After Mirage left, the enforcer's numbers began to dwindle with Cliff and Nel making short work of the remaining stragglers. All around them, the noise of the attack died out. They had survived yet another assault from the unsuspecting foe.

However, victory was short-lived as it soon became apparent that in there hastily response to the new threats, the party had been completely divided and scattered, leaving Cliff, Nel, Dale and the head Markus alone in the foreboding woods.

"Well this is bad," Dale broke the silence as he scanned the woods, keeping Markus clutched under his armpit with his wand serving as light. "We now have no idea where the others are with the three who can detect when those things will appear lost in who knows where."

"Getting a real sense of Deja Vu," Cliff groaned, prodding a nearby Enforcer drone who was perched against a tree. The body slipped down to the ground with a loud clunk. "Nel?"

"Look's like we're in the clear," Nel said, returning to the group keeping her blades out. "Unfortunately, I can't sense where the others are."

"Dale?"

"Y-Yeah," Dale nodded at Cliff. "The interference is seriously playing on our sensor abilities. Heck, it feels much stronger than before."

"The Enforcers give off a powerful either radiation when they appear. This sensor ability of yours certainly seems to have been affected as a result." Markus said.

"These things sound worse and worse the more I hear of them...." Dale gulped.

"They certainly have plenty more surprises left," Nel said crouching to one of the newer machine frames.

"Infiltrators and I doubt an explanation to their functions would be relevant at this point," Markus said back to her. "Although I must enquire how you were able to detect there approach."

"An ability of mine," Nel stood up and looked at Markus. Her eyes glowed the ghostly golden color of her piercer eyes. "Nothing escapes my notice," she said smugly. With a blink, her eyes reverted back to their usual onyx black.

"Fascinating," Markus said back to her. "I would certainly wish to know more about that ability of yours if time would permit it."

"Which it doesn't, in case you've forgotten." Dale interrupted.

"I am well aware of our current situation."

With a sigh, Dale turned to Cliff, who seemed lost in thought as to what the current objective should be. He brushed his chin, staring at the mound of destroyed machines. "Hey Markus," he finally said, "The first time we were attacked, the drone's all vanished at once, and I mean all of them, even the ones we destroyed."

"That is... Correct," Markus's eyes scanned the area. Their movements were far too fast for it to be natural, making a strange whirring sound with each move. Dale tried to ignore the noise emanating from the machine he had tucked in his hand though with little success. "It seems the Primes's connection to the Enforcer's network is limited."

"Meaning?" Dale huffed.

"To put it simply, the Primes can only materialize a limited number of constructs into this world. The previous assault was likely the full extent of the constructs the Enforcers can summon at present."

".... But it can get stronger as time goes by?" Nel asked.

"That is correct."

Cliff and Nel traded glances at each other. Dale looked back and forth between the two before letting out a deep sigh, dreading what the wordless glance between his companions would yield.

Nel confirmed his fears. "How far are we to the Primes?"

"About 83.93 Avars from our current position," Markus said.

"Avar-what?" Dale parroted.

"My apologies. It seems our worlds do not share the same metric system. I meant to say we do not have that far to go now."

"We seriously doing this? Just the three of us?" Dale said pessimistically. "Let's not forget we don't have one of our enforcer warnings with us."

"While I certainly agree we need to respond with utmost haste to the primes I must also recommend against this action with such limited numbers," Markus said.

"Even the head's saying this is a bad idea."

"Oh yeah, it's pretty stupid and likely gonna get us all killed," Cliff nodded folding his arms with a melancholic smile.

"Rrright..." Dale let out a deep sigh. "And this is why don't get out of the home much...."

"So which way?" Nel asked Markus.

Markus's eyes snapped forwards. "..... Please continue South-west."

Sentinels and Skirmishers

"Yo! Nel!"

"Melvin! Mutt!"

"Hey, Pyro!"

"You there kitty! Mary! Whatever!"

"Yo brat! Cry out if you can hear me!"

"Four eyes!"

"Mirage! Little girl!"

"Can you hear me, big guy?!"

"Hey, head!"

After cycling through the long list of 'friends' Yuki was forced to accept that he was completely lost, roaming around in what felt like complete circles with nothing so much as a landmark other than trees.

"Shit! This is why I hate forests." Yuki grumbled. "Least there's nothing that's trying to kill me this time. Besides these machines,"

His katana was sheathed, yet his hand lay on resting at the hilt ready to draw at a moment's notice just in case... no, he was certain there would be another attack, and this time he was all alone without backup insight.

Yet the fact that he was lost was more of a pressing concern for him.

"Hello! Anyone!" He called out again. He met with absolutely no response, only the silence of the forest around him. "Ah screw it,"

Sighing defeat, Yuki rubbed the back of his hair, bent over and picked up a twig. He threw it up and watched it land, "Okay," and turned the direction it was pointing.

He made it three steps when there was a brustle behind him. Stopping dead in his tracks, Yuki turned his head around. There he saw something trudging through the dark. Squinting, he saw the movements were not that of the machines that were in peruse. Turning about, the figure got close and closer, bending over clumsily by trees before pushing themselves away as he ran.

"Hey. That you Big-"

"DON'T MOVE!"

All of a sudden, a bright light shone on him nearly blinding him followed by a click.

"Hand's to your side!"

"Huh?"

"HAND'S AT YOUR FUCKING SIDE!"

Yuki didn't comply. "Learn some manners jackass," With the light, he could make out that it was a man dressed in the same uniform as the dead soldiers. In his very twitchy hands was a handgun with a flashlight pointed directly at him. "You one of those black orc guys?"

Yuki took a step forward. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to-"

BANG!

The man fired his weapon, the bullet hitting the ground in front of Yuki. "N-Not another step!" The man said, clearly sounding scared. "Now hands where I can see them."

Yuki raised his hands up. The soldier slowly approached him with the occasional glance over his shoulder. Even though Yuki couldn't see the man's face it was easy to see how agitated he was.

"Little jumpy,"

"Quite!" The more solid hissed. "T-this area is off-limits to civilians. You shouldn't be here."

"Cause of the robots?"

The reaction from the man showed Yuki had struck a nerve. He was forced to squint at the oppressive light that was now blaring into his eye, the gun only a few feet away.

".... You saw them?" The soldier spoke in a hushed manner.

"Yep," Yuki responded nonchalantly. "Now if you excuse me, I've got a crash sight to find and a prime-whatever to wreck."

"Don't move!"

Yuki had only turned his back when he felt a gun pressed to his skull.

"What did you just say?" The man asked, sounding more afraid than before. "How'd you know about the crash? No, better question. Who are you and who do you work for?"

"I don't work for anyone,"

"Don't fuck with me!" The soldier cried out, pressing the barrel of his gun more intensely. "There's no other reason you'd be here!"

Yuki let out an inward sigh. "Take that away before I decide to break your arm."

"SHUT IT!" The soldier got more and more irritated. "I'll ask again; Who do. You-”

A loud rustle interrupted the man's question. At once, the soldier's posture stiffened. His eyes began to scan the tops of the trees for the source of the noise, praying that it was only an animal.

Yuki took no chances, immediately drawing his katana, keeping his eyes forwards. "Looks like they're here."

"What?" The soldier immediately pulled away his firearm from Yuki, shining the flashlight at the dark branches. "Where... where are they?"

"Probably hiding like the last ones," Yuki said, striding forwards.

"Last ones? What do ya mean 'last ones?!'" The soldier had his gun pointed at Yuki again. "HEY! Stay where you fucking are!"

Yuki turned back around, casting a downfallen gaze on the soldier, considering if it would be easier to simply knock the man out. Those thoughts were interrupted by the light blue light from a glowing orb.

"Shit!" The soldier fired off wildly as soon as the light appeared, emptying his magazine. Yuki stood calmly, grasping his katana in both hands as the soldier continued pulling the trigger in a panic as another orb appeared behind the first.

