exsiliumlogs | Other Worlds: V 2.0

Entry tags:

Other Worlds: V 2.0

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Cogs for a machine and little else.

[It gave her something to think about, though she was baffled at the possibility. The United Earth was supposed to be an army, not some faceless and indomitable force with puppets as their swords. He was right; they existed to fight and to overwhelm. Nothing else mattered. It was a soulless existence.]

Regardless, we can't stay here.

[She stood as more aircrafts began to pass, looking up at them. Pursing her lips, she gave thought to an idea.]

If I could get a little closer to them...I wonder if I could knock a few down.

[The destruction in their demise would damage the city and call attention to them, but it could be worth it.]

[Berserker paused, tilting his head just a measure. When Vera made that suggestion, he looked down at the gun he dropped. Then, he glanced at his open, free hand. At that, he made a plain, innocuous suggestion that had potential for such badassery that it was possible there would be an overabundance of the stuff.]

I could carry you to them.

[Vera looked him over, skeptical. But she had seen stranger things, truth be told, and she shouldn't discount anything at this point. Not with lives at stake.]

Could you?

[Berserker bowed down to one knee, raising his arm out from himself so Vera could come closer.]

All I need do is jump.

Just jump? Divines, what sort of power do you have?

[And did she want to trust it? Despite her better judgment, she did. It wasn't simply that they had little time to argue; she wasn't going to deny an ally like this. Not until she knew more.

She did as he bade and stepped closer.]

My lady... [Berserker, lowering himself a bit more so he could offer Vera an area to hold onto him while he held her about her waist, suddenly left the ground. The strength in his legs carried him to the upper part of one skyscraper in one bound, his feet forcing himself to run up the wall of it with what seemed to be minimal effort.]

It never seemed uncommon for most people to call me a 'monster'.

[That was something she'd never seen before. Necromancers and vampires were a dime a dozen in Tamriel, but this was too much. What world did he come from where this was possible? She held on as he made his way up the skyscraper, glancing at his face only once.]

People give cruel names to things they don't understand.

There is no need to think of it in such a way. It was necessary for me to earn such a title.

[He was fashioned to be a monster by training and by giving him all the weapons included. He was called a 'knight', but any man that could cleave a knight in full armor in half with that level of ease was something unnatural and worthy of fear.

Berserker stopped when they reached the top of the building, shifting his weight so their momentum would carry them to the middle of it. Though it was normally a bad idea to center one's self in the open on an unstable structure, Berserker didn't wear a face of concern.]

Regardless--we're a wide open target this way, though impossible to snipe by ground-forces. If you would like, I can draw targets close for you to take them out.

Necessary for you to be called a monster? What world do you live in where you tolerate such a thing?

[There was a hint of venom in her voice, though she shook her head as they came to a stop. She took in their surroundings and tried to assess how much work they would need to do.]

I can't shout very often. If we're lucky, I can take more than one down at a time. But that's only if they come in together. I know some spellcasting. It'll be enough, I think, if you can handle some of the others.

[Berserker made a noise of affirmation, deciding it would be better to avoid discussing his life at the moment. Regardless, Vera would still be angry. His breeding to be a perfect knight made him into little more than a pure killing machine, so that he had no reason to care for anything else other than fighting for whoever took him on.]

Spellcasting. [Repeating after Vera, Berserker noted the aircrafts circling the other remaining buildings.]

If you're in any way a magus, then I can make a contract with you to boost my power. As powerful as your voice is, I imagine such a boost would be sufficient for a proper retaliation on my part.

I'm not much of one in comparison to the Archmage of the college but...yes, I know a few spells.

[She turned back to him, curious, and she gave him a slow look of appraisal as if she was finally sizing him up for the first time.]

What sort of contract is this?

[And do they have time for it? She took another look at the aircrafts wandering the scene, trying to gauge how much leeway they had before they were spotted.]

A contract between Master and Servant. I'm a 'Heroic Spirit', summoned from another age to fight in a war. I've been disconnected from my usual Master, who I was contracted to fight for.

[Berserker lifted a pistol from the hip of his armor, firing a few rounds in the open air without so much as looking away from Vera. One craft suddenly burst, exploding in mid-air from afar as it was struck by those suddenly high-powered rounds. The pilots didn't in any way know who the hell fired them, but they would find out soon enough.]

