《Smoke - The Fallen Reaches》Chapter 6
Advertisement
3000 Miles West - Somewhere over the Labyrinth
The eight-hundred foot long zephyr broke below the cloud line like a giant silver bullet. The Captain stood at the helm calling orders to his team, but below Jack and his Ravens prepared for insertion. They would be jumping the last fifteen thousand feet. “Double check your vests and load out”. Jack shouted above the roar of engine sounds. “Three minutes” He didn’t know exactly where they were, only the captain was given the coordinates, but he assumed somewhere in the northwest territory. He wasn’t aware there was anything out here but ruins and scavengers. Whatever this Dragon was, the king wanted it back at first reach. “Remember, the Skybeam marks the landing zone, we drop straight down along the light path” There was a loud alarm and the gate began to lower. They looked out at the virtually pitch black night, with only a little light from the sliver of moon. The giant Skybeam lit up the night sky, like a giant marker for a top secret base. Jack imagined this mission must be more desperate than he had imagined. Once they were close enough he began shouting “Go, Go, Go” Cro was the first one out, followed by the rookie, Sug, and Xyla. With a deep breath he followed closely after.
They were in free fall, Cro and Sug had already locked hands and were waiting for the rest. Jack could see Xyla, but the goddamn rookie was out of position. He and Xyla joined the others and locked hands, a giant X formed as they fell along the light path. The rookie seemed to be struggling to get to them. Well there wasn’t much drop training, the entire Kingdom only had three Zephyr’s, but he thought it was pretty easy to understand. They were running way too short on time. He broke away and directed himself towards the idiot Wilkerson. He could see the panicked look on the man’s face when he got there. He grabbed him by the back of the neck and forced him to look at him, signalling to follow his movement. The ground was coming too fucking fast, and if they were out of posistion they were done for. They started moving toward the others, he was already able to make out the outline of the facility in the dark, this was not good. They got to the others and had barely finished locking hands when he started to feel the pressure on his vest. Locked in a star around the beam of light, they could all feel their descent begin to slow, the ground not far away at all now. As they entered the courtyard to the facility they unlocked hands as their descent had almost completely stopped. At about three feet from the ground they hit the eject button on their vests and the giant magnets on their backs ejected, shooting into the night sky. They dropped to the landing pad one knee down, landing virtually simultaneously. The Skybeam turned off, and they heard the electric magnet below them power down. They stood quickly and looked around, they were in the center of a giant stadium looking building. From here he could see the walls were heavily manned with ballista and auto crossbows. It wasn’t a perfect defence, but for raiders, he imagined it was more than enough. Secrecy was obviously their greatest defence. A man in a lab coat was on the edge of the landing zone. There were three guards with him. He walked up and presented a hand. “Dr. Hing, you are the team to extract the dragon I presume.” Jack looked him over as he took his hand. Black hair with gray at the temple, tan skin, and a slant of the eyes. “Commander Jack Storm and my team’ Dr. Hing nodded and turned. “This way” they began a walk toward one of the tunnel entrances. He assumed there was much inside the colosseum he couldn't see, full of weird experiments. “Your team will wait out here, only you have clearance for what's inside” Jack nodded and motioned for his team to take up the perimeter on the tunnel entrance. “What's our exfil doc?” Hing stopped and motioned across the field where he could see some winged looking things. “Our new pegasus project, you will be the first to use them, very exciting.” He said exciting but Hing looked anything but. “Cro, Rookie” Jack motioned towards the Pegasus. “Affirmative” Cro barked and he started toward the machines. Hing motioned for Jack to follow. They stepped into the narrow corridor, and he followed along to some stairs, it was a oddly built structure with lots of open space and narrow hallways. They climbed three sets of stairs before Hing found what he was looking for. He waved for his guards to wait outside as he swiped his keycard and walked inside. Jack followed.
