"Stupid...stupid Zig...stupid guards...stupid explosion..."
The prisoners were making their way left and right, a jumbled stream of chaos as they rushed from their recently-opened cells. Sirens blared through the prison. Lights flashed down on the ground down below. Officers yelled panicked orders at each other. Heavy footsteps trampled across the dirt. What was formerly a peaceful prison a half hour ago was now a scene of chaos and confusion. Prisoners were flooding the main hallways, swarming over officers and quickly outpowering them.
What had caused such an event?
A bomb had been detonated, which somehow opened most of the prison cells, and a plane had crashed through the walls of the prison. Black-armored soldiers had quickly taken position in the area, and were now fighting against the prison security alongside the prisoners--a horrifically one-way fight.
"Stupid...STUPIDNESS!"
Not every prisoner was really free, though. In one prison cell, a man was huddled up on the ground, curled up into a fetal position, his arms wrapped around his knees. He struggled and squirmed, though, and his constant grunts and groans gave the impression that he did not want to be in such a position. The man was dressed in the simple orange pants and jacket that identified him as a prisoner in the Zigursky prison, with a coolie hat on top with two horns sticking out of the front, much like a devil's horns. He had a black mask wrapped around his mouth, which complimented the black hair that went down to his neck under the hat, and red X-shaped warpaint surrounding his brown eyes. There was a large-but-thin box on his back, with numerous wires and metal gizmos going through the suit, assuming to wrap around his body underneath--the rolled up sleeves on his jacket revealed an amalgam of skeletal bodyarmor accented with numerous wires and unidentifiable devices fitted around his arm, ending at his wrist. This armor had apparently been deactivated...possibly during the explosion, or possibly when he came here. What had acted as his source of powers now acted as a secondary prison, the one way to bar his freedom.
Naturally, the man was not happy about this.
"LET ME OUT! Come on, guys, let me out, too! I need to have a piece of action! Come on, help me out here! ...Please?"
The man received no response--likely because his questions were simply not heard over the din and ruckus of prisoners celebrating their exit from prison, or likely because the prison was full of jerks.
He felt weak. He felt helpless.
"Okay, I hate these feelings. Time to swallow my pride."
In a feat much like Samus Aran's own morph ball, the man slowly, clumsily, started to roll out of the prison, praying that nobody would kick him or step on him. This was humiliating enough as it is. It looked almost comedic.
Iron Fist was in an oarnge suit, much like the rest. After the whole 'Brass Monday' ordeal, Fist, Psy, and their soldiers just dissapeared. Nobody knew where they had gone. Until one day. On that day Iron Fist and his troops came out of the ocean on gigantic floating tanks. The tanks appeared to be large fish--or they looked that way. They were actually giant machines whose had originated in Atlantis. They had been raiding a Longbow base to steal some supplies. Quick as a flash, the entire Freedom Phalayx had come to take them down. It had taken all of the team--including Statesman-- to down Iron Fist.
Now, Fist was just sitting against the wall, one good eye closed, deep in thought. He knew that these were not his troops. They were Arachnos. And because of his improsenment in their base many years ago, plus the numerous attempts to kill him, Iron Fist did not like Arachnos. He was trying to figure out whether he go with them to escape... or wait for his OWN troops to break him out. He got up. He would go with Arachnos. Maybe he could recruit some new members while he 'worked' for them.
At least his powers would work now. He flexed his mucles and created a small amount of nuclear energy in his hand. He then sneered and went to find out how to get out.
((OOC- Good to see ya again Khel! I decided to intergrate every RP with Iron Fist. His entire story will be revealed. But he's on the loose again so watch out!))
OOC: Hmm...We might have some continuity issues then. In this thread I'm going to have the appearance of Toy Dispenser, he was the android that got zapped, and the appearance of Iron Fist after the Brass Monday event would make things interesting. I blame time rifts. Soooo, let's just ignore that. I said nothing about Toy Dispenser. That android is no longer him. I'll make something else up.
BIC: The skeleton punched aside a Circle of Thorns prisoner and made his way out of the magic ward of the Zig. Archlich's eyes burned with the unholy flames of his anger as he gazed upon the few guards getting mauled by other prisoners whose powers had returned. Archlich was six feet tall but due to his thinness, most prisoners overlooked and consequently tried to run through him. They learned to stop after the fourth Hellion wanna-be was left moaning on the ground, molten ice drippping from his clothes.
As Archlich turned to leave this inferior on the ground, something bumped into his leg, almost toppling him. Looking down, Archlich saw a horned human curled up in a ball trying to roll past him. Archlich reached down and grabbed the human, rolling him onto his back.
"A comprimising situation you are in." said the lich in a dry, sepulcheral voice, "If I assist you, will you aid me in aquiring my armor? If you do so I can lead us out of the prison without such bumblers-," Archlich gestured to the scrambling inmates, "-without such bumblers bothering us."
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
The horned coolie hat was knocked off the man when the skeleton had pushed him onto his back (surprisingly, it had stayed on the entire time he was rolling around), but he seemed nonchalant about the interruption. He shook his head to clear his senses from the sudden change in position and direction, but then stared up unblinkingly at the skeleton. He looked very much like a simple human--not-so-muscular build, somewhat scrawny, a little shorter than average...but there was a glint in his eye, a glint that showed promise of a power far greater and far more ancient than his less-than-flattering appearance would let on.
"You kick my back, I watch yours." He spoke cooly. What else could he do but agree? Here he was, with his body armor malfunctioning and trapping him, and he was in the clutches of this...skeleton. It was likely not a good idea to oppose him.
But, in any case, the man arched an eyebrow at the skeleton, saying nothing more.
Iron Fist suddenly stopped. He had currently beating a Hellion to a bloody pulp. The Incarnate of War had noticed a familiar face. There was a man over there. A small, thin man. A man with a silver skull for a mask. Fist growled. The energy around him started to heat up. He stomped over to the treacherous Silver Skull and wrapped his large metal hand around the neck of the black and silver garbed man. Fist lifted him up so they could see each other face to face.
At the sight of Fist Silver Skull broke out into a sweat. "He-hello governor. N-n-nice to s-see you again, eh?" Iron Fist merely squeezed tighter on the neck of Skull. He growled, "Give me one good reason that I should not crush your head into something resembling mashed potatoes." Silver Skull nervously replied, "Because y-y-you owe me?" It was more of a question than anything else. But it did the trick. It looked like Iron Fist was using every ounce of energy he had to not kill the small assassain. He finally sighed and said, "Very well. But you come with me. If you dont..." His eye glowed. "..I will make you wish you had never been born!" That was good enough for Skull.
