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21
Zarethian Hand Headquarters / Re: My dear Director....
« Last post by Beware Ye Who Enter Here on November 27, 2013, 03:17:03 PM »
(I will have this noted as a non-canon post)
22
Tefillin / Re: Humanitarian Aid
« Last post by Beware Ye Who Enter Here on November 27, 2013, 03:15:00 PM »
As they docked, they were ushered out of their ships, their armor and weapons were confiscated until their next return flight and the safety crews scanned the ship for any contents that could be improvised as a lethal explosive device or other military hardware.
23
Earth / Re: This Is Gonna Be Rough
« Last post by Beware Ye Who Enter Here on November 27, 2013, 03:12:38 PM »
The plasticine door grew redhot and then melted from the point of impact onwards. The same happened with the metallic walls before it, albeit the process was somewhat slower. When he had made his way inside the cockpit, he would see a darkened area, illuminated mainly by the raging electrical fire on the main console and, now, the open door. The place was in ruins, sparks shooting out all over the electrical grid and various panels and electronic doodads completely annihilated.  In the center of the room was the man, wearing a metal suit, on the floor. When the Elemental tried to move him he groaned and muttered something starting with an S.

Around him, the Elemental could a small, red device with a nozzle attached to a blackened tube. There were long pieces of metal debris that could be used as prybars but most everything else in the room had lost its use when the ship decided to play chicken with a planetoid.
24
Realm of Deletrius / Birth of An Oracle
« Last post by K2 on November 07, 2013, 04:17:50 PM »
                                           
                                                                     
                                             
Raindrops.

Rain fell in Deletrius -- lost rain, and with it, a lost girl who was afraid, unsure of what she would be from here. That bastard... It destroyed them... It destroyed everything. Temar... Terraguove... What the hell was he? She knew the answer. Revenge had been a monster.

Her body hit the metaphorical ground of Deletrius roughly, and the already wounded Ayame found herself coughing up blood. Pain had long ago flooded her body and she hadn't the energy to move. She'd been worried, lying on the ground of that cold planet before, when the rain had began. But when she came here, the rain stopped. She was wet, alone, and dying... But the rain had stopped.

She heard a sound behind her. Had he found her at last?

...No. She could feel that something was wrong. She felt... Something dark behind her.

"That was quite the fight. Well done. Well done indeed."

The voice was male... And it sounded sinister.

It continued. "I must admit. I didn't think you had it in you. Betraying your friend like that. Not after what she did to save you."

Ayame managed to force her vocal cords to utter some instance of sound. "She lied to me!"

"And you didn't lie to her?" it replied amusingly, "Is that so, Amy?"

...Who was this and how did they know her name?

"E... Eric... Mann?"

The voice erupted in laughter.

"Eric Mann!? Still on that!? Please. Eric Mann's dead, you crazy bitch."

She could hear the figure approaching her. Before, she would have thought logically about this. She would have fought. She would have remembered her training. She would have done what it took to survive. But now? She was weaker. She was... Scared. For the first time in a truly long time, she felt fear. She was afraid.

The figure reached her, and using it's foot, it roughly kicked her over onto her back so she could see it, face to face.

"Y-you," she managed.

"Me," it replied.

"J... Jay."

"Not exactly," it replied, "We're related."

Shift grinned as he stomped his boot into her face. She cried out in pain.

"Come on, bitch. I've been with you for weeks now. Right. Here." He pointed at her brain. "And you still don't know my name!?"

"That... vision," she managed, "You... not Eric."

"That's right. Very excellent of you," Shift replied, "I made you think you saw Eric Mann... Because I needed you to survive. I needed you to survive because I needed to use you to destroy that embodiment. Revenge. Well, you didn't exactly kill him, but that little friend of yours did, now didn't she? And you helped. Or rather... I helped."

"Y-you manipulated me," she replied.

"That's right. And now, I'm going to kill you."

Shift grinned, looking in her eyes, basking in the pure fear she showed. It was moments like this that Shift lived for! Yes, the feelings he fed off of were all here! Hate, fear, pain.... It was like an all-you-can-eat-buffet, and he was loving it... And now, it was time for what was ultimately his favorite part.

