Other Worlds: V 2.0

[initiates]

Date & Time: May 21st, beginning at 0900.
Location: The Initiative Hold and all throughout Elmer's world
Characters: Anyone participating in the fighting, anyone staying behind.
Summary: Elmer's world is fought for and lost.
Warnings: Violence, death.

They reopen the portal at 0900, May 21st. The first scientist who stepped through was killed within thirty seconds; the rest who followed made it back through to Exsilium, albeit not unscathed. The portal was shut again by a panicked operator, although a second operator knew to keep the coordinates locked.

Within ten minutes, the alert had been sent out. There's no time to wait for the Transports to gather en masse; as soon as they have a sizable enough force to stand a chance at fighting through and clearing their gateway's location, the door is opened again.

Immediately inside the door is a desolate, grim scene. What had previously been the coast of Japan is now scorched earth, blasted sand, and little else. As the first point of contact for this world, it has undoubtedly suffered the worst. Here, the UE didn't stop at governments, financial centers, and capitols — the UE destroyed everything in sight. There are enough UE soldiers remaining in the broken country to give the Transports a difficult battle, although by now the bulk of their forces have moved on.

The Initiative will soon realize the necessity of opening more gateways, just as the UE had done. Transports will be deployed to London, Berlin, Paris, DC Washington, Moscow, Beijing, New York City, Hong Kong, Madrid. Through each of these windows, the destruction is staggering. Buildings are more husks than structures, everything that can burn is alight, and the death toll is off the charts. Blackened bodies seem to line every street, while pieces litter the ground among the rubble. There's no doubt that the UE has no need of the people of this world. They're after resources only, and anything and anyone already here is to be removed.

You can find UE soldiers everywhere. They move in coordinated squadrons of 20, and each of them carries a small arsenal. Even without their incredibly advanced and destructive weaponry, they're fearfully formidable. Each soldier, while still only human, is a genetically perfect clone, further enhanced by technological implants. They're all highly trained in physical combat. Even if you can disarm one of them, don't count on close-range attacks being any easier to handle. They've brought along cannons, small flying craft, and lightweight tanks. Each of these is the top of the line in terms of technology, geared toward destroying as much as it can, as quickly as it can. The United Earth is here to destroy, and they won't stop to wonder why their targets go from being civilians and scrambling, off-guard, comparatively primitive militaries, to trained and powered Transports.

For anyone staying at home, they'll find that any Initiative presence has withdrawn fully to the Hold. All Initiative employees are needed, and most of them in the med bays. The majority of the Initiative focus is on recalling and resurrecting fallen Transports, but attention is still needed for the living-but-wounded. Any Transports who stay in Exsilium and offer their help will have it immediately accepted; they'll be put to work in the medical wings, runnings supplies, or simply set at a machine and told to keep an eye on the numbers: Transport vitals, UE movements, and maps upon maps of changing statistics and colors.

At 1500, the Initiative will recall all Transport soldiers back to Exsilium and seal shut the gateway. The UE numbers are too great, their soldiers too powerful, and Elmer's world is lost.

Comments

open!

[onblackwings]

[ A ]
[ Well, there's no debate over which form she should use for a fight like this. She'd arrived at the Hold for equal parts curiosity and excitement (a real war, finally!), and as soon as she's through the gateway and into Hong Kong, she sheds the human shape for her true one.

She's having the time of her life now, really. She soars and twists between the tall buildings, latching onto one now and then to spring around and launch a renewed attack on some squadron or pursuing hovercraft. Many a man and machine is left sizzling in her wake, as she makes very liberal use of her acid breath. She uses magic readily and often, disguising herself, attacking, shielding. But even with all of her strength and power, she doesn't go unscathed. She bleeds from multiple places, and one leg dangles uselessly after a while.

She hardly feels the pain. That's for later consideration, now is the time to delightedly destroy. ]

[ B ]
[ With as reckless as she's been, it was really only a matter of time before the UE shot her down. A 35 foot black dragon is a large target, after all. She'd fallen heavily, struggled, breathed twice more before having the life shot out of her. And in thirty minutes, New York City is treated to a furious black dragon as she rushes back (missing her intended portal in her rage, but she doesn't even notice the difference).

