Sutoratosu

Well...looks like the Major chose well...

Soldiers, let me set the record straight real quick before we proceed any further in this RP: The Exo Suits are somewhat akin to Stormtrooper armor, not Mecha suits or any of that nonsense. I'll go further into detail later.

"Go!" Bane shouted over the Audio feed into Garen's helmet. "Get out of here, soldier, and cover the others backs! Tell Everyone to keep heading north until they reach Eden, just as I debriefed you all!" He broke off contact for a minute, taking another scan of the surroundings... the shaking was growing far worse. then in everyone's Comms, he said "Chimera 1, I am hereby granting temporary lead of this mission over to Garen Forest until you reach the mission site. Follow his orders as you would mine; The consequences will be severe if you don't." He swapped feeds, now only hearable to Garen. "Soldier, I have selected you because you seem to understand the concept of teamwork better than anyone else present here. Don't fuck around the command I am placing in you...because the consequences if you do will be far more severe than anyone who happens to disobey you." His voice was hard as steel. He meant every single word of what he had just said. Then he swapped back to the group feed once again, shouting his last order into everyone's helmets "GO, NOW!" Another roar pierced the air. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yXurgo0270 Jace broke off all contact with the team, initiating pure radio silence from his end. The shaking grew even more intense, sending several stones tumbling down the cliff face. The ground shook so violently that if it wasn't for the stabilizing effects of their Exo Suits, everyone would be on the ground. The next they all heard was Jace letting out a fury driven battle roar of his own, rushing off into the distance as a cloud of dust burst from the forest floor down the slope...

Well there you have it, Soldiers, the sergeant has spoken.

No issue, Soldiers, I didn't even plan this little fight, just wanted to farm some activity in the IC... and it worked perfectly.

The scenery faded back to normal after Zoliver spoke, the river vanishing as if it had never been there, the slums disappearing and becoming the ruined city once again. The two magistrates merged back into Anansi's form, and the judge pulled Lucian away from where dangled over the edge of the bridge, setting him down. The next moment he passed his hands over the man's rib cage, a white pulse of light issuing out. Lucian coughed for a few moments, then stopped clutching his side. The pain was completely gone... His bones must've just been mended. "Then the choice is final," Anansi said, offering the man's fusil back to him. "You have been given another chance, boy. Do not take that lightly; most have to endure death and countless trials under my watch before they can attain such a boon..." He turned his attention to Stratos, whom was still being carried by the Naga company. "Unless of course, you are one of the valiant.... like Leonidas..." Then back to Lucian, forcing the gun into his hands, which noticeably shook in the judge's presence. "Take this, and try not to piss yourself in fear." Lucian didn't say a word, simply unloaded the gun and stowed it in his (Stolen) vest. He was quite obviously petrified of this Spider... even more terrified than he had been of those magistrates back on the day he was just forced to relive. he kept his eyes fixed to the stones of the bridge, not daring to look up at anyone around him. It was safe to say that there probably wouldn't be anymore issues from him. "Ah yes," Anansi continued, taking Stratos's unconscious form from the nagas and draping him over the back of his carapace, waving away the nagas dismissively. "Go, return to your tribe for the time being, We've no need of your further assistance at the moment...but know there will come a day when I call upon your aid in the times to come." Fangsalot glanced around at his men, turning and beginning to walk away. "Come then..." he ordered, all the while thinking to himself Thank the goddess we didn't have to accompany those mad men through the hell-fire they're walking into... His troops followed behind him obediently, soon disappearing into the deeper reaches of the massive cavern. Anansi returned his attention to the heroes "Come with me, I shall open a path to where you must go," he turned and began making his way down the cliff, taking the time to stomp into the stone exterior with his spiked legs inorder to create footholds for the travelers. "And I will tell you the truth of the hero I carry on my back. I will tell you the legend that has never been told in full length... the legend of Leonidas. Or perhaps you'd be more interested if used the name you all know him as..." by the time he was at the bottom of the cliff, there was a makeshift stair case leading down that had entirely been carved by him maneuvering his steps in a specific pattern. He waited at the bottom for the quartet to follow. "Come, and I shall tell you the truth of Stratos Valgiri's existance..."

