[hr][center][color=808B96][color=A56062][h2][b]M a x[/b][/h2][/color]Southeastern Mir [b]-[/b] The Fall[/color][/center]
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[b][i]“It is important that this package makes it to Merecc in a timely fashion. Do not try to unlock it. Do not try to scan it. Do not try to acknowledge it. It is just a box that needs to go to Merecc as far as you are concerned. Your account will be paid in full on its safe arrival.”[/i][/b]

The mysterious collector and his mission. In retrospect, Maxwell Stone wasn’t sure what to make of it, though he was one-hundred percent focused on the fact he would get [i]paid[/i] for delivering such a light load only a few faction territories over from where he typically operated. Had Max ever considered the implications of such a mission he probably would’ve realized sooner that this supposedly simple delivery was a lot more dangerous and complicated than presented to him. But as a courier, it was his job to [i]deliver[/i] and not to think. On some days he wondered if it was worth all of the stress of dealing with all of the pirates and thieves he had come to blows with over the years following the disbandment of the flight squadron that had earned him his wings. On other days he wouldn’t have it any other way; after all, Max Stone lived a life of thrill seeking adventure with a southern beer in one hand and a serviceman revolver in the other.  

And today? Today was turning out to be a little bit of both. 

As the pilot pushed his plane across the Thorek Sea several aircraft's had dropped from the cloud overhead, unmarked and armed to the teeth. A fact Max realized he was contending with when he had to dodge the hail of gunfire rupturing from the armed biplanes that intended to cause the courier plane to crash into the ruins below. But it was going to take a little more than some cloud-touched bastards to turn him into dog’s breakfast. As the metallic clank of metal hitting metal echoed in the skies, in the cockpit of the targeted aircraft, the red-furred Novan Hedgehog scowled as he crushed the can of beer that was in his hands before tossing it to take hold of the reins of the aircraft before the hull was torn into a mesh of swiss cheese.

[color=A56062]“What the hell? You think you can get the drop on me?!”[/color] He shouted, surprised at the encounter, as he tilted the plane looking for the best possible way out of the mess he now found himself in.

His brows narrowed, as he noticed the large expanse of wooded trees in the distance. As a Novan he had heard the stories about it. He knew what the forest was said to be. His superstitious sister, Yara, called it The Fall and possibly the most dangerous location in the entire world—even more than the warzone that was happening between factions like Urvask and Lsos or the problems with one of the airship federations starting to make large scale weapons to sink faction ships. Max was a pragmatist, not an idealist. So tall tales about the gigantic forest was not in his vocabulary nor did he ever want them to be. That aside, he knew the forest for some reason was a health hazard for flying aircrafts so much to the point the airship federations gave it a wide berth despite the historical, cultural, and spiritual value the ruins underneath the endless sea of trees held. It did mean two things, however. If he flew over the forest the pirates were going to back off or they would crash into the forest with him. A decent gambit for his perspective.

As smoke began to leave his airplane he bit his lip, taking a glance to where he kept the parachute. At least his trip to Merecc was going to be anything but boring. As Max started to reach the overhead of the forest he noticed his radio turn into static before his engines going dark in what seemed like an instant. He raised a brow as the plane began to violently plummet into the forest. 

	[color=A56062][i]Guess that’s why they call it haunted or something. Whatever, I’m not scared of a stupid forest.[/i][/color]

The thought graced his mind as he shuffled out of his seat and prepared to jump out and descend into the forest. He couldn’t have been more wrong about the dangers The Fall held for him.  

[color=A56062]“Well... here goes nothing.”[/color] He muttered under his breath as he slammed his foot on the door of the plane.