She'll go down even more quickly this time. Rage clouds her wits, and she's still weak from the resurrection. She'll last a little longer on the third try, if only because the second went so poorly, and she's learned a little from it. The forth will be another short attempt, because that resurrection-exhaustion (not to mention the drain on her magic and endurance) is really starting to stack. The fifth, six, and seventh tries are acknowledged suicide runs.

Catch her resting just briefly, looking ragged and droopy, or witness some spectacular, explosive death and subsequent grim return. Just try not to team up with her at this point, because nearby allies probably don't have much of a life expectancy either. ]

[ C ]
[ After everything is said and done and the portal is closed, she won't even bother trying to hide herself. There'll be a black dragon sprawled out across the roof of the Housing, all four limbs, head, wings, and tail flat against the newly set concrete. She's alive and intact, but far too irritated to do any sleeping. Orange eyes glare at nothing in particular as she relives each battle and death.

Ugh. The UE. They're just terrible. ]

B

[draconic_historian]

Khisanth was not alone for the third attempt. A second dragon followed right on her tail through the portal and also took to the skies. But where the black dragon was a brutally graceful and furious predator, the red one was a cautious tactician and magical powerhouse.

Ricasthix fell a bit behind Khisanth, then started weaving spell after spell on both of them. Khisanth found glowing runes of protection starting to cover her scales, then time felt like it slowed down just a bit around her with everyone moving in slow motion, then confusion among the enemy ranks as they lost sight of her entirely.

Then they reached breath weapon range, and even Ricasthix put aside his sorcery to give in to the rage and fire in the blood of all dragons.

[onblackwings]

It takes her a second to notice it. Not a spell she's familiar with — for a moment she's wary, but she feels no harmful effects, and hasn't seen the UE use magic yet. So she twists her neck around, and — yes, there. She remembers that one.

But after his initial noting, Ricasthix goes ignored. The enemy is close now, and she parts her jaws to unleash a spray of acid. Combined with the other dragon's fire, the troops are generally not having a pleasant time of it. She twists back around, headed upward again before any UE soldiers can make use of that nearby cannon.

[draconic_historian]

Ricasthix takes to the air again as well, the two of them leaving about a full city block that was once bristling with UE troops and weapons as a flaming, half melted pile of debris.

His attack path takes him right at the cannon Khisanth had been avoiding, though. He felt it fire more than he heard it, but had gotten just enough lift with the last wing beat that the oversized beam of coherent light merely singed the tip of his tail. Then he was perched on top of the gun, eyes glowing as the humans within felt their will being assaulted by mental magic.

"I think this cannon could be pointed in safer directions."

He wasn't able to get them all with the domination spell, so instead of turning the cannon on their allies, Ricasthix merely set the firing crew to fighting each other.

A

[demonbloodblade]

One of the ground troops - well, Meliantha - sees the dragon, and realizes it HAS to be another Transport. She waves her blade - aflame, easier to spot - and gestures down one of the twisting streets. With her eyesight, Khisanth can easily see her say, "Ground troops this way."

Then she turns, waiting for the bombardment of acid, so she can go in to follow up on what little the acid of a black dragon doesn't melt.

[onblackwings]

The blade is easy to spot, even amidst the burning buildings around them. She dips a wing, sweeps down, and parts her jaws. The wash of acid comes as soon as she turns the corner, and — sure enough, ground troops. Feeling pretty pleased with herself, she wings back upward again and leaves the screams behind her.

Not bad, weird gray lady.

[demonbloodblade]

She salutes the dragon, and continues on, using the flaming sword to set targets on the ground for the dragons to lay down their destruction.

C

[governorkang]

[Kang is exhausted, and just wanting to sleep for a week, but he pauses when he sees Onyx on the roof of housing, and makes his way up to stand next to her. He's got a few bruises, and stitches on his forearm, but is otherwise fine.

He regards her for a moment, and snorts softly to get her attention.]

Never thought I'd say it to a dragon, but I'm glad you're alright.

[onblackwings]

[ She cocks her head only as much as it takes to bring him in sight, and no further. She's too exhausted for much else. ]

Mm. [ A wordless rumble at first, but she eventually summons the will to speak. ] It would be hard not to be, with the Initiative's powers.

[ Seriously, so much for her goal of learning to revive the dead. If they can do it for her, why bother? ]

[governorkang]

How many times?