"But just as a precaution..." Iron Fist held out a large metal hand. "Let's shake on it." Silver Skull smiled beneath his mask. He could kill Fist later. Skull held out his hand and they shook. As their hands touched, a purple string of energy bound them like a knot. "Yeow!" Silver Skull cried. "That was bloomin hot! What the heck was it?!" Iron Fist sneered. "That, my treacherous friend, was a Soul Knot. If you try anything against me... you will implode on yourself. The spell is iriversible. Now come." Silver Skull shook with fear and anger. Some how, some way, Skull would try to escape. He unhappily trudged off with Iron Fist to talk to the Arachnos soldier.
Archlich flicked a bit of blood off of his rib and then rolled the man over to where his backpack was. Archlich checked it over and tapped it in several places.
"It mystifies me as to why they did not simply remove your armor as they did mine. Regardless, I can see that they shut down your power plant and removed what served as your ignitor. If you remain still long enough I believe I can cast a spell that would give your armor life enough to find your missing part."
He pinned the man down with one foot, to make sure he didn't roll away, and began chanting nonsense words under his (theoretical) breath. Several glyphs took form in the air in front of him and shot into the backpack, causing it to glow a bluish-white light. Archlich tapped the backpack twice and said a final word before rolling the man back over and offering his hand.
"My alias is Archlich, my real name is long since forgotten. Come, quickly now, for we have much to do and not much time to do it in."
--------------------------------------------------------
The sleeper agent kicked the prone android and then punched a quick burst of bullets into its head.
"I won't be getting a damned repeat of last time." Muttered the guard as he rubbed his throat. A patter of footsteps caused the guard to look up. What he saw caused him to [censored] his rifle menacingly.
"Move along boys," He said to the prisoners that were moving toward him. "Your exit's over thataway."
He pointed to grate and turned to walk away.
"But that guy in black said to go down that other way..." muttered one thick-browed tough.
"Shut it." Shot back a smaller thug, "I'd trust what that guard said, he didn't want us to kill him, so he told us the way out."
"Okay." said the big guy, "I believe you, Captain Chandlers, just be careful, kay?"
The former Sky Raider flicked the big guy the bird and dove into the grate and possible freedom.
As the guard walked away he heard the grate cover hit the floor and grinned.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
The man shrugged, uncurling out of his ball, grinning widely behind his mask as he took the hand and pulled on it, standing up. He stretched his arms wide and bent backwards a few inches, groaning happily as several bones popped. "Prolly because this armor isn't for offensive capabilities. It just keeps me safe--this body is one of just a common citizen, hardly a superpowered being. As such, it can't really withstand half the things a cape throws at it. The armor is designed to withstand such things, not to help me throw out such stuff." He shook his head and slumped a bit, letting out a deep breath, and then leaned over to pick up his horned hat, sticking it on top of his head. He tapped the brim, and smiled slightly as he stared at the underside of said brim. "Oh well. You got me upright, so I've got your back."
Sticking his hands into his pockets, the man tilted his head to the side. "Archlich? Nice to meet you, I suppose, you can call me Kairaishi if you so desire. Or 'that damn puppeteer'. Doesn't really matter." He then shrugs. "Armor, you say? I remember rolling by a guy named Jimmy...Dorts...Durnst...Dunce...Jimmy D-something. I'd never forget the [censored], he always had it good with the officials here. Anyway, he was talking to some random guy, but he said he could point said guy in the direction where the cops kept confinscated equipment--for study, for blackmail, for selling, I've no damn clue. But the point is, he said stuff was there, and I can't think of any stuff that he'd point a villain in the direction of unless it's stuff that was formerly theirs. Think it'd be a good lead, or think he's full of [censored]?"
((Apologies if I shouldn't be skipping H.T., but I figured with so many other prisoners busted out, he's had to have gotten his painkillers already. If you want me to edit to point in the direction of H.T., I will))
Iron Fist was dragging Silver Skull through yet another load of prisoners. Skull would suffer for what he did. Fist just sat back on the sidelines, watching as more prisoners piled out of the sewer system. He silently laughed as he saw Skull being pounded into the dust. Before, Silver Skull could have killed them all without the prisoners even realizing they were dead. But as everybody else-Iron Fist included-his powers were dimmed. Fist didn't even bother to help Skull. The traitor would either die... or destroy the measly fools and continue serving him. Fist didn't care. As long as Skull suffered. Exactly one year and one day ago, Silver Skull had betrayed them to Nemesis.
Suddenly, something whizzed by Iron Fist's head interuppting his silent enjoyment. Fist casually looked down at the object. It appeared to be an arrow...an arrow made from pure crystal. Fist was no longer unfazed. He was shaking. There was a single tear forming in his one good eye. He looked up to see who had fired the amazing thing. He saw a shadow. A lithe shadow with a notched bow. Fist practically went insane when he saw the shadowy figure. "B-but your dead! My love!" "No." replied the still shadowy stranger. "My powers might be the same as hers but I am not who you think I am, Father."
((OOC- Ya just gotta love when sumthin like this happens. Anyway, come on heroes! Post! We can't just have three different people in this story!))
((Well, to be honest, these are threat-level-1 villains, still groggy from the tranquilizing drugs that the Zig officers make them take. Heroes in Brickstown are...I forget what level, but I think around level 30 or so? What're the heroes gonna do, sit back and clean up some Arachnos soldiers? There's prolly going to be very little hero/villain interaction, unless the hero-muns give the villain-muns a LOT of leeway. Then again, Khel may have something else in mind))
OOC: Not all of the villains have powers that are affected by drugs. Most of them would be completely up to snuff once they aquire something that was taken from them. Like Kairaishi's disabled armor or Archlich's...armor. And the Arachnos aren't some run-of-the-mill peons like usual.
BIC: Archlich looked over in the direction of a prisoner would seemed to be directing his other orange clad brethern to various locations. He pointed him out and Kairaishi said that was Jimmy. About a minute later Archlich and Kairaishi were standing in front of Jimmy with a trail of unconsious or moaning prisoners behind them. For a pile of bones Archlich still had quite a punch.
Jimmy glanced down at Archlich and then looked back at the Troll that he had been speaking with. He did a quick double-take and pointed at the skeleton.
"Yes, I'm real and not some figment of your demented imagination." Droned the skeleton, crossing its arms, "I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised how many people think that when they see me."
"Uh...Yeah. Now, uh, not to piss you off or anything but aren't you a magic mask? I deal with the guys that lost their tech, not the ones that need a voodoo doll or something." Jimmy said after he waved the troll away.
"I require my armor. It is the source of most of my powers and was taken from me upon entering this Abyss blighted place. Also, my companion here requires some technical apparatus to inable him to power his armor without magical aid." Archlich replied.
Jimmy squinted his eyes and looked at Kairaishi. He walked around the hatted human and looked over his backpack. Jimmy nodded and walked back in front of the two.
"Your thing should be in the second armory. Look for a large black box with a radioactive symbol on it. I don't know if everything in that box is dangerous but that's where they put your thing." He tapped his head, "I saw them put it there myself. Now, as for Mr. Skelie, I'd try Armory 1. That's usually where they put armor and weapons. Ok, that's it, thanks for stopping by, next!"
Archlich and Kairaishi were pushed aside by a massive brute of a man demanding to know where the guards had put his mechanical arm. As Jimmy began telling the one armed man where to go, Archlich tapped Kairaishi on the shoulder and walked away from the chaos surrounding that one prisoner.
"If I remember correctly," He said, "Then your objective is up those stairs and then around for two lefts. Mine is on this floor but a bit deeper in. Meet me over there," Archlich pointed to a huge whole in the ground that could be seen through a doorway, "Meet me there and then we shall escape. Unlike the rest of these maggots we should be able to easily escape Longbow's clutches."
Archlich pointed once more toward the stairs that would lead Kairaishi to the armory and then dashed down a different corridor.
-----------------------------------------------------
Captain Roger Sullivan of Archnos' Wolf Spiders flexed his robotic right arm and drove his fist into the face of the Longbow quick-response scrapper. The unfortunate hero was propelled into the thick wall of the Zigursky prison and collapsed into a little heap. An instant later he was teleported away to the nearest hospital. Sullivan clenched his living hand.
He'll be back. They always are.
Something slammed into his back and knocked him forwards, sprawling out on the ground. He rolled onto his back and blocked the next energy blast from the blaster in his right hand. The red painted arm glowed white hot and then fired a beam of pure energy back at the hapless Longbow, snatching him from the sky and dashing him against the ground. Again, the hero was teleported away before one of Sullivan's snipers could finish him off. Clambering back to his feet, the Wolf Spider watched one of the big troopships take off, its hold filled with more so-called 'Destined Ones' that Recluse had been going on about.
"The manias of the powerful are not for me to understand." He muttered as another pair of Longbow charged at him.
A gravity grenade from his belt held the tanker immobile while the blaster was downed by the rocket launcher contained in his shoulder. The chain gun in his palm took down the cursing tanker and Sullivan looked at the escaping prisoners for a moment before turning to take down another hero just as quickly as the last two.
OOC: Over-powered by Archnos experimental weapons, heroes will have to get through Captain Sullivan and his minions before getting to the villains, who won't go down without fights of their own as well. While this thread is indeed mainly for villains I would like to see some heroes join as well. After all, Sullivan can't catch you if you teleport past him.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
Kairaishi stayed in place, observing Archlich as he headed off...Jimmy's words rang clear in his head. That's usually where they put armor and weapons. He closed his eyes, thinking. "Hm. Maybe I'll get lucky and find my bow back with my armor...yeah, and maybe I'll find a [censored] minigun in there, too." He shook his head, jogging his way up the stairs that was nearby Jimmy. Taking a left, he saw himself facing a short corridor, which he wordlessly jogged down--the sirens were still blaring in the prison, and the chaos of disorganized prisoners and desperate police officers was really starting to annoy him. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the chaos, muttering quietly. "Damnable peons. Only two years in this place, and I'm already sick of them...oh well, I'll be gone after only a little bit." As soon as he turned a left at the four-way intersection at the end of the corridor, he paused a bit. A few diagrams underneath the brim of his coolie hat were blinking in alarm, and he narrowed his eyes, focusing on them...waiting a few seconds.
With a sudden KRACHOOM erupting behind him, Kairaishi quickly dove to the side, a wide spray of buckshot narrowly missing his form. Kairaishi rolled on his back and stood upright swiftly, staring at the form of another man, still in his Zig outfit, holding a smoking shotgun in his hand. The two glared over at each other, and the second man slowly pulled the shuck back, an empty buckshot shell ejecting from the gun, then slowly pushed it forward again, ready for another shot.
Kairaishi's eyes stayed put on their target, never leaving the man. "Binelli M3 Super-90, eh? Not a bad choice."
The man's eyes returned the lock, eminating only hatred for the object his sights were fixed on. "I ganked it off some cop's corpse. Snapped his neck from behind."
Kairaishi's arms tensed, opening and closing his hands, knuckles and fingers popping with each movement. "You realize this is a little unfair for me, right? You've got a shotgun, and all I've got is my fists and my armor."
The man grinned widely, his eyes narrowing. "Ain't that a cryin' shame."
He raised up the shotgun to his shoulder, starting to take aim at Kairaishi, but the latter simply raised up one hand. "Stop! There's something you need to know."
The man lowered his shotgun just a slight bit. "Oh? And what's that?"
Behind his mask, Kairaishi grinned. "I always love how, no matter what, people will wait if you say to stop or hold it, giving you enough time to run away." And that he did, a 'ker-chk' sounding around his legs and whirling around, starting to speed down at the corridor at an amazing pace. The man audibly swore, lifting up his shotgun again and firing once more, but buckshot had a wide spread--Kairaishi was so far away, all the buckshot did was nick him.
"God damn it. I need to start using that trick, too."
((Will continue later, pressed for time now))
((You want heroes? I can give you heroes.
-wink- how ya doing? I didn't know it was you, Khellen, 'Till I got halfway through the posts. And Iron Fist's here too! it's like a reunion.
I just tend to jump onto the new plots afore everyone else mucks them up. -shrug-))
It was disgusting. He had been here for almost two years, treated as a commoner. The violence, the dirt, the unworthy beings. They should be put to death the minute they're caught. What sort of fools would simply allow this type of scum to continue to live, and leech off of the people's money?
The system had to go. The villians had to go. The gaurds had to go. And that longbow had deserved to die, no matter what the law said. Petty earthly rulings. Trying to Control him. HIM! of course, they had no idea who he was, that would jeapordize the mission. They thought he was a common hero, they had classed him as a Tanker. Fire 'n Stone. The two most devestating natural elements to be found on this planet. A hero. He was no hero. His loyalties lay elsewhere, and that was why that Longbow had died under his hands.
Now, however, he had bigger fish to fry. All the filthy thugs and dangerous villians had been freed - no doubt by some organisation that had had an eye on those that were gifted. The Yang of the hero's Yin. He had warned them, hadn't he?
