised him was the total lack of casualties, he himself had seen the rancid flesh cling to grizly bone in mere patches and the creatures of the pit had still moved and had more fearsomly continued to attack, they would have to find a way to deal with the things quickly, headshots and grenades seemed to work, work to a degree at least.

The area had gone from a sleepy command post to a pitched battle ground and now to a hive of activity, Enforcers went round bagging up the creatures remains and repairng the building to the best they could, "Make sure that the 5 ATEJ's we ordered are offloaded (for future note an ATEJ or All Terrain Exploration Jeep, is the vehicle of choice for missions like this, in dangerous territory where speed is of the essence) I want to be out of here at first light if at all possible, All Right men finish up and get back to bed we're leaving at first light, Captain Ishram tend to the Inquisitor and get some sleep yourself you look awful, Colonel your transport and it's escort are to remain down here , first sign of trouble you lift off but your Vindicators attack the trouble got it?" With this he stalks back to the building to send Squad A out on one last task, to go retreive Archivist Deral from the Town Archives. Squad B would stomp up the stairs for sleep, Rey himself after making sure the Inquisitor and Velkyan allies were ok, would retreat himself to bed and the sweet embrace of sleep.

Shorlty afterwards Squad A would return hurrying the Archivist back, he hadn't been pleased to leave but he'd been happy to after they'd scanned everything into an IXION Cortex Core, After 2 hours Squad A let Squad C off who would glady go up for 4 hours sleep in addition to the 4 they had had earlier, in another 2 hours Squad B would replace Squad A on guard, although the squads changed their actions didn't 2 would stand guard at the only door now as the other had been blocked off with all manner of debris making it inaccesible, 2 would stand guard around the transport while 4 would be patrolling in teams of 2 around the area, constantly uplinking to IXION for surveilance reports, ready to wake the hall again and retreat to positions if more creatures came, or worse an even greater evil....

The discussion had been going on for about twenty minutes. It hadn't turned heated at all, just at a slow and cautious pace, because none of them were sure at all what to do. So they turned the information to the Generals, they would know better.

Imperator Rubhar, who was essentially the commander of all the armed force branches of Southeast Asia was not exactly sure either, due to the lack of intelligence. But he knew, thanks to the message from the RAVEN Squad Captain, that a manned spyplane was a bad idea. Especially with a mysterious (and quite possible powerful) foe that was everywhere and nowhere. He then got to typing the message as he sat in his office, normally prefering to be a hands-on guy.

TO: RAVEN corps HQ
FROM: Imperator Francisco Rubhar
SUBJECT: RE: RE: The Infinite Crucible

We thank you for figuring out what was going on down there. I suggest that if you stay there and rendenvous with the other parties. But however, not all of them are going to be friendly with you. The Kraven Corporation has deployed a few warships along the cost, and so far have only sent a small amount of troops to scout around. Be on the alert. If neccessary, I think that we may have to use measures practically every rational human prayed would never come.....

Signed,
Imperator of the Southeast Asian Military Forces
Francisco Ahmed Rubhar

‘I’m quite alright, thankyou Commander Anatos,’ said the Inquisitor dismissively, smiling strangely. Already, Lord Gothar was directing and optimising the natural physiological healing processes of his body, causing blood to quickly coagulate between the fractures of his shoulder, facilitating the growth of blood vessels within this clot matrix which would begin to bring leukocytes and fibroblasts to the area. Using this method of manual control, within several days, rather than many weeks, the fractures would have already healed. Such a method of mentally-controlled healing would be far more effective then the medicines that Xirnium or indeed any nation could provide, as it used the body's formidible systems themselves directly.

‘However, Commander, I think we need to get immediate medical attention for the Velkyan commando. He took a vicious blow from that beast directly to the chest,’ explained the Inquisitor gesturing to the decapitated demon.

The Lord Inquisitor stood watching grimly as physicians swarmed around and tended to the wounded Velkyan soldier, trying to save his life. In Lord Gothar’s opinion, the person would likely not see out the night, but he hoped he would be proven wrong. ‘If you’ll excuse me for a moment, Commander Anatos, I’ll check in on our patient, she must be terrified and unsure of what is going on. If you need me later I'll be in the archives, in the morning I'll need to have a discussion with you.’

"Of course Lord Gothar, Take the Archivist back with you then, he was most upset to leave, take an Ixion Cortex Core with you as well he can give you updates when and if needed and indeed we shall have to discuss things in the morning, We'll need to move out before those creatures get their act together. A wise Predator waits for the best moment to strike back I don't intend to give them a chance to get us here I'd rather they were forced to attack us earlier and without preparation. Captain Ishram see what you can do Squad C Standard Patrol Procedure the rest of you to bed, Squad A will releive Squad C in 2 hours and Squad B them in 4 hours rotate till dawn, Dismissed" After giving out his last orders that would send his brave comrades either to bed or on guard he himself would go and rest, Captain Ishram and the Doctor on the Prophetess would work frantically on the Velkyan Soldier, Captain Ishram was good at his job, and the man would survive, the worst that would happen is that he would be spending a day or so on the Prophetess instead of riding in a ATEJ.

All around the hall the sounds of hasty repair work would quieten down as Squad A and B went to their appreciated slumber, Squad C would patrol the area and stand guard before the rotation would see them glady head to sleep. Upstairs IXION would muse at the Inquisitor in the belltower and at the patient, "I would get some sleep, at first dawn We will most likely be moving out, did you and the commander decide on a route? Speed is imperative, propability analysis puts mission success rate at 42% if swift action is not taken by tommorow evening." The Curious Program would continue cycling through any surveilance displaying it on multiple monitors while masses of data would run through other monitors and on another a playback of the attack would be running stopping at key points as IXION analysed performance of both men and animal with complex charts and arrows.

The Inquisitor looked sympathetically at the harried Novacom commander. He realised with some embarrassment that he only had to worry about himself, whereas the Commander was charged with the lives of all his men, a crushing responsibility. He also remembered that, though he could stave of exhaustion despite being awake for days on end the same was not true of others.

‘Commander Anatos,’ the Inquisitor called. The Novacom leader turned around. ‘You look exhausted, as do your men. I’ll help take the watch to relieve some of your men if you like. I'm sure IXION can provide me with the documents to examine here, I need not go down to the archives if you require extra men to act as sentries.’

"Very well then," He rumages round in his pocket for a second taking out a small headpiece with a small microphone and eyepiece and another palm sized device with a large screen and a small camera mounted on it, He also reaches over to one of the supply packs picking up an Enforcer Helmet "Take your pick on which one, either the Palm Pad or the Headpiece or the helmet all three are connected to IXION, And I thank you I suppose it'll be safe to operate at half guard however I'm not taking chances so we will be at half guard no less, Captain Ishram you can delegate which of your squad will be let off first, I thank you for your assissstance once again friend inquisitor," He'd turn round and begin walking back to the hall, Captain Ishram would continue caring for the Velkyan Soldier.

He was geting used to tending to these sorts of injuries. IXION would be regularly updating the soldiers as to movement in the town the 3 Enforcers moving round slowly but mainly standing guard over the patient. Whatever device the Inquisitor had picked would be linked to IXION who had by no absorbed most of the information fed into him and while it hadn't been fully organised would be of great assisstance in more than one way.

2 hours later 4 Enforcers from Squad A would come down to let the Beleagered captain off as well as his four Enforcers, Captain Ishram had practically had to be dragged away and only after promising to alert him if anything changed would he at last consent to leave for bed. An eerie silence would descend on the area pucntuated by a slight murmuring as the Patrols communicated to each other and IXION in turn communicated to them. They would stalk through the area, The red Visors of their Helmets glittering ominously inside would be men, shocked men at that the attack had been quick but they weren't about to let that interfere with their duties, They continued patrolling the inside of the Visor split up into several segements by subtle Lighting, the image viewed through it would be enhanced greatly in the corner of each part of the Visor IXIOn would be shown giving them information about the area and about the attack, also updating them on the grim streets and dreadul alleys of this most wretched town. The men were eager to leave that was sure, they were eager to get to work but whether that work and their survival went in hand was anyone's guess, it was simply unknown...........

The VTOL banked sharply and as it began to leave The Infinite Crucible, the 15 PEST members jumped out.

For almost a mile and a half they fell, only the fact that they had small oxygen tanks kept them conscience. It was as if they were about the smash into the ground, when their parachutes opened. Thier deathly silent and smooth landing compleated the classic; High Alttitude Low Opening entries that the PEST were best known for.

They were ejected above a small town and the noises they heared had only first caught them off guard. Assuming they had landed into a large fight fight, they hung back for a moment while they split up, trying to gain an advantige while their pressence was still unknown.

Moments later:
Operation Leader Ten Maw, and his team took the right flank and couldn't believe what he saw a first till, he heard the cries of agony from Squad Hatchet, in his his center.

