Sanctuary

V ducked down, her arms over her head, huddled to Jack's side. She knew she should help the others shoot back but for a moment all she could do was whimper.

She heard the zip of the orbs and smelled burnt metal. Zefie cried, “What the hell are those things?”

V took several quick breaths, grabbed the carbine and looked carefully through the scope, squeezing off a shot at the pursuers. An orb came flying at her and she threw herself back down.

"Dammit, where else is there to go?"

 

I was never adept to talking to woman but as my end neared with every passing bullet. I heard Zeffie yelled something as I tried to drown out the fighting. She was the only reason I was in this situation, in this group, and nearing my demise. "Zeffie, I think you are the best thing about this entire journey," I awkwardly yelled as to her as the bullets zinged by.

 

Dre fired off a couple of rounds at their pursuers. He was still reeling from a lingering headache and his shots were not as accurate as they might have been, still only serving to slow their pursuers just a little. Dre only hoped that the elevator would reach its destination before they were all slaughtered at the hands of these monstrosities.

"****!" Dre cried as a metal orb tore through his right shoulder and sent him to the ground. Despite the pain, he made himself stand and fired off a few more rounds at the enemy. "Come on come on..." he said to himself as he slammed his last clip into one of his pistols.

Up ahead the opposite platform was finally coming into view. It wouldn't be long before they made it, but Dre knew there was little chance of them being able to deal with their pursuers who were rapidly gaining on them.

 

The Fiends were rapidly gaining, increasing their speed exponentially. The pack leader dug its feet into the ground and made a flying leap above the elevator platform. It seemed surreal. The thing practically flew for a moment. Then it came down hard, ignoring the gunshots. Lin was caught in the shoulders by the thing's knife like feet, pinning him down to the platform. Lin cried out as the blood began to flow from him.

 

V practically fell on top of Dre, looking at his wound and immediately putting pressure on it. She looked intently at him.

"Dre, you knew about the elevator. What else do you know? Tell us if there is something else that can help us!" She said quickly.

And then Lin was on the floor, too, pinned there by the knifelike feet of the beast.

"Oh God," V said.

 

“Zefie!”

Squeezing off a couple of rounds, Zefie wasn’t sure if she’d really heard her name being called. She looked round, confused, then saw Bruce looking at her. In her agitated state she didn’t register the expression of mingled embarrassment and nerves on his face, but only wondered what was so important he had to say it while they were fighting for their lives.

“I think you are the best thing about this entire journey,” he yelled awkwardly, words coming out in a rush.

Zefie blinked, the world seeming to flip upside down for a moment. He … what?

She was distracted by a bullet passing low over her head and almost hitting her. Hissing a curse, she ducked and pulled her rifle up again. Bruce’s words kept repeating in her head and she was sure her face must have been bright scarlet.

Well, what the hell was she meant to say to that?

Her heart drummed against her ribs as she stammered out a reply. “I … um, you …” she looked over at him and thought that with his nervous expression and glasses slightly askew he looked quite sweet. She smiled. “Thanks.”

 

*Double post*

 

Dammit! A round blew through Dre's shoulder, and instantly V rushed to his assistance. Jack alternated crouching and firing until one of the beasts flew overhead and came down hard on Lin. The man was yelling, and Jack saw a spray of blood. He swung his pistols around and opened up on the beast as it tore at Lin. It seemed like the shots were merely an annoyance to it.

 

“Not the time! Not the place!”

Joshua grabbed Zefie’s arm and started to drag her on. Lin had been pinned down by one of the things. Creatures. Machines. What the hell are they! Whatever they were, they were here, they were fast, and they were definitely not friendly. He cursed. Lin had been an annoying son of a b!tch, but he had still been one of their group.

Joshua let go of Zefie’s arm and shouldered his rifle. Breath in, squeeze the trigger when breathing out. His fathers words. Joshua aimed for the thing that had pinned Lin down, only several yards away. Breath in. Please god, let this work. Breath out. Squeeze.

The bullet left the gun, speeding towards the thing. The gun had been modified years ago by Franklin Pastor to be used as semi-automatic combat sniper rifle. And the gun hadn’t been the only thing that had been modified. The bullets, too.

The bullet punctured the things left shoulder, going trough the things armour and coming out on the other side. A trough and trough. Joshua’s jaw dropped somewhat. Had he actually managed to hit, nay, hurt something?