Holding up his hand, a dark, red aura surrounded it. Pulsing. Dust began to float up from the ground into the air near his hand, atoms and molecules slowly combining until in a moment the red aura was gone and a large blade floated in the air -- one much like Jay Styder wore.... Only different. This one was.... Darker, and the metal was made of pure black.

"Farewell, baby," Shift uttered as the blade began to fall, its velocity quite fast, towards Ayame's chest.

Goodbye, loves.

Clink.

Ayame's eyes were closed when she realized that she was still alive. Slowly opening them, what she saw was truly... Amazing. Shift's blade had been deflected. It was lying on the ground, about three feet away from either of them. Standing over her, face to face with Shift, was Nek. Anger radiated in his eyes as he stared straight at Shift, who was more than surprised.

"Ayame. Grab on."

Ayame mustered up as much energy as she could and grabbed onto Nek. Before Shift had even fully processed what was going on, Nek and Ayame were gone.... No. That was inaccurate. Shift could feel something troubling -- something very troubling. That energy.... It was him, but it was, at the same time, light. Too light... A warrior of the light.

Turning, prepared, Shift saw what he was afraid of. Behind him, a gust of wind blew. About ten feet away, they were there. Nek, with Ayame in his arms. Inari, her hair blowing with the wind. And... that man. Shift's worst nightmare... Jay Stryder. His other half, who looked at Shift with an unsually serious expression. This... Was about to end.

"Well... I can't say I'm surprised," Shift broke the silence. "I knew it was coming. I knew you were coming. I just didn't know win. That's the thing about being a Templar, isn't it? Being able to sense your own destiny... Have you ever done it? Just, take a peak into your own future?"

Jay did not respond, and only watched as Shift held out his hand. The whiteness of Deletrius began to shift, to change to darkness. The landscape around them began to swirl.

A silver bubble surrounded Ayame, and she floated lightly into the air, protected by Nek's temporal energies. Nek drew his blade.

"Nek," Jay finally spoke. "Inari. This is my fight."

"Master," Nek replied, trying to reason.

"We want to help!" Inari added.

"Not this time," Jay replied, "I've let him go free for too long. He's killed.... way too many people. This is my burden to bare. This is my own fight to have. You can't help me this time. The place Shift is about to take me... This is the one place that you can't go. I'm sorry."

"Jay... What are you saying?" Nek replied.

"Watch out for her, Nek. You found a cute one," Jay said, managing one of his old fashion smiles. "Inari. Your compassion is your greatest weapon. You care for others more than you care for yourself. Don't stop. Don't ever stop."

Jay turned and peered into Inari's eyes, and found himself lost.... He embraced her, and the two shared a passionate kiss. Jay knew that he might not have another chance to tell her -- no, show her -- how he felt about her. Or, well... How he felt about anyone.

"Go... Now! Hurry!" Jay shouted.

"Jay, please, don't-"

"Go!"

The darkness surrounded Jay, and he was gone. Deletrius returned to its normal, white self. Shift and Jay had vanished... But Nek and Inari couldn't bring themselves to do what their master had said. Their feet were glued to the ground. They couldn't bring themselves to leave.

And then a voice whispered...

"You should have listened to your master."

Turning sharply, Nek and Inari looked for Shift, but he wasn't behind them. It was Shift's voice coming from... Ayame's body, inside the bubble.

"Now, you're mine," Shift laughed.

The bubble began to collapse in on itself, the temporal energies of it being absorbed into Ayame's body.

I have to fight it.

Ayame was still alive. She was still inside somewhere. And she was fighting for her life. This bastard thought he could control her body!? She wouldn't let him. She couldn't let him. She had to fight. She had to live. She had to... Be... FREE.

You can't stop it, Shift told her. I control you.

She no longer heard Eric Mann's voice. She realized it now. She was free... Eric Mann was dead. Her course was unwritten. Her destiny was unclear. She controlled herself. Shift did not control her. She... Was not going to die today. No. And while she could feel her body tugging away at the temporal energies that surrounded her body, she knew that she couldn't let it be her end.

She could hear Nek's voice.

"Ayame! You have to fight it! The temporal energy is like a poison to your body in it's raw form... Normal beings weren't made to see the face of time... You have to push the energy out! Fight it!"

