Darkoor

[theForgottenSoul]

Yish calmly exited the elevator, and squinted into the dark areas. Seeing nothing he lit a cigartte as he always did after killing someone.Then Yish leaned up on the wall and thought back to last few days.

 

As Yish inhaled he felt the memories come...

 

His captors just came out of nowhere and just grabbed him. After what seemed like hours, they finally got to this Hell they called a prison. He remebered them asking something, exactly what he couldn't rememeber, and after he couldn't give them the answer, they started to toture him. They hit him, they injected him, they put poisonous vipers on him, they burned him, they literally hung him, with his hands bound to the walls and and his feet clamped to the floor. Each time they got to the edge of his death, they stopped and put him back together, just to rip apart again later. They took razors tied together and dragged them slowly over his back until he cried with pain and his blood flowed like a river of red. And if that wasn't enough, they tore his nails off his fingers and toes, and dipped him in a salt bath. Then they took a hammer and repeatedly hit him in the groin with it. Everytime his sores scabbed over, they tore them open with new ones. But the worst of all, is that they burned the mark of the emperor into his lower back. And each day after they re-branded him in the same way. Then their was the food, or the horrible feces that they called food which tasted like his own and someone elses mixed together. And his living quarters, if you could call them that, was filled with other dead corpses, and he swore that one of them was living for a few days. He could still taste the stench when he licked his lips. Indeed this was Hell.

 

As Yish exhaled the smoke, he coughed from his weakend state. Whatever was out there in the shadows had his deepest sympathy. They were going to regret messing with Yish today. He drew his sword slowly, as if expecting a battle.

 

"Well, come on. I didn't come this far to die."

[Keeper of Lives]

Khevbik didnt waste time, the discomforting ride had ended and he wanted off. He stepped out off the elevator with haste; he didn't dare stay in the elevator for another moment. Khevbik took out his pistol and knife and followed Ariana down the hall, slowly, he took his time.

 

Khevbik could feel the fear seep through him again.

 

The fear coming and going was starting to get annoying. The fear must of been squeezed out of him during the ride, but was now back, and in full motion, adrenaline pumping through his vains, the shaking, he supposed the involuntary fear was the effect of the torture. Khevbik didnt want to think of the torture, but his mind was swimming more towards the mild memories.

 

He was lost in the unbearable thoughts.

 

The needles, there must been a hundred of them in his body at once, piercing his bones and flesh, worse yet they would expand cracking bone and ripping flesh. As if they weren't enough, they would spice things up a bit; they would throw buckets of urine on him and electify the needles for more effect. They rotated their techniques of torture to keep him alive. After taking the needles in for two days, they would switch to physical blows for another two, to let those small wounds heal; then another round of needles and eletricity went. Khevbik couldnt even remember how many times they pulled off this routine, the torture nearly had him in vegetable state, in mind at least. The feeling was certainly there, oh the feeling, the agony.

 

Khevbik's right shoulder bumped into Ariana as she was looking around the corner. With that action he was back to reality. She didnt seem to notice him as she peered around the corner. Khevbik apologized and moved around her to take a look as well. He thought it was bright enough as it was, but when he looked around the corner it was like looking into three suns, his eyes watered with pain. This was a predicament he thought, the spot lights were blinding their way forward.

 

"Well damn, the spotlights blind our way, Ariana what is beyond those lights, would you know?"

 

Khevbik squeezed his weapons, he couldnt wait to put bullets through these men, he would make them pay for the torture. Why did they do this to him? They had swiftly captured him and went right to the torture. They had asked questions but he couldn't remember what they were. Oh well, he thought, Khevbik just wanted to get out of here, and if he had the chance, he would return the favor.

[Shadow of the Fallen]

Ariana gasped suddenly and put a solid arm before Khevbik, blocking his path forward. Then, with strength he didn't know she had, she forced him up against the wall next to her and pulled her face away from the edge. Just in time, two bolts of energy about the size of basket balls ripped past the spot where their heads had just been, disappating onto the wall opposite the two.

 

Her breathing was heavy, the narrowness of the call apparent in her frightened features. It seemed to go against the nature, she had shown them to look as afraid as she was, and after a moment of panting her face hardend back into that resolute figure that they were more used to. For that brief instant, however, she had shown them something more about herself... At least to Khevbik, the only one nearby.

