“We land on the grounds of the royal place per our request beyond the reach of the public, from our landing point it's about twenty paces to the door.” Captain Rekks went over the plans yet another time. Only thirty five years of age, he looked at least ten years older from the stress. The only son of a minor noble in the inner territories who joined the military to go make a name for himself. Serving with distinction he was transferred to the Imperial Royal Guard and become captain three years earlier.
“Captain. No offense but is this really all necessary?” Colette questioned after holding her tongue for the last hour or so of the security briefing.
“Necessary? Of course it is! The Imperial Majesty entrusts me with your continued safety and we are going into heart of enemy territory here.” The captain insisted.
“Yes and my father is a very smart man for that,” Colette started, “but this isn’t a military operation captain. We are an envoy of peace are we not?”
How will I convince an entire nation that peace is opportune if I can’t even convince my own soldiers? Colette thought to herself as the disbelief began to form over the Rekks features. He attempted to speak mouth forming words but without sound. Finally he seemed satisfied and swallowed a handful of air before he spoke.
“With all do respect my lady. These people are savages and brigidiands. I wouldn't even blink an eye if they decided to try and attack us. Peace will only come once we crush them beneath our heels.” he asserted. Colette was to respond but the sound of instruments and navigation equipment blaring filled the the bridge of the Palatine.
“Captain you should see this.” A slightly panicked voice of the navigation officer called out.
Rekks give Colette a curt bow before turning around and walking quickly towards the navigation officers post. She was working at a tense and deliberate speed cycling through different commands and panels on her console. She gestured at the display ahead of her. A map displaying the Mist currents in the air, vital as to not distribute the reactor which powers the great airship. “Look.”
Colette remained where the captain had left her but shifted to the side to peer at the console. A large concentration of Mist colored an angry red upon the map moving straight towards them. A Mist storm. Mist storms were not an unheard occurrence the large deposits of arcane energy sometimes gathered into powerful destructive vacuums of energy that could alter the very fabric of reality around them. Though this was odd, such storms usually occurred in the wilds and untamed lands far beyond the reaches of civilization where such mist levels could be reached.
“Brace for impact!” Rekks shouted over the roar of the instruments as Colette turned her head toward the viewports gripping the table ahead of her. Per the nature of the Mist such storms were nearly invisible unless you knew what to look for. Colette in her extensive studies had learned some of the signs. She watched closely as the sky outside the viewpoint began to shimmer ever so slightly like a pebble had just been dropped into a lake. The shimmer grew in intensity faster and harder until the entire outside world became unrecognizable blur. The ship rumbled and shook and then it all stopped. The ship made it through the ‘otherside’.
The fading sunset cast sky had been replaced with a shining sea of stars. The land below looked completely different even as the bridge crew frantically tried to regain control of the situation. We teleported? Colette wondered though her thoughts were cut short.
“Captain...” She voiced.
“I see it.”
A large military like vessel hovered in front of them. Dark as the sky around them the entire vessel seemed to shimmer in and out of view as if the light was bending around it. It wasn’t nearly as large as the Palatine but unlike the large diplomatic cruiser this ship was obviously meant for battle.
“Is it from Rassvet?” Rekks called aloud, clutching at the gunblade at his hilt as if it would do something.
“Not that we know of sir.”
“What in the spirit's name is going on.”
Almost as if it was answering his question, the mysterious ship began to open fire on the Palatine. A sea of fire was released from the ship as heavy cannons tored into the Palatine. Warning sirens began to blare as multiple consoles on the bridge began to glow red. Colette almost fell to the ground from the force of the impact if it were not for Ardin next to her who gently held her up. She looked towards him, his face stern even as his eyes casted his unease plain and clear.
“Get the princess to the escape craft now!” Rekks yelled towards Ardin who nodded as we already dragging Colette by the hand out of the bridge most of the security team following them. Personally rushed frantically around them as they moved towards their battle stations. All the while the mysterious ship continued its bombardment.
As the made there way down a hallway the outer wall exploded. Ardin threw his hand up reflexively a barrier appearing and halting the shrapnel in mid-air. The cold wind whipped into the ship along with smell of smoke. Something came flying through the now opened access point. Smashing into the wall. Everyone froze as it slowly began to untangle itself and pull its way off of the wall.