Shift was trying to stop her. He was trying desperately to stop her. She could hear him yelling in her mind, but she silenced him out. She ignored him. She wouldn't fall prey to his ways. She would be free... Or she would die. No. She wouldn't die. Not now.

So she locked the Temporal energies away. Instead of letting it consume her entire body, she picked one place.... Her eyes. She couldn't get rid of the temporal energies. But she could concentrate it. So she did. She concentrated all of the temporal energies... Into her eyes. And Shift's voice inside her head? That too.

...And then, she sealed it there.

...Silence.

And at last, Ayame realized.... She was free.

Her eyes closed.... It was time to rest now.

At last, her body entered the rest she needed -- she fell into a coma.
25
Creative Corner / HIRU- Rapture is upon us.
« Last post by Admiral Regis Hermitage on November 07, 2013, 01:11:46 AM »
0200 hrs (Capitol District Standard Time)
December 5th, 2062
Planet, Teffilin
Lake Rapture, 20 km W. of Capital City

Operation: BLACKLIGHT
CDR Andrei Tarkov
|-Callsign: Starlight
Zarethian Hand
Homeland Intervention Response Unit [HIRU] - GHOST Battalion JOINT OPERATION
Team: Onyx 0-1

   Welcome to the Apocalypse,
Death to them all.
Living on the edge,
Im impressing them all.

Im on my grind,
Im not resting at all.
Look at all my time,
Im investing it all.


Tarkov looked around at his surroundings and took it all in. They were about 400 meters below the surface of the expansive lake getting ready to infiltrate the underwater stronghold dubbed "Rapture" by its creator. It had only been 6 months since the foreign crew crash landed on the lake shore, and since Tarkov was brought down to this very stronghold to meet the man he called "Mister Outside". 

Tarkov examined the area again. It was dark with the only illumination coming from chemlights and the flame from the cutting torch being used by te team's engineer, Gunnery Sergeant Hotch and his assistant, Agent Kouch. Kouch looked back at Tarkov and raised up his index finger signalling that they had 1 minute left before they were in. Tarkov nodded in response ad looked over to the rest of his team.

He looked to his second in command -- 1st Lt. Foss, his close quarter's combat (CQC) specialist -- Agent Shepherd, and his medic, Staff Sergeant Scarselli. All three were standing by ready for the go to move in to the pipeline they were cutting into. Tarkov looked back at Kouch and Hotch right as they finished and Kouch was pulling the grate off, tossing it down to the lakebed.

Tarkov gave the hand signal to move in and all 6 proceeded to dine into the large pipeline.

"Onyx 0-1, this is GHOST Team 7. Teams 5 and 6 are at RZ Alpha and Team 7 is holding for Onyx 0-1 and 0-2 at RZ Bravo." the comms went off.

"Copy Team 7. No status on Onyx 0-2. 0-1 is 200 meters away from RZ Bravo. If 0-2 isnt there by the time we are, we go without them." Tarkov called back.

"Team 7 roger 0-1." a reply came back.

The team moved further down the pipeline until they saw 6 other figures in the distance. They stopped and Tarkov went in front of they flashing a strobe for a second. Teyu waited for a few seconds and another strobe went off in the distance. Tarkov looked back and nodded to his team and they proceeded forward. They swam and met up with the other group who were clearly identified as members of the GHOST Battalion -- A highly elite unit of the Hand, handpicked from Navy Special Warfare.

"Entry point is 50 meters ahead, and 20 up. Teams 5 and 6 are going to initiate with us from RZ Alpha." the Team 7 leader said to Tarkov on their local channels.

"Understood. 0-2 isnt here so we're going to prom without them." Tarkov said.

The GHOST leader nodded and both teams swam forward and stopped when they came to the bottom of a large shaft. The GHOST Leader pointed up to which all 11 nodded in return. 2 GHOST Agents when up and came back down 20 seconds later with 2 bodies which were bleeding from their necks, tainting the surrounding water with blood. Both agents gave an all clear hand signal to the Team Leader and both team ascended.

When they broke the surface, they hoisted themselves out on the edge and swiftly discarded their dive gear and checked their weapons. 2 GHOST Agents moved forwards to check a vent opening while 2 others pulled security on the only door way. Tarkov approached the GHOST Team leader and his second in command.