A contract would make you my master and supply your magical energy to supplement mine. In return, you would gain some strength from your association with me.

[What he said meant very little to her in retrospect. She did not understand the terminology. What she did grasp was that this would make both of them stronger and more capable to fight, and that was going to be immensely helpful in the long run. His strength was far impressive as it stood; if he could access her energy, how much stronger could he be?

And as his Master, he would fight for her. That was good enough.

After a moment, she nodded.]

That's fine. What do we need to do to make this contract?

You extend your will towards mine. I will open my existence so that there can be the creation of a link.

[It was a fair opening. He was unfamiliar with Vera's magic, which made it necessary to extend himself in a broad way. With that, the full brunt of Berserker's pressure was exuded from his body as if it were raw intimidation. In a way, he was an old and dangerous creature, but at that moment, he was no longer holding himself back.

The pressure that came from his presence would have been maddening to most. Anyone's instincts would flare up, realizing they were in the presence of a near borderless monster.]

You will beckon a question: Whether or not I will be your sword and your shield to both defend you and crush your enemies.

As 'Berserker', you have no need for any other promise from me.

[Her will. She hardly had to question what that would look like. Straightening and turning toward him, she extended herself, the essence that made her a dragon, outward. It was a gold and white light, the same that surrounded dragons as they died, and it rushed to meet his energy head on. For a moment, the touch was raw and overwhelming, but then it was a simple rush over her that she accepted well enough.

After all, she had killed many dragons before. She knew what that flood of will felt like.]

Berserker, will you be my sword and shield? Will you defend me and crush those who would oppose me?

_{[But before Berserker could say "I do" to begin this lovely forever marriage, from around a nearby corner there was a sudden explosion as one of the smaller aircrafts crashed and burned. Hard. If anyone around was quick enough, they might perhaps have seen it battered and wrapped in vines.

A winged girl flew through the air, though not in a manner that she might have normally been accustomed to, It was clear she'd been knocked back by something, but it hadn't stopped her. Still in the air she flipped and rebounded against a shamrock-shaped shield that suddenly appeared against her feet, and a moment later swung her giant scythe and shouted.]}

Crescent Rose!

_{[A sickle of green energy burst from the blade and cleaved the wing off a second ship, ensuring it would share the same fate as the first when it crashed after barrelling in a dizzying, chaotic spin.

She spared a moment to make sure there were no surprises waiting for her in the distance then sped off, flying fairly low at building level. She hadn't gotten very far before she spotted two people, not enemies, and touched down.]}

Are you two alright?

_{[There were no injuries that she could see, but at a time like this, it was instinctive of her to ask.]}

[The noise had been lost to the knight. In focusing every bit of his will on opening up his magic to the world, his eyes had been tightly shut. Flora touched down on the ground and entered his field of access. Only when she spoke did he realize she was there and by then, he was already speaking his response to Vera.]

I accept!

[At that, Berserker's entire body burst, emanating a circle of darkness from his feet. Though the rooftop had already been windy and cold to begin with, the dark energy amassing from him was borderline freezing. The pressure coming from him was suddenly complete and for awhile, Berserker felt his strength was suddenly on par with that of what it was when he was alive. Those pulses of darkness burst from him, emanating cold and deep anger from the depths of Berserker's consciousness.]

You-- [He looked to Flora, forcing his aura to be contained bit by bit.

In the next instant, the warmest thing on the two would be on the backs of their right arms. Flora and Vera would have Berserker's command seals burned onto the both of their arms, to which the pain would subside only moments later.]

Where did you come from?

Edited 2013-06-05 06:51 (UTC)

[The transfer already left her feeling vulnerable, exposing enough of her dragon soul that anyone with half her skill in sorcery could easily have taken and kept for their own. When Flora entered the fray, standing in the field of access, she immediately felt the brush of a third energy and she turned, staring in surprise at her.]

We're fine, we're--

[The sealing of the contract and the rush of energy that followed was instantaneous and nearly overwhelming, but welcome, even as it burned up her right arm. She waited until Berserker's aura contained itself, and then she looked between them.

Then, she saw it; the same mark burned on her was also on the girl who had joined them.

Vera's gaze briefly flared with anger. This was her contract.]

Who in the Nine Divines are you?