-----
"Who's to say everyone gifted with superpowers will have the same motives and morals as your own?"
The jury gazed at him, their intrest midly peaked. They saw only a killer, but a killer had the right to speak nonetheless. It was the law. They were the children of the law, forced to cater to it's every whim. They waited for him to continue.
"If I told you that that Longbow officer was a double-agent, you would ask for proof. There is no physical proof, other than her continiual failure to bring down any members of Arachnos at all. They always slipped through her fingers. -poof- he got away.
Is taking the law into your own hands such a crime? Isn't that what heroes like me are supposed to do?"
-----
The memories brought with them a sort of rage, a rage that no other creature - to his knowledge - was able to feel. He cried out as his body was englufled with searing heat, and then his skin burst into flame.
He was on fire.
The searing pain was lessened as his skin cracked and the layer of stone was revealed underneath. His horns, stained red with the blood of the unworthy, glowed from the heat. The fire spread, burning on top of the clothes he wore - specially made to resist the power of the all-consuming fire.
He finally stepped into the now almost deserted hallway. There were a few prisoners still inside their cells, locked behind the metal bars. He passed by them with no comment, ignoring their pleas.
Rapist. Drug-induced murder. Petty thief. Cult Practices. They begged, but he left them to rot in their rooms.
Iron Fist was no longer shaking. Now his normally expressionless face had a tinge of anger in it. "We told you to stay with the monks! It was not a request when we did so, it was an order!" "You are wrong." replied the mysterious figure. "When you sent me to live with the monks, you asked me if I wanted to go. You were a father then. Now you are a monster." This angered Fist even more. "Do you know what I have done to aquire this power? Do you even know why I am doing this?!" "Yes." replied the figure. "You believe that you are helping mankind. You have aquired Atlantis as a base of operations. You live in lonliness and sorrow because my mother died at your hands." This made Fist stop shaking. "Jason I-" "Don't call me that!" now 'Jason' was shaking with fury. "Jason is no more! You killed him when you abandoned him with the monks! I am Iron Hawk!"
Fist just looked sad. Silver Skull was watching all this with interest. The Iron Fist? Sad? "Fine." said Fist. "'Iron Hawk.' I did not kill your mother. I was in her presence when she died. The 5th Column shot her out of the sky while she was protecting me." Iron Hawk was furious at hearing these words. "Liar! I saw it on the news, they saw you kill her! Yes, she had been attacked by the 5th Column. But as soon as she was attcked YOU blew up! You blew up and totally obliderated her! IT WAS YOUR FAULT!"
Iron Hawk jumped out of the shadows with a crystaline knife in his hand.
((OOC- Iron Fist as you all know, is a Soldiers/Traps Mastermind, a Nuclear/Thermo Corrupter (with his attacks being red), and a SS/Fire Brute. To even it out I have made Iron Hawk a Bow n Arrows/Ice Blaster (his ice being the 'Crystals') and a MA/SR Scrapper. I like double Achtypes. 
))
Iron Hawk was tall, muscular, but definately not so much as Iron Fist. His costume was a sleek metal chest piece that went all over the top half of his body. He had a pair of black combat pants and a thick pair of combat boots. The crazed man charged at Iron Fist. Fist nimbly dodged him and tripped him, sending Hawk head over heels. "Well, 'Iron Hawk' I know you won't belive me, but I didn't kill Maria. True, my power unleashed itself right after your mother fell, but that is only because my sorrow caused it to do so."
" YOU [cencored] LIAR!! I SAW EVERY BIT OF IT ON THE NEWS! I SAW SNAPSHOTS OF IT IN THE PAPER! I WILL KILL YOU FOR DOING THIS TO MY MOTHER!!!" His knife expanded and turned into a bow. A practically microscopic chain of crystals served as the string. An arrow materialized in the bow and Iron Hawk let it fly. Fist didn't even move. He grabbed it in midair and snapped it in half with the same movement. His apparent son screamed in fury and his bow transformed back into a knife. He charged once more at Fist. This time, as Iron Hawk's foot came at him, Fist grabbed the attemted kick and used its own momentum to swing Hawk around and slam him into a wall. Iron Hawk did not get up. He said in a shaky voice, "You have not seen the last of meeeee..." His head slumped down and the unconcious man teleported to a hospital.
Silver Skull was staring at Iron Fist in total awe. "I didn't know ya had a kid!" Fist turned and looked at Skull. "No one did. Until now. If you say anything of this to anyone... I'll kill you personally. But only after an extremely painful and slow amount of torture. Do you understand?" Clear as crystal m'liege." "Good." He walked off to find the next Arachnos soldier so he could escape.
((here's Rugg; I don't feel like writing out his physical description. He is supposed to be more muscular than he is in that pic, though.Ruggaso))
The tanker moved lithely down the hall, straight to the dead end. He raised a gloved hand, passed it over the cement wall, and closed his eyes briefly. The mortar and stone dissintegrated into a pile of dust, and Ruggaso passed through the hole, limping a little. Too much power flowed thorugh his humanoid body, he needed his belt to regulate the pulses. The flames dancing across his skin and clothes grew in intensity, and his face began to blister. The pain was almost becoming unbearable.
He had emerged in the lockers, where they kept the confiscated items. It was here somewhere... but where? He kicked at the lockers and trunks, his vision turning red and stars exploding in the shadowy corners. The athletic figure pounded the nearest trunk in blind rage until it opened with a reluctant click.
There it was. The constraining device glinted darkly in the firelight, and he took it into his hands with reverence. As it snapped into place around his waist, the flames dimmed and retracted. Ruggaso sighed in deep relief as the pain dissolved. He stood for a moment, waiting for just the right type of flame to jump from his body and... A green-tinted wave of healing fire washed over his body.
Ruggaso flexed his muscles, glad to be free and painless once more. He stepped out into the hallway, peering at the chaos surrounding him. Everywhere the earthly scum were struggling to find their beloved weapons and armour. Underneath his gloves and clothes, his skin was knitting together nicely, concealing the grey stone that resided underneath.
The distant noise of a shotgun returned him to the present, and his urgent goal. He had to get out of here. The more dnagerous of the prisoners were no where to be seen. Apparently they had already exited. Joy.
He trotted down the hall, moving fo no one. The reduced aura that surrounded his body still reached and singed any who drew near to the running hero. But no one dared fight - they would only feed the rage and endanger their lives. He passed the man with the gun, the wave of heat passing grudgingly over his body. Ruggaso was picking up speed, following the villians who seemed to know where they were going.
