You take a steadying breath, controlling your emotions as you come to approach the Infected Artillery. They twist your stomach when you see them. Silvery, metallic bones hold together collapsing barrels, with sinuous pulsating flesh filling in where the bone cannot reach. Bodies are twisted near where a control panel would be, with far too many eyes. Some are twisted purely to load shells into the abomination, and the machine slowly turns on long insectoid legs.
[7+2 vs 11] Shots crack into your shield as you go behind enemy lines, you ignore them. You take hold of your emotions, hovering above the Infected Artillery Line, as the cannons twist to face you, recognizing you as the greater threat. You twist your halo of fire forward, exploding a cannon shell in the air, overheating it in an instant.
Like a conductor, tying your halo to your hands, you twist it down into a straight line of cracking plasma. The ground steams up fresh water, only feeding the burning reaction with more hydrogen as you use it to scour the Infected from the valley. They burn blue, green, and red, screaming comprehensively. Artillery shells explode as they overheat, causing more damage. Cannon barrels fall to the ground as the Infected muscle holding them together is purged with fire. You cannot count how many abominations burn.
[15] It exhausts you, twisting the fire back into your crackling corona.
The Artillery has been burned away to nothing, the metal barrels warped and fallen.[14+2 vs 20] You hover towards the line, watching carefully. The Crusaders are still falling-- too fast, the Infected fighting ferociously despite the heavy lost they are sustaining. Something roars in the western distance.
[Something big is approaching. Similiar sound profile to Rostadt. Larger.]
[14 vs 13] You grin, letting yourself fall to the ground, lashing out with your corona, burning through the abominations at the center of the trench. With a twist of your hands your corona straightens, ripping through the opposing line, screams of inhuman enemies following it as you burn away the
FILTH THAT DARES TO TREAD UPON YOUR PLANET.[10+2 vs 9] "Over the top! Regain our ground, Crusaders! Alphira protects! Send a message to the north and south flanks!" Somebody shouts, and at your back is the remnant of the Crusader line, the Thornton Warmachines providing heavy suppressing fire as the group makes their way across the muddy and cratered no man's land, no doubt seeking the fortifications in the distance.
You laugh, grateful for the mask, because you're enjoying
purging these filthy beasts perhaps a little too much.
[15] Your wall of Inferno advances in front of you, never faltering, not yet, burning anything that doesn't flee. Insects rip themselves from the ground, four of them, suddenly charging.
It will be difficult to maintain--[11+2 vs 5]Warmachines hurl themselves at one, a cutter blade flashing through the sky. It misses, and he's knocked aside, but his allies do not miss. An Inferno shotgun rings out, blasting away flesh and forcing a keening scream from the beast as tentacles lash in frantic pain.
[15+2 vs 3] A Crusader rushes forward to protect you, lifting his Cutter blade and impaling the Bug as it raises on to its hind legs for an attack. It goes still, falling towards him, and he rolls out of the way.
[13+2 vs 1] [6+2 vs 1] The other one falls to a rapid barrage of las-fire, screaming as its flesh explodes outward into steam. The Thorntons hack apart the last Insect with savage efficiency.
[3][4] You reach the next trench, finding abominations. "Keep clear." Your voice is already magnified, and the order is relayed efficiently. Like a fog, your willpower goes to the lowest point-- nothing happens for a few frantic attempts, the infected crawling their way up to try and maul your soldiers-- one nearby you falls screaming, his throat ripped out--
[19] It ignites, the trenches exploding with sudden fire. The air is filled with keening of your foes, and the Crusaders take their places in the new fortification, killing the injured Abominations. You haven't gone fifty feet, and yet the Crusaders scream your name in victory. The Wasteland, for the time, is empty, and the Crusaders fortify themselves for the next rush.
You note, with pride, that to the north and south, the Crusaders are pushing back, reclaiming their place like their brethren.
[Rodstadt Infected close enough to be a threat. Fifty meters.]
"HAIL ALPHIRA!" A familiar voice beside you screams, you glance over, finding Eric standing a safe distance away, on his knees, a cutter blade in one hand and an illegally modified las-rifle in the other. His helmet hangs from the strap, from his neck, and after you glance at him, he slips it back up, jumping into the trench and inspecting his soldiers.
You are Pheobe Gainer AKA Alphira
Local Time: [1600] 11/18/2011
Personal Time: 5 months
Empyreal Time: NO NETWORK CONNECTION.