Sadly not. The thing didn’t seem all that affected by the tiny hole in it’s shoulder, but Joshua thought he did see something else in the creatures glance; annoyance.

“Not good.” He muttered, picking up the black gun case again. He started running again.

 

The mechanical beast was registered the shots that were being fired at it and tore its feet from Lin's shoulders, rounding on Josh instead. It clicked its metallic jaws and attempted to swipe at him, but Vishka closed in on the thing, lifting it high above his head and throwing out in front of the platform.

Mechanical whines, the sound of grinding steel, and a shower of sparks erupted as the the thing was torn to pieces by the force of the elevator platform. The strain was to much for the elevator to handle and it ended up stopping just short of the far platform.

Jack slammed on the controls to open the steel mesh and ushered the group through. Up ahead there was a raised platform with a few of the old WWIII TalonV vertical take off and landing craft awaited. The group had finally reached their destination. Everyone broke out in a run for the craft, but just as they neared the platform the three remaining Fiends crashed down in front of them. They had been blocked off and were now caught in a face off with the creatures.

 

Jack skidded to a stop, the fear mingled with despair for the first time. They were right there. Standing right in front if it. And now they were about to die. About to lose everything they just fought for.

But he couldn't give up. Not even now, as it seemed all was lost. The beasts came forward slowly, snarling. Jack dropped his clips and loaded new ones...his last two. As the things advanced, he leveled both his guns, making ready to make the final stand...

 

The pack of Fiends slowly closed in the group, each clicking their mechanical jaws hungrily as they trained the barrels of their back mounted guns onto the group. The humans had met their ends this time. The Fiends would see that none would survive this, see that the Cursed One was brought back, and see to the destruction of the Disc that posed so much of a threat to Them. This would be the final moment. All their efforts would be in vain.

Just as the Fiends were about to launch the killing attack, a shadowy figure fell from the high ceiling. It landed with a tremendous crash between the humans and their attackers. Whatever it was, it moved with a stunning reptilian grace that should have been all too familiar for the group. The Fiends paused, caught off guard by this new arrival. Each one clicked its jaws as if nervous or unsure. Then the new arrival lashed out at the closest Fiend, razor sharp fingers digging into its head and tearing it from its canine body.

The other two charged at the new arrival, firing all the while. The small steel orbs simply ricocheted off the strange armor and the monster tore through the other two fiends with little effort. When the bodies of the two remaining canine monsters crashed to the ground, the creature turned to face the group. It was unmistakable. It was the Hunter-Stalker. It was Ohdran.

 

Joshua stared at Odhran, mouth open. No doubt the others would have laughed at how stupid he looked, if it hadn’t been for the Hunter-Stalker that had just slashed trough the three remaining things. Joshua swallowed hard.

“What, I… What?” Joshua didn’t understand. Was this thing helping them? Hadn’t he killed some of them earlier? Hadn’t he nearly killed Vishka? Was he friendly, or was he hostile. Was he here to save them, make sure the rest of them could get away?

He looked at the rest of them, but confusion was clear on their faces as well. Suddenly Joshua realized what would happen next; Jack would speak up, step forward, take the lead. Place himself, and in doing so, the disc, in danger.

Before Jack could speak, Joshua took a step forward. “Why did you do that. What are you?” he demanded, his voice shaking.

 

Jack could only stare, jaw agape and pistols up as the Hunter-Stalker that had previously been their enemy new became their ally. The creature that had killed one of them; that had wounded V; that had nearly killed him. But now...it had saved them all. And possibly the rest of humanity.

Jack lowered his guns and, unexpectedly, Josh stepped in front of him and questioned the alien. Were the situation any less grave, Jack would have smiled at his resolve. This trip had taught him a few things.

 

V had the carbine up and had been targeting a Fiend the best she could when the Hunter-Stalker fell on the Fiends, decimating them in front of her group. She snapped the carbine to the new target, staring the reptilian thing that had sliced her open in the eye through the scope of her weapon.

Her finger tightened on the trigger. This thing might have just killed the Fiends but it had tried to kill them earlier. She had no idea why it would kill the Fiends unless it wanted the kill of the Disc-bearer for itself.

 

Ohdran stared down at the pathetic humans. They all seemed so confused, so helpless. He relished the taste of their chaotic thoughts. None could see under his helmet, but he was grinning as though he were crazy. Perhaps he was a little crazy. He had never been one for letting others less deserving than he steal his glory. This moment would be his. In one motion, he would single handedly ensure the destruction of the human race and gain the favor of the Scions. Because of him the Hunter-Stalkers would take their rightful place as the heralds of the Scions in all things to come. Ohdran suddenly threw his head back and let out a terrible sound that might have been laughter.

