[justify]Now we turn our attention to the outskirts of Neo Babylon where the bustling super city gives way to the lush green forests of the newborn continent, hardly what one expects of the supposed apocalypse but there is a reason the greedy soul of post capitalism is careful to stretch its fingers into this verdant wasteland… Whilst Edris was flinging himself from the mud like a cat that had found itself stumbling upon water and doing everything in his power to keep contact as brief as possible, they attacked. A full dozen of these dog-sized pillbugs, crawling slow but lunging fast, enough of them to feed an entire village for a week or three so long as they could stomach the uncomfortable scuttling sound that echoed through their shells every time they inched themselves closer. Edris at least was out of the danger zone. Jkaqytksypmlodk (henceforth referred to as Jka or Jackie for sanity’s sake) was not so lucky. The Perfect Food cared nothing for her divine mandate, they only saw that she fled, and in their simple barely-qualified-brains they saw fear as weakness and saw weakness as food. Two of the dozen peeled off from the group to chase her with their slow sluggish slouch, stretching what nominally sufficed for their beady little heads forward only to drag the bulk of their weight after them, but should they get close enough to lunge (and miss) they would tear massive chunks of the scratchy wooden thing she’d hidden behind—this was a tree—better get used to them Jackie they were everywhere and they were getting used to you. Wait what— These two were smart though, they knew that the bulk of their kin wanted to play with Halima. Despite the noisy chittering she was refusing to wake up and regardless of fear sleepy prey was always the easiest prey, the least dangerous prey, so they moved on whilst the first of their numbers rolled up to make a lunge and got halfway through a hiss before—SPLRRTCH. The bullet was well placed indeed, though really this target was hard to miss, fat as they were and with as many writhing legs as they had it seemed impossible not to hit something important and immediately after the back of its flabby head exploded into an almost comical amount of gore. This was what made them so perfect. They had the absolute minimum of vital organs required to function and were otherwise nothing but thick fat juicy red meat. Even getting a hole blasted in them large enough for a woman—let’s say Halima—shove her entire arm through it wasn’t enough to kill them but it certainly put it in a bad way slouching sadly and pathetically as yet more shots rang off. She attacked the lead one, with its thick rounded hide, two bullets dinging off but denting it. Pressing hard enough that the folded plate threatened to come loose and pulsing flesh could be seen below. The third bullet was more successful. Losing a bit of it’s the spectacular penetrative power that her first assault had-had it only succeeded in blasting a good square foot of chunky red meat out of it. Alas, it was only angry now. Near the back of the pack, one had diverted its attention to the bug with a hole in it, and with a little chitter began to consider whether cannibalism was the better option for a faster meal. Lize proved another viable target, grounded as she was, she didn’t smell particularly nice. Certainly not as juicy as the other targets but she was small and she was in the way and more importantly she was mean, striking the first bug when she got the opportunity, sending jolts of electricity through the juicy mass of flesh but if Halima’s gunshots were not enough to bring one down then a few burns were not. Lize retreated first damaging one before it could retaliate but it was rearing back with a hiss to lunge at her when next she tried, and strike though she might it was only a matter of time before the bug decided it was worth suffering some burns on the inside of its mouths to wrench it from her grasp. Maybe even her hand. Which would make it terribly easy for the curious pillbug that had followed it to drop on her. Should they catch her those sharp teeth would not have as easy a time getting through metal as they would flesh (or wood) but they were determined, and she would not be nearly as cute after they were done chewing. Kant on the other hand? Oh Kant, was he a native to Empyrea or did he simply fit in well? Even he may not know. What a continent this was if eight-foot-tall crocodile men were just sleeping in the swamps. The pillbugs did their best to avoid him all the same, the undulating waves didn’t stop them, if anything they seemed oddly equipped to use the added momentum to sling themselves forward but the falling trees were certainly a problem. Disarray spread through their numbers but the truth is they were never particularly organized before, those not currently engaged reared upon their backs and hissed at him ferociously and since he had come to Edris’ aid now he too was in their line of sights—in the end the break down was thus: 2 had committed themselves to cannibalism 1 was desperate not to be cannibalized 1 was still pursuing Halima now significantly worse for wear 2 were making their way towards Jackie 1 was trying to wrestle with Lize’s baton 1 more was trying to take advantage of the opening provided 4 more in that same general vicinity were menacing Edris, Kant, and Lize None of them had died before, Empyrea’s visitors were so nice![/justify] [center]***[/center] [justify][i]Strength is only a virtue if you are wielding to wield it…[/i] The cracking of wood wakes you suddenly, the crack of thunder, there’s a fight taking place. Perilously close to the pile of bodies that were being feasted on, it appears you were only spared from death by other’s predilection for violence, but with trees collapsing all around you it’s only a matter of time before you’re caught in the line of fire [b]Zane[/b].[/justify] [center]***[/center] Elsewhere, a tall dandy stumbled into a brightly—gaudily lit street. Vellotoni Vsarache would not stand for this slight... And vengeance was a fine distraction from that strange waking nightmare. [@Liaison] [@54v] [@Drifting Pollen] [@Spider Pickle] [@Alucroas] [@Faithy]