"Captain Blake." Tarkov greeted the GHOST Team leader.

"Commander Tarkov. Its been a while, sir." Blake replied.

"No need for formalities. Quite a team you have here, Captain." Tarkov said.

"The best we could send. Wouldnt want this big fish to swim away." Blake joked.

"Indeed... We should start moving though. Outside is going to catch on, and when he does he will flee." Tarkov informed to which Blake nodded.

Blake signaled for his 2 men to head into the ventilation system and for the other 2 to open the door. Both teams formed up on the door with the exception of the 2 GHOST Agents in the vents and the point-man waited for the tap on his shoulder.

Tap.

The agent flung the door open and Scarselli, Foss, and another GHOST Agents rushed in follwed by the rest of the team.

"Clear." Foss whispered.

"Next door should be a hall way. Corridor Mike Zulu if this intel is correct. We head 20 meters down and hang a right on corridor Xray Lima for 50 for yards. The signs should all point to the CO's office where our HVT is. We need to deal with 5 gaurds in the general HQ area, and another 2 posted outside of the office. Mr. Outside is to be considered armed and dangerous, possibly suicidal if he thinks he cant get out of this..." Blake informs everyone.

"Remember... Outside is to be taken alive. He is also to be arrested by the HIRU as to keep GHOST off the radar in this op." Tarkov added in.

"Teams 5 and 6 are securing us transport to the surface after we take Outside and we are going to be efilled by aerial transport. AM is going to be in effect once we breach the office, so that means no magic will be capable." Blake concluded.

The team members all nodded in understanding while Hotch and Kouch formed at the other door. Hotch signaled ready and the rest of the team formed up.

Tap.

Hotch flung the door open and Kouch followed by 2 GHOST Agents rushed in follwed by the rest. Tarkov's team formed on the left of the hallway while Blake's team formed on the right.

"20 meters, go." Blake said as both team moved at a fast combat pace down the hallway, quickly checking open doors and openings. They stopped at the corner and Tarkov signaled for his team to clear it. Scarselli and Shepherd whipped around the corner and fired 2 shots. Scarselli and Shepherd rounded the corner back to the rest of the team dragging 2 bodies with them, leaving a small trail of blood.

"Clear." Scarselli said.

Both teams rounded the corner in the same formation and moved down the hallway at the same pace. After about 45 meters they stopped and Blake's team shifted to the left side of the hallway behind the HIRU Agents.

"Office, 5 meters. Stack." Tarkov whispered.

The teams slowly moved forward and the point-man, Foss, stopped and waited for the tap.

Tap,

Foss flung the left glass door to the reception area open and Shepherd, Tarkov, and Hotch rushed in. 2  non-silenced shots were heard followed by 5 silenced shots.

"FUCK!" Hotch shouted as the rest of the teams moved into the large room. "Medic!" he yelled to Scarselli who rushed to him.

Blake snapped his head to 2 of his agents who nodded and rushed down a smaller hall way and fired 2 shots.

"Guards are down." a GHOST Agent said.

"Good. Scarselli, get Hotch out of here and patched up. Shepherd, take point. Kouch take the rear. Blake pull security on the parameter." Tarkov ordered.

Tarkov, Shepherd, and Kouch movd down the small hallway and stacked at the door with Kouch in front. Kouch stopped and waited.

Tap.

Kouch flung the door open and Tarkov followed by Shepherd moved in to face Mr. Outside. Tarkov stopped in the middle of the large office with Kouch and Shepherd on his left and right. They could clearly see Mr. Outside standing with his back towards them, looking out the observation window at the sealife, his hands neatly behind his back.

"Andrew Ryan!" Tarkov shouted. The man didnt move and Tarkov waited a moment before shouting again. "Mr. Outside! Otherwise known as Andrew Ryan, I am placing you under arrest under article 27....."

"And who are you, Agent?" Outside questioned in a loud, booming voice.

"You really dont remember me do you?" Tarkov asked. "Tarkov, Commander. Homeland Intervention..."

"I know who you are Commander... But do you?" Outside asked and turned to face them. "Is the dear Director really so afraid of me? Is the Council forgetting that they really have no authority over me?" he questioned.