Opening his mind to them, Ohdran let them here his thoughts. You have come far humans. Very far. Too far. Now I will end it all. The Fyr na Vishka will die and the disc will be destroyed. Your valiant efforts are to be commended. Were it not for your pathetic attempt at survival, I would no have this opportunity. You have done me a greate service indeed.

Ohdran let his razor fingers click together menacingly, knowing that none of their weapons could do him an harm. This was his moment of glory. He would be recognized at last for his true power.

One of the humans stepped forward and said something Ohdran could not understand. He could hear the man's voice shaking and it pleasured him to know that this creature feared him. Before the others could do anything, Ohdran raised his palm at the human, his psychic energy fully immobilizing the pathetic creature and lifting him about a foot off the ground. The other humans rushed forward, but Ohdran merely raised his other palm towards them, stopping them in their tracks.

Foolish creatures. You have no power here. Ohdran pulled the first human forward in the air, holding one of the long fingers out as he drew ever closer. The man began to whimper and Ohdran smirked. The group of humans cried out as they struggled to help their friend in vain.

Ohdran relished the feel of the human as it slid onto the long finger, piercing the creature all the way through the abdomen. He cried out in pain and Ohdran laughed again as the blood began to flow from his wound. Without a thought, Ohdran cast the man aside, sending him sliding on the ground until he collided with a wall.

ENOUGH OHDRAN! Came a thought that could only belong to Vishka. The humans have suffered enough. I will end this now! Vishka broke free of Ohdran's psychic hold and charged the Hunter-Stalker. Ohdran let out a mighty roar and lifted Vishka into the air with his mind, slamming him down into one of the three working TalonV aircraft. There was an eruption of fire and smoke, then nothing.

Without so much as a backward glance at Vishka, Ohdran walked toward one of the women, the one he had injured before. She began to weep as one of the other humans cried out a string of curses at him. This one was called V. Ohdran took one of his fingers and ran it slowly down the side of her face, creating a thing line of blood from her jaw to the bottom of her ear. She screamed and Ohdran smiled.

Before he could do anything further, one of the other humans spit on Ohdran. He turned nonchalantly to the human. The man's face was full of rage and Ohdran recognized him as the on who carried the disc, Jack. In a swift motion, Odran brought his hand up hard across the man's face, spraying blood and leaving five long cuts across his skull. Insolent creature. You need to learn when you have lost.

"No! No more! That is enough," came a cry from one of the humans. A fiery haired young man with rage in his eyes. Ohdran searched his mind and knew him to be called Dre.

Odran strolled casually over to the young man. Enough? We shall see. You will have a special fate my miserable little friend. Ohdran bent down and stared directly into Dre's eyes, exerting tremendous psychic energy down on him. Dre cried out as cuts tore themselves open across his face and chest and arms. Ohdran made sure the man could not blink. He treasured every moment of the torture as a man would treasure a fine wine. Then something unexpected happened.

As Ohdran stared into Dre's eyes, he himself felt a tremendous amount of power exerted on him. Ohdran grunted in shock as he tried to resist the pressure on him. He couldn't tear himself away from Dre's gaze. Then came the pain. Ohdran was brought to one knee as searing pain wracked his entire body. He still couldn't look away. This wasn't possible. This human boy was somehow overpowering him. Such things were unheard of. It could not be. Then Ohdran's legs snapped and he roared in pain. He could feel his reptilian skin tearing itself open all across his body. Black blood filled his vision. His arms snapped. His fingers followed, then his back. He was bent double backwards. Ultimately, darkness took him and the group of humans was released from his hold.

 

Dre nearly collapsed in himself from the exertion. He fell to the ground as the group was released. He had done it. They would be safe. He knew it. Dre had a smile on his face as he looked around they group. Everyone was in pretty bad shape, but no one else had died. Vishka had managed to rip himself from the wreckage of one of the TalonV aircraft. There were two left. They had made it.

 

As soon as the thing turned on V; as soon as it started to hurt her, Jack broke inside. He spit on him, and was about to raise his weapons when it he saw it turn.

Searing pain burned across his face, and his guns clattered to the floor. The force of the strike spun him, and sent him to the ground. He took his hands away from his face and saw them red with his own blood. He could still see. The slash had missed his eyes by millimeters. Every movement of his head seemed to bring a fresh wave of pain. But he had to stop this thing, somehow. When he turned to look, Dre was facing the massive creature...

...and it was falling before him...

The Stalker fell hard to the ground in a pool of black blood. Jack stared in disbelief for a moment, then he looked around at the group. They were alive. All of them. Through the pain, Jack smiled. They had made it. Instantly, he went to V, speaking despite the pain it brought on.

"You okay?"

 

Joshua screamed as he was pulled up into the air as a puppet by invisible strings. Terror that had long been hidden now came up, the sudden realisation that he was going to die, right now, right here. He would die, V would die, Zefie would die, Dre would die, Jessica would die, Vishka would die, Lin would die, and finally, Jack would die. And with that, the disc would be destroyed, and humanity doomed.

Joshua screamed as some invisible force drew him closer to the creature, and Joshua kept screaming as a long spike broke flesh, puncturing his abdomen all the way trough. HE didn’t stop screaming until the creature let him go, and he fell to the ground, slamming the air out of his lungs.

He felt blood leave his body, and he didn’t know what was worse, the pain or the sudden realisation that the had failed, and in doing so, doomed humanity. Joshua’s eyes rolled up, and he closed his eyes.

What seemed like hours later, he opened them again. Was he dead? No, it seemed he wasn’t. Yet. He was getting cold, and had his father not always told him that if you were hurt and getting cold, you should get to a medical facility immediately, ‘cause it meant you were losing blood? Something like that. He was starting to feel light headed, too.

He tilted his head somewhat, and saw the rest of the group scramble to their feet. Jack rushed towards V, and Josh felt he smiled, despite himself. They would be fine, they would. He coughed, and looked further. The thing lay on the ground, not moving anymore, and Joshua smiled again, which led to another cough. He saw Jessica coming closer, her face plain, as always, but with a hint of fear.

“Oy, Jessica. You should laugh more often. I bet you look pretty when you laugh…”

What was he saying.

Joshua coughed again.

 

I watched as Dre rid our situation of the Hunter-Stalker alone. This kid is something else. I looked over at everyone and we have been bruised and battered, but we have reached the end. I looked at my Rail Gun and thought that this will be a key to our ultimate victory. I glanced over at Zeffie who wasn't as beaten up as I was. Just then I remembered the moment we were trying to escape and I uttered those stupid words. Now I would have to live with that mistake. I looked down at the ground and shook my head in shame.

 

Vishka had managed to pull himself from the wreckage of the TalonV and was now surveying the group. Remarkably, everyone was alive. Vishka had felt the tremendous psychic energy that Dre had somehow managed to use to crush Ohdran into a broken heap. What mattered right now was making sure that everyone was in good condition. Humans were fragile creatures after all.

Vishka moved to Dre first. Are you okay Drenki? he asked through his thoughts. Dre managed a weak smile.

Don't worry about me...I'll be fine in a minute. Just go make sure everyone else is okay.

Vishka nodded and looked around. Josh was the first person he had to attend to. The man was gravely wounded. When Vishka arrived at his side he had already lost a tremendous amount of blood.

"Hold still." Vishka placed one hand on the front and one on the back of the wound. "Do not breath." He closed his eyes and willed the wounds to close themselves up. He pictured the flesh mending itself back together. He felt cold and pain. Then it was over. The wound was gone. Vishka could do nothing for the blood loss, but Josh would be okay now.

 

The thing's reptilian eyes were as cold as the slicing claw it traced down her cheek. She felt nothing but the cold and the terror that she couldn't move.

V screamed, caught in a nightmare.

When he turned to Jack and hurt him, V broke inside, tears streaming down her cheeks as she remained seemingly pinned to the air, a bleeding butterfly in this abomination's collection of helpless humanity.

They were going to die and worse, they had failed.

When Dre killed the beast V sagged as the hold on her was released, sinking to her knees. She stared dully at Josh where he lay bleeding his life away and watched Dre.

A quiet voice broke in.

"You okay?"

Was she? In one day she'd lost her mother, her home, and had nearly seen humanity wiped out completely.

Nearly. Only nearly.

She looked around at the group. Many hurt, all still breathing.

Finally she looked up at Jack, his face slicked with blood, the wounds gaping open, but alive.

"I'm okay," she whispered, heedless of the tears that wouldn't stop falling down her cheeks, mixing with her own blood as they fell, "I'm okay."