Hey, cutey, you stick with me and I can get you outa this place. A prisoner smiled viley to a young woman. Her hair was black and ponytailed, but her bangs hung over her face, only slightly hiding her beautiful features. She wasnt close to tall, but not exactly short, and had heavy shadows under her narrowed eyes.
Vim grabbed the man around the throat and chucked him into the nearest wall, cracking his skull open and causing several of the bricks to fall out of place. Cutey that, jackass. She said darkly. Cracking her neck, she held her arms above her head and stretched, it had been to long since shed been able to do that. They had a chemical in this place that kept her mutant powers suppressed, but a quick dose of supadyne had been enough to get rid of that. Her mind raced with the possibilities, she smiled grimly and began walking forward again.
Vim was a mercenary, but not an average dog of war. No, she was a super powered assassin for hire. Well, shed be classified as more of a brute, but she still picked her targets and disposed of them quickly nonetheless. But it had been two years since she had met her match. Brass Monday. Shed been hired by Nemesis, sent to kill Billyboy, a gearsmashing hero whod been a thorn in the Prussian Princes side for far too long. Hed beaten her. Him and his stupid little friends. It was humiliating, shed never failed a job before, but hed pounded her through the sewer floor and down into a deep cavern. Without any traveling powers, Vim had thought she was doomed, but thats when she met Lord Dire. Hed given her energy gauntlets set to destroy Billyboys energy frequency, and shed deserted and done after the hero almost immediately. Shed almost won, too, but before she had known it a troop of government agents had been on her. She hadnt realized he worked for a secret organization known as S.T.U.D.S., and that he was about to teleport to his home town, Arcadia, when she had struck. The gauntlets had been destroyed, and shed been in the Zig for numerous murders and attempted murder ever since.
Well, it looked like shed finally gotten the break she needed, shed be able to get out and resume her career again. Shed given up on hoping to ever take out Billyboy without the gauntlets, he was simply too powerful, and after a little digging shed found that he was part of an elite team of heroes specially self-trained to take down super villains. They had nearly single handedly kept Arcadia safe from villains such as Dr. Phillis and Mitoc the Thief for years, she didnt have a chance against them.
She shook her head, she couldnt think about past failures, she had to keep to the present. It still boiled her blood, though. It was hard to push the past away. She had kept a hollow feeling in her ever since her defeat at the hands of the Brass Monday heroes, and she didnt know if it would ever go away.
So she just hit people harder.
Vim blew away a guard with a kick that could shatter steel, crushing his insides and sending him flailing into a nearby medicine cabinet. She got moving again, she wasnt sure where to go, but anywhere was better than in this dirty prison. She started running, she really wanted to be out, and soon came to a large hole in the prison, obviously blasted by some sort of explosive, surrounded by Arachnos troops. She jumped down without looking at them, eager to be free of the stench of the place.
Unfortuanatley, she landed in the sewer, the most stench filled place of all, so she gave an irritated grunt as walked forward, she couldnt get back up anyway. Several prisoners tried to stop her, she expected she knew why, so she simply smashed their skulls in. She reached a large pipe after several minutes, and crawled up with the others to the courtyard, where she saw a sight that made her breath catch.
Iron Fist. She knew who he was, shed watched him after Lord Dire had rescued her. Hed been fighting on the same side as the heroes then, but Dire had explained the story of the mans origins and motives. He still scared her, but she seriously doubted he ever knew she had ever worked for Lord Dire, and figured her tale of deserting him would be enough to avoid being killed in all this chaos. If he didnt know, maybe shed found a potential employer.
Vim walked to him, he seemed to be conversing angrily with a man in wearing a skull mask. He looked to her and frowned as she approached, but she smiled in the most friendly manner she could to show her intentions. Of course, she realized that was a mistake as Iron Fist braced himself, a smiling villain was usually insane and angry. She put her hands up and shook her head.
The names Vim, and youre Iron Fist, right? she said in a business-like tone. I need to get out of here, and I take it you do too, so what do you say we help each other out and get out of here?
"Hello Vim." Iron Fist knew all about her including her working for Lord Dire. After Brass Monday ended, Fist had Psy use his newly found powers of Greek god level telepathic mind sweeping to search for any sign of double crossing. Silver Skull was enough. They found a few, but not many, in their army. As soon as thry had finished with that, Fist tested Psy's newfound power by ordering him to find Lord Dire. He didn't find the mechanical man, but he did find Vim. And Billyboy. And everyone else that had fought in Brass Monday two years ago. As it turns out, Iron Fist did not like Lord Dire. It might have something to do with Lord Dire trying to kill him. But Fist would not tell Vim that. He could use a strong viscious person like that in his army... whether Vim liked it or not.
He said, "From your stunned expression I can tell you know of me. I could use some help getting out of here. And if you do, I might have a possition for a young lass in my army."
Archlich slipped and skidded down the tiled corridor since, believe it or not, bones didn't have very good traction on smooth floors. The undead mage mnagaed to avoid sliding past his destination by snagging its door handle with his hand, arresting his motion.
"That was not a dignified method of transportation." droned Archlich as he pulled himself to his feet.
"You'll be even less dignified with a hole in your ugly [censored] skull." growled a voice from behind him.
Archlich's mouth gaped open in what would have been a sigh as he turned to face the guard. Unused to skeletal body signals the guard took Archlich's expression as one of fear.
"That's right bone head. Down on the ground and your hands on your head if you want to un-live another day." the guard chuckled at his own cleverness.
"If I were at my full power you would be like an ant before me." said Archlich as he quickly reached forward and knocked the gun's muzzle off course.
The guard swore and tried to kick the lich but was avoided by a quick twist that put Archlich on the opposite side of the gun that the guard was still trying to bring into play. Archlich spat out a word of power and solid energy leapt from his hands to slam into the guard. The guard was merely staggered by the first barrage but the second put him down.
Archlich leaned against the wall, trying to will his drained reserves back into usefulness before he stepped through the door into the armory. The room was relatively small, about the size of a locker room with crates and lockers lining the walls. It appeared as though several enterprising villains had been through here already judging by the mess on the ground and the several shattered crates. Casting his senses out, Archlich located his armor in a locker near the back of the room.
It took him but a moment to force open the locked door and a minute or two to don his black armor. He traced the dark red runes that covered his armor from shoulder to toe and then reached into the locker to pull forth his crown. Buffing the family crest on it with a scrap of cloth from a discarded shirt Archlich placed it on his skull, where it fit snugly. Placing the crown on his head activated the powers of his armor, flooding long hoarded stores of magic into his body. His eyes flaming with his newly recovered power, Archlich stalked back down the corridors to the hole where he had planned to meet Kairaishi.
