[b][u]Outskirts of Kerovnia
Entering the ruined park
Status: Grazed[/u][/b]

That thing was well-made, Zsresrinn had to admit. Even half-shredded, blasted from all sides and set on fire, the automaton not only kept painting targets for the floater far in the back, but it did not even stop shooting. Most Pact battle constructs she had seen had gone down to less; Abyss rot it, even Leaguer hunter-killer drones did not always take that much to crack. She amped her beam’s intensity in a surge, less in any real attempt to weaken the bio-construct than in irritation at it refusing to die despite her efforts. Every moment it survived it was an asset to the enemy. Delaying them. Destroy it.

Focused on her attack, she did not expect it to strike back so suddenly, or so fast. In a moment’s spasm, it was aiming at her. Almost. The remains of the evzredigor fog had thrown it slightly off-mark, but not by much. Not enough. Her plates had converged on her front as she had stopped to face the construct. Too little protection against the creature’s heavy weapon. She flinched aside as the cannon fired, her own beam trailing off in a scorching line before being extinguished. Impact, burning heat on her side. The core of the piercing volley had gone past, but its edge gouged a charred trench into her flank. The cool from the pain suppressors kicked in, but this time it could not fully cover the sting. Fighting hormones rose in response.

[i]Hit back,[/i] was her first impulse, [i]destroy[/i]. But then their contact called again, reminding her of the rest of the enemies. The floater would have time to kill her if she closed in now; useless. Their allies - they were not with the attackers, right now, so they were allies - must have had better intel. They would know when and how to engage best. For now, following their lead was the best she could do.

With a leap, Zsresrinn pushed herself further from the rampaging automaton and the thundering mortar blasts. She edged past the skeleton of an abandoned vehicle, and crossed over the seared ground to the gate. The mortar did not track her. Fortunate. Their contact’s forces finally came into view.

“Affiliated?” she scraped, coming to a stop near the likewise approaching Silver. “Gnosis-Eaters?” They had sworn by Kirvan’s name. “Dolsilvec?”