Eh, well, either way it's sergeant Grass's call on whether the idea is considered or not, soldier

I'll accept it when I see action confirming that you mean it. In other words, don't say you're sorry and then just go right back to doing what you're apologizing for, Soldier.

Maybe, soldier. Spark Alpha, I have sent a PM to private bibs asking him how he wants to proceed.

"No sir," Mareek said, taking the capsule from Brendan. "Thank you." He turned and started to walk away...when something came to his mind. "On second thought... Hey, Java..." The porygon stared at his trainer quizzically. The next thing he saw was the red flash of the capsules return function. Mareek stowed the ball back on his belt after Java had been recalled, confident that it would stay attached. he turned back to Brendan. "Actually sir, yes, there is," he said, sticking his hands in his pockets. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about the Porygon line, would you?"

Chimchain "Those of us composing this pack," Argo said, "Are know as Shadow Steeds. Doubtless that you've never heard of one before tonight... that's because the world of man has forgotten we even existed. Regardless, ours is a special kind of horse... cut from a far different cloth. As I'm sure you've already seen, our race is capable of 'shadow trotting' or merging into the worlds of the dead in order to travel far faster in this one..." To demonstrate what he meant, he melted into a pool of darkness on the ground, disappearing without a trace. The puddle reappeared directly behind Trystane less than a second later, along with Argo. "Back before the business with the Nix, people commonly knew us as 'Hell steeds'... for obvious reasons; we do what we do by traveling on the outskirts of the pit and then reentering this world."

"And so we have the group consensus," Anansi said, creeping ever closer to lucian. The man had backed up to the point where he was now halfway across the bridge... just what The White Judge was planning encase it was needed. "The three of these heroes have decided to spare your life for the time being if you cease your ways, Lucian. In their eyes, you are not entirely deserving of only death... now the choice lies with you. What are you going to do now? Your life has been a bad one since it's beginning, yes, but you do not have to let initial circumstances entirely decide the man you are. You're only...what, 19, 20, 21 at the very most? You are not on the streets of Redrashire anymore... the things you've grown accustomed to out of necessity aren't necessary any longer... You have the chance to become something greater now, and all that is required is that you lend your abilities and aid to these men." "Answer me one question..." Lucian said. "Why should I help you? every time I've ever done something for someone else out of altruism, or 'kindness', or because 'it was the right thing to do', it's always came back to bite me in the ass horribly. So why should I stick my neck out for them, knowing full well the massive repercussions and ill fortune that will most likely be my reward?" Anansi grinned ominously, reaching out with another spindly arm and grabbing Lucian's legs with an iron tight grip. "Because of this, Lucian..." The next moment the White Judge had lifted the young man off the ground and was dangling him over the side of the ancient stone bridge by the feet. "DO YOU REMEMBER THIS DAY, BOY!?" He roared with power. "ALLOW ME TO COMPLETE THE MEMORY!" another arm whipped out of his body, this one holding Lucian's own fusil he'd used to nearly kill Darius. The sound of rushing water filled the air... if the group all looked down, they would notice a massive river now flowing beneath the bridge, savage and powerful were it's rapids. In fact, the entire scenery around them all had changed significantly, where they once stood on the outskirts of an ancient city, they now stood in the slums of a modern one. Vagabounds and ruthians and the like shuffled past them, not saying a word. The streets smelled of urine and disease. Horse manure coated sections of the road, attracting copious flies. The buildings were dull and grey, streaks of black running down their exterior from years of water damage and mold. The windows were all coated in layers of soot. "Do you remember now, Lucian?" He said nothing... but the group could notice that he had changed significantly. He was shorter now, wearing a worn, torn tunic covered in grime. His face was at least a decade younger, His child eyes wild with fear...as they had been back then, at that very moment. What the group was seeing...was him as a child. Then Anansi was the next thing to change. he transmuted into two men wearing grey cloaks... easily recognizable as Magistrates. One held him by the feet, dangling him over the river below, the other held the fusil, aimed at his head. When they spoke, their voices sounded nothing like Anansi's had. "Is this not the day? The day when you felt helpless, alone, hateful at the world? This is the only fear you have ever learned to respond too, is it not!? the fear of DEATH!" The armed magistrate pulled back the hammer on the fusil, the one holding Lucian loosened his grip a little, laughing menacingly as if he was about to drop the boy. "I have but one offer to give you, child!" the armed one began. "Option 1: I can kill you, here and now, with your own fusil. then you can spend eternity in the pit, being made to learn the errors of your ways through anguish and suffering." "Or option 2," the one holding him picked up, "You can choose to help these heroes, and I will absolve you of all past wrongdoings. You will not have to brave the horrors of the pit... your soul will be freed from the damnation it's already swimming in. Make your decision, and make it now, boy." "Option 2!" Lucian cried, his voice pitch matching his child like appearance. "Please sir, option 2..." "Ah, good...but no." Anansi's voice chimed from the mouth of the man holding the gun. "It is not that simple, boy... for there is still one who has not yet made his decision of what to do with you." The gun wielding magistrate turned his attention to Zoliver, his eyes golden just as Anansi's had been. "What say say you, Zoliver? what should this man's fate be?"