Archlich watched several orange clad prisoners rush through the hole and consult with an Arachnos operative before exiting through the sewer gates at the end. Deciding that Kairaishi could survive well enough on his own, Archlich walked calmly through the tunnel and climbed through the sewer pipe after dismissing the soldier's entreties with a shake of his head. Emerging into the well-lit darkness outside, Archlich was struck between the eyes with a sledgehammer of sound. Screams and explosions ripped through the night air as prisoners darted too and from the shadows like orange ghosts. Archlich staggered over to one side and clutched his skull. He had grown used to the relative quiet of his cell block, magical prisoners were not apt to make much noise, and he needed some time to reaquaint himself with the louder world.
Spotting a few figures standing in one of the few patches of ground that looked clear, Archlich moved over as unobtrusively as possible and tried to get in a light trance so he could focus himself.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
((Here come the heroes. Don't turn your backs, boys, and be sure to watch the skies. ))
"WHAT!!!!"
The ear piece buzzed excitidly as all the heroes currently tuned into the broadcasts muttered similar things. The news had just reached the Longbow operatives, and then the resident heroes of Paragon, before flying across the airways to other countries and other concentrations of Heroes.
"Humm?" murmured a sleepy Hidden Incognito. Two female heroes sat with him, one suited up in metal-based, electricity conducting materials, the other leather clad and scar-covered. Hidden had been jolted from a rather pleasent nap by Physic's yell of disbelief.
She shushed him and the other two with an absent wave of a hand, and Hidden fumbled for his own earpiece. The silver-clad woman silently handed it to him.
He slipped the bit of metal around his ear, and immediatly heard the second half of the looping report:
...direct transport centers have been set up for all heroes who qualify to aid. As a mass flocking of heroes to the rogue isles would leave Paragon unprotected, only a certain number of the most experienced and proven heroes will be permitted to teleport overseas. If you so wish to help, proceed to the nearest teleporters, located in...
Hidden Incognito tuned out, impatiently nudging Physic. "What the hell happened? Aren't the Isles in France...? Oh, Christ.." he suddenly understood, and fell silent to listen to the first part of the broadcast,
The Ziggurat maximum secuirity prision, located overseas in the Rogue Isles, has taken heavy damage from what is thought to be Arachnos bombs. Countless prisoners have escaped, and the guards can not controll the outbreak. A full briefing will be given to Longbow and registered heroes willing to help...
Hidden peered across the base. Sterling Silver was looking from Physic to Hidden anxiously, but Damsel was looking moody.
"Silver, take care of Damsel, we have to run. Don't worry," Physic added, as Sterling Silver rose to her feet,
"No one is in danger. They won't be able to leave the islands and get into civilised areas. You just stay here and take care of the city."
Physic rushed out the door, Hidden on her heels.
--time passed--
"You understand? Your medical teleporters have been re-routed to transport you to one of the field medics. The technology's a little cruder, but it works basicly the same. If you fall, don't be afraid to use it."
One nod later and the pair of heroes were on the ground, surrounded by numerous others. They stared into the distance - already flecked with advancing heroes and longbow - and at the looming Prison. There was smoke, fire and noise polluting the air, but Physic breathed deeply none the less.
"Lets go grab us some Villians," said the air next to Physic, and she knew Hidden had gone invisible. She lept upwards toward the sky, the law of gravity temporarily suspended for her body only, and soared towards the battlements, an invisible comet speeding alongside her.
Ruggaso came to the hole in the floor, leading straight down to the sewers. His face wrinkled into an expression of disgust, but he supposed that it would be better to go with the crowd on this one.
Without a glance at - or a thought to the health of - the nearby criminals, he lept over their heads and landed cat-like in the sewer tunnel. He tried not to breathe through his nose, but gave up as he realised smelling the foul air was better than tasting it.
Ah well, there was the light at the end of the tunned. Rugg almost jumped up the ladder to berid himself of the foul place, and was now out in the open and - as Archlich had observed - noise-polluted courtyard.
"What to do, What to do." he muttered out loud, gazing at the unworthy beings that surrounded him. Through a supernatural power he knew who deserved to die and who should live. The guy in the skull mask - the one who was being beaten up pretty good - deserved to die. Perhaps he would just now.
The girl near him also deserved a death - possibly a long and painful one, but sometimes revenge is a tricky thing to deal with. However, the man they both seemed to be connected to either wasn't marked for death at all, or he was set for a quick, painless and allmost plesant one.
He streched his limbs out fully, and stepped aside to let the buildup of baddies get passed.
"I'll start with you."
His hands moved like lightening, and he snatched a scrawney stalker by the neck. That worthless bit of flesh had murdered twelve innocent people for kicks. His fists glowed redhot for a moment, and then a solid casing of rock erupted over them. The little man barely knew what hit him before he fell into death's embrace.
The black skinned figure sat silently in meditation with legs crossed arms down and palms resting on her legs. A slight movement of her chest indicated that she breathed at all. The mystic circle on her chest colored dark crimson red, a stark contrast to the dark purple leather that covered most of her body. White hair spilled down her back touching the floor as she sat there unmoving. The room covered in arcane runes from floor to ceiling worked in unison with the two bracers she wore to keep her from accessing the magical energies that pervaded this world. She never moved all the while explosions rocked the exterior walls of the prison. The screams of men dying and the sound of gunfire did not even move her from her meditation. She sat there her mind deep in the void of nothingness. The click of the cell door being unlocked went unnoticed, barely audible under the various sounds of fighting echoing down the halls. A lone figure slipped into the cell holding a knife, his faced tattooed white to look like a skull playing contrast to his orange prison jumpsuit. Stepping in he clicked the door shut behind not wanting his pleasure with her to be private, she would pay for humiliating him before everyone. Her mind floating peacefully in the nothingness of the void, devoid of all emotions, logic and worst of all devoid of magical energy.
In the nothingness is where she spent her time now searching for a way around the accursed wards that kept her in this prison. As the last thought vanished into the void, the void exploded into bluish white fire as mystical energy rushed into her. She felt the white hot flames licking at her consciousness threatening to burn her away, her mind welcoming the onrush as she fought for control. The symbol on her chest began to glow then faded her body never moving. She became aware of someone in her cell as she returned from the void. The figure creeping towards oblivious that she was coherent, uttering a few words under her breath the runes lit up lighting the room with an eerie green glow, they began to burn away from the floor in an increasing radius from her. The Skull prisoner stopped dead in his tracks unable to move, his feet being held pools of black energy. Her eye snapped open red orbs burning like hot embers surveyed her prisoner. She laughed at the prisoner that she had caught as she got up and circled him. His body unable to move as inky black tentacles surrounded him. She uttered a few arcane words and the skull fell to the ground writhing in pain, his body engulfed in inky black flames, letting her prisoner writhe in agony as she walked over to the door. Opening it she looked back and told him that as long as the door will be closed he will be free of the flames and pain but as soon the door would be opened they will return, a fitting punishment for trying to kill me dont you think?