_{[The question came instinctively to her when she'd asked it, but at the very same moment she'd sensed that aura, two, actually, but that first one, so chilling and wrathful, set her on edge. It was unsettling. She had a scant moment to decide that before everything started happening so very quickly.

Flora began to glow a bright, shimmering green, as though the stars in the sky were drawn to her aura. Her magic was leaving her, no, it was more than that, she could feel the shape of this, could feel a channel.

It was being taken.

Immediately, Flora added her own questions to the chorus.]}

What is going on, here? _{[She looked between the both of them, then held up her hand, no longer burning.]}.

What is this?

Edited 2013-06-06 05:25 (UTC)

[Berserker regarded the two women with a blank stare. He didn't feel anymore rush than that, realizing that something had gone terribly wrong in the process of his contract. Despite all odds, he didn't find a reason to believe this was a bad thing or that it could lead to certain complications later on. Instead, he viewed it as a benefit. He had two sources of magic--both fairly skilled ones.

Without hesitation, he brought up his right hand and fired another round of his pistol into another plane. Rather than a simple bullet being fired, the shell itself was a dark black and purple bolt that smashed through the plane before taking it down.

The downside of this was that it was an incredibly obvious gesture. The other aircrafts turned to bridge their route towards the skyscraper.]

I see. My capacity is doubled. Now, then--I suppose this is a good time to prepare yourselves.

That's not answering either of our questions!

[But even she can be impressed by how his power has increased, and it's all for the better, she supposes; they're about to have company. Sparing Flora a passing glance - You'd better be ready to fight - and a look at her wings, she turns to at least aid in engaging the enemy. One hand begins to glow blue and the other a deep red as she summons her magicka.

When the first of the aircrafts comes close, she lets loose a volley of sparks that immediately gets their attention. It rakes through the machine's defenses and short-circuits a few of the outer weapons, just long enough for her to shoot flames off into the cockpit. It's an overwhelming assault and the first aircraft has little choice but to back off or continue to be attacked...but there really is nowhere to go.

It's enough incentive for the others to come in close, and that's where she wants them. Just a little longer and she can Shout.]

Looks like none of us'll have time for any answers, right now.

_{[Flora shoots her a look back that seems to communicate of course I am, have you seen where we are? and a grim wish for good luck. All in all, a pretty eloquent glance. She really isn't in the mood for sass, or for anyone thinking her incapable, but she doesn't wish her ill, either. They're on the same side, at the end of the day, and the last thing she wants is more unnecessary death.]}

Winx Zoomix!

_{[Her wings change, slimming down and taking the shape of a paisley or curved teardrop. Flora then vanishes twice over: from sight, and then from the area entirely. She reappears in the cockpit of a ship, and without waiting, drives the bladed end of her scythe through the seat, and the pilot. She's met with resistance--seating, armour, skin, tissue--but not much, not nearly as much as she feels it should be. She has a good blade it seems.

As it goes in, she casts another spell, and vines sprout to wrap themselves around the controls before banking hard. Flora teleports back to where she was, not wanting to wait around to see her intentions unfold, but she doesn't have to--she can see the first craft collide with the one next to it from where she is.]}

[Berserker's eyes settled out into the distance. He watched Flora take leave in an instant, killing a pilot in the seat of his plain without hesitation. Inwardly, he hiked a brow, realizing that this woman's magical energy was now coupled with his own. He understood the nature of the pact in error, though it wasn't a big concern to him.

Instead, the knight hefted his pistol up once more and fired, the bullet itself tearing through the cockpit of an aircraft and downing it into the side of an adjacent building immediately.]

Master. [He referred to Vera, only briefly looking to her.]

Dragons fly. Have you considered it?

[For someone who didn't look very assuming, Flora did her work well. Vera watched with some semblance of curiosity, capable of appreciating the effort and the magic she wielded with finesse even in the heat of battle. Perhaps there was less of a problem than she anticipated. But that could wait until they'd finished off with the enemies they had there.

Her gaze flicked over to Berserker and she lifted an eyebrow. Slowly, she turned toward the aircraft.]

More than once. But not like that.

[She wasn't going to look the gift in the mouth, though. With a nod, she made her way towards the craft.]

Let's see what I can do with it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Other Worlds: V 2.0

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject