The Dome (Open Rp)

Belbe stood motionless throughout the briefing, but when the time for questions was announced, she spoke.

"Has anything living attempted to pass through this... Dome? And have any of the mechanicals you've sent through been able to confirm whether or not entering the Dome still leads to the town itself?"

She had put her books away when the general began to speak. Ceus was not surprised by the man's hostility, he was a powerful man and powerful men did not have to restrain themselves in the company of those whom they found distasteful. Such was the way of things.

A tech handed her a Hazmat Suit, which Ceus held up and examined with a bemused air about her. She considered handing it back, but opted instead to fold it up and place it inside her pouch, which was becoming obvious that it held much much more than it appeared.

For instance, she reached in again and pulled out a stone bowl. Those familiar with that period of history would recognize its as a relic of the Irish Iron Age. Ceus set the bowl on the ground and for the first time since she had arrived, set her feet to the ground.

Holding her hand over the bowl, it filled with a crystal clear water, and she added a small handfull of herbs, some powdered stones Quartz, Obsidian, and malachite. The concoction seemed to stir itself and it evaporated into a blue-ish smoke.

"It won't hurt you. Just a charm to ward the soul, if you care to breath it in."

The remaining smoke was absorbed into her skin, and the silver veins that traced her body were aglow for several minutes afterward.

"Unless someone wants to sacrifice an animal, I am ready."

Pax remained quiet throughout the general's briefing, muttering something about typical army men under her breath. She gave the offered hazmat suits a look of distaste, not caring to take one. After all, she had her Dwarf form for that sort of stuff.

Belbe looked over the suit. It would be bulky and restrictive, but she couldn't see a reason not to wear it. At worst, she could always take it off.

As she finished donning it, the others seemed to be likewise finishing preparations to leave.

"Well, then. Is there anything left to do, or shall we head on in?" She asked.

((Okay if everyone is ready then let us begin :P If some one wants))

Entering the dome

As the vehicles hum, their engines ticking over in idle, everyone is given one last chance to prepare, before with a roar of one hundred and fifty horse power the Humvee starts to drive towards the dome, with Brian's jeep following. On board the Humvee, the helpful scientist Dorthy Deakin and the driver Private Derick Crater, along with food supplies, communication and monitoring equipment and several weeks worth of MRE's... just in case.

As the vehicles drive through the dome there is a feeling, a hint of electrostatic, a tingling in the teeth and a taste of warm brass in the mouth, and then the feel of ice cold satin gliding over and beneath your skin.

Inside the dome

The air is thick and fetid, confining as if at the bottom of a mine shaft, its hot and wet like after a monsoon and it stinks of burning oil, of fear and blood. Its dark, as if it is still night, what little light there is dyed red from passage through the dome, the upper reaches of the dome are full of pitch black rolling clouds of smoke and toxic fumes. There is no wind to stir the air, but for some reason dust and dirt swirls as if it is stuck inside a dust devil.

A short distance away from the road, a gas tanker lays, smoldering the front end is demolished where it has slammed into the inside of the dome, a trail of destruction as it has plowed off of the road and dug into the fields below, a man sits watching the burning wreck, his head bowed.

It is hard to see due to the heat and dust, but in the distance a normal human would just be able to make out the town further down the highway.

Ceus had not sat inside the humvee, but flew alongside it, one hand touching the cold metal exterior. She was here to sate her curiosity and helping these people was the price. Ceus had learned long ago that everything had a price. The only question was if it was one you were willing to pay.

Passing through the dome had been another unique experience. A surge of power, coupled with a distinct tactile sensation. But it had not prepared Ceus for arriving on the other side.

From a first glance, the inside of the dome seemed to cover the same area that it did on the outside. The passage had not seemed to affect her abilities in any meaningful sort of way.

Taking a sense of the air, Ceus noted it was fetid, but seemed capable of supporting other people's respirtory functions.

With a wave of her hand, Ceus attempted to create a small ball of light over the Humvee, to better illuminate the area. The light coming from the dome was too red for her tastes.

Likewise, Pax had flown beside the humvee rather than sit inside it. Landing gently as they stopped, she coughed and spit to one side as if trying to get a bad taste out of her mouth - which was exactly what she was doing. Straightening up, she looked around and frowned at the scenery. "...reminds us of Spain...", she muttered quietly to herself, in a tone that suggested she really wished it didn't. Though, how this place would remind her of Spain was anyone's guess. Because Spain as the rest of the group knew it didn't look anything like this.

Seeing Cues generate a light, she decided that wasn't a bad idea and set about making one of her own too. Her ever-present glowing aura intensified for a second, before a part of it split off and floated there on its own becoming what most would recognise as a Photon Seeker. This one however wouldn't explode as such things normally did, and nor would it expire. It was simply a light source, not a bomb.

Spotting the destroyed tanker and more importantly the man sitting beside it she again rose into the air and flew off in that direction, a shimmering field of energy forming around her as she went. A shield, just in case. Landing softly beside the man (but not too softly, loud enough that he'd know she was there) she went over to him and asked, "What happened here, sir?"

In the Humvee the driver and scientist are trying to contact base, but they are getting no reply to their calls, just a constant flashing “Unable To Connect” error message, the Humvee's radio also went dead, but the engine is still running.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebel_Scum Spotting the destroyed tanker and more importantly the man sitting beside it she again rose into the air and flew off in that direction, a shimmering field of energy forming around her as she went. A shield, just in case. Landing softly beside the man (but not too softly, loud enough that he'd know she was there) she went over to him and asked, "What happened here, sir?"

At the sound of Pax's voice the man turned, his clothing was torn and blood splattered at the front, the sleeves burned and ragged, he opened his mouth to display jagged glistening teeth, something closer to those in a sharks maw than what should be in a mans mouth. Unfocused blood shot eyes focus on the peace bringer, and the man steps forward, swaying as if very drunk.

“Hu... hurrrrrrghhhhhhhhhh!” he breathes wildly and prepares to leap

When the shambling human first lurched up, Ceus had what was commonly called, "a bad feeling". Followed by the untelligible moan instead of a proper answer that "bad feeling" cemented itself.

1+1= zombie.

Her first instinct had been to blast it and examine the corpse once the stench of undeath was removed from it. However, she was surrounded, for lack of a better word, by doo-gooders. Lethal options were to be considered a secondary resource.

Her arms reaching back, bright yellow nodes swirled around the corrupter's arms, and when she threw her arms forward, the nodes(fragments of souls actually) sprang forth jerking and arcing in the air till they swirled around the zombie, attempting to ensare and lift up the monster.

((I'd just like to say, before we move any further, that "1+1= Zombie" is pretty darn cool.))

Belbe exited the Humvee. Readings from the suit she wore indicated, among other things, that there was nothing in the air that couldn't be protected against by her uniform's helmet. Pleased that she wouldn't have to wear the bulky thing, she undid the seals, which hissed merrily.

The suit required a bit of convincing to shed, and during that time anyone looking would have seen long, violet hair veiling an angular -if quite striking- face. Then, she was free of the suit and her helmet was locked in place.

A HUD blipped into life in time to alert her of an articulation and the possible combat activities of her 'teammates'. She ducked around the Humvee in time to see gold lights flash from one's hands.

The 'zombie' struggled against its bonds, its face went red and muscles bulged and strained until veins were standing proud on every inch of exposed flesh, then it went limp in the air, panting, dripping with sweat.

In the distance there was a scream, and then another, and another, a wave of anguished cries, both male and female coming from the town, more rising as each one falls, moving closer and closer in a crescendo of pain and suffering.

Brian rode along in his Jeep behind the Humvee, a rock station blasting a hit from some new band. He rode contentedly, and one might frown upon that the man 'forgot' to put on his hazmat suit. As they neared the dome, Brian adjusted his cap, his face not changing at all, as if he did this routinely. He drove through the dome, his eyes closed in instinct. He went through and felt like he was passing through fine silk, then had an odd taste in his mouth.

Spitting outside the Jeep like the Peacebringer had done, he took a quick look of his surroundings as she approached a man near a tanker that had toppled over. He heard the groan come from the man, and as a guy who had watched his fair share of horror flicks, he came to the conclusion that the man was a zombie.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kasoh However, she was surrounded, for lack of a better word, by doo-gooders. Lethal options were to be considered a secondary resource.

