[h3][center][b][u]March 11th, 2045 - 14:19pm - Forges Region - Ignis Citidel, Texas, USA[/u][/b][/center][/h3][hr] [center][A XianaEvermor / Fate0013 Collaboration][/center] Forgemaster was putting the finishing touches on Yue's Drachenmail, polishing out the embellishments on the helm, and wiring the delicate sensory equipment in its articulated ears. He ignored the DPS vs. Tank banter of the other two nerds in his chamber, concentrating on his work. It was a massive upgrade: battered and worn mundane armor replaced with a highly polished and embellished, nigh indestructible Tinker-Alloy of his own make. The flexibility of Steel combined with the hardness of Chromium, and the heat and corrosion resistance of Tantalum, all at a fraction of the mass of Tungsten and in the gleaming silver of the Templar's namesake. The best part is that the Dragon theme embellishments and runic engravings would glow orange (but not deteriorate or deform) when heated by the adiabatic compression of Yue's acceleration to super-speed. Form. Function. Fashion. ...Fabulous. Based on the way Yue pawed and fawned all over it, it was safe to say she was a satisfied customer. With her suit being nearly finished, Alex opted to leave Yue to fawn over the armor. He didn't really understand the need for the "ears" to be articulated but Forgemaster seemed compliant to add it in to the finishing touches. Even if he wasn't a tinker, Alex thought it seemed a touch impractical to add a motorized moving part on a brute's suit. Then again, it wasn't his so why dwell on it? He returned his focus to his order Forgemaster had finished recently. The resistance suit was a full body harness with a wide assortment of springs, hydraulics, and other movement impairing mechanisms. Alex's physical abilities had gotten to the point that weight lifting and conventional forms of training on its own was giving him diminishing returns. He was struck with the idea that he might even need something like a gravity chamber or under water rig later down the road. Enhanced density was annoying in its own ways. Excitable. Inquisitive. Her wide, burgundy eyes practically twinkled with levity as she danced to-and-fro about the workbench, examining every detail, finding every hidden reference to Final Odyssey (and quoting the supporting lore verbosely). It was a far departure from the "Stoic Enforcer" the media made out Silver Fang to be, mused Alex. At least.... until something else caught her attention. All of a sudden she was laser focused on something outside the chamber. Her gaze could have melted a hole through the Ferro-crystalline walls of the Citadel. It drew Forgemaster's gaze as well, but all he saw were the armor and weapon displays on the Southeast wall. [b][color=#CE2B95]"Did either of you hear something?"[/color][/b] She asked, stepping away from the workbench. Suddenly she braced, covering her face as if to shield her face from a bright flash. Something hit the citadel shortly after, a distant peal of thunder ripping through the chamber and filling their minds with discordant screaming and tumultuous whispers. The sheer pressure on his being forced him to a knee, and Yue crumpled lamely to the floor. Yue's suddenly random comment drew his attention away from his thoughts and the ungodly bulky piece of equipment. Alex didn't get the chance to comment however when what felt like an entire hive of hornets began stabbing into his brain at once. The suit dropped to the floor without a sound. Alex couldn't hear anything as he desperately grabbed his head, trying to make pain stop. He didn't even have the urge to scream as his body seized up in pain. Only able to register the constant hot Stabbing and deafening lack of noise. When it finally stopped Alex jerked upright with a gasp of relief. Body covered in a cold sweat, he couldn't tell how long it had lasted. The only sign of whatever that was had happened to him was the dull ringing he could still hear in his head. Also, he had apparently collapsed on the floor from the pain. And maybe slammed against the floor a few too many times if the dents were any indication. Guess Forgemaster didn't make the floors all that indestructible. [color=deepskyblue]" Fucking hell what even was that?"[/color] Alex took a second to rub his eyes and temples to try and calm his nerves. Forgemaster pulled Yue's limp body up onto one of the workbenches. He quickly checked her pulse and listened for breath. [b][color=#EF3F16]"She's still breathing,"[/color][/b] he called out in Alex's direction. Her skin had a sickly, death-like pallor but she seemed to be otherwise unharmed. Several minutes went by, and there was quickly a bustle in the chamber as the facility medical team was summoned to assess. The subsiding tension was interrupted by the sound of of commotion from the corridor outside. One of the facility technicians slid breathlessly through the door. [b][color=#EF3F16]"Spit it oud, Kid, what's the matter?!"[/color][/b] [b]"APEX!! Hazard 5, closing fast from the Southeast!"[b] He shouted breathlessly from the door. There wasn't so much a response from Alex as there was simple a held thumps up in Forgemaster's general direction as Alex stayed on the floor a moment longer. Unfortunately it didn't seem like the universe was gonna give anyone a moment of relief today. Even with hearing that Yue was ok. when he heard the news from the technician there was a momentary sinking feeling in Alex's chest at the announcement of a Hazard 5 closing in. [color=deepskyblue]" You've got to be kidding me."[/color] Hazard levels were a classification originally coined by researchers topside in regards to the level of danger an Apex creature posed. Each being a super powered and deadly organism, it was arguable why and how you could classify a level of threat from something that was a walking disaster. Dispite The absurdist it was actually quite simple. The more an Apex's body glowed and the brighter it was, the higher its Hazard level. A soft light between areas of skin or scales along with glowing eyes and mouth? That's a Hazard level 1 or 2 at worst. The entire creatures body looks like every inch of it has neon bright bioluminescence? That's a 5 right there. The Glowing was a sign of the creatures biological energy output supercharging its cells and overclocking its biological systems if what little data there was on the things was to be believed. down in the undercity though, it was a lot more simple an issue. The more it glows, The worse the danger. Alex found his resolve and got up on shaky legs. [color=deepskyblue]"I'm going. I'll buy you guys as much time as you need to get in gear."[/color] He fumbled a bit with his bag before getting his armor out and began suiting up as fast as he could. The Citadel lurched gently. Outside, the distant thrashing of the beast echoed over the open bridge leading to Forgemaster's chamber. Periodically it was pierced by discordant howling and a thunder-like rumble. The Citadel had become a hive of activity as people rushed to fighting positions and the sounds of weapons fire began to quickly filter in as the denizens attempted to discourage the beast from getting any closer. [b][color=#EF3F16]"Drive it away from the castle if you can!"[/color][/b] Tightening the last of his suits straps, Alex turned on his helmet and practically slammed it on. [color=deepskyblue]" On it! Just make sure she's ok."[/color] He pivoted on his heel and charged out of the workshop at a breakneck speed. workers and technicians were able to get out of the armored brutes way easily enough since nobody really wanted to get trampled in the confusion. One confused worked seemed to recognize him as he came close. "[b]"Aegis? When did you-?!"[/b] [color=deepskyblue]"No time! I need an exit now!"[/color] After a dazed moment, Aegis was lead to an emergency hatch that lead out onto a rooftop of the castle. A quick survey of the facilities outer walls from his vantage point let him find what he was looking for, although the growing dust cloud that was moving fast towards the forge's walls wasn't all that difficult to spot. The tell-tale light the Apex's glow came through the cloud of debris. Damn thing was big, and didn't have any obvious tells to what it could do from here. [color=deepskyblue]"This is a stupid idea and I'm gonna get an earful for doing this I just know it.[/color] With that, Alex made a glowing field under his feat catapulting himself into the air and rapidly accelerate to meet the monster.