If that broke both his squad rears would be vulnerable, he had his squad (Mallet) and ordered Dagger squad, to the area, unseen, only to see the images of agony unlesshed and in the flesh.

Slowly the howling from the kills ceased, the terrible guttural sounds fading into nothingness. As the sounds faded, so did the horror that gripped the woman. Her intense shaking, and ever present tears slowly receded. The woman slowly stood up, and noticed she was alone in the tower. Slowly crawling across the damp floor she peaked out the window, a wave a relief flooded over her. The great beasts lay slaughtered in the streets below, and men made for war, stood watch. She slowly descended the stairs, a great burden lifted from her chest. It was as if knowing these things could be slain had pulled her mind from the darkness.

She emerged into the hall, one of the massive creatures lay lifeless on the ground, the air thick with the smell of blood. She recoiled at the site, but then slowly approached the gaping decapitated figure. Slowly, a smile broke across her face, something that she had not expressed in a long time.

She approached the Inquisitor.

“Thank you… for taking care of me… I would have died if not for… you and everyone else here.”

“There are people still alive… if only a few… I lived in a city… east of here… Regals Folly.”

“However… a shadow greater than that which clouds this town and its surroundings hangs low there.”

The comet’s light bathed the land below, the clouds did not obscure this heavenly figure.

OOC: Have we gotten a solid pysical description of these creatures yet or have I missed it?

IC:

Ten was about to fire his machine gun, until the sight of a massive demon shadow, was tearing and rending the Spotter Tallal from Hatchet Squad, and the force of being swung from side to side accually made his head roll to the feet of Ten.

"Fire!"

The men from the Zombies had heard and been briefed completly on the horrors that awaited them. When asked for volunteers, all ten members had put ther hands up.

Alhuma had had to leave the command down to Wulf, having had to return to quell a coup in his nation. (OOC: Possible meat for a future RP there). Now the ten men had their scopes tuned to thermal, they were in DPMs, and their weapons were blackened. Strapped on each back was their personal close combat weapon, which when coupled with their height of 7 feet, and their gorilla like muscles, could do a lot of hurt.

Wulf had one of the ancient sonic hammers, while the other squad members had equally potent weapons.

They popped out of the hangar of the Eagle they had been travelling in, and their fibre glass wings popped open. They flew downwards, and heard fire coming from a town below them. They banked steply, and headed for it.

The smoke cleared, and the sqaud checked to see if everyone was alright. They appeared fine, but where was Cole?

Running down the stairs, Leon came upon Cole, lying on the ground, his nose bleeding.

"Cole, wake your ass up!"

He groaned. Sitting up, he stared at the broken door.

"Heh, guess the motherfucker pulled the trap, didn't he?"

Leon laughed.

"You bet your ass he did. Need any help?"

"No, I'm fine, the fucker punched my nose though, hurts like hell."

"Use a medpak, idiot."

"Ahhh, yes."

Producing a small object from his vest, Cole removed his helmet and rolled up his sleeve, exposing his skin. Pushing a needle to his vein, he injected the light blue fluid into his bloodstream. The pain completly subsided within seconds.

"Ahhh, thats the stuff..."

Meanwhile, Kuzida walked into the Novacom room, 20mm cannon in hand.

"Anyone hurt, because if not, we are getting the hell out of Dodge."

The Sliver Overlord was not worried, confused, but not worried, he had 100 powerful strains at his back, and two much larger support units with him as backup, what could possibly hurt him and his under these conditions?

The target was the Capitol, there were the answers they sought, and there they would seek for answers...

The RAVEN squadbarely slept through the rest of the night, each one wondering what on earth had taken their team mate, and whether they were next. However, come the morning they were all ready to move out, and head towards the centre of the city and see if they could obtain any more information on the current situation. Deactivating their traps, they re-packed them and moved off, silent as the wind, and moving fairly rapidly through the dawn.

They got constant updates from their command ship off the coast of TIC, though thanks to the unusual weather conditions, these reports came in garbled more often than not. However they managed to get enough to information to determine that at least 2, possibly 3 other groups were in the city, with two groups confirmed to be at the City Hall, their target even before they knew this information.

Ghosting through the early morning it took them until midday to reach their target, whereupon they took stock of their situation. The area around the hall was covered in blood and mishappen piles of flesh and bone. Occasionally one of these would move slightly, though whether this was because of the wind, or something more insidious.

The Lord Inquisitor bowed slightly toward the woman. ‘Don’t mention it, Ms Fargo, I’m only pleased to see that you are recovering so rapidly, and that you are safe,’ he said gently. Indeed, the woman’s recuperation had been absolutely remarkable considering the seriousness of her life threatening injuries. She was also very brave, after the many horrors she had seen.

Studying her intently Lord Gothar realised that, despite her wounds, she was a strikingly beautiful lady. The Lord Inquisitor also began to appreciate that he had become attached to this woman, worried about her welfare. Nonsense, it’s no more then the concern I would show for any person in her condition, or towards someone with such valuable information to the Inquisition, he thought to himself without feeling very convinced. For Inquisitors, able to see into the very hearts of others, it was even more easy to perceive their own thoughts.

Lord Gothar wiped the filthy blood from his blade, all the while running analytical projections about Regals Folly and her description of it. Perhaps Lady Inquisitor Yuolia has gone there? wondered the Lord Inquisitor. Hmm, there was an almost 43.2% chance that, on a major disaster befalling a nation, an Inquisitor would make for the nearest large city, factoring in all related variables.

Moderating his tone, the Inquisitor spoke softly, ‘Perhaps we will need to visit this Regals Folly.' Lord Gothar made a mental note to discuss the matter with Commander Anatos in the morning, 'Now, Ms Fargo, if you would be so kind to return inside and to your bed. You are still recovering from grievous harm and it isn’t safe for you to be out in the cold. Besides, it’s late and you require rest.’

The two said good night and Lord Inquisitor Gothar returned to his ever vigilant sentry duty.

After several hours and much rotations of the guard, The Commander would wake up feeling refreshed, after quickly getting dressed he would hurry downstairs, at the bottom of the stairs he would be confronted by the Velkyan Leader,

"no none of my men were hurt, and how precisley pray tell do you intend to get out of here? Kraven forces landed at the coast yesterday, a scouting team of these things surely wouldn't scae an elite unit like yourselves,"

Rey was slightly irked at the Velkyan leader's tone and even more irked at the excessive swearing, swear words didn't truly exist in Novan and his men didn't swear every 2 seconds he saw no reason whatsoever for others to do so, he waves his hand as he says his next few words "Very well then we're leaving in an hour or 2 ourselves, we won't keep you however though I wouldn't stay here for long Make no mistake that was simply a probe. Those things will be back and in force now if you excuse me I need to speak to my men,"


Without further he would swiftly stalk out to where his men were arrayed in readiness, "Squad C you will retreive our surveilance devices, Squad B first your going out to greet the Raven Scouting party that's heading this way after that you will prepare the Atej's, Squad A you will patrol the area, I want you all back out here ready in 4 hours dismissed!" He would turn to the Lord Inquisitor,

"I hope I'm not being to presumptuous in leaving accelerating our departure so soon, but Tactically speaking after that scouting party I would strike back with greater numbers after that probe before my enemy could get away, those things are creatures of the night and I'd rather we were out of here before noon. Also it appears our Velkyan friends won't be joining us, they appear to have been scared by those unholy beasts," the remains of the beasts in questions had been by now shuttled off on the resupply Transport that was keeping the Prophetess so well supplied. He smiled in the warm sun as he discussed other things with the Inquisitor, He was grateful to the man for having assissted in Sentry duties last night.

The Men from The Zombies landed on the ground and spread into an all round defensive position.

Wulf got onto a radio as quickly as possible and sent out a message to anyone.

*This is Wulf, leader of Tribe of the Bear from The Zombies hehehe

Any friendly units respond.

This is Wulf......*

The squad moved off towards the Town Centre(Hall was it, not sure) steadily, checking eah street as they went. They had found the place deserted so far, but then again they had heard firing in the night.

Ten thought he was hallucinating had it not been for the conformation by the other teams that something had taken a spotter, and disappeared, only to leave his head.

"Ten, I've got tons of signals, and it won't help out this damn mood. As far as I can tell we landed in the wrong fucking place, there are AKA units all over the place."

"Alright stay low and keep complete comm. silence and keep your eyes peeled for anything. Let’s keep an eye out for a tower around here..."

All the Squads were back by now, Final Preparations had been made the entirety of the town hall had been scoured and not a thing had been left, everything had been loaded up to head out, the only thing missing now was Inquisitor Gothar, and Rey wasn't about to hang round for much longer, before the surveilance devices had been removed except for the 4 remaining ones covering the main streets and they themselves were about to be removed. His men were eager to go, the Atej's silent engines running as they waited, waited, it wouldn;t be long now not long at all.

The RAVEN squad moved forwards, before they heard some faint noises up ahead. They silently moved into the shadows, taking the safties off, and preparing to blast the creature(s) into oblivion if they proved hostile. Fortunately, they were Novacom troops, and they called out to the RAVEN squad, ensuring they weren't blown to smithereens. After some quick banter about the current situation, the Novacom men led the Phoenixius squad back towards the rest of their unit, bringing them to the Commander of the Novacom units.

"Boss!"

What now?! Ten didn't like the feeling he was getting from this place. It was so vast and void, like a silent dark hell that would envelope his psyche and consume his sanity.

"I've got nothing on the scanners.'

"I thought you said you had some solid AKA signals! What the hell?"

"Yeah but my equipment is fucking fried or something. It’s jumping all around; we are surrounded, were alone or were don’t even show up, half this stuff isn't even translatable code."

"PEST, listen up. Our mission was to confirm the situation in TIC, and as commanding officer, I say the situation is 'freaky and fucked'. Mission accomplished now lets get the hell outa' here."

A calm before the storm, prearranged orders dictated that the teams were to head north to an extraction zone.

"Move out!" Ten lead the way himself, north...

"Don't worry. We have a few...options...we parachuted in. It's useless to stay here, they will be back, and in greater numbers. I doubt you have enough ammunition to take these...whatever these are...down. Come with us, we must make our way to the Amber Clad. From there, we can make our next move."

OOC: It the vehicle you are piling in a car?

Dawn had finally come, the feeble light of the sun illuminating the city from beyond the molten lead of the overcast sky, spent cartridges littering the area . The atmosphere had an eerie quality to it, and the stillness in the air only seemed to heighten the tension. To Lord Gothar, it seemed like the calm before the storm, and he found himself almost wishing for the frantic desperation of combat again, anything to end this damned anticipation. Lord Inquisitor Gothar’s watch had passed without incident and there had been no further sightings of the horrors (though there inhuman howls were ever present). Nonetheless, they will be back, the Inquisitor thought grimly, and in ever greater numbers.

Noticing the Novacom commander exiting the building, Lord Gothar was relieved to see that he seemed to have gotten a relatively good night’s sleep. When last he had seen him, Commander Anatos had seemed absolutely exhausted, his responsibilities clearly taking their toll. Anatos, the Velkyan leader, and Inquisitor Gothar held a hurried meeting deciding on their next course of action.

‘I agree that we can’t stay here another night,’ the Lord Inquisitor said thoughtfully, running several prime projections concurrently in his mind, calculating possibilities. ‘Our position is compromised and they know our strength, they will definitely be back later on with the numbers to overwhelm us. We can’t prevail.’

‘Our highest probability of survival would be to leave as quickly as possible, putting as much distance between us and this godforsaken place as humanly possible. We also have a better chance of living through the next night if we stick together.’ The Inquisitor frowned, how does this affect my mission to locate Inquisitor Yuolia? ‘If you’ll excuse me now, gentlemen, I need to quickly consult the archives here before we leave. I won’t be long, as soon as you are ready we can depart.’

Using the supremely powerful mental abilities that all Inquisitors possess he suppressed in an instant the feeling of unease that he had been feeling. Something is watching us.. The Lord Inquisitor strode off without word, his brow furrowed and his mind cluttered with thoughts.

OOC: I gave out the full expansion of what an ATEJ was earlier, basically it's a silent running jeep with an incredibly efficient engine rugged design and very fast with plenty of space.

IC: "What Pray tell is the Amber Clad? Surely you didn't notice the supplies just offloaded off Prophetess? I didn't conjure these Atej's that's for sure. If the Amber Folly is a ship then we can detour there to get it in the air and then head to Regal's Folly, We after all are charged with fact finding as well as our new orders to assisst Lord Inquisitor Gothar. Ixion report on the jamming, I heard a slight crackle as if someone were trying to make a transmission and of course failed," Rey standing layed back leaning slightly against the bonnet of the ATEJ while holding a smile hand pad. That strange mechanical voice of IXION's would echo out with a strange warmth and personality, "As I informed you earlier We have 2 other non-aligned forces in the city, Psyker Bearzerkers a consortium member and Zombies, an elite branch of the Fattie Slug Military. Psyker just attempted to make a communications and failed Fattie Slug is about to run unto the Psyker's and is also trying to communicate. Propability of them discovering us here if we leave within the hour is 18.9%,"

Rey would quickly order Squad A to dismount, "Okay then Squad A go and retreive Archivist Deral and let the good Inquisitor know we're ready to leave," Rey turns slightly to greet the newcommers, they were about to make their entrance from around a corner, "I welcome you Raven of Phoenixius, I am Commander Anatos of Novacom Enforcer Prophetess unit of the 27 Vanguard Enforcer Brigade, what brings you to this place, although we are preparing to leave we can offer you some hospitality," he smiles looking friendly yet not dropping that same Authroitarian pose his countenance serious and his frame locked in a proud pose. Truly a man of great experience beyond his years.

"Well thank you. I'm Captain Jones of the Phoenixius RAVEN squad. We have been sent here to determine what the hell is happening. So far we've decided that its extremely freekish. We won't impose on you if your planning on moving out. May I suggest we pool our forces until later? I see you have some vehicles. If you cannot fit us four in, then we'll just get on board our transport and follow you to our destination."

"Of course you may join us, we have plenty of space, the ATEJ over there with Captain Ishram has some space. We're just waiting for Archivist Deral and Lord Inquisitor Gothar to arrive back." Rey would point at the Atej with Captain Ishram at the wheel, before speaking to another enforcer in the strange cryptic Novacom language.

The Kraven Fleet had entered the waters of The Infinate Crucible, the waves were smashing against the hulls of these great beasts of the sea, The Kraven navy was being battered by the torrets of the sea as immense winds rose and whipped the sea into a greater fury...

The Admiral stood rigid, as the battleship was tossed around by the waves, he stood implacable, not moving, his hands firmly planted behind his back, he'd barley moved from this position during the journy, nor had the Reichmarshal...

the young ensign walked over, his black jackboots shone in the eery light of the Bridge...

"Admiral, We have arrived in territorial waters.."

"Good, Order the Carriers to launch"

"As you wish Admiral"

the reichmarshal stepped forward... moving to stand next to The Admiral...

"This will be a proving ground for your fleet Admiral, We have had some 'concerns' about your....dedication... We hope that today, you will prove us wrong..."

"As always Admiral"


The Order came, The Super Carrier Vtols roared from their positions, their massive ramjet engines roared in protest as their immense frames lifted from the deck, stabilisers protected the craft from the buffeting side winds keeping them on course as they rose from the decks, underslung were the huge Assault craft that would deploy the dreaded Capitol Police who would quickly begin to brutalise the population...

it would be swift and The Infinite Crucible would be brought into line under the laws of The Consortium....

Their target was the Capitol, a swift assault on the governing sector of The Cruicble would allow them to effecivly cripple any form of defense or resistance...

The Craft were now inflight... heading towards their respective targets, they climbed higher and higher until they would reach their heights and deploy their assault craft that would drop, dive bombing at immense speeds towards the ground before engaging their engines and driving them towards their targets...

A storm was approaching.... An Armoured Storm....

Kuzida explained.

"The Amber Clad is a Zeus Drone Carrier Aircraft, it's orbiting at extremly high altitude at the moment, and is waiting for a transmission from us. We have had a dropship droppoded in the forest near here, about 12 miles away. It's crew is holding at the moment, waiting for the order to launch. Once we board, we can board the Amber Clad and resupply, as well as plan our next mission. If you are interested, we'll give you the coordinates. If not, we'll go with you. It's your choice."

The very land around the capital had been blasted by whatever had conquered this nation. Great pillars of rock, like so many terrible grasping fingers sprouted hundreds of yards into the air. What had once been flat sea plains had been turned into a wasteland comparable to the worst on this earth. The land shifted every few moments, the great pillars crashing to the ground and emerging once more. Great and unnatural shadows shifted across the land, moving with a life of their own. The wind was filled with the screams of a thousand souls, but there was no life to be found.

All about these wicked crags, shifting shadows, and menacing screams stalked beasts and men from the north. Creatures of every shape and size moved about the hell with incredible ease, almost jumping from shadow to shadow. Great and terrible men stalked beside them. Their bodies mutilated beyond compare, scars carved deep into their skin. Great bits of metal and weaponry melded with skin, and sunken eyes. These men were as much nightmare as the land and beast about them. What a few mere generations ago had been hard working natives, were now hell spawned shadows of their former selves, twisted by the north.

Behind all this however, there was a growing menace, something intangible that any mortal man would prey remained just that. In the deepest well of his soul, however, the futility of this hope was evident. For this presence slowly gained strength, and a terrible mountain of the most macabre sort grew from the earth.

As the Slivers approached they were confronted by this shifting land, and its many dark inhabitants. From the very shadows roared a voice louder than a thousand sun’s novas and equally terrible.