"Stop the damn Bickering for a minute!" Jace ordered after Zero was confirmed to not be out of commision. Then the squad could feel and hear why he'd ordered it... the ground was shaking, ever so slightly... but it was growing stronger every single second. Another roar filled the air not far in the distance... and it got very close, very fast. Jace initiated another IR scan, trying to find his prey. "We still have the Alpha Male to deal with..." he snarled, then turning to Zero and Jack. "Both of you, back up that hill, now Soldiers!" With that said he pinned himself flush against a tree, preparing to take cover for the fight he knew was coming. "Get out of here!" he ordered over everyone's audio feed. "Head to the Mission site, there's no way any of you are going to survive if you stick around for this! I should know...better than anyone about that."

" I WILL NOT allow any operative to be left behind in the field to die." a replay of Jace's words from earlier played over the audio feed of Vixen's helemt, and vixen's helmet only, just as he'd ordered it too. He honestly was too focused on far more important things to go actively reprimanding people at the moment...but the him from a while ago in the past wasn't. "Soldier, can you walk? Answer me..." he demanded upon Zero's failure to respond.

The shots tore into the Beast's hide around it's face, though it seemed to be more pissed off by it than injured. Jack was going to need a much higher caliber to bring any real hurt... oh, the woos of being a medic. The thing skidded along the ground, however, after a burst of red light flared from down the hill where Bane and Pax were. The Mono rolled mid skid like an 18 wheeler, narrowly missing crushing the Medic as it slammed into the wall of the cliff. a large laser burn was visible, going clean through it's spinal cord at an upward angle. Bane lowered his Chimera Rifle, turning his attention to Zero. "Can you walk, Soldier?" he asked. ======================== Tangoes remaining... 0???????? Health: Zero Pax 1%

The rounds fired by Vixen tore into the right front heel of one the Lizards, causing it to buckle under it's own weight and begin rolling down towards Zero, threatening to crush him and do him in either way... that is, until the thing burst into a fiery explosion in mid air, sending bits and pieces of flesh flying everywhere. "Get up, Soldier!" Jace roared as he appeared beside Zero at the bottom of the slope, his hand covered in blood from the Detonation spike he had just driven into the spine of the most recently killed Mono. He took hold of the down fighter, hoisting him up and supporting him as the other one kept barreling towards them. A few burst of lightning from Sarah's caster missed as the thing averted it's course at the last moment, dodging nimbly and turning around on the hill, now eyeing her. Another roar issued forth as it came rushing at her, closing distance like a freight train... only For Major Bane to throw a Detonation spike at it, the force of his arm lodging the explosive deep in the hide of the thing's ass. a second later another fiery explosion rocked the ground. The mono had effectively been 86ed. There was only one left... the one still heading Kenny. Stealth would be of no use against these things; they could sense heat. ================== Health Zero Pax 0% Jace M Bane 94% Tangoes Remaining: 1???