"Once again. I am placing you under arrest under article 27 of the Post Plexan Treaty of 2056 under the authorization of Admiral Regis Hermitage, Director of the Zarethian Hand and Hand of the Council!" Tarkov announced.

"A treaty ratified only by you and 2 other empires? Really now..." Outside replied in a mocking manner. "Did the good Admiral also inform you that he and the Council never intends for either you or I to make it out of here alive?" He asked.

"What are you talking about!" Tarkov shouted.

"I guess they really are all so afraid... You and your comrades will die down here. They dare not expose me..." Outside shouted back and advanced towards them, stopping only feet away from the barrel of Tarkov's gun. "You're a slave, Commander. You all are!" he announced. "You blindly obey and believe who your commanders tell you! Men chose! You obey!"

Shepherd gritted his teeth in anger. "Lets waste this fucker!" he lunged forward only to be stopped by Tarkov.

"Explain... Now." Tarkov said as Outside gave him a huge grin.

(Part 2 soon)

(Note: Any and all parallels to Bioshock are purposeful as they are set canon by Zack's portrayal of Mr. Outside.)
26
Dementia / Re: Insanus Pt. 2
« Last post by Admiral Regis Hermitage on October 30, 2013, 05:07:45 AM »
Insana slashed the shovel with a wave of hi hand before it reached him, his manner calm and collected. "I know not whether to decide if you are ignorant, or in denial of your situation. In any case, should you not learn to accept it, your sentence will be far worse than you can imagine." Insana warned. "It is not MY patience you are testing... It is the jury's."

Insana started to pace in circles around her. "Your anger is not towards me though, now is it? Perhaps you are angry at yourself. Seeing as it was your own actions, and no one else's that landed you here. Let it out. Let it all out." He placed his left hand on her shoulder and stood behind her.
27
Tefillin / Re: Hunting Insanity
« Last post by Admiral Regis Hermitage on October 30, 2013, 04:04:32 AM »
"Anything in general. I quite enjoy walks through the mortal realm... Gives me a sense of peace and calmness." Insana said. "So why is it that you really want to see me? Im aware of Fear's paranoia, but he's never bothered me before."
28
Tefillin / Re: Hunting Insanity
« Last post by The Blade on October 29, 2013, 01:31:43 PM »
A soft chuckle came from the Dragon Sage then as he fell into step with the Lord of Insanity and walked alongside him. "The Chain of Exodus is far from a weapon, it is more of a... Vessel." He gave no details after that though, there was no need to go into such details.

The weapon didn't phase him either, even as much as it shouted and thought itself powerful. Sirius didn't know its strength but he doubted it was enough to warrant fear from him, very little every got fear from Sirius. "So tell me, Insana, what have we to speak about considering you are taking me for a walk?" Sirius asked upon touching down on the street with the Embodiment, locking his arms behind his back at the same time.
29
Tefillin / Re: Hunting Insanity
« Last post by Admiral Regis Hermitage on October 28, 2013, 11:12:44 PM »
"Im as old as they get child." Insana chuckled. "Ive seen some of your work with that weapon.... Im impressed. Fear always had a way with not doing things, so it must be your mother you take after." Insana speculated, ignoring the part about checking up on him.

"WHAT IS HE DOING HERE!" A demonic voice shouted, apparently coming from the sword, or rather projection of it on Insana's side.

"Dont mind R'tas. He doesnt play well with others." Insana said. "Lets take a walk Siri." he motioned for him to follow and jumped down to the street.
30
Tefillin / Re: Hunting Insanity
« Last post by The Blade on October 28, 2013, 01:57:38 PM »
Despite the rather flashy entrance, Sirius done not a thing apart from cross his arms over his chest and cock his head to the side. His blonde hair fluttered down the side of his face and he waited until the Lord of Insanity was quite done before speaking himself.

"My name is Sirius Blade, the Keeper of Exodus and Dragon Sage." He told simply, giving a nod towards the bronzen chain that was wrapped around his left arm, dug in with the wounds still bleeding fresh. "I was told by Fear to check up on you and the proper you, not a vessel. Perhaps I could gain access to your world and meet with you in person? It has been a long while since I have conversed with someone quite as old as myself, the Phoenix Sages don't quite count with their Rebirth," Sirius gave a quiet chuckle and then waited for Insana's response.
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