 

She was human, not the warrior she was posing as.

 

Her breathing slowed back to a normal pace after a minute or two, and then she realised that she was still pressing her arm against Khevbik's chest. Hastily, she pulled it away, seeming almost embarressed, but at the same time not paying it any heed. After a moment or two, she slid down the wall, away from the edge, and surveyed the men she had before her. They didn't seem like the fighters she needed. Some had experience, but they were too weakened to do much good...

 

Not to mention their enemy was all but invisible. They couldn't fight into the blinding spotlights. Ariana still had spots before her eyes from the bright light, there was no way they would be able to see past. It would be just waiting for the enemy to come for them, waiting for their numbers to get big enough that they would kill them all with overwhelming force. She was beginning to tire, and though she might have once been able to dodge a sniper's bullet from point blank, her speed was significantly decreased from the trip it took to get here.

 

Was speed like that even possible? That wasn't even the half of it. Maybe she should tell them the truth now, before death came for them. Who knew how many soldiers were already waiting to send these men to the slaughter? She couldn't take them all on, she knew that for sure. What to do...?

 

She closed her eyes and hung her head, putting the tips of her index and middle fingers on her temples, rubbing in small circles as she concentrated. There had to be something she could do, some kind of distraction she could create... Time was hers, but could she make it there in time? If they were bunched together, then there was no way, but if they were lined in ranks... Hmm... Was it possible? She let her arms fall to her sides and looked up to the heavens in questioning, as though she was begging them for an answer.

 

An answer they gave.

 

A small, deadly smile passed over her lips as she realised what she needed to do, and how to do it. She had both the means for finding out how many men there were and their organization, and creating a diversion to allow them all to escape. Hah! How could it have not been seen before?! But there was no time to waste, she had to put it into action immediatly.

 

"Stay here!" she commanded, still staring at the ceiling. Then she was gone, a crack like thunder eminating from where she had stood only a half beat ago. An air ripping blow that reverberated off of the ceiling in the wall with perfect acoustics. The sound echoed throughout the room as though lightning had just split next to the group. The endless reprecussions caused you to look up to see exactly what shape of space could reproduce such a thing, and it was then that you noticed you were in a giant dome.

 

There was a silent pause, the men on the other side of the wall hesitated in their movement, and then a scream ripped out from the brightness. There was another crack of thunder, another scream, a shadow streamed across the light that shown above the wall, a flicker of movement as something passed infront of one of the three points. Crack, scream. Crack, scream. The noises grew in rapidity, the deafening sounds echoing into an angry roar.

 

A light went out, dimming the area at the edge of the wall, and it was then that you first had the chance to glimpse upon the scene next to you. Peering around the corner, you saw a sort of bunker, lit from the inside, surrounded by dozens of troops on the verge of panick. Inside the concrete box, set low into the ground, you could see silouettes moving about frantically as men around them died. With every crack, a man across the room fell to the ground, a gaping wound opening up on his chest, through the white plating. Gaurds nearby looked on in horror as some invisible force killed and killed again, with every reitteration of the sound.

 

It was as though the gods were of mind to smite them this day, the panic that ensued. Energy hailed the ceiling, dissapating as it hit some sort of barrier that protected the inside of the dome. There were more deaths, maybe 10 men, though you could no longer count the number of sounds. The whole room shook with the violence of the noise, the cracking escalated to seem as though the entire structure was being torn apart. The other two lights went out with the unheard shattering of glass, and the men started to spread out and duck to the ground as more of their number were slain. The doors to either side of the building were opened up and the gaurds began to rush madly for escape. As they ran for the doors, however, they were only to find that they would be cut down. Several men screamed out at the shear horror of the moment, only to be slain in the next. It was total madness.

 

Then came the whisper, broken and desperate, said with waning strength, run... It was Ariana's voice, but it was not spoken as as though she as before you, but an echoing in your mind, go... I cannot... hold on... much... m-more.... Go, before... my strength... fails me... the eye is watching... Another wave of men fell and a moment passed before the next message came, head out the closest door... run... straight south... you will come to the forest... there you will... find........ Go!