They then appeared in the center of the light, five enforcer constructs that were different than the ones seen previously; standing far taller than the drones with what seemed like bulkier armor layered over its frame with the diamond glowing core in the center of its chest. As they paced outwards in formation, each machine swiped down their weapons, large poles that suddenly emitted sparks of electricity at the tips. Behind were six more machines, similar in design to the cloaked machines, but with four arms that burst forth energy blades at each wrist.

"Wh-What now..?" The soldier said in a panic, fiddling on his ballistic vest for another magazine to reload.

"Seen ones like these?" Yuki asked, bringing his katana forwards.

"Na ah!" After the sidearm was loaded with a fresh magazine the assault began. The four-armed machines charged, scuttering across the ground with, the four beam blades scorching the foliage beneath. "What ya expect to do with a sword?" The soldier snapped at Yuki as he fired off his pistol, missing each shot.

"More than you,"

Yuki quickly sidestepped as the front machine lunged towards him, quickly turning to the right parrying two beam blades from the next incoming machine. Blue sparks emitted from the impact as the heated blades of light, followed by more as the machine continued with three more slashes, ending with Yuki locking blades with the top two, leaving his midsection exposed to the lower two.

Sensing the danger, Yuki quickly kicked the machine, breaking the deadlock and leaping back, not before receiving a scorch cut on his chest. Barely having a chance to catch his breath, the first machine had jumped him with a third coming up from behind. Yuki rolled out of the way, turning about to face the threats.

"BEHIND YOU!"

Yuki gazed up to see a pole of energy hanging above. "Shit!" Swearing, Yuki raised his katana blocking the electrified pole, the electric sparks nearly blinding him. Yuki forced the assault away, rolling to the left as the machine brought the pool down. Yuki recovered his stance, letting out a grunt as he swung his blade at the machine, only to have it blocked when the machine's torso rotated clockwise, parrying Yuki's strike forcing him to slide to a halt, raising his katana to block another wide swing. The impact took nearly all his strength to keep his footing. The metal sparks burst from the impact as Yuki found himself skidding backwards.

"Ok... looks like you guys can put up a fight,"

Yuki turned sharply, blocking and parrying a four-armed machine, moving aside one of its top-left arms, leaving a narrow fraction of an opening with the swordsman used. Bringing his sword to his chest, Yuki plunged his blade at the machine, piercing it in the chest causing critical damage to the construct.

As it spasmed, Yuki kicked it away, turning about as two of the larger machines approached twirling their shock poles. Panting, Yuki raised his katana, blocking a thrust from the front machine, parrying it aside before being forced back to blocking an overhead strike. Yuki jumped back but was caught by the second poll-armed machine, narrowly blocking the incoming blow, leaving him open to a jab in the stomach that blasted him backward.

"GHA!" Yuki slammed into a tree and slumped down, smoke rising from the large burn on his chest. "S-Shit." Getting up Yuki saw the remaining five four-armed machines rushing toward him

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The head of one suddenly burst as a hail of bullets destroyed it. The advancing machines halted, with the remaining four turning their heads to the soldier, their eyes letting out a bright red glow. The headless machine meanwhile charged undaunted by its missing head.

Yuki rolled to his side as the machine's light blades pierced through the tree. Yuki ran towards the machines that were distracted in registering the new threat. "Haaaa!"

When the machines took note, Yuki's katana had sliced downwards through the closest, splitting it in two. The remaining three machines turned their attention back at Yuki, not before the swordsman destroyed another, cutting it from the torso. With two more remaining, Yuki went on the offensive sidestepping as a machine swiped at him, pulling his sword close before lunging forwards with a powerful upwards sweep, catching the machine's left arms, turning about to parry two low strikes from the remaining machine then rushed forwards before the top two could retaliate. Yuki skidded across the ground, pivoting back as the final machine spasmed from a large cut that had torn through its torso. The remaining machine scampered towards Yuki despite only having its two right arms. Yuki made short work of it, striking downwards before the energy blades could strike.

Meanwhile, the headless machine was wandering towards the soldier, sparks flying from the destroyed head. The more solid unloaded his gun into the machine, which proceeded to tear into the case until the white core was pierced. The translucent liquid burst from the white core while the machine began to violently spasm. The soldier did not relent, reloading his gun before peppering the machine with more bullets even after it had collapsed.

"YEAH! EAT IT YOU ALIEN PIECE OF SHIT!!" He cried as the machine fell to the ground. "THIS IS FOR-"

A beam of light struck the man in the back of the head. At once, the man's hands dropped to his side before toppling over dead.

"Shit!"

Yuki was awarded a brief glance at the soldier's death before he was once again beset by one of the pole-arms. Blocking a downwards strike, Yuki forced the weapon away then struck back with a forward sweep to the machine's chest.

The machine then spun its torso around counter-clockwise. Yuki leaped back, narrowly avoiding being hit by the powerful electric shot. When the machine stopped to recover, Yuki saw his attack had caused only a small dent.

"Are you kidding?"

Yuki didn't have time to curse as two of the pole-arms were approaching from behind. Yuki rushed right, trying to avoid being sandwiched between three of the machines at the same time.

"SHIT!"

Yuki raised his blade as another of the machines stood before him swinging their weapon. It took all his strength to keep his guard up under the strength of the swing. Gritting his, Yuki gazed forwards at the machine "Huh?" and noticed a red-light flashing, perched on one of the trees.

His instincts screaming, Yuki ducked right as a blue beam passed him by, leaving a cut on his cheek. The soldier's killer had just become apparent.

Turning about, Yuki was forced on the defensive as another pole-arm attacked. He blocked the first blow, but was too late to notice that another machine was right behind him.

"URGH!" Yuki was launched left as a powerful shock slammed into his right side. He landed on the ground, quickly recovering in time to see the machines approaching once again, hammering in the point that he was yet to destroy one.

"Ok... enough screwing around,"

Yuki sheathed his blade, parting his legs as one of the machines approached.

Stance 4: Rasshu!

He unleashed his draw attack, passing by the machine before it could respond. Sparks burst as a rent opened up on the machine's chest. Yuki turned, parrying a blow from the same machine. Once again his attack did not incapacitate the construct.

Ducking, under the next blow, Yuki ran (ducking again under another blue beam), stopping short of another machine, narrowing his eyes, holding his sword out sideways.

Stance 5: Kõsa-ha!

Unleashing two cross slashes, the machine's pole-arm was knocked back by the first while the second rented through its chest with still little damage. However, the machine was yet to recover from the attack. Still open, Yuki pulled his blade back, eyes narrowing on the one part of the machine that did not seem heavily armoured; white core.

"Die!"

With a curse, Yuki plunged his blade forwards. The attack broke through the glass (without plunging through the whole body). Yuki pulled his blade back while the machine began spasming uncontrollably, spinning its pole-arm in wild arcs while electricity burst from every joint before dropping its weapon.

"Looks like I found you bastard's weak points." Yuki grinned. Ducking under another attack, Yuki ran to the spasming machine, instinctively grabbing the discarded weapon, turning on his axis before swinging it at the incoming machine. The weapon slammed into the machine's head staggering it. Throwing it aside, Yuki, the immediate advantage and broke the core.

As the machine started spasming as well, Yuki turned back to the first machine that was approaching, kicked it to the ground (which took far little effort then he had thought), turned back to the second to finish it off. Swinging his blade vertically upwards, he damaged its right arm by striking its shoulder joint. He did the same with its left leg, hitting the knee joint hard enough to cause visible damage. As it collapsed, Yuki plunged his blade into the exposed joints in its shoulder blade. The red light that was its eye went out. Yuki withdrew his blade and kicked the machine away, holding his blade downwards at his right, he swiped upwards at the first machine as it was struggling to its feet. His blade struck its neck just below its eye. Again, he couldn't lob it off but struck hard enough to break through half of it. Withdrawing his blade, Yuki swung downwards, slicing through the neck at last.

Breathing heavily, Yuki turned to face the remaining three machines, confident in the knowledge he could destroy them. His confidence was undermined when blue lights began to flicker around him. Bathed in the blue translucent light, Yuki's let out a breath of annoyance.

Around him from three orbs of light, eighteen new enforcers materialized themselves, twelve 'drones' and six of the new four-armed machines he had fought.