[onblackwings]

How many times what? [ Like she doesn't know what he's talking about. ]

A

[ofgoldenfoil]

Aurican has been told to go to Hong Kong, so he goes.

Khisanth might be able to see him crouching, stalking a platoon of soldiers marching toward a school for young humans. But Aurican is now using the Initiative's Weapon they have given him - his enhanced scales that allow him to be so dull he can blend into the pale rubble easily.

Soon he came close enough and just when he was about to jump and attack - he hesitated. The thoughts of killing confuse Aurican. This isn't like killing bats. Bats are harmless and they taste good. This is a different sort of killing, the kind Aurican has never done before.

He has hesitated too long and one soldier looks behind and sees Aurican. He yells, alerting his brothers, bringing their weapons around toward Aurican's direction.

Suddenly panicking, Aurican immediately wills his scales to be as bright like a sun suddenly appearing out of the night sky.

There is a large flash of light, a silent explosion. The soldiers cry out their surprise and Aurican, in the terrible, ancient instinct that is instilled in all dragons, parts his jaws and breathes out fire that nearly engulfs half of the platoon. The other half stumbles away from the dragon fire, but very soon Aurican will be facing the might of human weaponry, even with his deadly fire and light.

[onblackwings]

Well, it's impossible to miss that. She laughs as she circles above, and the deep, rolling sound makes it easily down to the ground.

There's still a buzzing spot in her vision where the glow of his scales had blinded her, too, but it doesn't stop her from knowing well what comes next. Having failed to finish off all of his targets, they'll now try their hand at murdering next.

She dips a wing, drops, and parts her jaws. Acid sprays out, washing over the remainder of the platoon. Highly trained soldiers or not, it's difficult to take suddenly dissolving flesh with anything but a panicked scream.

sorry for the late i lost the notify in my inbox

[ofgoldenfoil]

When Aurican looks up and sees the black dragon - the black dragon Takhisis, daughter of the dragon who tried to kill his mother and killed his aunts - and sees her jaws opening. Familiar to dragon breath weapons, he jumps out of the way, out of the range of the acid. He can thank Blayze for being too liberal with his breath weapon at times when he loses his temper, which causes Aurican to be quick on his feet.

By instinct Aurican arches his back, keeping a safe distance from both the pool of acid and her; uncertain what will an enemy of Paladine - therefore him - will do now. Aurican had developed a dislike for this dragon even before he learned the truth about Paladine, and now he starts to dislike her even more.

no worries!

[onblackwings]

The black dragon of Takhisis, as it turns out, doesn't do much. Those few left still alive after her attack are in no shape to attack, so there's no reason to drop and finish them off.

She only circles overhead, eying the little golden spot below, like an ominous portent.

is A ok bb

[pixieboots]

[ He can't think about the horrifying sameness between the portals, can't think about the numb feeling in his stomach, can't think about how much easier it is to keep moving than it is to slow down. He catches Onyx in his peripheral while he's clinging to the side of what probably used to be a skyscaper. Even out in the open, even here she's like something that belongs in a movie. His brain wants to stop and gawk, watching her even as his reflexes say move while bullets ping the steel he's holding on to.

She's terrible. She's frightening. It tightens something up in his chest, watching her kill soldiers, even if they are UE. But maybe...

It's probably the dumbest idea he's ever had. But he's swinging a leg up and vaulting up to the next narrow slab of metal, high enough that he knows he'll be visible, yellow cape and red vest, waving a hand furiously in her direction. ]

Hey! [ Can she even hear him, from this far away? ] Hey, remember me?

um no absolutely not

[onblackwings]

[ She almost misses him, bright colors and waving hand and all. Her ferociously gleeful attention is taken almost entirely by the UE -- and by slaughtering them. But a bright yellow flicker manages to snag her eye. She shifts, tipping a wing, and wheels quickly around toward him. It looks nearly as if she'll pass him by from below, but at the last second she banks sharply. Wings flare, and her momentum carries up -- and up, and up. She shoots up directly in front of him, taking care to outstretch a claw to snatch him up as she passes.

Stinging at her back and wings tells her she hasn't entirely evaded enemy fire, but she doesn't care, and as she gets higher, it drops off. It's then that she twists her neck down to aim a toothy grin at him. ]

You have an even bigger death wish than I thought.

um wow ok

[pixieboots]

[ He thinks that's what she's doing, that she's buzzing right past him as if he isn't there. Just as that little twinge of disappointment is settling in the claw is on him and he's being pulled up and away, whether he's ready to let go or not. His gut reacts before his head does; he grasps on with his hands instinctively, not pulling as much as gripping tight. ]

Gotta do something with my free time.

[ Like fighting a losing battle in a world that even isn't his. But somehow even that seems to matter a little less, with the wind in his hair and open space underneath. He shouldn't be grinning, he shouldn't want to be grinning about this, after everything he's seen today. While he's with Onyx, who he still isn't really sure isn't just planning to drop him from somewhere up in the stratosphere to see how high he bounces down there.

He shifts his weight a little, then his eyes go straight to where that enemy fire actually did find a mark. ]

Hey, you got hit!

[onblackwings]

Several times — and there's more to come. [ Which is, as far as she's concerned, all a part of war. You take your hits, you dish out more of them, and you survive to lick your wounds. ] None of it's worth bothering about.

[ Except for those guns they have that shoot light — those wounds definitely hurt. But even that is barely felt in the rush of battle. She shifts, twisting her body around to deposit him behind her (bullet-riddled) neck and between her (bleeding, torn) wings. It's probably a decent place to store him, if the placement of a saddle on dragons in her own world is anything to judge by. ]

Hold on tight. I won't stop to catch you if you manage to fall off.

A

[sharpe]

[ Sharpe almost shoots the damned huge dragon (seriously, a fucking dragon?) before he realises that the thing is destroying the UE's soldiers and machinery instead of aiming at their side. He blinks, and immediately his body is moving, turning his rifle and shooting down the soldier manning the cannon before it can shoot off and hurt the damned dragon.

Christ, he's on the same side as a thrice-damned dragon. Sharpe aches badly for France, for French columns, for simple god-blessed things like bayoneting a Frog in the stomach and standing and firing three times a minute. Jesus Christ.

While his mind is running on irritated nostalgia, he's busy firing at a bunch of bastards aiming at the dragon. He reloads once, fires thrice, and Sharpe stopped trying to figure out his weapon some time ago. Then he looks up, and hollers: ]

Oy! Take some buggering care, would you? Yer blood's dripping on me head!

[onblackwings]

[ It takes her a while to notice him. One more battling Transport isn't worth her attention, not when there are so many UE soldiers to destroy. Although, taking out the soldiers that had been firing on her -- that, she notices.

She wings around for a better look, recognizes him from the network, and alights overhead, wrapped her long body about a building with claws dug in. ]

Then move your head, is my suggestion.

[sharpe]

Yer rather too big fer me ta just move me head.

[ Christ, he's having a conversation with a dragon, and he thinks he should know her from somewhere. There's a familiarity in its voice... and thinking of the dragon as 'it' is probably going to get him killed. He hopes the dragon can't read minds. ]

Hey, you've got a name?

[ At the next moment, a gun goes off. Sharpe swears, throwing himself down. Without the next ten seconds, he has his gun reloaded and he's firing it again. Now the soldiers are trying to shoot him as well because it's obvious he's not the dragon's side.

Sharpe only hopes the dragon remembers that they're on the same side. ]

C

[indirection]

[Wrathion isn't the type to get involved in battles if he doesn't have to. He much prefers to observe, and to defend himself if necessary, which is exactly what he did throughout this short-lived war. He had seen Khisanth in battle--truly impressive, and all the more so for her recklessness. He hadn't intervened, though, especially when it became apparent that she didn't care about living or dying.

But he'll approach now, when everything is relatively clear and safe. How did he get to the top of the building so easily? Who knows. He's in human form as he draws close to her, grinning toothily.]

You were certainly having fun, weren't you?

[onblackwings]

[ A great, fiery orange eye shifts to Wrathion. She considers him unkindly, but in the end, decides that a display of haughtiness is more effort than it's worth. ]

How often does one get the chance for wanton slaughter?

[indirection]

And that's what you like most, hmm?

[He walks around the length of Khisanth's body, unperturbed by her stare.]

Is that a common trait to the black dragons of your world?