Novatech - Offices
From behind cover, it was difficult to see what the offending cowboy was attempting. Aside from the occasional shot over cover, he remained hidden in cover, keeping the pair at bay. It was a strange choice of action; focusing more on safety and pushing the pair back then trying to actually stop them. After several rounds were exchanged, and the battle became quiet, the enemy Texan finally spoke up, his accent still thick, but sounding more artificial.
"Looks like we got a regular standoff on our hands... Shame ya won't just leave; I'a preferred this end'n clean like. I do have one suggestion for ya though - one runner to another an'all - I might not be given ya my paycheck, but I wouldn't suggest standing
right there." he said. The meaning of the words didn't become readily apparent until the flash-bang fell over Robert's cover, nano-seconds after the elevator behind the lone gunman opened once more, and a small group of scientists bolted freely toward the stairs.
Novatech - Roof
As Charlie's shots tore through the enemy's masks, they quickly came to a halt: paralyzed, yet stuck in the standing position by their heavy armor. Still no sound of anger or agony or concern came from the group. Whoever they were, they were deadly efficient and clearly used to heavy losses.
Though they had effectively immobilized the enemy moth, no cheer of success rose from the ranks of armored soldiers. Instead, only the ear-shaking sound of bullets sounded. Thinking the threat of the bug dealt with, they turned their full attention to the formerly fedora-adorned Charlie, pouring rounds from their guns with reckless abandon; no emotion visible through their masks.
Pushing forward, they mad their way toward the VTOL pad, trying to reclaim the highest ground in the building.
Novatech - Shipping Bay
As Finwe switched to Astral vision, it quickly became clear that something was terribly wrong. First, the astral plane around them was dead of life. There was no sign of anything biological; even the insects crawling on the ground had abandoned the dock in favor of much safer grounds. The astral plane was positively filled with a miasma of...
wrongness; a feeling that wanted to push any creature of any sense away from the location at the greatest speed.
Finwe didn't have a chance to really think about it however, as a large corrupted aura approached them from the same direction as the metal-on-metal noise. It was only seconds later that a massive form, the size of their truck, pushed into the area, cracking the cement where it stood, breaking walls as it walked. As it entered, and came into sight, the unnatural aura became thick; so thick the astral perception became unnecessary to feel it.
It turned to the group, the metal of its form gleaming and reflecting the light around it in a way that was truly disturbing to the eye, and it let loose a horrible moaning howl, that chilled to the bone; particularly Finwe who had heard a similar sound once before when his contact disappeared.
Despite all this, Clay could not help but notice a familiarity in the gleam off the horrible machine; the reason for his deja vu on the tip of his mind but inaccessible.
Kilmer Archive - Inside
As Venaticus stared on, the summoning circle grew larger and larger, the flames of the hole in reality licking at and scaring the floor around them. Beside him, one of the plants that brought life to the lobby burst into flames; unable to withstand the heat any longer. With a mighty roar, the beast broke free of his holding and into the material world. As it did, the ratish mage had a look of triumph for only a second, before it vanished into confusion and fear, and another second later flames as the summon became truly free.
Venaticus had but a second to doge to the side as the summon ripped past him, destroying everything in it's path. An uncontrolled summon was never something to be desired, but at least it provided one good: they wouldn't need to worry about the building after today.
Kilmer Archive - Outside
Things were looking good. The guards were falling one-by-one, pushed back toward the guard station by Wulf's
running riding-and-gunning. It was only a matter of time before they regrouped, rounded up by their cyber-armed leader into a more organized assault; but their ally was inside, Nik had regained his sniper nest, and Wulf still had his bike. Their only worry was the summoner.
And then, their only worry was the summon, as the beast crashed free of the facility, looking only to destroy. Unfortunately, with all his fur, and atop a vehicle filled with combustible liquids, Wulf must have looked particularly flammable for, with a vicious grin, the spirit burst forward, intent on burning the elf-kin alive. A pair of guards, caught in the path, served as proof of the summons power as the pair turned to ash with the spirit's passing; only making him glow brighter.
Using the fire as a distraction, the metal armed man moved from cover, raised his cyber-arm, and fired his hand-mounted laser toward where he believed Nik to be; Nik's only luck being the cyberarmed man's information being off, causing the enemy to miss Nik by a wide margin.
Silver-linings I suppose.