Standing so tall it brushed against the ceiling as its eyes glowed to life. One of the large fists quickly transforming into a giant cannon of sorts.
The royal guards rushed past them to engage the new foe. Without thinking Ardin pulled her down a connecting side passageway. A voice came over the intercom speaker distorted more static than anything else. “Intruders have boarded the ship. Repeat intruders have boarded the ship.”
The wall to the left of them exploded as one of the robots was thrown through it a giant spike of ice protruding from his chest as it crashed into the far wall. Out from the hole that was punched through the door one of the Imperial mages stepped outwards staff still glowing. A cadre of soldiers pouring outward around her. She looked at Ardin and nodded.
“Do you know what’s happening sir?”
“Not the faintest idea.” It was at this point that the robot eyes began to glow again and with surprisingly quick speed it grabbed the soldier closest to it and easily crushed him in its hands as it rose upward.
“Run.” The mage insisted as she turned away from the pair muttered underneath her breath as her staff began to glow once more.
Ardin and Colette made there way through the ship with speed avoiding contact with the many assailants continually being launched into the ship. They made their way down to the shuttle bay. Off from the main hangar it was used primarily in situations such as these to allow for VIPs and others to be able to escape if the Palatine was ever compromised not that the engineers ever imagined such a day would come. As they made their way across the catwalk connecting to the shuttle the ceiling above them buckled and burst open and two of the robots landed in front of them.
“Stand back.” Ardin command as he drew his rapier from its sheath.
“I can fight.” Protested Colette but he just shook his head slowly never losing eye contact with the machines. Body in a easy defense stance he watched and waited.
One of the machines raised its arm already in cannon formation and fired. Ardin flicked his hands creating the same barrier that he had made before catching the flechettes that were expended. Rather than letting them drop as he had earlier with a simple flick of his hands they shot back at the robot at twice the velocity slamming hard into its chest. There was enough force to send the robot careening off the edge and tumbling through the open sky below.
The other moved quickly rushing forward Ardin dodged out of the way as the fist came colliding with the ground though the force of the impact was still enough to throw him from his feet. He looked up at the robot that towered over him and began to mutter a spell as it raised its fist to crush him. Yet before the spell could be released an arrow slammed into the exposed circuitry around the neck and upon impact released a jolt of electricity through the machine stunning it. Seizing the opportunity Ardin rose and with a flick of his rapier severed the head from the chassis.
He looked towards Colette the bow that she had materialized in her hand already vanishing into dust. She gave him a small grin. “If you didn’t want me to fight. You shouldn't of taught me.”
Despite the situation Ardin chuckled. “Get in.”
Colette made her way around the robot and into the shuttle where she began the startup sequence. As Ardin turned to follow her inside a voice called out to him.
“And where do you think you are going Mister Kazmyr?”
Ardin pressed a button on the console sealing the shuttle door as he turned around weapon drawn.
As they reached the crash site the group began to spread out slowly beginning a simple Encirclement procedures around the circular depression. The centuries old trees around them were either burning pyres at this point or had their thick trunks snapped like a child’s toy in a tantrum from the force of the shockwave. The heat could be felt through their boots snapping upward trying to latch onto them. The occasional rustle of movement was heard and they all tensed before it was revealed to be a rabbit or deer running out of the danger that they were heading into. Looking up past the canopy the assault craft that had brought the ship down had seemed to have vanished from sight but if one watched carefully they could see the faint flickering outline hidden amongst the dark sky.
Setzer made no moves to hide himself or go undetected. As massive as he was such moves would've only been pushing back the inevitable. Heavy footfalls cracked scattered branches and twigs beneath his feet. He did not focus upon the movements around him which he knew were his friends, he didn’t focus on the oppressive heat the surrounded him getting hotter and hotter as they approached the epicenter of the explosion. What he did focus on was his breathing slow and steady. 1....2....3...4...5 Inhale. 1....2...3...4...5 Exhale. He repeated the process over and over again as the trees began to vanish around him and the ground sloped steadily downward into a crater as he arrived on the lip of the crash site,
What remained of the Imperial vessel crackled with flame. The shattered levithan lay in two halves standing this close what had appeared large in the sky was now enormous. Larger than some towns in Rassvet the great machine lay its metal twisted and warped. He could feel the disturbance in the air now oversaturated with Mist from the explosion. He watched small pockets of reversed gravity with rocks and pieces of scrap metal ascended into the air, areas were sparks of electricity appeared and disappeared with no discernible source. It felt like a heavy pressure pressing down upon his shoulders.