The Tranqs fired by Jack were all deflected by the Lizard's thick hide, and his bullet was ricocheted as another one swiped it's claws through the air, knocking the piece of lead clear off it's original course. The only thing his attack had managed to do was draw the two Monochrome's attention over to him. Sarah, however, hit straight and true, sending the large beast flying back down the hill as a bolt of electricity arced out of her weapon and homed in on out, exploding upon impact and charring the flesh. It landed atop the runt with a sickening Crunch, ending the annoying thing's cries. Zero... was a different story, however. He'd made a mistake in rushing in instead of letting the enemy come to him... that and the fact that the Monochromes skull was far too thick for his blades to penetrate. Not only did he have the one he had just attempted to take down charging at him, but another one as well who was moving in to double team him. He felt a sudden jolt, then a falling feeling as he soared through the air, crashing against a nearby tree headfirst and falling down the slope. one of them had just picked him up in their jaws and tossed him like a rag doll. He was damn lucky he'd been wearing his helmet and his shield had been up. Emphasis on had, because a blarring red light now appeared on his HUD as he lay at the bottom of the hill. His defenses were completely off line... And the two Monochromes were still very pissed off, running down after him, roaring. ===================== Tangoes: 3? Shields: Zero Pax 0%- (Critical Condition)

"And what of you, Gideon?" Anansi asked. "What would do with this man? Sinbad and Darius have already made their choices clear" as he spoke however, he picked up the fusil he had slapped out of Lucian's hands discretely, beyond the notice of any of the warriors. he had already seen how this might play out. This Gunman was one soul who had only ever been taught by force, Violence, and action since he had been a boy. Not words. But the judge was ready if it came to what he felt it would... There was only one fear that Lucian had ever responded to...

The two that Kyahnna had fired on both fell over to the dirt mid charge, skidding up the hill before coming to a stop against a thick tree. Both of them were deader than door nails. Vixen's shot, however, took out the third one she had been aiming for before she could shot another burst, sending the runt of the pack tumbling back down the slope, it's left eye blown out by the bullet's impact. It keened weakly from where it lay, pain lacing it's cry. Meanwhile, there were still six closing ground against them all incredibly fast. It was actually getting to be a bit doubtful that anyone would be able to hold their aim long enough to take them out at the speed they were traveling... Seemed the deaths of more of their numbers had spurned them onward. ============================== Tangoes Remaining: 6?

The beast Vixon had in her sights did something that defied all reason. On the HUD, she had a clear view of it as it burrowed itself into the forest floor easily just before the Bullet could hit it's mark, evading death entirely. It was also the largest of the things attacking them... and apparently the brightest, since the two that had already been killed by Jace had taken no evasive maneuvers. The ground shook even harder as more stones fell. They were all getting closer to the squad. Meanwhile, Lance sat perched up on the Cliff face, in a small alcove created from the log's impact not long ago. Both his guns sat lazily in his hands. He was able to see the things coming at the group perfectly. in fact, he didn't even have his helmet on. "How interesting..." he mused to himself, watching as the others down below began to engage the Monochromes. "There's more than enough of them to handle the underlings..." He reached up and flicked his shades into their X-ray setting. And that's when he saw just what he he was looking for; the Alpha male. The thing was burrowing around underground like a mole, getting ready to flank them all. "Time to start the clock then," he said, shifting his pistols into full auto before leaping down from the alcove, landing behind the group, rolling to distribute the impact before getting up and dashing off to the far left... ============================ SITUATION REPORT: Party Status: Engaged Tangoes remaining: 9? Health: Everyone 100%

^Also because of what Murdoc just said, soldier...