"More the merrier I guess,"

With a grunt, Yuki charged forwards, swiping up one of the discarded pole-arms while energy beams began firing as the drones began their ominous march forwards while the four armed machines scurried in multiple directions. The close hits and scorch marks that were being seared into the trees prompted Yuki to run faster, ducking by the nearest tree as the drones began to fan out.

Yuki curved around one tree, leaping off it with a drone right in front of him. Raising his foot, Yuki kicked the machine in the head, knocking it to the ground, finishing it off by piercing the core with the polearm. Pulling out the weapon, Yuki ducked under the increasing fire, pivoting on his axis as he swung the weapon around, catching one of the four armed machines that had leaped on him, cracking its head frame open, before performing a downwards strike, slicing through a nearby drone, sweeping another four-armed machine off its feet before stabbing it with the improvised weapon. The third pole-arm machine approached, swinging its weapon that clacked with energy while more drones began to surround him. Yuki, pulled free the improvised weapon, stirring it in his left hand while he lowered his stance.

"Duel weld's not really my thing," he said with a grin as he charged, lowering his body at the incoming projectiles from the surrounding drones. With a grin, Yuki pulled his body backwards, skidding across the ground as the machine swung at him, jamming the pole upwards as he passed by, missing the core by a few meters. Coming behind the machine, Yuki righted himself, turning to face the machine again as it turned back to face him. Preparing to pounce at the machine again, a beam passed overhead, remaining Yuki of his situation.

Cursing, Yuki ran away from the machine as the hale of fire increased, darting around a nearby tree to find himself confronted by one of the four-armed machines that had pounced on him from above. Unfazed by the surprise attack, Yuki leaped backward, avoiding being sliced apart, followed by a low rising vertical slash that knocked the machine's weapons away, then stabbed the machine in the white core. Two drones were directly in front of him, firing at their target, their red eye's shimmering in the darkness.

With the four-armed machine still embedded on his weapon, Yuki charged forwards, using the machine's chassis to absorbed the laser blasts until he was close enough to the machines, pivoting around counter-clockwise to throw off the machine that was caught on his blade, an in two more blows cut down both drones.

Turning back around, Yuki spied another flash from the treetops, moving his body left. Another blue beam passed by, scaring his right side. Despite the scorching burn, Yuki was forced to move as the drones continued firing at him.

Continuing on, Yuki skidded across the ground as a drone and of the four-armed machines came into view. Leaping off the ground, Yuki took the four-armed machine's off guard, slicing off its head, pivoting and kicking the machine away, finishing off the final machine by stabbing the white core.

Turning on his heels, Yuki's blade was locked against one of the pole-arm machines, the sparks of electricity bursting and feeling at contact. Yuki broke the engagement and backed away as more drones were incoming, with more blasts of blue light indicating more were coming. Yuki ran right ducking under the beam fire, cutting down whatever machine he came close to.

Turning at a nearby tree, Yuki came face to face with another pole-arm that had taken a wide swing towards him. Gritting his teeth, Yuki skidded along the ground as the weapon passed overhead, the electrified end sparking as it hit the wood.

Yuki jumped back to his feet as the machine began to pace towards him, spinning its pole arm. Undaunted, Yuki, parted his legs and brought his sword upwards, resting the hilt at his shoulder while the blade pointed directly at the large machine that approached.

Stance 1: Sāji!

Yuki passed the machine after performing his sword form, his blade leaving a large rent on the machine's chasse. The machine spun from his hips undeterred by the new damage. Yuki reacted faster, turning on his axis before stabbing the machine right in the core.

Withdrawing his katana, Yuki ducked at the machine began to spasm, flaying its weapon around with no finesse or strategy. Yuki turned about and leaped right as one of the four armed machines pounced on him which was then smashed aside by the malfunctioning machine. With the polearm swinging wildly, Yuki struck the machine's tripod hand, knocking the weapon out of hand then finished it off by stabbing it in the eye.

With the third machine-finished off, Yuki picked up the discarded polearm and proceeded to run when he spotted a blinking red light on top of the trees.

"?!!" Quickly jumping to a nearby tree, a blue beam fired, scaring his left thigh. Ignoring the pain, Yuki rolled back out of cover, impaling a drone with the seized polearm, withdrawing and swinging clockwise, catching another drone behind him, parrying a four-armed machine where he threw the weapon aside, stabbing the machine in the chest.

With the machine still embedded on his blade, Yuki turned as the fourth pole-arm approached, twirling its electricity coursing weapon, throwing the machine towards it. The machine knocked the drone construct a side twirling its upper body. When it completed its turn, Yuki had rushed forwards, past its guard and stabbed it in the core.

As the machine began to malfunction, Yuki withdrew, jumping back to avoid the machine's rampage, turning as a drone approached, inverting his blade before plunging it into the machine's body as the final pole armed machine approached.

Heaving the machine overhead, Yuki repeated his strategy, throwing the drone at the construct. However, the machine grabbed the throne machine with its free pincer hand, throwing it aside as Yuki had charged in. Skidding to a halt, Yuki was forced to block another strike from the machine, moving back several paces while he regained his posture.

"AHRG!!”

Something then slammed into his back, sending electric currents surging through his body before. Yuki flopped forwards, regaining his footing to see the still malfunctioning machine. Yuki raised his guard as the machine threw its attacks wildly, parrying one strike before jamming his blade into the machine's glowing red eye.

While he was distracted, the other machine had approached and swung its weapon at Yuki. The electric shock threw him off the fourth, hitting his back against a nearby tree.

"S-Son of a-"

Groaning, numb from the two powerful shocks, Yuki tried to pick himself up from the ground, realising he was disarmed. His sword was still lodged in the now incapacitated machine, and the fifth was standing between him and his weapon. As he got to his feet, a blue light shimmered behind the final machine, with six more four-armed machines materialising while the seemingly numerous drones converged on Yuki's location.

"You guys have a jacked-up notion of fair play," Yuki huffed, whipping his brow. He then charged forwards with seemingly reckless abandonment. All the while, drones opened fire, their red beams illuminating the battlefield while the four-armed machines scurried towards Yuki blades ready to slice and dice him.

Sidestepping one, ducking under the next while the laser fire intensified. Yuki reached the final pole armed machine which fast approached. Reaching it, Yuki jumped and rolled right, avoiding a wide swing from the machine before diving to his sword.

As he dived, one of the four-armed machine's pounced over the fallen machine's carcass, predicting that Yuki would try to retrieve his weapon, lying in wait to pounce at him.

Only, Yuki wasn't trying to retrieve his weapon. Just before his blade's hilt, before the machine it was embedded in, was the discarded polearm from said machine.

Landing on the ground short of his weapon, Yuki clutched the polearm, turning his body clockwise to face the attacking machine, impaling it on the improvised weapon. Yuki kicked the machine off and got back to his feet. The final pole armed machine was fast approaching, twirling its weapon in fast-moving spins like a buzzsaw.

"Alright," Yuki clutched the weapon close in his left hand, "lights out," spun left, swinging his weapon into the machine's twirling weapon. With its core open, Yuki plunged his recovered sword into the machine's core. With a satisfied smirk, Yuki pulled his weapon back as the machine began to spasm, then punched the polearm into the gap in his opponent's left shoulder's armour.

The moment the final machine was destroyed, all the remaining drones and four-armed machines suddenly stopped. Their eyes blinking blue, all of them dematerialized at once.

Panting, Yuki fell to one knee. "Urgh... Damn walking pieces of scrap...."

His body felt numb having been struck three times by the rods, and he could feel burns on his skin from the close misses from the drones and four-armed machines.

Getting back to his feet, Yuki sheathed his blade and approached the downed pole-armed machine. Placing his foot on the machine's body, he wrenched the embedded weapon free.

"Alright," He stood perfectly still, his eyes examining the tops of the trees, "Don't think I forgot about you," throwing up the pole, holding it like a javelin.

He waited, still as a rock. Until finally, the red flash came.