Then, to this woman, Brian would not be considered a 'doo-gooder'. As the man was tangled in whatever she had done (and he had never seen that before, it was somewhat cool), Brian reached into his right holster and pulled out his Colt. Three bangs rang out throughout the dome as the rounds went sailing through the air to the zombie, the shells dropping outside the Jeep door. Brian got out of his vehicle and slammed the door, gun still at the ready. He walked nearer until he was right up to the thing. Whether it was dead or not, he raised his gun to it's forehead and pumped one more piece of lead into it.

Belbe nodded approvingly. "Perhaps we can attempt to capture one of these... things on our way out, for examination, but now is hardly the time. More are coming."

Fate, proving it had a sense of drama, sent another such creature lurching out from behind a far-off building. It glanced around for a moment, and then looked straight at the scouting party. With a grunt, it started towards them.

Belbe raised her arm. A small set of tubes lay across her forearms. With a flick of her wrist, a dart the size of a pencil sped out the end of a tube, and flew through the air. It pierced the oncoming... thing's head with enough force to knock it down.

For all the good it did, though. More were coming.

Times like this, Ceus actually missed having eyes and a tongue. It would have been the perfect opportunity to roll said eyes, and click missing tongue. Rough up some stupid mages who were summoning beings(read: herself) far beyond their capabilities and you're a super villain, but just about everyone else gets to be a super hero.

But she was over simplifying.

Done with her mental complaining, Ceus moved into action. A small coating of nether began to cling to her body, sufficient enough armor against most physical damage.

One at a time, Ceus applied some magical force to each of her companions. The first was concentrated power. It would speed up reactions, activities and keep them from tiring. The second would keep the lightwieghts from getting bowled over by the zombie horde at the expense of some movement.

That chore taken care of, Ceus flew upwards to get a better view of the oncoming monsters. She'd wait for their assailants to group up more before she attacked. Rasputin had always harped on her for wasting all that magic on a singular target.

Over the air ways....

"This is private Darell Mondell, if any body can hear this, we've barricaded ourselves in Wilkson's Garage.... repeat if you can hear this and you are normal... we need help!"

((Okay going to give it one last shot to re-beat some life into this thread. I apologize for the lacking nature in some of my previous posts, and can only say RL issues mean I lacked heart.))

The animalistic rhino like man, paused dropping the dart as his eyes grew distant, tilting his head he seemed to be listening to something. Inside the humvee the radio crackled and a deep voice began to talk, it lacked emotion, the words it spoke were leaden and precise, accent less it spoke as a machine would speak, each word delivered like the knell of a funeral bell.

“Protocol One: Greetings: Target Type: Dogs Of The Current World Regime.”

The hulking man shuddered and crooned, drooling slightly, a look of abject bliss and pleasure on his face.

“Warning: The Time Of The Meek Is: Run Time Completed: Now: Begins: Run Time: Process The Rule Of The Strong”

The voice was broadcasting on all frequencies, even on blue tooth and wireless.

“Strength: Key Parameter: Strength : Only Parameter. Without Strength: Existence: Void”

“However: The Words Of: The Hatesman State: The Strong Must Be Free: To Action: Do What They Wish”

“Such Is: The Run Time Functionality: Organization: The Terra Liberation Front”

In the Humvee the scientist started tapping away, running the names against FBSA and Military databases.

“Suggested Function: Challenge This Unit: Prove Your Strength: Greater: Enforce: Your Will”

“Probable Outcome: Failure Of Targets: Termination Of Targets”

“This Unit: Awaits”

The changed man starts to shuffle away, his eyes dull and lacking the previous manic spark.

“Targets: Passage: Secured: Come If Emotional State: Brave Enough”

The broadcast stopped, in the distance a beam the same color as the emerald energy fell silently into the center of town.

The Town

Burnt out cars, shattered shop windows and broken fire hydrants dotted the landscape, here and there a figure would be spotted, a man with extra arms, a woman with wings, a young child with hands made of flame or ice, the changed town folk seemed as varied as could be imagined, here and there a normal body lay unchanged and still, some beaten, some burned, but all as still as the grave.

At one point the energy washes over the town again, causing shrieks of anguish and agony to rise again, eventually once more a bolt of green lightning falls into the center of the town, the GPS shows a hospital to be there, along the way is a garage, shutters down, from an upstairs window a torch flashes, free quick flashes, free long flashes and free quick flashes again, then with a pause it begins again, a message sent through the fog and smoke.

S.O.S