 

In the low over head lighting, you could see a fizzling image of Ariana as her movement began to slow. A rain of death and fire followed as she sped along the outside of the clusters of men, darting in to kill one or two before running up the side of the dome. She was moving with incredible speed, the likes of which rivaled anything you had ever seen. But she was slowing down, and while her image was only more than a fleeting blur, it was growing ever more clear. There was little time to waste, whatever power she held was beginning to disappear. And soon, so would the group's escape route...

 

OOC: Feel free to take down a few gaurds as you go, its all in fun, isn't it? In fact, unload as you make your way to the door if you really wish. :wink2:

 

Outside, its nightime. You will pass by several buildings as you make for an opening in the wall thats straight out the door. South is a straight shot out of the door at the bottom of the image that I posted. If nessecary, I will show you an image of the compound.

 

The buildings are domes for the most part. They're unlit from the outside. The one you're leaving is the biggest of the domes. The others house the gaurds, have the armory, etc. Note that there are other gaurds following you, being woken up by alarms and such.

 

The forest is not immediatly visible once you leave the south gate. You will have to travel a ways.

 

Ariana will try to hold off the gaurds from taking you down before you get to the door. She'll also attempt to keep them from blocking your escape route, but if you linger too long she wont be able to hold them off.

 

I think that should cover most of the rough spots, go ahead and post. :grin:

[MDRud216]

Weakened as he was Ackon was the first one to dash for the door, limping, his grimy and blood encrusted fingernails clutching his weapon. three shots, he could not afford to fire and ducked and turned, zig zagging at times to avoid the fire.

 

his vision went white for a moment and waves of heat blew against his face- he turned and staggered, putting his hands up instinctively. For that moment that he was not moving he was fired upon dozens of times, forcing him to resume his dash for the exit.

 

That was it, he was suddenly outside, and to greet him was a heavenly choir indeed. The midnight wind carressed his face and hair, filling his lungs with something truely sweet: air. In the distance the leaves of Ariana's mentioned forest danced melodically and the sound alone was enough to restore his sanity. Ackon buried the pain in his leg and killed his limp. He sprinted, faster then he had ever ran towards the forest, never looking back to see if he still had any allies.

[Keeper of Lives]

Before Khevbik could notice, Ariana was gone with inhuman speed. The mayhem had commenced and he knew it was time to move his ass. In Khevbik's state of weakness, with his best efforts he tried to run. Khevbik turned to look at the group, he could see some of them following Ackon's lead, as was he. He ran with all his might, painfully he made his way, Khevbik could hear the screams and shreiks from the men behind him; it sent chills up his spine. Ariana was doing a good job of wreaking havoc on them he thought, a smile came across his face. As he exited the dome, he could hear his foot steps and other's running in unison, not looking back, Khevbik made his way to the forest, that laid not far ahead.

 

How was it that Ariana could move so fast? It didnt make sense, she truly was like the sounds being emitted in the dome. Lightning. The level of technology here was much higher than anything he had seen before, that would explain a lot, if shots from those men could have put holes in the walls like a knife to hot butter, then it could probably make people lightning-fast as well. Khevbik would ask Ariana exaclty how she pulled off the things she did soon, he hoped she was alright, she may be as fast as lightning, but that doesnt make her invincible.

 

After a short run through a moderately rocky field, the forest came into view. He slowed his pace, it was time to think of other things and enjoy the freedom.

 

------

 

Femma... he wondered how long he had been gone without a word, surely she would be worried about him. Luckily she was old enough to take care of herself. He, of course had taught her survival skills and the ways and techniques of an assassin. He had shown her his supply and ammunition contacts, if, for any reason she ran out of ammo and supplies while he was away, she could help herself to whatever she needed. She would have done just fine without him. But nonetheless, he was now worried for her, Khevbik feared for her saftey.

 

The prodigetic girl was his foster daughter, he had found her wandering the rubbled streets in ragged clothes, dirty in a daze, as though she had nothing to live for. After taking her in, he gave her clothes, fattened her up and gave her a home with him. She loved every moment with him and he felt the same way towards her. In a way, their relationship was more friendly than father and daughter, despite this however, Khevbik always saw Femma as a daughter.