The chaos of gunfire, fighting, and the moaning of the wounded and dying was sweet music to her ears. She took only a second to take in the cacophony of sounds and started to walk out of the cell block ignoring the pleading of the other prisoners that wanted out. She talked to a prisoner that seemed to know what was going on and found that the forces of Arachnos had staged a prison break and if she wanted out to that she better get out soon before any heroes arrived to help contain the prisoners. She was told to talk to a Jimmy Dortz and that he would know where her items were kept. She walked over to man with buzz cut hair wearing orange jumpers. She inquired about where her items might be and headed in that direction. She stepped into the hallway just to have a pile of armor run past her at super speed. She heard the retort of a shotgun as she was pelted with high speed metal pellets. Some of them hitting her with enough force to penetrate her skin, Blackish blood issued form the wounds before they could heal leaving no indication that she had been hit at all. Her eyes Flared at that audacity that a mere mortal would try to inflict pain upon her. She outstretched her hand, an ominous black cloud issued from it engulfing the man in black flames. The man dropped to the ground writhing in pain. She walked into the strong room and quickly located her items locked in a small box. That had been discarded by another prisoner that had ransacked the place. She quickly looked for the key, not finding one she smashed the box open. Spilling the contents out onto a desk she reached down and began to put on the mystical jewelry and clothes that the box had contained. Lastly she slammed her arms against the desk. Steel screaming as it crumpled in on itself the bracelets on her arms used to keep her from accessing her magical powers shattered from the impact. Walking out of the room rolling on her gloves she started to look for a fresh corpse to use she needed to get out of here while sweet chaos reined supreme.
The man with the gun wasn't just "passed". Rugasso had actually bumped into him, sending him hurtled over and smacking against the wall, the back of his head slamming none-too-gently as well. He was stunned for a few seconds, gritting his teeth and breathing deeply against the pain...he stood up, slowly, his grip faltering on the shotgun, his other hand reaching up to hold the back of his head, groaning as he stumbled forward like a drunkard, wobbling every other step. After the first five steps, his walk started to straighten, and his hands became steady as he continued to jog forward. His jog soon burst into a run...but soon, he came to another four-way intersection, and he had to stop, peering each direction.
That little stop had cost him the trail of Kairaishi. "Damn it."
But it didn't cost Kairaishi the trail of the man. If the man had looked upwards, he would soon see everyone's favorite puppeteer, fully costumed, doing the splits, one leg pushing against either of the walls, holding him upright in a decent imitation of Sam Fischer's most famous move. Except with one difference--Sam Fischer had often used this position to snipe away at incoming enemies who didn't know they were there. Kairaishi couldn't, because he lacked a weapon. While he had found all of his other devices, gadgets, equipment, and wirings along with his armor, he simply didn't have his trust bow-with-loads-of-different-arrows. But that's all right. What he would have soon enough would have to suffice.
"BANZAAAAAAAIIII!"
"What the fuuAAAAUUUUGHH!"
The scuffle was shortlived, the last noise coming out to be a sickening snap and a groan. Then, Kairaishi's voice, speaking amusedly.
"Aw, it's just what I've always wanted. Merry Christmas to you, too, buddy."
A few noteless minutes later, Kairaishi had made his way to the hole, peering down into it, shotgun slung over his shoulder. There was nothing remotely interesting about it, aside from the fact that it led into the sewers, and that there was some guy nearby babbling about "conning enemies" and "police drones behind me to practice". Problem was, there was only a wall behind him. Kairaishi sufficed that it would be best to leave this obviously mentally-disturbed person alone, and to go his merry way. He had already ransacked the armory where Archlich had obviously been before, but he had been unable to find his bow-and-arrow. Oh well. The shotgun would suffice nicely. Besides...he had a few other surprises up his sleeve, with his costume back and his other equipment working at full power. He waited a few minutes, tapping his foot impatiently. Where was the Archlich? He was already going this direction, he probably made it to the hole quicker than he had made it...wait. There weren't any other passageways aside from the path he himself had took...which meant...ah, of course. The [censored] ditched him here. Kairaishi shrugged, looking down the hole. Or maybe he had slipped and tumbled his way down. That would've been amusing. Either way, if he hadn't already been here, he must've been killed along the way. If he HAD, then he's just waiting in a later place. Or ditched him. Shrugging, Kairaishi trekked onwards, ignoring the sewer slop that soaked against his wrapped boots, walked past the Arachnos soldier wordlessly, and then opened the sewer pipe gate, starting to crawl through and up it.
Vim smiled darkly and folded her arms across her chest, this was just what shed hoped for. The guy had to be loaded if he could afford all the technology and soldiers he had. She could have laughed out loud, things were going better than she could have expected. She couldnt let him know that, though. She put on a stern expression and examined on of her fingernails, which werent in good shape of painted, which made her scowl. Sounds like we can both help each other, but there is the small matter of my payment. I dont work for amateurs, you know. If youre in the Zig, Im not sure if I should even be thinking about signing on with you. After all, what kind of super villain gets himself stuck in this dump? But Ill just have to see, maybe youre smarter than you look. Even Nemesis got himself pulled down, after all. Well, he isnt gone or anything, but he got his [censored] handed to him at Brass Monday. Vim clicked her mouth shut, she was argueing with herself, had the Zig unhinged her? Whatever, lets get out of here, then we can talk. Freedom is more important than money, long as its mine.
OOC: First time writing in rp so I wil try not to screw up...have been reading the forums religously (iron fist, billy boy, toy, and all the other great writers props to you all). Cant stay away awesome post loved that story anyways i am rambling. So here we go...
BIC:
The cell was too bright and too cold but then again the cell had always been too bright and too cold. The runes that stopped his pyromancy glowed a neon red causeing him to have a small headache. Of course when he summoned up all his will and tapped into the magic laying dormant inside his body the headache got worse, as did the glow. His hands hurt from the shackles they put on him daily, when he had his morning workout. Can't let a villains body go to waste here in the zig. He chuckled at that thought. Facing another day here was worse then death. He walked over to the wall and summoned up his reserves, issuing a small flame from his finger as he marked a line on the wall. Too may lines on that damned wall he thought. When was he going to get out of here? The judge had told him for his misuse of his hero status and powers he would never be a free man again.