Advertisement
The man in white and gray camo, slowly scaled the wall to the colosseum. In the darkness of the night, he looked like a ghost. Two of his brothers were entering from different points. Stealth was their friend, but time was their enemy.
Cro whistled as he walked up to the Pegasi. “Well i'll be a turkey’s grandpa, but ain’t she a bute” There were five of the sleek black machines. They were on some kind of angled platform, it almost looked like a short launch. Maybe it was. They looked like war horses but infinitely sleeker. Fat black tires, low frames, and long slender gliding wings. “What the hell is it” Wilkerson asked. Cro wore a big smile “That my friend, is a warhorse that flies”
Sug looked over at Xyla, she was always tense lately. He felt like maybe he knew where it was coming from, but neither he nor Cro really wanted to cross that line. She had been with them for years now, and she was like a little sister, but she wore her feelings for the commander like an open book. He debated reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder, maybe he would have that older brotherly chat about duty and love. All of a sudden the Skybeam activated. There were shouts from the Catacombs guards. An alarm sounded just as they saw shadows falling from the sky.
Jack and the doctor exited the room to a blaring alarm. A small black case strapped to Jack's left forearm. Hing for once showed an expression, and it was grim. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but we must hurry” The guards flanked them as the doctor picked up a brisk pace out of the maze of corridors.
The arrows fell like rain, Cro and Rook had taken cover behind the Pegasus. There wasn’t much for cover in the landing field, it was a death trap to anyone landing without authorization. Unfortunately the ballista and crossbow turrets were aimed down or out. No one could foresee an air attack, how could they, no one else should have air abilities. Hitting his mic, Cro shouted “We have multiple incoming charlies, we will hold the exfil point” He heard Jack respond over the radio “I’m with the doctor, we’re making our way out now, three minutes” The guards were firing back at the paratroopers dropping in, but the numbers weren’t in their favor. Dropping mostly into the stands around them, a few landed near the launch pad. Cro grabbed his axe from his back holster and moved in fast. The axe took a twelve guage shell, and had a silver bladed axe head mounted on its forearm and spikes along the top rib. The first charlie was still uncliping himself from his chute. He wore a black and gray camo jumpsuit. His crossbow hung from his chest, and he had a gladius at his side. He didn’t even realize he was in danger before the sharp axe split his head in two. “Get your ass moving Rook'' shouted Cro. Rook uncliped his mace from his side. The mace was a .357 magnum with an eighteen inch barrel. The end of the barrel was weighted and cylindrical, full of spikes. He quickly moved to take the south flank. Two charlies had already unclipped from their chutes and were moving his way with gladiuses drawn and bucklers attached. He mentally smacked himself for not moving quicker, but sometimes when the battle starts, the brain stops. The Ravens didn't carry shields but their left bracers were designed to take a blow. Layered kevlar, ceramic, and steel, with ridges to stop a blade from sliding, with training they were damn near better than a shield. He moved in quick, not giving them time to flank. He took the gladius on his bracer, fainting forward with his mace, and Charlie raised his shield, blocking his view as Rook kicked in his kneecap. His mace swung to the right knocking the incoming gladius away from his neck. He spun right using his left hand to keep the second charlies arm out of reach while he brought the mace in an overhand strike, turning his face into paste. The first charlie had recovered enough to come back in with a swing of his sword, aiming for Rook’s midsection. Rook dodged back and punched his mace forward taking the charlie in the sternum with the top spike. With the two down, he turned and looked around. In the minor moments of his fight, tens more had landed. While there were still lab guards standing, this fight only had one conclusion. He heard Cro’s voice over the mic. “Permission to spend bullets, commander” there was a short pause and Jack answered “Permission granted, but only if necessary.” Rook was pretty surprised, not only was firing a gun, literally burning money, they only had so many rounds with them, and it was a long trip home. Looking around at all the incoming charlies though, he decided making it out of here was certainly a priority.