You feel comfortable in your second skin.
A massive set of seven wings bloom from your back.
Cohesion: 81%
You are hungry.
You are in peak physical shape.
On Body: Mark 15 Battle Armor (Active, Incompatible:Override)
On Body, Beneath Armor:A black and gold armored gambeson.
On Shoulders:A blood red half-cloak
Strapped across your chest: A worn shield belt. 2/5
Beneath your gorget: A blood red kevlar mesh.
Strapped to your shoulder: A heavy assault SMG, painted gold and black.500/500
In a sheath:An inscribed bone-handled, combat long knife.
In a holster: A dull, gray las-gun pistol.250/250
In a holster:An archeotech Cutter Hilt.490/500
Ankle: A knife sheath with a well-made bone-handled stiletto within. (hidden)
In belt: 5 las-gun rifle magazines.
In satchel: Ten nutrient cubes, three auto-syringes of modified 'Ballistic', five auto-syringes of 'modified' sleeping medicine, five auto-syringes of 'modified' tranquilizers, one las-gun repair kit, with extra focusing barrels and lenses, five las-gun rifle magazines, five las-gun pistol magazines
Overload: Trained
Bird of Sol's Reign: Apprentice
Conquerer's Aura: Initiated
Inferno : Able
Healing Factor: Apprentice
-
Endurance Boost: Amateur.
-
Strength Boost: Amateur.
Matter Manipulation:Silicon::Competent
Skill:
Charisma: Apprentice
Skill:
Attrition Warfare: Apprentice
Skill:
Marksmanship: Proficient
[29.38 credits] in local currency.
Michael's Public House: [+.25 credits per month]
[Angel] of The Holy City State of SEED
--High Influence within its borders
--Full command of all military resources
--Assigned a personal team of researchers, medical officers, and trainers.
Grandmother(adopted), Handler: Mother Nicole Gainer
--Contactable in person.
--High Influence with Scholars, Crusaders, the Thornton Family
--Current lawful ruler of Steelworks 9 Region (Crusader Supported)
Organization: The Thornton Family
--Contactable through Emma
--High Influence within Steelworks 9 Region
--Allied with Nicole Gainer, you
*Researching: Radio towers*
Organization: Personal Guard
--A complement of fifty-six guards, highly trained, heavily armed. Each carries a las-rifle, a las-pistol, and a personal knife. They wear Heavily Armored Crusader vests, leggings, boots and face obscuring kevlar face masks.
--Lead by Jennifer Shatterly
--??/56 Loyal, Fanatic
--??/56 Uncertain
--4/56 Defiant
--McGee Foster (Loyal)
--James Foster (Loyal)
--Erica Hail (Loyal)
--Johnathan Shellton (Loyal)
--Eric Armstrong (Loyal)
--Quincy Black (Loyal)
Organization: Thornton Mercenaries
--A complement of hulking Thornton soldiers turned into cybernetically augmented heavy-duty infantry. Equipped with fusion reactor based las-gun assault rifles, Inferno Shotguns, super thick armor, and technicians standing by. They are also equipped with inter and intra-squad radio communicators.
--Lead by William Thornton
--56/56
*Ready for extended operations*
Servant, ? ? ?: Iyal
--A mysterious Outlander woman, branded by SEED as a debt-slave. She wishes to serve you, for a better life after an attempted mugging.
*Currently assassinating key political opponents.*
Ally, Subservient: The Pontifex
--Cowed
--Church leader for the Scholars of the Holy SEED city-state.
--High Influence within its borders
--Incredibly High Influence with Zealots
--Minor feud with Crusaders
Ally, Subservient: William Thornton
Leader of the Thornton Family of Businessmen.
--Contactable in person
--High influence within the Thornton Mercenaries
--High influence within The Thornton Family
--Feared within Steelworks 9 Region
*Coordinating Thornton Family Assets*
Personal Scientist, Ally: Silas Thornton
--Contactable in person
--High influence within The Thornton Family
Contact, Military Trainer Coordinator: Tyler Hop (Cordial)
Lover, Consort: Emma Thornton
--High influence within The Thornton Family
*Currently compiling a list of SEED resources*
Pet, Threat: Mitch, the Barker
A stubby furred, stubby faced hellion of a canine that will possibly mutate in the future.
-8/50 Obedience
-?/50 Affection
-1/50 Respect
Friends(?) (Lost Contact):
-Jesse Hardhouse
-Amanda Silversmith
-John Frost