In the space of a second. Yuki hurled the weapon as a blue beam passed by, grazing the right side of his neck as he lost the makeshift weapon.

On the trunk of a nearby tree, the pole arm struck something unseen, burrowing through, aided by sparks and broken machine pieces scattered.

Decloaking, the thin machine fell to the ground, the pole arm embedded through this fragile chest, clashing to the ground.

"Son of a-"

Yuki groaned again, rubbing the part of his neck that had been struck. The beam had missed burrowing through his windpipe, but left his flesh singed where it had passed.

Now surrounded by nothing but the broken machines, Yuki approached the fallen soldier (Illuminated by his flashlight attached to his handgun) with a hope that maybe he was still alive. The large hole that had burned in the back of the black helmet did not board him with confidence.

Expressionless, Yuki kicked over the man to his back and crouched down to him, picking up the discarded firearm to shed some light on the subject. The man's wide-open and unblinking eyes told the swordsman what he already knew.

With a sigh, Yuki closed the man's eyes. He was prepared to stand and resume his search for the others when he noticed something blinking on the man's hip. Curious, Yuki grabbed a hold of the item, getting back to his feet while gazing at it. It was some kind of black box with a green screen with several buttons below the screen.

"What do we have here?"

Standing up, the screen suddenly changed, its display getting less fogy. Facing it another direction, he saw the green fog getting stronger, and only in one direction.

"..... Wonder if this is how those black orc guys were able to move though this forest?"

With no other plan in mind, Yuki began to walk forwards, keeping the box out in front, using the green screen interference as a compass and the handgun flashlight to fight back the darkness.

"If I had a reason..."

A question Nel had asked him back in Avalon came to mind; a question he couldn't help but chuckle at as he left the destroyed husks of the enforcer machines behind.

"There's never a dull moment."

Icons and Strikers

Following Cerberus lead, Max and Melvin trudged through the dark forest not meeting a single soul or machine. The night time had set in with the woods now almost pitched back and a fog rolling in adding to the already oppressive darkness. Max followed behind. Despite Melvin's healing, it was clear in the way he was walking the multiple hits had taken some of his vigors away, stopping occasionally to rest on a tree to catch his breath. The various burn marks he had on his skin hadn't healed completely, with a trace of dried out blood that had trickled down from his forehead.

".... Are you sure you're alright?" Melvin ended up asking when Max stopped again.

"Y-Yeah..." Max brushed off Melvin's comments, continuing the march. "Don't worry bout me."

Cerberus let out a whine, showing concern for Max as he walked on past.

"..... Don't worry boy," Melvin brushed his fur. "He's been through much worse than this back at Sterland, remember."

Cerberus looked up, letting out a whine while his fire tail wagged, still looking concerned. Melvin also felt the same way. Even with all the two had experienced, the machines they were fighting were completely different from what they had fought before. Not only did they appear out of thin air, but they were also clearly intelligent and were adapting. If they had to fight against them again, Melvin couldn't even imagine what they would do this time.

Maybe we should have brought Allisa with us.

"YO!" Max suddenly called out, disrupting Melvin's train of thought.

"What is it?" Melvin and Cerberus ran towards the Salamander, only to find themselves out of the forest and onto a road, with a wide clearing slope at the right-hand side. "Max?"

The salamander was crouched on the left side of the road, seemingly absorbed in something. "What is-.... What the?"

Growing out of the road was a silver spike, one that looked very out of place in Allisa's world. Even its construction was strange, made up of squares and cubes with the point looking unfinished. Silver threads made up the tip. When Max touched it, the thin parts simply snapped off, disintegrating into silver dust.

"What you suppose this is?" Max asked.

".......... It might be a part of this primes thing, or influenced by it, or.... Something." Melvin said prodding the spike with his wand.

"You don't sound very sure?"

"I'm just guessing," Melvin said as a part of the tip snapped off. "If we had the head- uh, Markus, with us he could tell us what this stuff is."

Cerberus then barked. He was standing further ahead on the road, wagging his tail. Max and Melvin followed after him.

"Did you find something.... Boy?"

"Wh-What?!"

Around the curve that was blotted out by the thick trees was the flaming wreckage of what could have once been a checkpoint. Three vehicles lay in smoldering ruin while five bodies littered the ground.

"More of those black orc guys?" Max asked as they approached, crouching by one of the dark bodies. Like the others he had seen in the forest, this one had burned holes from the machine's beam weapons.

"....... Not just them," Melvin sounded grimmer as he crouched beside another body.

Standing up, Max saw that it was not one of the soldiers. Laying on his back with smoke rising from a burn mark in the back of his head, wearing a blue coat and jeans.

"I.... think he's from the town."

Cerberus was scratching the side of one of the ruined cars. Max gripped the door, and with a heave tore the part off. There fell a charred corpse far smaller than the other bodies, a chard bear fell from its grip. Max dropped the door, stepping back with shock.

"It's like Markus said," Melvin spoke standing back up, gazing on the small corpse. "They don't discriminate at all."

"Damn them!" Max slammed his fist into the car's bonnet, his strength leaving a large dent in the bodywork. "I see another one of those machines I'll rip 'em to pieces!"

"I know you must be feeling pretty pissed," Melvin said sounding as adhortative as he can, "but we can't just charge in recklessly. We don't know what these things are fully capable of."

"....." Clicking his tongue, Max withdrew his fist from the dent he made in the car, still fuming over the death of the innocence.

"And besides, our top priority is finding the others. Even you have to agree we can't fight this primes with just the two-"

Cerberus barked.

"-Sorry, three of us." Melvin quickly corrected himself. "Are you sure you can't smell the others?"

Max shook his head. "Sorry, still nothing. Guess we're too far from the others for me to-"

Max suddenly stopped himself, his expression changing to a serious scowl. Cerberus turned around, barking. Melvin didn't need to question the sudden change of mood from his two companions. Turning on his feet, Melvin raised his wand.

"Here they come again," Max growled, lowering his center of gravity, throwing out his two fists.

"We just can't catch a break," Melvin sighs.

At once, a blast of blue light began to shimmer, illuminating the area before bursting in two sections as a formation of twelve drones materialized.

"Looks like it's just them for now. Even so, we can't- CHARGE IN LIKE THAT YOU MORON!!"

Max charged forwards, flames traveling down his arms. The machines wasted no time from their appearance, opening fire at the charging salamander.

"I'll burn you bastards-" leaping off the ground "TO ASH!!" Max slammed into the ground in the center of the drone formation. The loud explosion of flames blasted apart the drones. More lights began to shimmer around the area, indicating the next assault was incoming.

"Guess we kicked open the hornets' nest again," Melvin swore. Raising his wand, a domed barrier covered him as red beams began firing out from the newly materialized drones.

Wasting no time, Melvin began casting spells, lobbing fireballs at two marching drones, destroying both in one shot. Turning on his axis, Melvin let loose a wind blade spell, slicing two of the machines apart while the other machines began firing at the boy. The beams struck his barrier while Melvin and Cerberus ducked behind the destroyed car.

"Oh no you don't!" Growling, Max threw a large fireball at the five remaining machines. It hit with a powerful explosion that was typical of Max. However, more beam fire shot out from the impact zone. Max braced himself, taking three beams (two on his arms and one on his gut).

"W-What?"

When the smoke cleared, the four drones were still intact with no visible damage. "They survived that?!" Melvin exclaimed. Squinting his eyes, he noticed they were simmering a weak white light, giving off the occasional spark. Among them was a thin ray of light that went upwards. Following the light, Melvin saw something floating above the formation. It was a machine far smaller than any he had seen before. Unlike the humanoid shaped drones and infiltrators, these ones were shaped like a bull-point pin. A red-eye dominated the metal orb above while a cone point with a red stream light in the center moving up and down. Surrounding it was five smaller satellite plates which orbited the cone.

"What's that?"

A bark from Cerberus drew Melvin's attention to a group of three incoming drones. Instinctively, Melvin lobbed a fireball at them only to watch it bounce off the machines without leaving a mark.

"?!" Looking up, Melvin saw the same small machine hovering above them with the same type of machine.

