[center][color=silver][h1]Faith's soldiers[/h1][/color][/center] [center]Collab of [@wildman13] and [@Necroknight] [/center] [hr] [center][h3]Italy, Vatican City[/h3][/center] [indent][indent] Task Force Vizima kept on moving through the bloodied streets of Rome, heading for their target: the Vatican. Namely with such chaos and destruction happening throughout the word - some people had turned like always in times of peril to faith. Currently several hundred of such people of Catholic faith, some from AESR and a few from the Germanic Republic had been assembled and sent to rescue Pope Franciscus. The Vatican was not like what it used to looked like, as palisades and rubble decorates the streets of what was once the capital of faith. But, something was odd in the air, there was only a handful of greenies were guarding the entrances of the holy city. But, the oddest thing was that there was a huge crowd of civilians just inside the city. The SpecOps Forces nonetheless kept moving into the place, after dealing with the monsters desecrating the seat of the Holy See - as they moved inside and quickly asked the civilians where the Pope was located at. The people that were in the crowd were walking aimlessly, gnawing as the men pass them and it seems that any kind of interaction with them seem to bear fruit, as they weakly push, claw, or react violently as they get near. Until, someone tried to pinned one of the men to the ground. The Operatives quickly reacted, pulling out a knife and plunging it into the head of the attacker - namely straight through the temple - a quick and clean kill. "We gotta move, these people have gone mad..." As the stench of blood and flesh reaches the others, they quickly turned to where it was coming, spotting the body lying in a puddle of blood. Soon, they race their way to it and devoured the flesh clean through the bones. Unsatisfied, the mob turns its bloodlustful eyes to your group. Soon, numerous blood culturing screams fills the area, as they start racing towards them. "Hostile. Drop 'em," called the Captain of the group - as the unit soon pulled and deployed grenades that soon started releasing a white smoke cloud. As soon as bodies started entering the cloud - they soon started dropping as well. The smoke itself obscuring their senses and the white phosporous itself burning their uncovered skin and burning them from within. Soon, piles of bodies start to stack up, as numerous similar screams starts to echo throughout the city, all of which gets closer and closer as time goes by. But, as the screams starts to corner and encircle the group, a nearby door flies open followed by a yell telling them all to get inside. The soldiers soon deployed flashbangs to cover their retreat - essentially blinding the charging horde - as much as them being disoriented from the smoke. Before the SpecOps unit simply vanished away from the eyes of the ghouls. In truth, they had taken refuge in the door that had been provided to them. "Are you crazy!" A man wearing clerical clothing yells out, as he quickly closes the door. "Are you trying to get yourselves killed." He follows up, as he locks the door soon after. Afterwards, he grabs his gun as he peeks at the window making sure that they were safe. The streets were swarming with the creatures, feasting on what remains of their former allies. "Where is Pope Franciscus?" asked one, not minding what they had done or the fact that they almost had gotten caught. "The pope was captured." One sadly answers. "A few days ago, while we were evacuating, the greenies got to him." One recalls. "So, you're the rescue that we heard about?" One of them tautly asks "Sure took your sweet time." He continues mocking the group. "Where. Is. He?" repeated one soldier, whose face was obscured by a gas-mask. Far from being regular soldiers, these seemed to be more...fanatical. "His at the basilica." He answers. "Where the greenies have taken up camp." He continues as a hint of sadness begins to show from his face. "His at god's side." He ends as points at the small hole in the roof, which slightly shows the roof of the basilica. "He dead? Or is he still alive?" asked another, checking his clip and ammunition. The soldiers were crazy or desperate enough to straight up charge the Basilica to get him. "How many greens are there?" added another. "Too many, not to mention that's where they make the lifeless." He points out "And even if you were able to get there and save the pope, how can you even get him out safely?" he questions as he picks up his gun. "You need to lead us all to safety." He commanded to the soldiers "We must safe, as much as we can, in order for Christianity to survive." He adds "It’s too late for the pope but, it isn't for us." he continues, pointing to the other priest and survivors in the room. "We have a rescue coming in - but the Pope will be coming out of this alive," replied Captain Segrius - as he cocked his shotgun. "How many of us, is a different story." These soldiers were determined, the Pope WOULD be rescued - if all of the unit had to die, then so be it. But faith needed to be restored - especially since they seemed to be desecrating the bodies of their own people. "Can you make it to the Colliseum? Rescue will be coming there - I can have some of my men, escort you there but we will get to the Pope. Any shortcuts or shall we smash in through the front like the Crusaders of old?" he asked. "There is a quicker way." One of them answered, pointing to the cellar of the room. "The sewers." He continues but, by the looks of how it was sealed off and the looks of the people, it’s not going to be safe. "We sealed off the tunnels because of the mini green infestations going on." one of them elaborates with a worried look. "We lost so much." He adds with deep sorrow. The people sighed in relief as they start packing up with hope in their eyes, the priest and some volunteers have taken the liberty of going down into the city’s sewer systems, making sure that the path was clear enough or some of it was relatively safe. "We can take care of our own." One of the armed priest said as he takes out his rifle. "There are still some pockets of resistance shattered around the city and most of them will gladly fight with you, they just need to know when. He brings out a small map of the city showing it to the captain "We have agreed that the signal would be the bell of the basilica." He said as he the others start to head to the colliseum. "make