He dosed off in his cell waiting for the first day of eternity to start again. Explosions lite up his cell waking him from his reverie. The cell was dark, somehow the glow from the runes was gone? This was chance, his last day of eternity.
He summoned the magical energies inside his body and the residual energy of the runes and with minor concentration he formed a small ball of fire ontop of his hand. Elation filled his head as the pain and concentration needed to mark the wall last night wasnt needed for this. With a slight flick of his wrist the fire blast hit the wall scorching and scaring the hellish runes that had held him prisoner.
His cell door opened casting a strange shadow upon him.
"Damien Cyric Cross, aka. Cross Fire, this here boys is the man who first arrested me. He was a mighty hero back in the day but look at him now crying scared s$%less...I guess his brother was right.", the Arachnoss agent said giving a small chuckle. The man slowly moved inside his cell two gaurds following him. "Lord Arachnos has sent for you boy so get your tights and what not and stop crying and come with us.""
He stood there confused for a second as he wiped his accross his face and felt moisture. His eyes narrowed, the anger of being incarted focused and in a split second of breath he grabbed underneath the strange man's helmet", he chanted a power word his brother had taught him in his former life. The top of the helmet blew out in a cascade of blood and fire.
The other two guards stood there mistified at what had just happened. Had they read his dosier better they would of known that any mention of his dead brother would set him off. It was too late for them though, cinders of burned flesh and helmet attacked thier eyes, mouth, and nose. They didnt suffer much.
He quickly dragged all three men into his cell. He stripped the one closest to his build. Putting on the strange uniform wasnt to bad after all he needed a way to escape. Pulling the helmet over his face he excited his home, his prison, and his life.
OOC: Cross Fire arrested by Cross Draw, and Cross Wind. Former member of Bearers of the Cross. Cross is 6 2 about 235 well toned with large lats. Fire Fire Dom, Use to be Fire Fire Blaster. Has an extreme temper when his brothers name is mentioned because he thought he killed him. Red hair and he is on hero corps if you want to look at his out fit. Have much fun.
OOC: Just so we're clear, Archlich is an actual skeleton. Although now that he has his armor on you can only see his bare skull. Oh yeah, and he's 5' 8". Which is pretty short when you really think about all these other tall villains wandering around.
BIC: Archlich was just entering his trance when he heard the female prisoner next to him mention Brass Monday and something about Nemesis dying. Archlich moved one of hands away from his eyes and looked closely as the villains standing next to him. The female one looked unfamiliar but then again so did the two men. Although...Archlich felt as though he should recognize the large one. Then it hit him. A year ago Toy Dispenser and Brutish Ghoul had traveled to Paragon City during Brass Monday and together with some other heroes and villains had killed the mighty Nemesis. Toy Dispenser had entered the descriptions of the heroes and villains that had worked with him into the base's database and the large man matched the description of Iron Fist, the mastermind that had vanished when Toy would have most needed his help.
"Iron Fist." hissed Archlich loud enough to be heard over the racket, "Toy Dispenser had always wondered what had happened to you. I'm glad I shall be able to tell him how the mighty have fallen."
As Archlich was saying this he had moved forward and shouldered Vim out of the way. He glared up at Iron Fist, the blue pinpricks that served as his eyes widening slighty.
-------------------------------------------------------
Captain Sullivan smashed his fist into still another Longbow face, spraying blood and teeth everywhere and making another cosmetisist a very happy man. Sullivan then blocked an energy blast from the last Longbow around him and then channeled it back through his arm and fired it back powered up five-fold. The blaster fell from the sky, dead before he hit the ground if that foot wide hole in his chest was any indication.
This experimental Shivan arm is a blessing in disguise. It may only have about an hour left but I've been able to handle everything that has been thrown at me so far. If this keeps up, Recluse might actually let me retire this time.
Sullivan looked at the blasted landscape around him. Several red and white bodies lay about, proving that mediporting technology is still not perfect. A report from one of the patrolling dropships indicated that several heroes were incoming. The sudden breaking of that transmission only proved that these heroes were not to be trifled with, it took more than a couple run-of-the-mill heroes to take down an Arachnos dropship. Fingering a device at his belt, Sullivan teleported atop the wall surrounding the Zig and watched the heroes fly in.
"A little welcoming gift." said the soldier as he ordered his men to open fire.
A dozen Surface-to-Air missiles shot forth from the couple of Arachnos positions along with tracers from the SMGs of those soldiers that didn't have rocket launchers. Aimed by the electronic sights built into his helmet, the missiles shot unerringly toward the lead two heroes.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.
OOC: First attempt at starting an RP thread here. Wish me luck.
BIC:Welcome to the Ziggurat, a maximum security prison for super-powered criminals and their ilk. Arachnos is about to stage a break out of unparalleled proportions, freeing hundreds of prisoners and leaving the rest for the Longbow units that will respond. The only question is: Where were you when the villains escaped?
Three Arachnos assault dropships screamed down on the massive Ziggurat prison. Behind them came a dozen under armored troopships that would land and evacuate the escapees after the first trio dealt with the on-site defenses. Cloaking fields disengaged as missiles ripple fired from pods under the dropships wings, blowing a hole in the prison yard wall and knocking the few Longbow Chasers out of the sky. Automated AA guns swiveled and locked onto the approaching ships, firing flak in an attempt to knock them from the sky.
Within the Ziggurat a patrolling android halted and cocked its head at an inquisitive angle. Reports from the few outward facing cameras and the auto-defense guns flooded its cybernetic brain with warnings and damage reports. Performing as it was designed, the android took control of the turrets and linked them into its own net, allowing them to more effectively target and destroy incoming threats. The Arachnos dropships would have died, no matter how good their armor or their pilots, if it wasnt for the agent that had been following the android and waiting for just this time.
The guard, in actuality an Arachnos sleeper agent, kicked the small drone that stood guard over its immobile master and slipped a small device out of his pocket and into the androids neck. As the virus left its container and began to infiltrate the androids systems it cut off all extraneous tasks to focus on the defense of its primary software. This disruption caused the turrets and every other defensive system tied into the androids neural net to be thrown into disarray, allowing the dropships to land and dispense their troops.
The guards confused, the prisoners rioting, the Arachnos soldiers forcing their way in, and Longbow on their way. What next? Do you escape with the rest of your fellow crooks or assist Longbow in containing this break out?
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.