《Death Spire》Chapter 2 - Operation Sneak Peek (prologue)
Advertisement
There was a full ten minutes of deafening silence as people across the world attempted to process the events that had just transpired. The horror of the creatures from within the tower had left the masses speechless. As foreign citizens focused on the tower, the locals had most of their attention consumed by mourning their fallen comrades, friends and family members. A somber atmosphere enveloped the entire planet and the tension felt almost tangible.
As the silence fell away, it was replaced with panicked yells and despairing cries. Individuals ran through the streets shouting about the apocalypse and that we're facing an alien invasion and that we should give up and surrender. I don't think they considered the logistics of exactly how they could surrender.
Silence quickly returned, this time by military enforcement. More and more trucks full of soldiers and supplies pulled up and cordoned off the perimeter of monstrous activity with lengths of barbed wire fences and warning signs. I don't think the barbed wire will deter the monsters though, it seems like its more to keep civilians out, though I don't think anyone in their right mind would want to go in there. Command tents were deployed and guard stations erected to better control the area from the ground.
There was a special news broadcast in which a high ranking military officer declared that Carson city had become an 'active war zone' and all citizens were forced to evacuate as their hometown was no longer a safe space for civilians. Thus, the local people were ousted from their homes and forced to leave behind the stable lives they had known seemingly forever to assume the role of the always uncertain refugees.
Simultaneously, religious groups all around the world took this chance as a recruitment drive and publicized the use of their churches for beds or homes as well as providing food for the faithful. Of course as a pragmatic person, I could see through their schemes immediately. Would the churches really provide care for the refugees for free? I believed that those that accepted the help of the church would be stripped of every last penny they had left in order to live an 'immaterial lifestyle' and that they would be looked upon favorably by their god for their generous 'donations'.
Advertisement
While the religious groups made a killing, the rest of the world watched and waited with baited breaths, praying that no more monsters would spill from the tower. If they did, it could mean the end of all human life on the planet because the weapons wielded by the wolds strongest forces couldn't even leave a dent on their tough skin. As time went on, it seemed like the wish of the people came true... well, partially, at least.
A month passed with no activity from the surrounded tower, so the military decided to adopt a more aggressive approach. They recruited the best of the best from spec ops groups worldwide and consolidated those chosen into a single task force. Their objective? Enter the tower and explore the inside, as well as to assess the likelihood of another 'outbreak' as it had been dubbed.
At first the members were skeptical of the seemingly suicidal mission, however, they were offered excellent rewards should they accept the undertaking. When they emerged they would be given enough money to live the rest of their lives in luxury. And, in the event that they didn't return with the team, the reward would be passed to their next of kin, ensuring that they would be well looked after. Eventually all the members of the task force agreed to participate in the scouting mission identified as operation 'sneak peek'. The 'Redemption' task force would spend the next two weeks completing training exercises in order to ensure flawless teamwork and to get comfortable working alongside their new comrades.
Two weeks later...
The members of Redemption were all standing outside the towers' ominously gaping maw. Nothing could be seed from the outside, only a twenty meter tall and 15 meter wide arched Vantablack wall recessed in the side of the tower was visible, even when an IMALENT MS18 torch, which currently holds the title of 'brightest', was shone inside, no difference was seen. It was as if the entrance was consuming the light.
Advertisement
Each soldier was armed to the teeth with all of the latest equipment and if all else failed, they had an extremely sharp dagger equipped at their hips. They each carried a rucksack filled with essentials, food and water. They were standing around the entrance saying their farewells to their loved ones, whether it was their last reunion or not. As this mission was critical to all of humanity it was naturally broadcast worldwide.
I watched in awe as Redemption finished saying their goodbyes and lined up to enter the tower as one, each sporting a determined expression and fire in their eyes, as if asserting their dominance on the tower.
Again, we waited... and waited... and waited some more...
It felt like everyone on the planet was watching this broadcast, hell it felt like the planet itself was watching the tower's entrance. But even so an entire 24 hours went by... nothing. Then another 24 hours passed with no activity.