"The question is 'What aren't we looking at', soldier," Jace called in response to Sarah's inquiry. "The thing making those screeches are a highly territorial and predatory species of large reptilian known as 'Monochromes'. Their capable of perfectly blending in to their surroundings and becoming invisible... as well as perfectly match their bodies temperature to their environment. They're very existence is like mother nature at her most brutal." As he was speaking, a large log flew up the slope, crashing into the cliff wall above them with so much force that it shattered into splinters and knocked a few rocks loose. "You just see that logged that was hurled? That's precisely why I said 'GET DOWN'," he continued, switching from a Heat sig scan to Infrared. "I have lost only four men in my entire career as an ESF commander... and all four of them died just like all of you would've just now if I hadn't ordered you to the ground." Fuck... he thought to himself silently as the HUD came back with the new results. they were completely surrounded in a semi circle, backs pinned to the cliff. He locked the results in with a verbal command, sending it to the HUDs of the others. Every single person in the group had an scan just like the one Bane was looking at pop up in their helmet's screens, laying over top of their views of the forest below and revealing a good twelve large, quadruped shapes, each one at least as big as an SUV from the history books. "Don't let em touch you, if it comes to them making it up this ridge. Those bastards are capable of tearing right through shields!" With that said he fired a single Laser Burst from his rifle, sending it streaking down range and hitting one of the larger shapes. The thing roared with anger as it's hide was burned clean through, destroying it's ribcage and internal organs, sending it toppling over to the ground. The ground itself began to shake as it's brethren joined in, enraged by the murder of their pack member. "FIRE AT WILL!" Jace shouted, switching over to the Assualt rifle setting and sending a slew of bullets whizzing towards the invisible beast. on everyone's HUDs, they could see the eleven survivors beginning to charge towards their postion... make that ten, actually, Major Bane had just eliminated another one. ((Soldiers, the scan presented on your HUDs are in Infrared, rendering the Tangoes visible to you.)) ===================== SHIELD LEVELS: EVERYONE 100%

Darius received a bullet whizzing by his ear in answer to his question, the thing had only missed him by about a centimeter or two. Either he had just gotten lucky, or whoever had fired the shoot was very, very good. "Oh, I'm here alright..." Lucian panted from behind them all. He stood on the outskirts of the bridge, clutching his side with one hand and clenching a fusil in the other. His eyes were wild with fury as his face grimaced in pain with every breath, obviously still troubled by his injuries. "Drag my ass through the dessert as your prisoner, will you?" He loaded another round into the gun effortlessly, the product of years of experience. The thing was kept aimed at the Knight's heart. "All of you, get down on the ground!" "You're doing something quite unwise, Gunman," Anansi said, seemingly amused by Lucian's actions. "You hold no power to make demands, Lucian. Do you know who I am?" Another shot fired, this one pinging off of the spider's carapace. Anansi moved closer to the man, moving Darius aside with a spindly arm. "I will take that as a no..." He smiled, a tad ominously. "So I will apprise thee of such. I am Anansi, the White Judge and keeper of the realm of Elise." "I don't give a dusty fuck!" Lucian snarled, bringing up his gun again, only for Anansi to slap it out of his hand with the unnaturally long arm sprouting from his leg joint. He got even closer... Lucian backed up a little. The Judge's body was beginning to burn white. "Ah yes..." he said. "I can see the things you've done in this life... you were never given a fair chance, were you? Mother raped and murder when you were a boy, Father a drunk who did the raping and killing. And in the end, you were left all by your lonesome, weren't you?" "How do you know of my mother...?" Lucian snarled, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know many things...I see many things...I hear many things. None may escape my web; for it is the web by which all others are woven from." Then the White Judge turned to Darius. "I shall ask thee, Darius, Gideon. What will you two do with this man?"