sure that you bring him back." He said as he finally leaves with the rest of the civilians. The Captain nodded in reply and soon deployed his soldiers into the sewers. Their gas masks and superior training and equipment making it easier to navigate the place...and deal with any goblins in the place. The road to the Colliseum was a treacherous one, but the soldiers lead the civilians and surviving priests well. Once there, they started fortifying the location. Readying barricades and flares. It was half an hour later before the bell started ringing. It's holy call alerting many in the Vatican. That was the signal as green flares were popped. In the streets of Vatican City - there was a dash to the Colliseum. As the soldiers and resistance fighters were keeping one man protected in the center. The man was holding up a green flare. It was Franciscus, as above them an AC-130 air-ship was unleashing destruction with its arnaments at anything that wasn't covered by green smoke. It spoke of the level of equipment, men and sacrifice that they were willing to give to rescue the holy man. A man of both faith and decency before this horror. Soldiers dropped smoke, bullets even themselves at the feet of the Invaders. Nothing was stopping them from getting to the Colliseum. When half of their people were dead, did the Roman structure open its gates and allow salvation inside. The remaining soldiers creating a circle of defense around the people. "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Send them to the Pits of Damnation!" roared the soldiers, both men and women amongst their ranks. The bell signaled the start of chaos, as houses opened and with them priest and civilians armed with whatever that they can find started pouring out into the streets. Soon, arrows and guns started firing as the liberation of the Vatican was under way. The remaining Swiss Guard joined the fray as limbs started flying all around. As hundreds started to drop under puddles of their own blood. The lifeless started attacking and overwhelming the resistance as they started ripping through the human fighters. It was only about time before the greenies started pressing the advantage, not knowing the true intentions of the humans, as they ripped bodies in half, to crushing their enemies with their weapons. "DAMN HUMANS." A large orc yells out as he accurately picks off the humans with his war bow. "GET THE GIANTS." He ordered as two Ogres emerged from a large nearby stack of rubble. The appearance of these creatures has tilted the battle towards the greenies as the thick hide of the creatures were too tough to penetrate with the weapons they had, which the orcs used as giant shields. The AC-130 was able to rip through the Ogres hides like butter but, one was not enough as the combined force of the lifeless and the greenies shattered the resistance into dust. Soon, what remains of the resistance fled in all directions as some took the chance to flee the city into Rome, while most found themselves to the coliseum. As civilians and soldiers alike were defending the life of someone important, as they used the walls of the structure to pick off the invaders and using the numerous trapped doors to mount several ambushes inside the monument. Wounded and exhausted the resistance did everything they can in order to save the life of their families and the life of the Pope, the symbol of morality and Christianity left in this world. "FOR OUR LORD." One of them yells out as he mounted the machine gun on the top of the walls as he rained down bullets to the monsters. "FOR THE GLORY OF CHRIST." Another yell out as he charges into the horde with a shotgun in hand, blasting everything that could get near him, until he was decapitated by a clean cut from a nearby orc axe into his neck. Soon, numerous cried were held and fanatic humans crashed blades with the orcs but, did little to no damages when their blades bounces off the orc' armors. And soon most of the Swiss Guards were killed. And what remained was trying to buy as much time as they can for the Pope. "FOR EARTH MOTHER." The orcs furiously cried out, as they slowly overwhelm what remains of the human resistance. Soon enough the yells were drowned out under the whirl of minigun and missile fire - as three helicopters and five VTOLs around hovered into the Colliseum. They were armed with guns that easily cleared the surrounding area clear and allowed the soldiers some breathing space. "Come on! Come on! We don't have alot of time!" yelled the pilot - as the helicopters hovered over-head to keep the Invaders at bay. As those who remained created a circle around the civilians - as they beasts seemed eager to crawl in from everywhere. It didn't help as near the end - the soldiers were running low on ammunition. It was at these moments, that men would fall into despair. Instead, those that remained - the men and women picked up the halberds of the Swiss Guard and in a religious fervor - started to hold back the Invaders on their terms. Singing in fervor - that would drown-out in voice even that of the orcs. "For the grace, for the might of our Lord. For the home of the holy. For the faith, for the way of the sword. Give our lives so boldly!" they roared. "For the grace, for the might of our Lord. In the name of His glory!" "Dying for salvation with dedication! No capitulation, annihilation! Papal commendation, reincarnation! Heaven is your destination!" "Dying for salvation with dedication! No capitulation, annihilation! Papal commendation, reincarnation! Heaven is your destination!" [center][img]http://www.yahweh.com/images/newsletter/10-2010/RomeBURNING.gif[/img][/center] "IN THE NAME OF GOD!" they roared, who didn't fall or die even when their limbs were carved off - as the last push gave the Pope and the citizens time to board and lift off. As red smoke was deployed - and overheard, German fighters zeroed in on the Colliseum and gave the dead soldiers a warrior' burial by denying the orcs the chance to defile their corpses. As the Colliseum was fire-bombed. As the VTOL's soon switched to flight mode and flew off - accompanied by the helicopters and jets behind them. [center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/b833bff4-c6ec-4ea7-a872-c52b67ccd763.jpg[/img][/center] They would be taken to the Czech Republic - now a safe harbor, as the two titans of AESR and Germanic Republic kept the monsters away from that last haven of peace. [img][/img][/indent][/indent]