“Hold... beasts…”

With that single syllable the very land seemed to break asunder once more, as great inky ravines with no seeable bottom tore across the earth.


A slight pulse rippled through the northern town where so many had made landfall. It sent a tingle through the body and stole the breath from a man. It carried a hint utter demise, utter and complete evil, and an ultimate judgment.

Mrs. Fargo looked up at this slight ripple, cowering under its brief presence. She approached the inquisitor.

“Where are we going?”

With that final word a slight shift in the wind could be felt, it slowly blew south, towards the capital.

The very land around the capital had been blasted by whatever had conquered this nation. Great pillars of rock, like so many terrible grasping fingers sprouted hundreds of yards into the air. What had once been flat sea plains had been turned into a wasteland comparable to the worst on this earth. The land shifted every few moments, the great pillars crashing to the ground and emerging once more. Great and unnatural shadows shifted across the land, moving with a life of their own. The wind was filled with the screams of a thousand souls, but there was no life to be found.

All about these wicked crags, shifting shadows, and menacing screams stalked beasts and men from the north. Creatures of every shape and size moved about the hell with incredible ease, almost jumping from shadow to shadow. Great and terrible men stalked beside them. Their bodies mutilated beyond compare, scars carved deep into their skin. Great bits of metal and weaponry melded with skin, and sunken eyes. These men were as much nightmare as the land and beast about them. What a few mere generations ago had been hard working natives, were now hell spawned shadows of their former selves, twisted by the north.

Behind all this however, there was a growing menace, something intangible that any mortal man would prey remained just that. In the deepest well of his soul, however, the futility of this hope was evident. For this presence slowly gained strength, and a terrible mountain of the most macabre sort grew from the earth.

As the Slivers approached they were confronted by this shifting land, and its many dark inhabitants. From the very shadows roared a voice louder than a thousand sun’s novas and equally terrible.

“Hold... beasts…”

With that single syllable the very land seemed to break asunder once more, as great inky ravines with no seeable bottom tore across the earth.

Hmm... Voices from darkness, strange, but not something they had never experienced before, when they had lived on Rath, Volrath had commonly addrerssed the Queen in such a manner, but this was also diferent, because it obviously opposed them as well as spoke to them, but there were solutions to any problem, and the solution to this one was simple, take to the air...

103 Slivers left the ground, the Winged slivers lead the way, and grant the rest of the Company the ability to follow...

"Plan our next mission? I tried to wake you earlier on when myself and the Lord Inquisitor were ready to plan the mission, and we are more than well supllied, Prophetess over there," pausing to motion to the large Transport taking back off again after it's latest supply drop, "has been resupplying us for the past few days now, that's how the ATEJ's got here. transports drop supplies off at Prophetess and then later on Prohpetess relays them on to us, anything we lack or require is then relayed back and delivered with the next shipment, you see I planned the preparation work myself, I am used to commanding forces far greater then what we have to hand at present but i'm not about to leave even this small force unsupplied. We're heading out to Regal's Folly we can swing by this dropship of yours, to let your people know to get in the air and head there but once we get to Regal's folly we will be settling down there for 2 days, longer if the Inquisitor deems it nessacery. While there we will naturally then plan our next leg of the mission." Rey would smile inwardly he had indeed planned ahead, by the time they arrived at Regal's Folly they would have Punisher Rocket Launchers issued, any of those creatures that reared their heads would fast be looking for a very good hatter.

What could be most easily described as a snort of sorts emerged from the darkness. With that great streams of shadow, darker than the bleakest night, shot up from the rocks. Slowly the raging darkness congealed into tentacles of epic size, swinging to the block the paths of the Slivers, but not moving in for the kill. Terrible men scrambled up the strands of darkness, swinging from them like one would from a massive rope. In there hands they carried the most fearsome of weapons, both archaic and modern.

The same terrible voice echoed out from the shadow, more terrible then before, roaring with contempt.

“Hold, your mortality need not be demonstrated!”

What could be most easily described as a snort of sorts emerged from the darkness. With that great streams of shadow, darker than the bleakest night, shot up from the rocks. Slowly the raging darkness congealed into tentacles of epic size, swinging to the block the paths of the Slivers, but not moving in for the kill. Terrible men scrambled up the strands of darkness, swinging from them like one would from a massive rope. In there hands they carried the most fearsome of weapons, both archaic and modern.

The same terrible voice echoed out from the shadow, more terrible then before, roaring with contempt.

“Hold, your mortality need not be demonstrated!”

The Overlord Sliver cocked all five of its heads quizicall, then it let loose a gout of flame for one, followed by lightning from the Tesla sliver, and more, smaller, flames from the 100 slivers behind him. The Legion Sliver to his lkeft remained silent, waiting for the proper moment to be unleashed...

The Lord Inquisitor and Archivist Deral had finally returned from the archives. They had spent a long time in thoughtful conversation, pouring over various manuscripts, and concluded that this town did not possess an extensive enough archive to answer their questions. ‘Surely the far larger archives in Regal’s Folly would surely contain the information we need to learn exactly what we are facing and how to combat this threat?’ Lord Gothar had thought, and Deral had agreed.

Upon reaching the rest of the group, Lord Gothar noticed both the Velkyan and Novacom squads ready to leave and also that they had been met by commandoes from the Phoenixius RAVEN squad. Of course, the Lord Inquisitor barely had time to introduce himself to them before Commander Anatos had barked at everyone to prepare to leave. It appeared that, despite the fact that it was still morning, the feeble light of the sun had already started to fade.

It was at that moment, however, that Lord Inquisitor Gothar felt the strangest sensation pass through him, almost a surge of despair. This puzzled the Inquisitor greatly, as the emotion certainly had not originated with himself, but he did not have the time to ponder the question and merely filed the incident away in his mind after he was approached by Ms Fargo. Whatever it was, it was of an intelligence that far exceeded the mental capabilities of even the most highly trained Inquisitor. ‘We go to a place that promises the chance for both more opportunities and also more danger,’ the Inquisitor answered cryptically, ‘we go to Regal’s Folly.’

"Very well. Take us over to the Pelican, and we will follow you to the Folly."

Meanwhile, the 11 other members of Halo force began to gather their weapons and equipment. Cole reloaded his shotgun, and checked his stash of explosives. Another soldier cleaned out his sniper rifle, looking through his scope. One by one, the soldiers got up and moved to the waiting Novacom jeep and piled in, waiting for Kuzida to get out.

The Carrier Vtols were now at their full height, they cruised high above the sea, as below they suddenly flew high above the shores, maximum ceiling height...

The Capitol police crewmen sat watching for something that wasn't comming, their red lenses veiwed the sky with cold indifference, as though they neither cared or knew what was out there...

they mechanicaly pressed buttons and altered controls, the navigator was ensuring the Craft was on course...

"Command relay, We are above Infinate Crucible"

"Understood, Prepare to deploy units"

"As you wish"

the craft continued, their massive ramjet engines pushing the craft through the calm skies above the raging torrents below...

"Prepare to Launch on my mark" spoke the Capitol Police pilot, his voice was mechanical and reaked of authoritory, however in the current situation this effect was wasted on those around...

"Target zone Entered"

"Mark"

The First two craft deployed from the undercarraige of the craft, they plummeted in unision, as all across the air fleet, assault craft were dropped in the same manner, they screamed through the clouds, moving with immense pace towards the lands below, then with a sudden explosion of life, the engines activated, pulling the crafts out of their dives, and brining them on course towards the Capitol, the Assault Craft pilots, two Capitol Police troopers piloted the craft with expertise, ignoring the buffeting winds, the enhanced controls of the vtol ensuring the winds were compensated for...

it would be a few hours before the Assault craft reached the Capitol....

But up high, the Carriers dropped their second wave of Assault Craft, they followed the same pattern as the first wave, plummeting through the sky at immense speeds before activating their engines and powering themselves towards the capitol, following shortly behind the first wave...

The Corporation was comming...

Without Further Ado, Rey would Bellow one Novan word, the other nations force may not be able to understand it but they would understand the sentiment when the ATEJ's would begin to accelerate swiftly exiting the town and going at a frightening speed over the ghastly terrain of the tortured lands. Regal's Folly was the destination but what of the journey?




Meanwhile several miles out to sea on the Sub-Battleship Kalan of Rogue Admiral Kukonois' Mighty Legions...

"You will go now for the time of Prophecy is at hand and the Crushing Nocturne shall be fufilled and with it's fufilment we shall have the tools to destroy the Tolions and take back Novacom for the people. and now go my Blood Guard go with the Covern of Diri E I G Ignen and make landfall. There raise a mighty base from which we shall be able to establish dominion of this region and eventually the world. For once we rule the world is when Destiny shall be at hand. Now by the blood of friend and foe alike go forth to glory!" Throughout the grim sub-battleship a great and grisly roar would go up through the fanatical Legions of Admiral Kukonois, the man himself glaring down from his podium his very countenance a mask of anger, his sturdy frame emenating hatred and determination his every word dripping with Bile and Hatred he seemed to be a demon incarnate yet looking into his eyes you could see a fire burning, the fire of intelligence and anger.

It would not be long as a full Legion of Blood Guard as well as a Covern of Diri E I G Ignen and a Logistics team would depart in the black of night to the land undetected, unseen and unknown. Any beasts of the night they would run into would feel a common affinity with the evil army as they would throw great slabs of butchered prisoners to the great animals and cheer in disgusting voices at the unholy things. They made swift progress and soon they would arrive and set up a great base from which the Blood Guard would either unite in alliance with the evil's of the land or bring them under their dominion......

The Tribe came sprinting out of cover as the ATEJs went roaring past them. They shouted, hoping that the silent engines would be quiet enough for them.

They had seen the horrors, and had seen living people, they would try their damnedess nbot to lose sight of them.

OOC: I may as well just join you lot, ignore the sides taken earlier on, I am sure its men against a species.

"Tech, if possible i want you to lock onto any friendly signals. I want laser signals and tranmissions sent out so that we can make contact... This place is too damn freaky."

"Yessir!"

They had marched ten miles, thier evation tactics prolonging thir movement.

"And keep your eyes pealed for any activity, we dont know who is here or not." Specialy with our equipment in the fuckside.

"Halt" would be hollered and the Convoy would silently stop, "Identify yourselves" Rey would bark while surrounded by several menacing looking Enforcers, too long had they been in this land already and rampant paranoia was beginning to set it, though unbeknowest to them it would be needed.

Elsewhere far to the south a great red glow would fill the air, sinister lighting from the outpost of Blood Guard, "Blood Lord oh Guiding Light of our noble inserection tell us, what are your infallible orders," A Blood Guard would salute fiercly to a tall figure draped in a cloak of despiar and gestooned in badges of horror and honour alike. "seek out the denizens of this land and bring them to me, we have need of allied in this place." the Blood guards would salute again before a desperate run to a large jeep and would accelerate out to the capitol of the tortured land.

"We are the soldiers from The Zombies, we have been sent to help any sane and "good" survivors, even though we were orignally on the Kraven Corporation side, we have defected, going onto no-one's side, and being neutral from now on."

They moved their arms slowly, and away from their weapons.

"This is Ten, PEST Operation Commander in TIC Op Zone. Reapeat, this is Ten, PEST Operation Commander in TIC Op Zone, to Hq can we get conformation for nothern extraction over?"

*Buzzing and static*

"Orders are to report on status on TIC before extraction comences, report?"

"TIC is fucking freaky. nothing here but ghosts and demons, PEST assesment is a no go for any Psyker movment into land, report on extraction?"

"Repeat status..."

"I repeat; TIC is fucking freaky. Some supernatural shit going on a,nd PEST assesment is a no go for any Psyker movment into land. If moma pox wants in its not going to be PESTs or regular military. Now report on extraction!"

"Extraction in will commence in 30 keep us posted on your psition every five over and out.

"How about it Boss?"

"They decided to take their sweet time, paint thier nails and think about picking us up."

"Orders, sir?"

"Don't die."

OOC: Got an invite from Southeastasia and he said I would love to jump in, and from my lookings, humans versus species, I may want in this for sure. I just need to know the tech level (I RP 2010 mostly, but I am always open to the PMT venture of these boards).

May I ask what the climate of your nation, and what type of facilities are housing these creatures?

IC:

Presence Tower, Raptior, Capitallia, Jewittist Republic

The Douvier and other political figures sat around in his room in Presence Tower and they joked and made comments. A few would ask about international crisises, wars, and coalitions against a single nation that had done little to nothing wrong.

The topic of the wierd happenings across the world had come up and the Douvier shared a valuable interest in it. "Oh, goody. What nation is it in this time? Doomingsland?" He asked with a new-found curiosity. "No, mi amigo, it is in...some nation we have not delt with before, The Infinite Crucible. I think I saw them on an I-SPAN Meeting or something in Geneva." Said the young man looking through his files. "We got some wierd reports, vampires, gargoyals, mutated turtles, this is getting outta hand." He finished.

The Douvier thought for a moment and said "Well, I don't like our intelligance to be missleading, we all know what happens when that goes off in our faces, so I say we send in a few Aouren teams, undercover, to investigate this problem. Maybe an F.I.A.-trained core of Aourens, si?" He asked looking around at the group of bobbing heads.

"Well, form the team and send them off. Find out their climate, we don't want them wearing domestic clothes in the artic. Oh, and send out one of our new atmospheric planes, those, erm, modified Black Eagles or what ever they're called, over their facilities and see if you can see anything interesting to deploy them into." The group nodded and took notes on what to do.

The conversation continued on pretty much with little interest to anyone else.

OOC: has this died or something?


"What do you think Inquisitor? Can we trust them?" Rey would murmer quietly to the Lord Inquisitor next to him, not taking his eyes off the men in front of him, the gunners of the ATEJ's had levelled the vehicle's weapons at them in preparation, if the word was given theyt would fire, but of course they would wait for the word....

Meanwhile elsewhere..

"Why were we sent north Lord Commander? Surely our mission here dictate we focus on the south?" The Blood Guard Ensign would growl at his "lord" commander. The Lord Commander Daocel would leer down at his underling before levlling his pistol at the man's head and firing, sending a hail of blood and gore covering the surrounding soldiers, the Driver of the large jeep would turn his head partially, everyone silent. "Continue as ordered, Our orders are to exterminate all life and collect large quantities of blood, All Glory to the Admiral!" his voice an almost unholy growl would cause the surrounding soldiers would roar their approval and begin chanting loudly.

They of hateful faces and blood red uniforms they were the picture of pure evil, of Soldiers gone bad lead by butchers and commanded by a mad fiend they were the Dreadwing division of the Admiral Kukonois Elite Blood Guard, a division known for it's supernatural history and grisly future, a future even more grisly as the men contemplated the slaughter they would wreak when they arrived at the first town of the north, strange and garbled transmissions had been detected and where there are transmissions there is life and to the Blood Guard that was unacceptable in this place.

This is Pest VTOL 53-D report approach vector.

"Prime grid, alpha sixer."

Any charlie in the vacinit...

"VTOL 53-D repeat... VTOL 53-D repeat! Well fuck." It was not a good day to be a PEST member.

The RAVEN squad watched silently from their places amongst the Novacom transports. They were getting rather suspicious of all these spec-ops guys appearing, then joining up together - it smelt of some sort of trap. Whether it was a Novacom trap or belonged to the machinations of some higher power further north. However, they had orders to seek out further information, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get a free ride, and use the others information to their advantage.

The men of The Zombies saw the gunners of the ATEJ's level their guns.

Wulf quickly clicked out a code using his hands and feet, and the soldiers pressed a small button on their wristpads.

Immediately, a tiny explosive appeared in each one's hand, propelled their from their wristpads.

"Just to warn you, if these explosives leave our hands, from being shot or simply from being passed to another, they WILL go off, so if you plan to shoot us, you do so at your own folly.

We don't want more sane blood spilt"

OOC: Relax, Novacom. TIC could have RL issues to attend to.

OOC: since TIC has either RL problems or is otherwise indisposed I see no reason to hold things up.

The Blood Guard Units would advance north, Torrken's had already detected a transport and were preparing to destroy it, soon the Blood Guard and the group of Covenant Guard accompanying them would once more sing the symphony of battle, the slicing of blades and the hail of led as life blood would ooze out of wounds ruptures and decapitations alike, they were terrifying to behold, their once fair faces twisted by years of Hatred, they wore death destruction and despair like a second skin, they were terrible and they were comming for the Psyker Bearzerkers and they would kill them, kill theym all and collect the blood, as directed by the Diri E I G Ignen Priest commanding them, he looked Magnificent in full Battle ritual garb he cleamged brighter than the sun as he ordered the charge, the Bearzerkers were wanted alive apparantly, and blood loss was to be kept to a minimum as well, strange orders indeed as they charged onwards, in less than 5 minutes battle would be joined.

Rey would eye suspiciously the men in front of him, the hardened blast glass of the ATEJ may hold up the a few explosions but he wasn't taking any chances, "Disarm those things at once, How can I trust men who abandon their allies? before I allow you to join us you need to prove yourselves trustworthy," out of sight of the Zombies he would make a hand signal, be ready to get out of here and fire weapons, the Enforcers in the jeep would lower their heads inperceptibly even this close an impossible to see for anyone outside the ATEJ. The sky ahead would begin to cloud over as the heavens opened and rain descended, Rey would smirk excellent timing, he would turn and pick up a radio, at the same time another out of sight enforcer would pick up a radio, they both spoke at the same time, the transmissions would mask each other, while the Zombies would see Rey making his they would not know of the other, "Get the tops of the ATEJ's on I don't want us getting wet, be quick about it," Rey would shout down the line fairly loudly, the other Enforcer would murmur in Novan, "Be ready for the signal to move out at a seconds notice and fire weapons,"

Rey would turn back and look down at the bomb bearing men, "well what do you have to say, either prove you can be trusted or we'll leave you behind along with your explosives, I'd suggest you disarm those explosives and come to your senses and show we can trust you, otherwise you'd be sentancing yourself to a horrible death by hellish human and houndlike creatures that seem to be unfellable by mortal means." the eye holes of his mask would shimmer for a second as he remembered the horrible night before, great monstrosities swinging around having to be shot into bite sized pieces before they stopped, it was beyond nightmare. Surely they were from Valgen itself.

OOC: er Psyker Rey and co are several hundred miles southwest of you, The Blood Guard units from Admiral Kukonois forces are the ones after you.

IC: The Diri E I G Ignen priest and his Covenant Guard Entourage would step out into the clearing, the Blood Guard would be arrayed behind him and his sinister cohort, "You will Surrender or die, choose now or die indecisive," The Priest would leer down at the his magnificent armour shining like a thousand stars, he himself held a large sub machine gun in one hand and a large and intircately engraved sword in the other, a pair of words would be uttered in a strange and indecipherable language, overhead the Torrken would scream towards the Psyker Bearzerkrer transport, a harsh snarl would be grated out at the pilot, "Land now or die, choose quickly or die indecisive," They were all united under the banner of Admiral Kukonois, The bane of all life and sworn enemy of Novacom, the forces in particular here were the 3rd Valgen Army, named for the Diri E I G Ignen idea of hell and evil.Things were about to get worse, a lot worse..........

Wulf wasn't stupid, and he pressed a couple of buttons on his wristpad. A second small thing hit his hand, and he clenched his fist around the explosive. He popped the now harmless gum into his mouth and began chewing.

"So, whats goin on then?"

Rey would nod slowly quietly crooning, "Better Better," a hand sginal would be made and Rey would tilt his masked head slightly as the Enforcers lower their guns, almost reluctantly, Rey would fully turn his his face backtowards Wulf, "It's good to see you value your men's lives, I respect that, now before I take you with me I do require that you prove that you can be trusted, I remember reading something to the effect of you being allied with Kraven, how do I know you won't betray me and my men, hmm?" Rey would ask probingly, the Enforcers had finished sliding the rain covers over the top of the ATEJ's, it was evident Rey wanted a good repsonse before taking yet more people along with him.

OOC: er Psyker Rey and co are several hundred miles southwest of you, The Blood Guard units from Admiral Kukonois forces are the ones after you.

OOC: ....Oh. Whoops...

Are you yelling at the VTOL? That's going really fast, sound proof and in the air??

"I need to tell you two things. The first is that my nation has decided that since anyone left alive in thuis place is likely to be in a wee bit of trouble, we sent in this small extraction team to save anyone we can, or find out enough to prepatre our own nation in case this or anything like this happens to our own nation.

Secondly, we got a little bit fed up of the cold Corporate Police, they really annoyed us, and also they showed no respect to the Great Alhuma Peacemaker, Great Chief of Fattie Slug. Alhuma said nothing, but the common soldier was annoyed, especially after Alhuma prevented our nation from being bombed off the map, and then destroyed the Dark Spider before it was powerful enough to destroy our nation for a second time, as it did aeon ago.

Of course we will fight alongside those who p[rove themselves the most trustwotrthy and purely the best in our minds. But we have not betrayed Kraven, we are simply not fighting with them anymnore, we are not attacking them and will not, unless they attack us."

OOC: No it's over radio at the VTOL, the Lord Priest, his Covenant Guard Entourage and the Blood Guard have already arrived at your troops and said "You will Surrender or die, choose now or die indecisive,"

My post may be a little difficult to read I'll fix it up a little.

Ten sighed. "Does anyone know the punishment for surrender?"

"Um, that's never really been an issue Boss..."

"Well it's an issue now. How do you plan to kill us, I'd like to weight my options."


Just than a screaming object fell from above overhead, send shapnel, burning fuel an wrecked VTOL all over the area.

"Not a good day to be PESTs, eh?"

The Diri E I G Ignen Priest would let out a large cackle, "You will die being Sacrificed to the great god of Destiny, Maljuras, we shall slowly drain you of your blood and remove your organs while you still live, my friends here," he pauses for a moment, his emphasis on the word friends had been none to firednly, instead somewhat sinister, he would gesture widely round first at the sinister looking Covenant Guard, who bore large hexagonal sheilds and strange spears with both ominously shining spearhead and gun barrels, and then at the Blood Guard behind them, they outnumbered the Bearserkers 5 to 1 at least. "have been instructed should it come to it, to kill you yes, but they will if possible restrain you and bring you back alive, if you surrender of course, your lives will be spared, provided you, "co-operate", Now again, I tell you this, Choose now or die indecisive," there had been a slight emphasis on co-operate, the Priest looked like he meant business, the men around him had inclined their heads at the mention of Maljuras, for he was The Great Guardian of the Gates of Destiny, Master of Fate.

"No offence to your god but can you give us a second, we won't move we swear!"

The 14 remaining PEST huddled for the sacred Thing. They whispered and argued, a tech craned his neck and was slapped by a sniper to rejoin. This was a very tense moment. They weren't being too secretive and words spilt out.

"Bomb?... I could... Soup."

"Ten... Rock.... But I like soup!" Several slaps greeted the same tech med.

"We.. time." They stood from their Thing, one of the few practices from their Norse ancestry still in use.

Ten shook out his limbs and rolled his head. "We've all activated C8 bombs, set for less then a minute, Death will understand!"

The opened fire by launching grenades from their guns, and fired without stopping, automatic 7.75mm armor piercing rounds, and fired and fired and fired...

The Covenant Guard would spring into action, using their sheilds to bash the grenades back at the foolish idiots before hurling a golden coloured orb at the soon to be pacified fools, Blood Guard joined in hurling more and more grenades, one of them would explode setting off a great crackling sphere of energy, an EMP grenade anything electronic inside it would be friend compeltly, Blood Guard huddled behind the Covenant Guard, firing over the sheilds for protection, knockout gas in a multitude would spew from the grenads, others would light up and would more than likely stun the PEST's the full aresnal of means to take targets alive were being employed, (OOC: you never mentioned whether they had gas masks so I'll assume they don't, it'd be suicide to put them on in a situation like this anyway) a few well placed shots would kill perhaps 1 or 2 of the Blood Guard, but they were taking time with their aim, making to shoot the enemies weapons out of their hands, they'd already fried the bombs making em useless, now to take the prize, a sacrifice for the god. The Priest his glimmering armour had remained ignored by all of the action, protected by his fanatical guard, he would throw his hands forward and lance the enemies with crimson lightning, shreiking, "Heathens Maljuras will be done," the forces around him would cackle menacingly, the power of the God had been invoked, and nothing could stand against it, it's defeat 6,500 years ago had been a fluke, and the Artifact that had defeated it was on the otherside of the world.

OOC:
They aren't hand thrown grenades, they do wear gas masks, I'll miss this crew, especialy that one tech med. But what can you do when your own goverment has forgotten you.

Please kill them, really brutally make it theatrical, but do make sure they die... if i see a stupid tech med getting slapped in another thread i'll be looking for ya!

OOC: oh it'll be theatrical, I already have a grand ritual in mind, being scheming up an entire Mythology, religon and ritual for months now. and if the sheilds are angled correctly they'll deflect them. if they arn't all knocked out let me know and I'll change the post below.

IC: THe Priest would lauch slightly his hands still crackling with lightning, "Sieze them, and bring them with us, when we get back to Necropolis Sanctum put them in a cell until we are prepared, keep the leader alive though, he'll be the guest of honour at the ritual, then we'll pack him off the the Sanctum Primus, Get moving," The Lord Priest would turn round his COvenant Guard accompanying him, the Blood Guard would pick up the unconcious forms and sling them over their shoulders, taking care to pocket and stow every weapon they had possessed into packs, After a short March they would arrive at a hellish clearing and a transport that looked like it had been to Valgen and back awaited, it was stained a glowing crimson red, a Blood Guard, seemingly lost in the grips of insanity would cackle menacingly over his shoulder before screaming the thing into the air towards the Necropolis Sanctum

In the distance a great pillar of ominous red light can be seen, as they approach the Blood Guard would cheer, they can feel the despair oozing from the place, a giant sturcture would loom up horrible carvings adorned it, the entire place seemed to have risen up from the very pit of Valgen itself, strange creatures with great glowing and pulsating crystals embedded in at strange places would wander round, their tortured forms dripping blood. Cryptic Obelisks would hover in mid air delicate writing, seemingly done in blood with adorn them, Blood Guard would run eagerly their hateful faces a terrifying sight from terrible building to terrible building, the entire place would evoke the deepest of dread and despair as the prisonders were hurled nearly naked into a prison cell whose floor was littered with broken skeletons and rotting corpses, terrible music, if it could be called that, a symphony of screams and shreiks of assorted pains agonys and sloshing of blood would come from a great pit nearby, the very ground itself was rotting and corrupt, in the center of it all would be a squad of blood guard and Covenant Guard playing what looked like football,the ball on closer inspection it can be seen to be a young girl perhaps 6 years old, she may have been beuatifal once but she had one eye dangling out of it's sockets her face was a blood soaked mess and her hair stramed out in bloodied clumps, her frock was govered in blood mud and gore, a green slime coated her legs as her lifeless body flailed around and a terrible cheer would go up as a Covenant Gaurd would score a "goal", Truly this place was worse than hell, it was Valgen given mortal form.