 

One could see their relationship quite odd. For one thing, Khevbik taught Femma the art of killing, his speciality. He taught the child how to kill, he started her on executing animals like stray dogs then later he would take her on one of his assignments for the real thing. He had her kill animals to get her used to the pain of taken another's life, it was a cruel thing to expose a child to, but her attitude toward death would prove priceless in later years with this training.

 

------

 

The air was wet and cool. It had been what seemed like an eternity that he had inhaled such clean air. He wasn't exaclty thrilled to be wandering through the forest in near pitch black conditions, but making distance from hell's pit was very relieving, he wasn't complaining. He pushed Femma out his mind for the time being and swam through the brush forward, not knowing what he should do next.

[MDRud216]

He was blind from the landscape unfolding around him as he ran. The forest was dead ahead and the last white rays of heat disapated in the distance. For the time being, he had escaped. The black forms of tall trees began to tower up ahead, the brush became thicker around his feet and in the next instnat he plunged into the forest, the darkened sky suddenly disappearing.

 

Ackon still did not stop, he ran, not knowing where his next step would fall, he was blind to the future and had shut out the past; all that mattered was the present. Soon however, his adrenaline began to ware off and he slowed down, the underbrush and rough terrain affecting him more now. At last he swerved off of his route, stopping a ways off to the left.

 

behind him he heard steps, running quickly in his direction and he knew instinctively that they were not his enemies. They were frantic, weakened, off beat- it was not a pursuer, but a pursuee. Khevbik soon emerged near Ackon, barely noticing him....

"Hey, Stop!"

[Keeper of Lives]

He had heard the man yell "stop", but it was too late. In that instant, he ran right into Ackon. Khevbik fell to the ground, with a light thud caught off gaurd by Ackon stopping dead in front of him. For a time, he wanted to just sit there and rest for days on end, but he needed to get as far away as possible from this area. He slowly stood up, aching in his limbs, he moaned.

 

"That was quite a collision, I think it could have been avoided if you had given some sort of heads up", Khevbik said amused and frustrated at the same time. "Its ok though, at least some of us are rallied together now, it was every man for himself when we all saw the exit. Those bone chilling screams coming from the dome were music to my ears, those bastards deserved it."

[Shrogen]

Shrogen was now short one expensive club. Who would have known that something costing the equivalent to an entire slum’s inhabitants broke after only a few small impacts with the armored cranium. It was a live and learn type of situation he supposed.

 

However, he was also short another important item, as they all were: their guide. The final instructions, if he had not imagined them, were scattered and near incomprehensible. However, they were supposed to head due south . . . and that they were, judging by the sun’s position. As for a forest, he supposed this rather large clump of diseased and blackened shrubs constituted. However, the atmosphere, despite still containing more surprises then pure air (which he had only heard about, spoken in whispered tones), was the most sweet he had ever inhaled.

 

Freedom. He looked back on the stronghold they had escaped from. Then he noticed the increasing amount of light as various search parties prepared to pursue them. Perhaps he could savor it later.

 

“I think we should keep moving,” he rasped, “it seems we are not quite out of trouble yet.”

 

He debated internally whether their guide had fallen or the fleeing enemies had decided to make use out of their remaining lifespans. He hoped for the latter. Either way, they had to keep moving.

[MDRud216]

As Ackon grew accustomed to the outside air it became less sweet, and he guessed that the oxygen giving forest was all that kept the area's air from tasting ashy and stale as it should have in this post-apocolyptic world. Anything however, was better then the putrid gasses that sank and crept through the cavernous metal catacombs of prisons and torture chambers below him like poisonous slime, and that burned the nostrils and drowned the very sense of smell and taste.

 

He was hunched over, hands on his legs as he panted. "Have you any idea how many of the others survived?" he asked through his exhalations.

[Keeper of Lives]

"I'm not exactly sure, we'll soon find out though, I hear footsteps nearing us. I'm more worried about our liberator, she was in some intense fighting when we left, I hope shes alright ....."

 

The feelings he felt for the Ariana were feelings he haddn't felt in a long time. This woman made his heart race, she had a penetrating visage of beauty. He had been in no condition to hit on her earlier, but he would definately try when they all had time to rest. What would he ask her? What would he say to her? Khevbik slightly blushed at the vulgar thoughts streaming in his mind. He would pull some moves on her soon. She just needed to be alive for him to attempt!