"HAAA!" Max continued his rampage amongst the drones, spin-kicking the head off a incoming drone before turning and releasing fire roar at another formation-

A beam struck him in the forehead, cursing the flames to die out. Once again the machines were undamaged, marking autonomously towards him. "The hell is this-?!"

Max ducked against the incoming fire, flaring up his fists before charging at the wandering formation throwing out a fist at the nearest drone. When it collided, a burst of energy emitted from the machine throwing his punch off. Gritting his teeth, Max leaped back, skidding across the road before diving right while a hale of beam fire followed.

"The hells going on?! None of my attacks work!"

"They have a shield around them!" Melvin called out while he and Cerberus ran from the formation of now seven drones, the shots bouncing off his shield. The young wizard skidded to a halt and turned, aiming his wand at the hovering machine above.

"Lightningbolt!"

A long burst of electricity fired from his wand, hitting and destroying the small machine. In an instant, the marching drones lost their protective light.

"Heed me, origins of the flame that give us life," Raising his wand again which shone a bright red, a massive fireball began to form above Melvin's head. "gather together and smite down my foe. Burning Hearts!"

At its pinnacle, Melvin threw the fireball towards the large gathering of machines, striking the nearest one before releasing a tremendous explosion that destroyed all seven of the machines.

"You have to destroy the things above them! Otherwise your attacks won't do anything."

"Huh?" Max glanced up, noticing the hovering drone above. "Those things?"

Another bean went over Max's head. The Salamander ducked, raising his left arm to shield himself. Flames coalesced in his left hand as he took aim at the hovering machine above. With a grunt, Max threw his hand out, sending a small fireball that destroyed the machine hovering above. The six machines below suddenly lost their glow. Max then rushed forwards, throwing out a left punch that went straight through.

"Alright!"

Pulling free his fist, Max dispatched the others, beginning with a flared kick at the closest machine, punching the next in its white core then leaping off the ground and punching a flared fist releasing a burst of fire which blasted away the remaining three.

Another formation of six drones was approaching with another of the hovering machines above them. "Know how to deal with ya!" Max threw another fireball at the hovering machine, spinning clockwise before letting out a fire roar which instantly vaporize the incoming attackers.

More and more blue lights shimmered around, with more drones and the hovering machines emerging around them, with most of their attention drawn to the rampaging Max who was destroying them in droves with his flame powers (despite being struck numerous times). Melvin remained close to the wrecked vehicles, utilizing them as cover so as to not put too great a stress on his own barrier, throwing out the occasional level one spell (a fireball or lightning bolt) at whatever machines approached. Cerberus remained close to his master, giving out barks to warn him when a machine was approaching from behind.

The rhythm of combat was going smoothly as the fight dragged on past the four-minute mark when Cerberus suddenly leaped on the nearest wrecked car and started growling at the forest.

"What is it boy?"

Melvin followed his gaze and saw a blue light emanating from the dark tree lines. He thought it was another wave approaching, but when the light didn't disappear like the others, when he could hear the sound of undergrowth being snapped, he realized something was approaching; something big.

"MAX! HEADS UP!"

Surrounded by drones, Max only heard the warning when a blue streak fired from the dark confines of the woods at him. Max only had time to leap back, raising his arms when the blue energy struck the ground. Max was lifted into the air by the resulting explosion which destroyed the surrounding, hurtling back before slamming into the opposing tree line, hitting his back against a tree so hard it shattered the bark upon impact.

"Ahhh," Smouldering, Max flopped to the ground. "That hurt...."

"MAX?!" Melvin was about to run out when the snapping sounds become louder.

What had fired emerged from the woods, towering over both Max and the other drones. Four mechanical legs reached the pavement, shattering the asphalt under each step. An upper body that resembled human(ish) with a narrow body; a line which showed its core, glowing red eye that was covered in a domed metalhead, its arms with large, three barrelled cannons attached.

"Oh boy..." Melvin gasped at the sheer size of the new machine. "They literally brought out the big guns,"

Max had only gotten to his feet to see what had fired at him when the machine let out a mechanical growl. The three barrelled cannons on both arms began to light up as it began to march directly towards the Salamander.

"Shit!"

Max scampered to his feet and ran into the forest as the new machine began to fire volleys of blue energy, each one exploding on impact. "The hell-!" Gritting his teeth, Max tried running deeper into the woods when more blue lights began to shimmer in the darkened depths. Skidding, Max began running left.

All the while, the large machine made its way over the road, firing a continuous volley of blue energy into the forest. Trees that were hit toppled as the bark was blasted apart with each shot fired.

Melvin edged his way past the wrecked car, keeping the giant machine in sight as he prepared to launch a spell at it. There was then a crack as a beam struck the wreckage nearby. Melvin jumped in surprise. The nearby drones were now converging on his location, losing a volley at the boy.

Now they're going for me?! Frustrated, Melvin ran, letting out a fireball at the nearest unshielded drone. That big things going after Max so now the rank and fire are gunning for me! It's terrifying now organized these things are!

Max's run in the forest didn't last long before he darted out of the cover, ducking under a large blue energy shot that blasted apart a nearby tree. He skidded along the grass, glaring down the four-legged machine.

"That's a bit overkill don't ya think?"

The machine let out a loud metallic screech before taking two steps back, firing more blue energy at the salamander. Max dodged each shot, using fire from his hands and feet to launch himself away from each shot (occasionally tumbling on the ground due to the backlash) while closing the distance to the machine. "Not that I'm complaining!"

Passing over the machine's right side, Max turned clockwise before letting out a fire roar that engulfed the entire machine. Max backflipped, landing on both feet as he skidded across the ground. When the flames died down the salamander was shocked to see the machine was virtually intact with minor damage to the area of impact on the right shoulder joint.

Guess these bastards' as tough as it looks.

A beam then struck Max's left shoulder, reminding him that he was still surrounded by the drones.

"More of them?"

He was then forced to dodge as the four-legged machine began to blast at him again. Max rocketed himself into the air, avoiding the energy blasts fired at him while he flared up his fist. Spinning clockwise, Max boosted himself before reaching the machine, slamming his fist into the left side of the machine's head forcing it back several paces, growling as he fell to the ground. The machine corrected itself again with only a dent in the area of impact.

Gritting his teeth, Max leaped off the ground before the large machine could fire, landing on top of the machine, "See how ya like this-" grasping both sides of the machine's head while his hands flared. The machine let out another metallic screech as its plates began shimmering a white-blue color.

"Huh-AHHHH?!!"

A shockwave of electricity burst from the machine, launching Max off the construct, landing on the ground with a thud.

".... That hurt," Groaning, Max turned to his front, pushing himself back while the giant machine loomed over him.

"Firebolt!" Meanwhile, Melvin remained pinned between the three wrecked vehicles, lobbing spells at the marching drones who were all converging on him, mixed with the new floating machines which coated neighboring machines, their range varying between one to seven drones at once.

"... Not sure how long I can keep this up," Melvin groaned as he launched a wind blade at a nearby drone, severing through its upper torso. It was fortunate the frames were weak enough for a single spell to shatter them. Due to the increased pressure, he couldn't let out an area-of-effect spell or anything that could destroy more than one.

"Ah, there's no end to this,"

Keeping low to the ground, Melvin crawled into the gap between the two military vehicles firing off another fireball at an incoming drone, the impact shattering the machine. With a bark from Cerberus as a warning, Melvin turned to his right flank, firing off another fire spell that destroyed the machine.

More blue lights shimmered around the area with even more machines materializing, further bolstering the numbers of the attacking drones.

"This isn't even making a dent," Melvin groaned in frustration. At this rate, I'll burn through all my mana before we even reach this Primes thing.

Melvin turned right at another formation of five drones protected by the smaller drone hovering above. He fired another shot at the incoming machine, destroying the small machine.

"WHAAA-?!" Following an explosion off in the distance, Max suddenly came into view, slamming into formation, shattering three of the machines in the process.

"Son of a-" Max then spotted Melvin and Cerberus (with Melvin looking dumbfounded at Max's blazing entrance). "Yo! Heads up guys!"