Advertisement
Xyla was firing her arrows as fast as she could draw them, but still they kept coming. She was a master with the bow, and with Big Sug running close defence they could hold this door all day. Yet she was keenly aware that she had already used half her quiver. While she had a few more that should already be stashed in the Pegasus supplies, that wouldn’t help her here. She had ten more shots, and then she was down to her daggers. She watched as Sug sliced a charlie damn near in half with his giant buster sword. His kit alone was maybe worth all of the others put together. His mini gun with a giant blade along the base carried enough ammo to make him richer than a count. But he only had one roll of ammo and she hoped he didn’t have to use it here. She looked out at the flood of enemies and saw a man in jet white armor drop into the centar yard. She had some very dark intuition that he wasn’t your average charlie, Jack better fucking hurry she thought.
As Jack and the doctor moved quickly towards the door, one of the lab guards spoke for the first time. “Doctor, it's code Styx '' The doctor's face immediately paled. Without looking at Jack he muttered. “As soon as we are in the courtyard, take the pegasus and flee. The dragon must not fall into enemy hands'' Jack looked at him briefly before lowering his face plate and drawing his weapons. He carried two .44 caliber eagles, with a large curved blade that ran from the base of the handle to the tip of the barrel. They were slashing weapons, meant to be employed in the gun katata that Jack had been mastering over the years. They had a small engraving that ran the length of the blade. For those who could read, it said “When I raise this blade, I wish that even my enemies will receive life eternal”. As they came upon the gate to the courtyard the guards charged forward, Jack could see Xyla in her dance covering Cro, and beyond them a field of enemies. The doctor grabbed him by the elbow and spoke quickly. “I must go and destroy our research, but please keep it safe. In my work is my life, let me live on'' the doctor spun and hurried away. Jack gave him one last look, then marched out into the madness.
Jack moved right up to Sug’s flank, being careful to give him room to maneuver his Buster. “Move toward the Pegs'' Jack shouted into the mic. The din of battle had risen to its peak, and was beginning to lull as the guards were thinned out. Xyla quickly spoke up. “Three charlies in white, centerfield, they look like officers.” Jack’s eyes immediately locked on the three men in stark white armor. They were tearing through the guards like butter. One wielded a chain sword, which he used with all of the grace of a dancer. Everywhere it slashed was cut open or dismembered. The second carried two hook swords. Unwieldy in most hands, this person was a true artist, his brush was murder and his canvas was death. And the third, and possibly most terrifying, was a giant of a man, nearly seven feet tall. His armor made him look like a giant white statue. A man that size couldn’t have that kind of speed, but as Jack watched, he made his weapon sing. It was at least six feet long, with a war hammer on one side, and a scythe on the other. He harvested a swath of lives wherever he walked. In Jack’s hindbrain, a surge of challenge roared within him. These were real fucking warriors, and the battle would be glorious. Then he felt a tug on his arm and looked down to see Xyla had pulled at him. He realized he had stopped in his tracks to stare at these three. In that moment, he felt all three of them turn and stare at him as well. “Now, Jack” Xylas' words reignited his brain and he moved toward the Pegasi. Even if they stormed straight toward them, they wouldn’t reach them in time. The battle would have to wait.
Cro’s axe caved into the chest of the closest charlie, he used the man’s chest to cock his shotgun as he fired into the charlie who had been reloading a crossbow on the other side of him. He cocked his shotgun again and yanked it out of the dying charlie’s chest. He caught an incoming gladius on his bracer and smashed the piked end of his axe into the man’s temple. “Teach you to keep your shield up, idiot” He and Rook had finally cleared some space and there was a pile of bodies around both of them. They had used it sparingly, but burning some ammo had saved their asses. “Mount up!” he saw the rest of the team rolling up. And quickly jumped on the closest Pegasus. As the rest of the team straddled their bikes. Cro asked “how do we start these, what is this button--- Oh Shit!” his pegasus shot up the forty-five degree like a bullet from a gun. At the peak of his ark the wings engaged and he started gliding. Below him he could see the fighting had almost ended. The gray camo soldiers had taken the facility, but there were alot of bodies on both sides down there. Something had gone very wrong, he wasn’t sure what Jack had planned next. If this site was compromised, their next rendezvous could be as well. He looked behind him and saw all the gliders in the sky behind him. “I guess that’s a problem for another day he muttered”
Dr. Hing had just finished trashing his office when the door was kicked in. Three soldiers burst into the room followed by another man with no helmet on. The soldiers grabbed the doctor and threw him into his office chair. They quickly secured his legs and wrists with the plastic manacles. “Alright Doctor, where is it, we know there was a second dragon created.” His initial response was going to be to lie, but he was surprised at how much this man seemed to know. How did he know they had created two? He decided to go with obstinacy. “I won't tell you-- Aghh!” a knife slammed into his thigh and he screamed. “Let’s skip the torture and get to the part where you tell me what I want to know.” The man said as he raised his eyebrow. Hing struggled with his thoughts, he was a scientist, he knew he wouldn’t be able to take the pain. Tears filled his eyes but he spoke firmly. “In the safe, behind the mirror” the man smiled as he walked over to the wall and smashed the mirror. Behind it in the wall, was a small coded safe. “I knew you would be a good boy, now tell me the code.” Hing spoke through the pain as one of the guards twisted the dagger when he took too long to speak. “Eleven sixteen, fifty-eight” He mumbled something very quietly at the end. “What did you say?” sneered the man as he finished the code. Hing slowly smiled and said “god be with me” as the room exploded.
From where Jack was still gliding he saw a portion of the lab go up in a large explosion. The doc had told him the contingency plan but he had hoped he wouldn’t need it. He wondered if the three men in white had been taken by the explosion, but somehow he doubted it. As their gliders finally hit the dirt several miles from the lab, the wings disconnected and Jack hit the throttle on his bike, turning southeast. On the radio he heard Cro ask “The rendezvous is eighty clicks that way Jack.” Jack nodded. Something was bothering him, and he always trusted his instincts. The plan was compromised, so they need to change the plan. “We head for New Vegas” he said. He didn’t see Sug and Cro share a look behind him. He knew if he said they were going to hell itself they would follow, because they always did.
Advertisement
An Adventure Of Memories
The plants rustled, the birds flew from their resting place in fear, her soft paws landed on the forest floor with stealth, her whiskers twitched with excitement, this was the first time she had actually tried hunting in the forest and not in her own backyard, and she loved it. The twenty dozen smells were so fresh, it was hard not to lose focus. But there was scent that she knew would stop at nothing to get to her, but it didn’t matter, if it were danger…she was undefeatable, if it were a happy and exciting, she would just cherish it. His eyes gleamed in the dark, tonight the forest was acquainted with an unfamiliar scent, his nose picked it up quite quickly, it was alluring almost drawing everything to it, but it said that you should be more wary of it, than anything else. He knew that it would be dangerous to seek the scent to its owner, but it just excited him more. He would stop at nothing to get to it. This is a story about a teen girl and a teen boy, but these two were gifted with extraordinary powers. They’re families were good friends, but if a seedling of doubt were dropped in between, would they go against each other? Would our dear leads stay together and ignore the seedling of doubt? Will their relationship as friends stay like that, bud into a rose, deeper than ever or rot like an apple and make them enemies?
8 114The Spark
Michael Locke was a normal student, who went through his normal day in a normal fashion, until the day became... unnatural. Shot into the country of Aldemar and thrust into a new world alongside his many classmates, he agrees to work for the king in exchange for shelter and to learn magic. Fate however, is indifferent to his wishes, as he quickly realizes that he may be a hero, but his purpose in this world is quite opposite. Suddenly surrounded on every side, Michael must work to survive, and if anyone finds his secret... He's as good as dead. The Spark is meant to be a murder mystery style isekai, focused on the existence of basically an anti-hero, with every one of the large amount of heroes attempting to discover who the traitor is. This isn't made to be a lovey dovey easy going isekai with an OP mc, it's made to stir around an emotional story, with many dark tones. Still, the goal is to stay fairly light hearted as well, and the perspective will pass around to several characters throughout the story.
8 195The Spirit Games
Bullied at school and neglected by his parents, Tom Fiddle finds himself at his wit's end, until he receives a strange email offering him a job as a cultivation clan's spirit automaton. But what *is* a spirit automaton? After a successful application, he gets an answer to his question: a spirit automaton is an arcane spirit attached to a pocket realm. They can shape this miniature world to their liking and conjure spiritual entities, usually monsters, out of thin air. Their role is to create and administer trial-by-fires. These life and death competitions determine whether a disciple is *chosen* or merely *trash* that deserves to be left by the wayside. Tom's new responsibility will affect the lives of millions of cultivators and shape the future of hundreds of worlds, dozens of galaxies, and eventually, the universe itself. Will Tom use his newfound power to torment others and merely benefit himself? Or will he rewrite the course of history and transform the path of cultivation from a path of blood and destruction, to one of peace and tranquility?
8 94SteelStar
After years of waiting, Andy Gatlin is ready to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a superhero. His first day goes great at first, but then tragedy strikes when a veteran superhero, Spectramancer, loses control of his powers and goes on a rage fueled rampage. Not knowing what caused this well respected hero to go berserk, Andy tries everything he can to stop the other hero without hurting him. However, Spectramancer’s rage brings him close to Andy’s home, and Andy is forced to use his most powerful attack lest Spectramancer cause untold death and destruction. This move ultimately results in the veteran hero’s death. Andy is heartbroken by what he had to do, but his troubles aren’t over. A hostile news media and an easily riled up public label this new superhero as a murderer before learning the whole story. Meanwhile, Andy learns that Spectramancer was investigating a tragic event. A few days ago, Redwell City was destroyed in a mysterious explosion, and one of the suspects deliberately triggered Spectramancer’s rage to throw the veteran superhero off his scent. Armed with his knowledge, Any vows to get to the bottom of what happened, learn why Spectramancer’s rage was set off, and bring whoever destroyed Redwell City to justice. Andy will face supervillains, shadowy government agents, corporate spies, and angry news reporters in his quest to learn the truth and hopefully clear his name in the process. This is the story of a new superhero. A hero called SteelStar.
8 141Birth of an AI (completed)
On the fringes of human controlled space in the distant future, a weathered scientist carries out the thankless task of creating complex artificial entities— AI. Humanity needs and fears their greatest creations in equal measure, because without AI they will never travel the stars again. A team of Mercenaries, led by a demolitions expert calling herself Princess, has been tasked with bringing critical components, along with themselves, to a space station secreted within a debris field left over from a galaxy spanning war, The Synthetic Revolution. When the job's darker nature surfaces, the team will have to contend with killer robots, an unhappy client and the lingering scars of wars both recent and long past in order to finish their contract with their lives and their pay.
8 241The Lone Survivor
"You sure he's here?""Yeah, I'm sure. Can't you smell him? And haven't you heard about the young leopard shifter who's been spotted around these parts? Talk is that he's the lone survivor, and he's going to be ours"~~~My name is Fabian Davies, and I am a rogue leopard shifter. But it wasn't always this way.I used to have a family, a leap. We all lived in a huge house in the forest together, and we were one of the strongest leaps of our kind. Now, I live alone, scared to let go of the past or venture far from the house that I used to call my home. My leap disappeared five years ago, leaving me with nothing, no trace of where they went. Not even a note.Zion and Chase. The twins who stumbled upon my home and changed my life for good. They seem to know something about my pack, but without knowing their intentions, how can I possibly trust them?I am a rogue leopard shifter, cast aside by everyone I meet. I am the lone survivor.
8 227