OOC:
well you wouldn't be able to take them with out subduing them, unless you have some muscle monster that can manhandle them like a ragdoll...

OOC: I think giant bolts of Crimson lightning the priest hurled, plus the fact they filled your troops with enough tranquilisier to put down a herd of elephants, I'm refraining from bringing out the big monsters yet, though the Ritual might change that....

IC: Atop the massive sturcture a throne was being prepared, in front of the throne were 3 holes, and in them were pools of shimmering light, underneath them were massive canals ready to catch the blood, the Ritual was nearly ready as the melody of agony and the harmony of pain reached a crescendo, soon the victims would be sacrificed to the god, but who would sit at the throne, who would watch the men die....

OOC: Any chance of a reply Novacom?

OOC: Didn't realise you had posted lol.

Rey would nod slowly as this was being said, slightly bemused, it sounded much like Diri E I G Ignen lore something in itself worrying, but he was for the moment far more interested in the safety of his men, there was apparantly safety in numbers, or so the old maxim went, he would drop his head slightly and sigh, a deep sigh of an exhausted man.

Lifting his head gently fixing Wulf with a piecricing stare, hidden behind his mask, "very well then, climb in and tell me more about this Dark Spider of yours, it sounds vaguely reminescent of Diri E I G Ignen lore, something which I have an interest in, a healthy interest mind you if you study too much into a religon it often ends up devouring you," he would push open the door the his ATEJ and turn his head round to face the Xirnium Inquisitor, "I mean no offence Lord Inquisitor Gothar," there would be more than enough space in this one, but this would more than likely be the last group he was taking in, another old maxim should be complacancy in numbers, or something like that, Rey would muse, he would have to be on his toes, he had heard what he thought was one of those blasted cultists sayings being shreiked from far away, it was almost too unfortunate for it to be co-incidence, he would have to look into it later, if he got such an oppourtunity.

When Wulf and co were strapped on Rey would softly utter, "To Regal's Folly, and quickly I want us there before nightfall," The convoy of ATEJ's would silently accelerate into the distance, to Regal's Folly, and into the great unknown once more.

"Hmm, I like, excellent Specimens they will please Maljuras greatly, and him," a long hooked finger would be pointed at the "boss", "he shall be his avatar, he shall be garbed and mounted on the throne and shall for the moment be the god incarnate," the tall pale faced priest his high head gear swaying ominously, would turn to face the fanatical visage of a Covenant Guard, "prepare them for the ceremony, no foul ups Brother Tarlas," without further words the sinister priest would stalk off his ceremonial garb swaying around him as if the cold winds of hell emenated from his ghastly form. Brother Tarlas would grimace, the fools were starting to come round, he would turn around slightly and leer at a cohort of Blood Guard, "Get to work, bind them and bring them to me," the Blood Guard would give one shout, salute and storm into the prison crunching skull and bone alike in a horrible tempest of cracking, crunching and splintering fragments.

"Well we seem to have a long time, so I shall do as much justice as I may.

Years ago, 200 years after the end of the Planet Wars that united the two planets in our nation, a great and terrible darkness awoke.

Always deadly, with a mere presence that inspired people to feats of madness and death and destruction, the Dark Spider awoke. It had slumbered for millenia untold, and after the peace between the two planets, it desired the need for bloodshed.

It's coming was great, and every time that it killed it grew in power. To feed it drained the moisture from the air, and the greater it became, the greater it's hunger. Before 3 years it was sucking the moisture from up to 50 miles out of the air, human blood and everything.

A great army was sent to destroy it, but the Dark Spider first turned the army against itself, and it was ripped apart in strife. After a time only 200 remained, the die hards, and they advanced to destroyed the Dark Spider.

It ripped them apart in an orgy of bloodshed, and reanimated their bodies, after gorging itself on the remains of the men from the Madness.

Only 5,000 from each planet were left after the Dark Spider went into sleeping again, they hid in the tunnels and mountains for many many years.

When the nation had built itself up again, and the Dark Spider was nothing but ledgend and dark lore, it awoke again, only 23 years ago.

Alhuma, then Gravedash, went out into the desert area the ledgends said the Darkness slumbered.

It saw him from afar, and believed him to be easy prey, lost and alone. At this time the Dark Spider was only about the size of a car, and Alhuma took it down with shot from afar, before charging down and finishing it with a simple knife.

He came out of the wilderness, dry skinned and almost dead.

After recovering he won great renown, and he had an almost greater task to do. Rioting and civil war was rampant, the mere re-awakening of the Spider being enough to send men mad.

Alhuma did the impossible. He kept Fattie Slug together, he reunited us, and stopped the Dark Spider where an entire army, an entire people failed millenia ago.

"

The ATEJ would go flying over a dirt bank and making the minimum of noise, slosh back down to the ground, the thing was sturdily built and it seemed there was more to it than met the eye, Rey had been listening Intently to the story, it was certainly interesting to say the least, finally he would rouse his inquistive mind form it's inspired thoughts, "It is certainly an interesting tale, It bears some resemblance to the Final Victory the great hero, Voronzel Jindrax all hope seemed lost then too, that was of course a very long time ago," he would finish speaking, he was lost in thought, eveidently the story had some important meaning to it, his tone of voice had changed when he metioned that name, is had some sort of special significane to the Enforcers as they had raised their heads slightly, their masks lay on their laps, revealing their faces, impassive as usual, however though for a split second, eager pride had broken through, but just as quickly it had vanished.

"Now maybe you wuold care to tell me about this Diri E I G Ignen, and this Voronzel Jindrax"

I feel I owe all of you a massive apology for my disappearance almost a month ago. I really love to RP and have had threads die on my a few times over my short NS career and have found it to be an all around unpleasant experience. I would hardly wish it on someone else.

About a month ago shortly following my finals I was hit with some serious RL issues that took a while to sort out. I know you guys deserve an explanation, but it is very personal and I am not in the mood to talk about it at the moment. This event has not actually taken up the entire month, but I didn’t have the “will” to get back on to nationstates for a good deal of time, other than to answer a few issues. However, things are clearing up and I should be able to get back at it.

Once again I am terrible sorry, and you guys deserve better than this.

OOC: No problems think nothing of it, we understand RL takes priority over NS anyway. Fattie Slug Enjoy quite a tale.

IC: Rey's voice would seem to burn with an inner fire, "Very well, the Diri E I G Ignen were a reigous cult, they worshipped several gods, principal among them were, Maljuras great guardian of the gates of destiny and master of fate, another was Vidurrel Goddes of Existence and life, she gave birth to the world in which we live, and to many other worlds which fill the galaxy." he pauses for a moment as the ATEJ goes down a hill ensuring a bumnpy and gut wrenching few minutes, clearing his throat he continues," Next was Korodomir, Goddes of the lands beyond destiny, she had three avatars, one of good, one of evil and one of neutrality. She was also regareded as the goddess of Justuce. After her we have Hartrussen, the craftsman, he forged humans and is god of craftsmen. He often worked closely with Aku, The God of dreams and inspiration which reminds me I am forgetting the most Ironic god of them all, Jindrax, the great Dragon of wisdom and gifts, The Diri E I G Ignen beleived that a person was born with infinite potential, but they may only harness that potential through work, and through work they earn the gifts of Jindrax. It is curious however that a Man named for the giver of godly gifts to manking would be the ont to overthrow their priests." Rey would take a swig from a large black flask sighing with releif, he would pass another flask to Wulf before continuing on with his tale.

"Now we come to the story of Vorenzel Jindrax, he was a mighty warrior, a genius in the arts of governance, and war. He at one point was thought likely to become a priest of the Diri E I G Ignen, the people respected him greatly, and his wise judgements on all manner of issues was sought out by people from far and wide. However disaster struck, there was strife amongst the Covenant of Priests, they split into 2 factions under the aspects of 2 of the gods, Maljuras, and Vidurrel, the 2 that are forever opposed in war and often consorts in peace. Maljuras faithful troops were known as the Covenant Guard, and Vidurrel known as the Blood Guard. there were many attempts to court Vorenzel Jindrax, but he would have none of it, the war had resulted in many tragic massacre's and because of that he declared the Diri E I G Ignen and their whole religon the be traitors to the people, he denounced the priests as false and rallied together his faithful into his own faction, know as the Destiny Enforcers. The war raged on for a full 5 years, the Vidurrel faction being pushed back, eventually they were near defeat, however they had siezed the Temple Island of Atlantis, once said to be the location of Hartrussens' great forge, the island was fortifed by the Blood Guard and screened by a vast Blood Guard Fleet, from here the Blood Guard struck back, scattering the followers of Maljuras and in essence consuming them, at this moment Voronzel saw that his enemy was weak and struck at the heart of the Diri E I G Ignen's Strength, Atlantis itself.He rallied a great fleet and set sail."