Her hand found his and clutched it.

 

V gripped his hand tightly as the tears flowed from her eyes. Kneeling, Jack gathered her into his arms, holding her tightly. Fluid built in his own eyes. They had made it, but at the cost of hundreds of lives. The tears stung his wounds as they flowed past, coming partly from the joy of being safe at last, and having V here with him. But also part from the loss of life that had been brought upon them.

 

A great pressure descended upon the group as Vishka was hurriedly finishing up his patch up jobs on the group. At the Dragoon's behest, everyone began making their way into the aircraft. Overhead, a series of explosion began to erupt, shaking the entire underground cavern and causing gigantic steel beams to come crashing to the ground. Whatever was going on, Sanctuary was collapsing in on itself.

Jack, Dre, Zefie, and V all piled into the first of the two TalonV craft while Lin, Josh, Jessivca, Bruce, and Vishka piled into the second. Just as the general had said, they merely had to activate the craft and the emergency autopilot took over. The VTOL jets on the end of the wings gradually warmed up and began to lift the craft off the ground. Steel doors slid across the openings on either side of the craft, ensuring the safety of the group at least for the moment. Far overhead, a small hole opened up in the ceiling and the craft began the steady ascent towards the sky.

As they rose into the air bits of cement and steel beams came crashing down around them, just narrowly missing the craft each time. For all of the survivors, it would be their first time ever seeing the world outside the City-Bunker with their own eyes. Each of them had heard stories of the ravaged surface of the world where humanity had once lived, but nothing any of them had heard could have possibly prepared them for the sight they would behold.

Dull gray light filtered through the menacing black clouds in the sky. Heavy winds howled about the craft as heavy snows bombarded them. All about the group were ruined buildings, tremendous fallen monuments to a once glorious civilization. It was haunting in a way. To think that before They came, humanity had endured a golden age. This city, New York, had been among the greatest cities in all of human history. Now it was a snow covered husk. Bits of buildings jutted out of the snow and rubble like the bones of some great beast.

Then the aircraft turned, providing a new view of the land. It the entrance to Sanctuary. All around, strange craft were landing and loading up with Dragoons and Threshers that were fleeing the bunker. Something was making them run in what seemed like true terror. It was when the group saw the sheer numbers of Them that they realized the bunker had never really stood a chance. There were hundreds upon thousands of the creatures. Fortunately, none paid much attention to the two small craft that were fleeing the bunker.

The TalonVs rose farther into the air, and what the group saw next was enough to break even the strongest of men. It was a massive behemoth, floating calmly above the City-Bunker. The only thing the mind was able to connect it with was a worm. It looked like a giant worm floating in the sky. All along its amazing length were tiny little arms. It had no head that could be distinguished on either end, but there was no doubt that this thing was one of Their leaders.

For a time the creature was still as the myriad small craft filled with Dragoons fled the scene. Then, it reared back one massive end and high pitched cry issued from it. Far below, the middle of the bunker of exploded. A huge shock wave flew outward from this new epicenter and the entire bunker erupted into the air. Pieces of debris pelted the aircraft as they turned in a new direction, revealing yet another sight.

It was nearly as great to behold as the monster they had just seen, if not more. Before them was a tremendous expanse of turbulent water. As children they would have heard stories of this thing...the ocean.

Behind them was another series of explosions and the aircraft shook violently. Soon all the group could see was mist and waves. They had escaped at last, but at great cost. They could only hope that wherever they were going would be safe.

 

The end for now.

This RP has officially CLOSED.
You have all done a great job and I owe the success of this RP to all of the terrific writing contributed to it by the players. I hope to see the survivors in the sequel. We still have a war to win.

A Dark Studios Original Production

Production/Original Concept:

Darkthought​

Game Master:

Darkthought​

Developmental Storyline Crew:

Darkthought​

Emerald​

Teele​

Writers:

Darkthought

Drengi "Dre" Itir​

Teele

Jack Cyrus​

Sprb_Skrbblz

Darmetrius Lindemann
​

Raven

Hunter​

REM Nightfall

Artemis​

Commongoods

Joshua "Josh" Pastor​

Emerald

Vishka
​

Thanos

Bruce Stark​

Gloom Kitty

Magdalena "Lena" Scott​

Foxee

Varenna "V" Shepherd​

Jade

Jessica "Jessie" Bennet​

Nikhil

Roger Gordan​

Blossom

Zefrira "Zefie" Gainsborough​