"Wha-nonono-not here-! NOT HERE!!"

Scampering to his feet, Max launched himself towards Melvin as another series of blue projectiles hit the area where he was with the remaining two drones being caught in the crossfire. The large machine crawled along the ground towards the spot where Max once was, scanning the area for him while emitting a loud metallic growl.

A car then slammed into the machine, hitting the left cannon while forcing the machine back nearly knocking it off balance. When it recovered, the machine turned its body left, Max was holding up one of the military vehicles over his head.

"Special delivery for ya!" He yelled as he threw it.

"I NEED THAT!!!"

The machine fired two shots at the flying car destroying it. Max then leaped through the smoke, drop-kicking the machine in the chest forcing it backward.

Max back-flipped before landing, inspecting the damage he caused, which was only another dent far smaller than the one on its head. "Damn, that's some thick armor,"

He then turned about and ran straight towards the final car where Melvin was.

"W-w-w-wait, DON'T LEAD IT THIS WAY!!" Melvin ran alongside the Salamander just as the machine began opening fire, one of which destroyed the wrecked vehicle. Cerberus scampered alongside them, avoiding the various beam fire.

"Why the heck's it going for me anyway?!" Max asked as he ran.

"Cause the drone thing's can't hurt you!" Melvin screamed, ducking as a red beam passed them by. "Which is why they're going for me!"

The two ran down the road, coming face to face with a drone which Max kicked to the ground. The large machine was in pursuit, walking over one of the wreckage before firing another volley at the two.

While missing, the backlash was enough to throw both off there feet. Max recovered in the air, turning about and skidded along the road. Melvin was not as fortunate, hitting the ground while his barrier was still active, bouncing like a ball before stopping.

"You ok buddy?" Max called out.

"Yeah..." Melvin said weakly, lifting his head to see three drones directly in front of him.

"No you don't!" Max attacked the three, first by leaping off the ground and drop-kicking the first machine in the red-eye while gagging the legs of the other two drones, spinning on his axis before throwing them at the machine, one hitting the head while the other struck the front left leg, both shattering on impact. With still minimum damage, the machine took aim again.

"That didn't work," Melvin stated matter-of-factly. "Maybe we should-MAX?!"

With both hands flared up, Max once again charged forwards, barely making it away from Melvin before the machine fired again, hitting him directly.

"MAAAAXXXX?!!!"

The machine continued marching forwards towards the smoke rising from the spot where Max once stood. Another metallic growl came from the machine once again.

"HaaaaaAAAAAAAA!"

Max suddenly bursts from the dust being propelled by flames at the souls of his feet. A fist slammed into the chest again, directly on the white line. Cerberus let out a bark alongside Melvin, who let out a breath of relief.

He's gonna give me a heart attack one of these days.

The machine buckled as it skidded across the ground. The shimmering white liquid squirted from the area around where Max had struck as the chest buckled under Max's attack.

"I owe ya some payback," Once Max's momentum died, Max put both feet on the machine's lower legs grinning, "You metal crab!"

Just as the machine's body began to shimmer with electricity, Max lunged left, grabbing a hold of the machine's right cannons. Kicking upwards, he broke through the armored joint. The electrical burst came after, blasting Max away with the cannon clutched in his hands.

"Max!" Melvin was about to run to the salamanders' side when an energy shot struck close by. Now spasming, the giant machine's body twirled as it began firing its remaining cannon at random, hitting everything (including the endless spawning drones) but its main target. In the center of its chest was a large and cracked dent with white liquid leaking from the center. It was exactly the same as on the drones, a white core that dominated its chest.

"That must be the weak spot!" Steeling himself, ignoring the various hits to his barrier from the drones, Melvin took aim with his wand pointing it directly at the malfunctioning machine's core.

"Lightning bolt!"

The stream of electricity struck the machine in the chest burrowing through it, bursting out the other end. Another metallic screech sounded from the machine as it rose on it's for legs while internal explosions burst from its body before finally dropping to the ground. All at once, the active drones stopped firing as a blue light enveloped them, leaving the wrecked machines behind.

"Whew.... We did it," Melvin sighed with relief with a desire to flop to the ground and spread out his arms.

Cerberus then barked and ran to the wrecked arm cannon that Max had torn off.

"Oh right, Max!" Remembering that his companion was sent flying, Melvin ran after his familiar.

"Ahhh," Max sat up as the two approached looking far worse for wear then before, with his shirt nearly burnt off and his body littered with scorch marks from the various laser blasts he had taken. "Looks like they ran away again," He said triumphantly.

"Yeah, for now," Melvin said grimly, glancing over to the large machine which lay smoldering in the middle of the road. "The more they fight, the more they learn about us. I feel we've only seen a fraction of what other machines they can throw at us." Cerberus whined, sitting on the ground next to his master's leg. "Frankly, if this thing is rank and file like those drones, I'm terrified what this primes is gonna be like."

"Aw, so what?" Max said jumping back to his feet brushing off the various wounds he had. "If it's like those machine's we'll just wreck it like all the others," He declared slamming his fists together.

"Where you get your confidence, I'll never know," Melvin sighed. "Let's just hope we can find the others beforehand."

Cerberus then barked, running off down the road before stopping, barking again.

"Haha, someone's rearing to go," Max said with glee. "Lead the way little buddy!"

"Wh-Hey! Don't leave me behind!" Melvin called out as Max and Cerberus began running away from him. "Waaaaiiiitttt!!" He said as he ran to catch up. "Come on you two! Wait up!"

Cabin in the woods

After separation from their friends with no hope to reunite anytime soon, Mirage leads her charges through the dark woods with Meracle still clinging to her back. Behind her was both Rodger and Sasha, keeping pace but standing prepared for the next attack to inevitably strike. Traversal in the woods was more difficult as, without both their wizards and sources of light, the path was enabled in almost complete darkness, illumination only coming from the moon to paint the undergrowth with a terrifying ambiance.

Rodger was well adapted to the environment, having grown up in a forest of complete darkness all his life and was able to the more disoriented Sasha walking hand in hand. Despite being scared of the forest and shaken by the knowledge she was being targeted, Meracle's night vision proved invaluable to Mirage, pointing out when there was a root overgrown or a drop in the path. However, they were still very much blind with no idea as to where they were or where they were going.

"Myow.... This reminds me when that jerk threw me and Allisa into that hole in the ground."

"Someone threw you?" Sasha sounded shocked.

"Yeah... I heard about that," Mirage said, deciding not to give a name to Sasha.

"Oh yeah, you two were the first to make it to that ruin," Rodger said, tugging Sasha to avoid a root that was jutting out. "How'd ya manage to beat us anyway?"

"Nyew....?" Meracle blankly looked upwards as she pondered. "Allisa lead the way. Said she saw someone and ran after them." Her tail then went ridged. "Th-there's nothing like that here right?! Those metal things are bad enough!"

"Don't worry, don't worry," Mirage said before Meracle could rock her back and forth. "There's nothing like ghosts or monsters here..... well, not normally."

This news didn't seem to settle Meracle down one bit, tightening her grip on Mirage, staring around nervously, ready to pounce at the next sudden assault from the enforcers.

"Gotta know what that witch did ta ya to make ya like this?" Rodger asked as he and Sasha walked hand in hand. "I mean, you're not much of a scardy cat most'a the time,"

"Myow.... She lobbed monsters at me day and night all for training." Meracle said, narrowing her eyes.

"L-Lobbed monsters! That's horrible!" Sasha exclaimed.

"Arch Sage Elaina you're talking about, right?" Mirage said. "I heard the stories from my last trip to Avalon... Didn't believe most of it until you guys got back."

"How can someone so horrible become an arch sage anyway?" Sasha said pouting.

"Frankly.... I'd love to know myself."

"Meow... but those robots are worse," Meracle said, tightening her grip on Mirage's shoulders.

"Yeah, but we ain't seen em in ages," Rodger shrugged. "Do wish they'd attack soon. Beat's walking around in the dark."