Just as the married women and men were starting to feel like widows and widowers, there was movement and a figure emerged from the blackness. The figure proceeded two steps forward and collapsed, unconscious. The man, now fully illuminated, was a sorry sight. He was bleeding in several places and his whole left arm was missing. His clothing was in tatters and all of his top of the line military equipment was gone with the exception of the dulled and chipped dagger which even in his unconscious state was gripped tightly in his right hand.
A stretcher was brought forth immediately, and presumably, the only survivor of Redemption was loaded onboard and carried off to the field hospital. A woman and a child could be seen running after the medical team seemingly delayed as the husband and father was almost beyond recognition.
In the days that followed, no one else emerged from the tower's bowels. Thus prompted some mixed opinions of whether operation sneak peek had succeeded or failed.
Advertisement
- In Serial6 Chapters
The Land: Founding
Discover Dr. Aleron Kong, the Father of American LitRPG! #1 in Cyberpunk and Video Game Science Fiction! Over SEVENTEEN HUNDRED positive reviews on Goodreads!!!When Richter was drawn into the greatest virtual reality MMORPG ever created,it seemed like a dream come true... until he found that nightmares walked The Land. He was confronted not only with a life and death struggle, but also with questions that would define his very soul. What would YOU do if you were transported into your favorite video game?What would YOU do if the gore, adventure and pain became real?What would YOU do to win?Richter confronted these questions while an enemy lay savaged and screaming at his feet. His lips pulled back in a blood-streaked smile. The answer was simple."Absolutely anything..."Welcome my friends! Welcome... to THE LAND!
8 224 - In Serial18 Chapters
I'm a Frog?
"The hell? Where am I?"[System reboot][Loading...][I'm your land survival system, you are the owner of this new frogezoid body][Feed me points, and I'll show you the secrets of survival with the aid of body upgrades]"Hmmm... well this is interesting."
8 85 - In Serial8 Chapters
The Fleet
Earth Had reached an Era of Peace. Humans felt that they had secured the future of their species. That they had full control of their lives. But Fate had different plans. All this changed one day. The Gate opened. A portal to another dimension. An event that would forever change the course of History. ? ? ? A boy who has nothing to live for. No ties to the world and no one to trust. Left alone without anyone to rely on. What path will he chose? Will he find a reason to live or will he walk down the path of despair. When the gears of fate start to turn. What future will they make? Read to find out.
8 131 - In Serial36 Chapters
THAUMATURGY
Born into the house of elite wizards of Crimsonmane, Alicia Crimsonmane did not inherit the ability to control magic like her other relatives, which led to her being ostracised from her own family for bringing disgrace and damaging the prestige of House Crimsonmane. One day, Alicia found an obscure orb containing a rare and powerful source of magic that makes people willing to kill each other to get it. The orb attached to Alicia, granting her access to its power to create magic. However, her life would no longer be the same when many people hunted her for the Divine Grace. After a series of studies to find out the origin of the orb, she realised she was not just an ordinary orb mage. Her encounter with the orb would lead her to a greater destiny, having a significant impact on the conflict-ridden world of thaumaturgy...=========================================== Title: Thaumaturgy Author: RestuIbu Art cover: @pen_camp (twitter) Tag: Action, Fantasy, Magic, R18 Release schedule: Every Thursday and Saturday
8 193 - In Serial106 Chapters
Burnouts
Trust fund babies and the less fortunate coexisting through the turmoil of relationships, friends, drugs, and sex ... basically the normal 1990s teen antics.
8 168 - In Serial19 Chapters
Haruhi's Cousin (Hikaru and Kaoru x f!Reader)
(Reader is described as female and uses she/her pronouns and Japanese (being haruhi's cousin), sorry if this doesn't fit your description.)Haruhi has a wealthy cousin that the hosts never knew. well, she never told them anyway. until one day, she decided to visit Haruhi and the boys, and of course. the Twins met her.-started 5th of March 2017--I do not own any of the characters inside this book-- 2021 edited-- 2022 revisited and authors note -
8 229