Slowly he raised a hand towards his ear and channeled the mist around him. It was one of the most basic techniques that the WARDENs learned and one of the only ones that Setzer himself could do with practical ease. He focused on the images of his friends and plucked on the invisible strings of Mist that connected them allowing for communication at a distance. Feeling the connecting take root he spoke quietly as he peered over the lip of the crater. The words coming to them as a quiet whisper on the wind.“I’m going in.”
With that Sezter slide his way down into the crater. His face scrunching up and fighting back the urge to cough because of the smoke that filled the air. As he moved about the debris careful to avoid the various magical disturbances. The sound of metal scraping across the ground drew his attention downward and he looked down ward tensing up. Some sort of large robot was dragging itself towards him. Missing its legs, one arm and half of its head, using its only remaining arm it moved slowly towards him. Glowing eyes flickering in and out. Right as it reached him the eyes shut off completely and the carcass came to a halt.
“Got some sort of robot here.” Setzer spoke as he peered down to examine it further. “Doesn’t look like anything we make or even Vangar work for that matter.”
With some level of effort he managed to flip it over and peer at its front side. He took into account the bullet holes and other assorted damage that certainly did not occur during the fall. The plating itself despite the heat around them was cool to the touch. His eyes focused upon the blood stained hand though coated with white flecks of bone. He looked up towards the sky where he knew the mysterious ship was still watching overhead. “Maybe it came from our mysterious friends.”
He stood up and made his way deeper into the wreckage. As he passed through he began to some more human bodies some in better shape than others. They were most definitely from Vangar but it was strange. They were not in the normal gear that was accustomed to the raiding parties. There uniforms seemed more ceremonial than anything else. This wasn’t what he was expecting at all. “Yo Galahad, Gideon either of you recognize these uniforms? Cause these ain’t standard military types that's for sure.”
His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a groan of pain. He turned and saw movement beneath a broken off piece of the ship. He rushed over and ignoring the burning sensation of his hands against hot metal he lifted the piece off of whoever lay below. Letting it drop to the ground next to him with a thud. An older man looked up at him, graying mustache burnt and singed, he wore the dress uniform of a Vangar officer adorn with medals twisted and some only pools of metal liquid at this point. His torso had been blown open and entrails spilled out easily from within and despite it all he somehow managed to stay alive.
“Stay with me old man.” Setzer spoke as he knelt down to try and assist the man. He froze as the man placed a blood soaked hand upon his face pulling his head to look at him. His voice was weak and was almost lost on the roar of the fear around him.
“The girl....” Before he could say anything else his eyes closed and the hand fell limp from Setzer face leaving a bloody smear. He pulled away and looked following the bloody path that the man had dragged himself across before the part had fallen atop of him. He was heading in the direction of what seemed to be a shuttle of sorts that had crashed on the outer lip of the crater apparently having not been able to get out of the ship in time.
Slowly Setzer made his way over as he did he conjured up his sword. Feeling the heavy weight suddenly press down upon his back as it took form from the Mist around him. The weight gave him an ease of comfort as he grabbed the handle as he neared the shuttle. Despite the crash it had seemed that the shuttle was in relatively good condition. Protocol would of stated that Setzer should of waited for the others before he opened the vessel but protocol had seemed to vanish out the window in its entirely. The door to the shuttle had been jammed shut in the crash but that wouldn't stop Setzer slowly using his blade he prayed the metal open like a human can opener pulling the doors open.
Almost immediately an arrow shot outwards from the darkness of the cabin slamming into Setzer’s shoulder. He stumbled backwards clutching the arrow breaking off the shaft as he whispered underneath his breath to his friends. “We got a live one here guys.”
Another arrow shot forward but this time Setzer was ready and he deflected it was ease. He peered into the darkness and he could just make out the outline of two blue staring back at him. A voice called back shaking but surprisingly composed given the circumstances.
”I suggest you get the fuck back.”
Rockette
vietmyke
Izurich
Ti
AlteredTundra