"I hope the others are Ok," Sasha said, tightening her grip on Rodger's hand.

"I'm sure they're just fine," Mirage said, putting her left foot over a root that was jutting out from the ground.

"Nyew...." Meracle tapped Mirage on the head. "Something's over there?"

"!?" Mirage suddenly stopped, glaring forwards into the darkness. Seeing the change in her posture, Sasha and Rodger followed, with Rodger drawing out his silver hammer. "Is it the enforcers?" Mirage asked.

".... Nyew?" Meracle shook her head while squinting. "Looks like.... A house."

"A... house? Ohhh.... I think I know what it is."

Through a clearing in the forest, there was indeed the silhouette of a small log hut, built onto a mound of earth.

"What's a house doing all the way out here?" Sasha asked as they approached.

"It's a hunting cabin," Mirage answered while Meracle finally jumped off the women's back to the ground, "I remember coming here a few years ago. Slipped my mind this was out here."

The group approached the cabin, which brought more of the building into view. It was only one story constructed of logs, with two backend windows and a door and a lamp hanging above the door.

"Meow... looks like no one's home?" Meracle said, finally dismounting from Mirage.

"That's a good thing with these enforcers lurking around," Mirage said approaching the door turning the nob. "But that also means it's locked."

With a sigh, Mirage took a step back putting her hands to her hips.

"Is there something we need in there?" Sasha asked curiously.

"Something like that,"

"Do you think the key's around?" Sasha asked, lifting up a nearby rock.

"They keep guns and bullets in here. I highly doubt anyone would simply leave a key laying about," Mirage said staring into the window, tapping on the glass. "We could break in but... Doesn't really sit right with me."

"Say Mary," Rodger then spoke, gazing up at the Cait sith. "you're a thief right?"

"Hey! Not anymore," Meracle pouted, her tail sticking upwards.

"You think you could pick the lock or somethin?"

Meracle examined the door, scrutinizing the lock. "Mywell.... Leone always took care of locks, but I can give it a shot." She approached the door, kneeling until she was level with the lock. "Anyone got a pin or something?"

".... I think I have a pin," Sasha reached into her hair and extracted a small bobby pin with a flower eroded on it.

Meracle took it and then began work on the lock. The other's stood behind her, waiting patiently until there was a snap.

"Did it work?" Rodger asked.

"Nyew....." Meracle turned around. The door was still shut, the pin she was holding had snapped with the other half now stuck in the lock. "Do you have another pin?"

Mirage let out a sigh. "Alright, stand back." Meracle retreated as Mirage approached the door, cracking her knuckles. "Sasha, don't ever do what I'm about to do,"

Taking a deep breath Mirage parted her legs, raising her right hand to a 90 degrees angle while pulling back a fist. "CHA!" Her fist slammed into the doorknob. With a loud crash, her fist passed through, leaving a large hole where the doorknob once was.

Brushing her hands, Mirage pushed the door open, rummaging through the darkness for lamps while her charges entered after her. She eventually found a flashlight, then found a couple of electric lamps, both assisting in fighting back the darkness. Revealed in the darkness were a small bed, a metal cabinet with a padlock, and a desk that took up the entire space of the room with a lamp, a few parchments, and a ham radio that took up half the desk space.

"What's in here?" Rodger asked as he approached the metal cabinet.

"Guns," Mirage said, holding a lamp in her hands she was rummaging through the collection of papers on the desk. "And I don't have the key for it."

"Want me to pick the lock?" Meracle asked, sounding enthusiastic and determined to make up for being unable to pick the lock of the door.

"Uh, that's ok Mary," Mirage responded politely. "We don't really-"

"Meow! I can totally do it this time," Meracle insisted.

"..... ok, be my guest." Mirage reluctantly nodded, pointing to a yellow box close by the cabinet. "There tools in there if you need them. Try not to make it too obvious it's been picked."

With a fresh spring in her step, Meracle made her way over to the cabinet, grabbing a hold of the toolbox. Meanwhile, Mirage scanned over the map, using the lamp to illuminate the map.

Rodger and Sasha joined her, with Rodger leaping up on a chair to get a full view of the map with Sasha peaking by Mirage's side. "What ya' doin?" Rodger asked as Mirage pulled open one of the draws, illuminating the inside with the lamp in her hands.

"Trying to get our bearings," She pulled out a marker pen, pulling off the cap with her teeth before looking back over the map. Rodger and Sasha watched her in silence that was filled with the sound of Meracle beginning to fiddle with the padlock.

"The cabin we're in is..... here," Mirage pointed to the map where there was a circle drawn, one that had been there for a while. "We began at the Gas Station on the main road," she then marked the location with a circle before slowly tracing a line towards the woods "And we've been going west ever since,"

"Uh.... I think so," Sasha said, even though she didn't sound sure. There was then a loud snap behind them, followed by Meracle muttering something before rustling through what sounded like the toolbox. Yet none of the three paid her any mind as Mirage marked a point with an X.

"We split up briefly about here before Dale brought us back together.”

"You mean how he screamed like a girl?" Rodger asked.

"Yep."

There was then another loud snap. "Nyew.... How did Leone do these things....?"

Sasha finally looked back to Meracle. Though her back was turned and covering the padlock, her tail was jutting upwards, while making slow movements.

"Uh.... Do you need some help Mary?" Sasha asked. Meracle didn't respond, reaching into the toolbox and brought out pliers.

"And it was here we met Markus," Mirage continued with Sasha looking back around, now drawing another long line before stopping. "we kept walking forwards until we were ambushed by the enforcers..... about here." Mirage marked the estimated location. "We were separated, and the three of us," and followed the point back to the cabin. "leading to where we are now."

".... When ya look at it like that, we haven't really come that far," Rodger said, sounding disappointed.

"We split up here.... Which means we were headed," Mirage continued muttering to herself, racing alone away from the previous mark.

"So... how do we find the others with this?" Rodger asked. "Go back and see if we'll run into em again?"

"Ideally we would want to regroup," Mirage answered him, marking a point on the map. "But with this darkness and those enforcers roaming about, I don't think we'll be having much luck."

There was then another snap from behind, followed by a loud huff before a loud banging could be heard.

"I think our best bet is to find the crash site."

Sasha glanced at the map, noticing several marks Mirage had put on it.

"Based on what direction we were going before we all got split up," Mirage pointed to an area of the map she had circled, "Here's probably our best bet to find the crash site. And with any luck, we'll run into someone along the way."

A loud bash came from them sounding like a hammer had just struck something with the force of a car. This was followed by a second bash along with the distinctive sound of something breaking and falling to the floor.

"Meow I did it!" Meracle jumped in spot pleased with herself as Mirage, Rodger and Sasha turned to her direction. "See. I told ya I can totally do it this time."

"Um... Thanks Mary." Mirage said awkwardly. Her hope of having access to the guns within the cabinet without evidence that someone had forced the lock fell to dust seeing the cabinet now opening on its hinges with a side of it looking as though a hammer really had struck it. The broken padlock was below (with an assortment of pointed objects crammed into the keyhole) lying alongside broken screwdrivers and other tools that were vandalized.

Ignoring all of that, Mirage reached the cabinet, pulling open the metal door. Inside were three neatly organized hunting rifles and a double-barreled shotgun with bullet boxes below. Mirage took one of the rifles, grabbing a box of ammo. She approached the table, handing the ammo to Sasha, pulling out a handful of rounds.

"I thought you fought with your bare hands?" Rodger asked.

"I'd prefer it," Mirage answered truthfully while cocking the gun's bolt. "But in certain situations-"

A static sound began to ring about. Everyone froze at once as the white noise sounded so briefly. It came again, a grating sound as though someone was running nails over a chalkboard before flickering out again.

"M-Mirage…?" nervously, Sasha pointed at the ham radio, where the noise was coming from. Each time a static streak could be heard, a light would flicker on the dashboard.

"Mary," Mirage looked over to the cait sith who was visibly shaking from the haunting atmosphere.

"N-Nyew, nothing." She shook her head as the static continued.

Taking the lamp from the desk, Mirage made her way over to the radio as it continued to flicker to life with strange noises. Slowly, Mirage looked over the radio and pulled the power cable. The radio didn't turn off, still flickering with the occasional static, sounding more and more ominous like someone was screaming.

"Stay close," Mirage instructed her charges, picking up the receiver. Her eyes darted to the darkness outside the window. There was nothing as far as she could see. Every so slowly, Mirage brought the receiver to her lips.

"Hello."

She was met with no response. Then, the static grew louder with a more definitive grow to the tone. Mirage kept her eyes glued to the window, running her eyes over the dark ground, the blackened trees, the sudden red light-

"?!"

Mirage dropped to the ground a mere second before a blue beam broke through the glass.

"Whoa!?"

"Mirage?!"

"Meow!"

Raising a hand to show she's ok, Mirage quickly got up, keeping as low to the ground. "Hug the walls! Stay away from the windows!"

Mirage made her way to the wall by the window, slowly peeking to the side, trying to find the shooter. In the darkness, she saw strove of red as the silver frames of the enforcers came to view.

"Meow! Th-There here!" Meracle said, looking out another window to the east.

"How'd they get the drop on us?" Rodger said urgently, pulling free his hammer as the crack of red beams began hitting the wooden walls with Meracle dropping to the ground. On the desk, the ham radio continued making static sounds, seemingly in since with the fire of the drones outside.

"They probably materialized further away," Mirage said, shattering the window of the window she was on. She took aim at a nearby drone and fired through the gap. The bullet struck the machine in the torso to the left of its core, shattering the frame and destroying the left arm before the machine dropped. She pulled back to reload, missing another blue beam that was aimed at her head. "One of you, close the door!"

Sasha was the one who complied, slamming the door shut. However, the door refused to stay closed. "Oh no.." Sasha remembered the Mirage had broken the doorknob to enter.

"I got it!" Rodger slammed his hammer to the ground. A loose stack of rocks juts from the ground, bursting through the wooden floor in the process.

"MYOW!!" Meracle ducked from the window as a blue beam struck through the window.

"Shit!" Mirage swore as another blue beam passed by her window.

"So what now?" Rodger said as Mirage fired off another shot. "We go out and smackdown them machines again."

"Uh uh," Mirage said, cocking her gun. "There's definitely a sharpshooter out there. If we go out we’ll be picked off." Risking another look, Mirage saw the drones massing a good distance from the cabin, continuing a volley of fire without advancing. As Mirage took another shot she noticed there was a single machine walking towards the cabin. Cocking her gun, Mirage fired a shot at the advancing machine, clearly hitting it by the machine in the upper body. There was a loud clang of the bullet hit and bounced off the machine's frame.

"What-?"

All of a sudden, the walls to the north side of the hut were torn apart with the cabinet being knocked aside.

"WHA-?!"

"Mirage!"

"Shit!" Mirage turned her gun to the new opening in the wall. Through the gap marched a machine she had not seen before, standing taller then the drones they had faced, sporting a metal polearm that crackled with electricity. Mirage turned quickly, firing a shot that bounced off the thick metal plate.

The machine marched towards Mirage, swinging a wide arc at Mirage, knocking over the ham radio as the polearm tore through the wall. Mirage threw her weapon away, jumping back as she avoided another swing before delivering a sharp punch to the machine's body.

The machine skidded back a few feet with a visible dent where Mirage's fist had hit yet was not enough to put the machine out of commission.

"MIRAGE!"

Behind the machine, Meracle could be seen pointing upwards before ducking back into the cabin as fire from the machines continued. Mirage turned her head in time to see a red flash in the trees. Seeing the danger, Mirage leaped backward as a blue beam passed by, narrowly avoiding her. With barely time to catch her breath, she was forced to dodge a wide swing from behind her, pivoting on her feet as another sing came from behind by a second machine, turning only to be hit in the chest by another swing,

A spark of energy burst from the impact as Mirage found herself thrown left, recovering in the air and skidding to a halt, clutching the smoldering part of her chest.

"Shit...." Gritting her teeth, Mirage looks up seeing two of the same frames looming over her. Both twirled their polearms which crackled with electricity after completing their maneuver.

"Here ya go!" A rock then slammed into one of the machines, hitting hard enough to crush the upper body on impact. It took the remaining machine a few seconds to register the destruction. It turned its head, seeing Rodger, Meracle, and Sasha hold up in the cabin.

With the machine distracted, Mirage charged forwards, kicking at the machine's left leg then punched its right flank. The machine tried to respond with a counter-attack but Mirage was quicker, Grabbing a hold of the machine's weapon arm with her back turned to it, kicking the machine's right leg while throwing it overhead slamming it overhead before slamming it to the ground.

"Mirage!" Sasha rushed part ways out from the cabin throwing the rifle like a boomerang. Mirage caught the weapon, stamping down on the machine's chest before jabbing the barrel into the machine's core before firing. The machine's core was broken. As Mirage took her foot off the machine, it began spasming on the floor.

Mirage threw her weapon away, ending the machine with a solid punch to the machine's head.

The respite was short-lived as a streak of red passed her by, reminding her of the threat of the drones. She pulled the trigger, met with the click sound. "Shit!"

Two drones advanced forwards in perfect unison, aiming their weapons on Mirage when an invisible force hit one of the machine's knocking it into the other, each shattering on impact.

Meracle then came into view, drop-kicking a third machine, moving away to the left as a blue beam passed by her head. Mirage bounced on her foot, pivoting left and kicking in the direction of the blue beam. In an instant, there was a crashing sound as an invisible force struck an unseen threat. The object fell to the ground; a machine of similar build to the invisible machines from before, with the difference of a long-barred weapon attached to the machine's left arm. The impact from Meracle's projected attack had shattered the machine's chest, crushing its core.

"Mirage!"

"We’re here ta help!"

Rodger and Sasha ran up to Mirage. Sasha threw her ammo while Rodger threw out earth spires at his opponent, each hit shattered the drones which stood motionless. Sasha meanwhile had leaped into the air towards a frozen drone, slamming her little fist into its frame, shattering the core while the body convulsed inwards. Mirage quickly loaded her gun and took aim, firing at an immobile drone, taking aim at another-

".... What?" Mirage suddenly stopped. The relentless fire that was being thrown at the group had stopped, with the drones now standing completely still not moving a fraction.

Meracle had kicked one down before noticing they were no longer fighting back. "Nyew....? They stopped?" Sasha and Rodger followed shortly after, noticing that they were no longer being shot at despite the drones that surrounded them.

Rodger tapped a nearby drone with his hammer. "Did they give up?"

A streak then came from the machines as each one began to vanish one by one until only the group was left amongst the destroyed frames.

"Ha ha! We did it! There runnin away!" Rodger cheered.

"Think it's too early to celebrate," Mirage said cautiously, bringing her rifle close to her chest. The eery silence had returned so quickly after the chaos that had ensued. "Still... Let's go before they decide to come back. Wait here!"

Slinging the rifle to her back, Mirage rushed to the cabin, picking up the fallen lamp and grabbing a hold of the map and a compass before taking one last look at the devastation the fighting had just wrought.

"Someone will definitely notice."

Turning her back to the damage, Mirage re-join her charges who were standing around Meracle who seemed to be staring off into the distance. "Mary?"

"What's up? Ya got hit back there or something?" Rodger asked.

The young Cait sith seemed in a daze with her tail jutting upwards, making only the slightest movements. When Mirage called out her name, she reacted by pointing off the west. "Somethin's going on over there?"

"Something?" Sasha looked in the direction she was pointing.

"Nyew.... It's like... that static I feel when those machines arrive, but much further away.... And way bigger."

As though answering her question, an audible boom could be heard from the distance. Then a wave of translucent blue energy passed through the trees, hitting the group as it passed (blowing Rodger off his feet).

"Wh-What was that?" Sasha asked out loud as the blue energy died out shortly after.

"Nothing good, that's for sure," Mirage said, holding the map in her hands with the compass tucked under the thumb. "And I have a feeling it's where we're gonna be going."