Rey held his men in rapt awe, they had heard the story before, however though never from the commander, he was truly alive this moment, he would gesture with his hands and reach up to encompass seemingly the entire world at different times. Taking another draght from his flask he would continue once more his epic tale, " The Covenant Guard and the Blood Guard had joined together, they were brave, but foolish they fought like demons possessed, to defend the sacred isle, and with good reason, the priests there were attempting to awaken an ancient artifact, and to do so they had needed blood, a great slaughter had occured to fuel this dark engine of destruction with the people's lifeblood. Yet still it would not be empowered sufficiently. Eventually Voronzel's forces would break through, and a vast clash of 2 armies would take place, but the Blood Guard commanders woul be at a loss, where was their greatest of foes and foremost amonsgt warriors, Voronzel Jindrax and his loyal Enforcers?" Rey would pause for effect again taking an oppourtunity to take a drink from his flask, before continuing.

"They had gone to the great temple seeking to cut off the Diri E I G Ignen at the head, the high priests themselves, The Temple was heavily defended and it took fully the strength of all 500 Enforcers and Vornezel Jindrax and his legendary arms, The Temple was defended by Blood Guard, Covenant Guard and a dangerous new foe, Iron Maidens Hartrussens creation corrupted by the mournful blood of the Innocent, finally the foe's were slain, and at great cost, he had lost almost all of his brave comrades in arms, The Enforcers, he lost little time grieving, his task was too important to dela,y finally he stormed into the great chamber to find only one High Priest, the others had been slain on the battlefield. The High Priest would cackle maniacaly and challenge the great Vorenzel, sending great bolts of Crimosn lightning down on the last of Vornezel's great comrades, killing them instantly, only Voronzel now stood before him, again the priest would strike with the unholy lightning, the great Vorenzel would swing his mighty sword slicing through the lightning itself and embedding itself in the hateful skull of the priest, breaking the Diri E I G Ignen, that is the tale of Voronzel Jindrax, my friend. The Diri E I G Ignen were broken forever but one last mystery would surface 50 years later, the reconstruction of the lands were almost complete, and Voronzel made to lay his great sword in it's scabbard, no sooner had he done so then a great rumbling shook the land, inexplicably the Diri E I G Ignen's survinving temples had ascended to the skies, they ascended to the heavens seemingly vanishing forever, never to be seen again," Rey would lean back in his seat, the tale had been epic and he had poured his heart and soul into it, the Enforcers would cheer at their learned commander at the telling of the story, what Inquisitor Gothar's reaction was would be a mystery, the ATEJ would buck as it went through a rutt and in the distance, can be seen Regal's Folly, The STory had taken much time to tell but it had been worth it.

Wulf was speechless for a few moments, before drinking from the flask.

"That is a great tale. What happened to the Diri E I G Ignen then, where did their temples go?"

Rey would shrug noncommitedly, "We Simply do not know, Archivist Deral what say you on the matter?" Rey would turn slightly, facing questioningly the engrossed archivist, he would look up at the mention of his name, bewildered as usual, that a world outside of the Great Archive existed, a fact that amazed him to this day and would propably continue to do so until the day he died.

"Ah, well let's see, hmm. Let me think, The lost temples of the Diri E I G Ignen, now if I remember my Viginias right, and I beleive I have. The Temples went to a far off land, they did not leave this plane nor were they destroyed, Niretailion Tablets, now what was the section, ah D4, now there's a quote for this, "And the Temples will come to rest in a pyramid of eternal light, and from them shall once more storm the armies of blood and a dark covenant shall rise again, as the Torrken are further empowered by the misdeeds of the world, so shall Korodomir be clouded by the darkness and thus the light shall fade as the wolrd beyond returns to the lands before it," It's fairly roundabout, we're not sure what exactly the Pyramid of light is nor what Viginias means by the Torrken being further empowered, it's really quite interesting as we simply do not know, I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help." The Archivist would shrug again, the look on his face was one of great disapointment, he loved mysteries but he loved solved mysteries even better.

"There you have it Wulf, Apart from one of Viginias the Prophetess' Prediction we have no idea, We understand some of it though and it has rather startling implications, that is a story best left for another time perhaps, I see that we are near Regal's Folly, and about time as well," Rey would finish impaitently swiftly snatching up the radio and making several cryptic utterances in the strange Novan toungue, What would they find in Regal's Folly? They simply did not know...

Wullf turned to his team.

"Load up, I want every weapon fully field operational. Get NVGs and Thermal scopes ready, we may need them."

Wulf put his two SMGs into adapted shoulder holsters, then reached behind his back and gently withdrew the Sonic Mace. He turned the handle and a sub-sonic throb pulsed throug the vehicle, just once, too low to be heard by living ears, but felt by those closest.

All around him the other members of the squad adjusting their own Close combat weapons, changing settings and powering them up.

"Each of these weapons was used by one of our Nation's leaders, we are their descendants mostly, and we inherited them."
Wulf said to no one in particular.

OOC: Ok not 100% sure what is happening now, but let me see if I got it straight. All the “original” SF teams are almost at regals folly, and the blood guards and the crazed general have begun the summoning? If this is wrong my response may be a bit off. Damn it is good to be back.

IC: The land was twisted, bits of rock emerged like great claws of some elemental beast waiting to snuff out the last vestiges of light in this land. Shadows, that were no so much incorporeal things now, but liquid darkness flowing from rock to rock, poison to life itself, encroached on the approaching vehicles. Terrible eyes, human and… otherwise seemed to peer out from this shifting dark, slavering maws and terrible claws just visible to the imagination. Among it all however, a single dark that made each shadow glow like the brightest noon seems to sit still at the heart of Regal’s Folly, among the low office buildings and tenements.

The fact slowly became terribly evident. This was no stealth assault, no military action, the men approached with the sinister grace of the darkness about them. They were an island among a sea of night, darkness before them, darkness behind them, ever threatening to engulf.

As the looming towers of Regal’s Folly grew even taller, more ominous with each passing moment among the crags, the air began to grow heavy. As the thin veil that separated the insane and unnatural from the sane clean world most knew, threatened to break at any moment. The cries a million dead could be heard echoing about the men, just beyond focus. As the ATEJ crested a final ridge, they were confronted by a terrible and unexpected sight.

Men, terrible degenerate men, that seemed to have been abandoned by evolution a millennia too early stood rank upon rank. They stood varied as the tumultuous earth about them. Some stood short, stalky, with deep and hateful eyes, flesh bulging with sores and abuse. Some were tall, proportions all wrong, with smiles that stretched just a little too far across the face. Only one trait united these terrible men, these terrible sub-humans, a terrible and unbreakable stare towards the approaching vehicles.

From there ranks marched one, more terrible and mutilated than any other. In one hand he held a cannon, far too large for any normal man to wield. In the other was banner that fluttered in a dark breeze, shapes shifting on its inky surface. If one looked close enough they may have glimpsed a helm, a shape to terrible for words materializing for just a moment on its surface. He marched, without falter towards the approaching vehicles and stopped planting the banner in the ground, bits of darkness curling up about him as if on a pilgrimage.

His great cancerous mouth slowly opened, and he paused for a second, as it recalling what it was to speak, the only language he had known for a century was that of blood, grime, and death. After a seeming eternity passed, a great croaking emerged from him, “What brings you to… our humble land?”

As this question resonated through the air, it became evident this damned army numbered in the tens of thousands. Men emerged from rocks, flanked by beasts both explainable and beyond words. The darkness that had sat cold and calculating at the city center began to move towards the mortals, always just beyond view.

The broken figure of a man smiled with what little remained of his face, “Perhaps you should answer to my lord and master…”

OOC: Meh not great or long, but wanted to get something in.

(unsubscribing)

Wulf looked out of the windows, then back at the man in front of him.

"This is your call, but I think we might be a little overmatched."

His grim look told his men that he didn't want to leave this place, until every single one of those abbhorations was killed.

OOC: Check your TG's you'll find that on the Blood Guard front it couldn't be farther from the truth, waiting for Xirnium and co to come back when they have a spare moment, Xirnium said he';ll be a few days but it'll be interesting when he does return to say the least heh.

OOC: Come on Novacom, I have a post unreplied to and ure online

ooc: has this died?

Bump