Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"This storm really has a big influence on it all, doesn't it?"
He continues running through the forest.

 

“Good, good. I’m going to need to see the armblades you have.”

 

Shadow Stephanie quickly moves to avoid the needles, trying to get to a vantage point.


The Shadows try to help the pilots aim to what they deem is the most useful area to shoot at, increasing their accuracy.


Victus retreats, rethinking his battleplan.


Aqui makes a few more huge ice cubes, sending them flying into the more powerful forces to try and literally push them back out.

 

"Marketplace, nobody's messed with them since."

It's either fall back behind the front lines or continue to be distracted at every turn.


The increased accuracy helps, but a few shadows get picked off with their pilots that get hit with light shots when their shields don't hold as well as they were hoping.


Now in chamber three, there's a few dozen more mechs.
"Do we close the blast doors?"


Pushing them around is all she manages to do; it just makes the next volley of return fire hit harder, picking off a few allied mechs.

"Unfortunately. One person's insolence... all this damage."

 

“Thanks.”
I nod, taking the blacklight from Voidfiller and rushing off to the marketplace.

 

Shadow Stephanie heads to behind the front lines, keeping hidden.


The Shadows barely have much time to open portals for their crystals to fall through, any left in space simply imploding into a small black hole that fizzles out.


Victus nods.


Aqui creates ice walls to protect the mechs from the fire, before creating a large ice version of herself to use as her own mech, swimming inside of it. Once Aqui is in control of her icy form, she fires a volley of frozen stalactites at her enemies.

 

Nobody's there, except for a raptor who's sleeping on a pillow that's on display.

There seems to be one entry portal the Hive Master is using up ahead, and judging by the spiralling shape of the palace, two others just like it spaced out somewhere. The vast void around her is filled with more and more debris, though the view of a nearby nebula is a nice contrast to the chaotic battle.


Those that remain start to fall back, another volley of light bursts from the left and right flank doing a number on shields as a volley of micromissiles swarms in from the front.


"Sorry, brothers..." They mumble, pausing.
The transition plane slowly reveals a many-layered metal door that slams shut, countless locks clicking into place afterwards.


Her newfound size causes her icemech to be the target of micromissiles, and the stalagmites don't seem to do much to shields. However, bits of ice melt and short the occasional system.

 

Shadow Stephanie looks for a practical way to shut off the portal, not wanting to enter it for fear of falling victim to mind control.


A few of the Shadows take some control of the mechs, firing at the missles to detonate them before they can do harm.


Victus takes a moment to catch his breath.


Aqui forms an icy shield in one hand, and a cluster of the huge ice cubes in another, throwing them at the missles to try and destroy them. Aqui then fires a blast of water at the mechs, trying to short circuit them.

 

Ignoring the raptor, I look around for the armblades.

 

There's no off button, but perhaps there's something that can destabilize the portals...


One of the mechs has a sniper rifle of some kind, which only has one shot left. It might be worth holding onto it...?


The mech pilot laughs.
"Shame we've already gotten our better mechs torn up. They don't have much, either, but boy it's like they know exactly what to expect of you."


The mech gets hit by a few missiles, the shield shattering after taking the blunt of the hits.
A few heavy pulses of electricity course back up the water jet, but it takes care of pretty much every mech in the room... unfortunately indiscriminantly.

________________________________

Same stand as the raptor.
There's four blades there, all of them pristine.

 

Shadow Stephanie looks for any powerful explosives, or a bunch of smaller explosives she could duct tape together to make one big explosive.


The Shadow holds onto it until they find a use for it.


"I'm more effective against the living. Metal has never lived." Victus says.


Aqui cuts off the jet so she isn't electrocuted, before trying to remove the water around the allied mechs, or at least get their pilots out safely.

 

I go over them with the blacklight, analyzing.
Are they neatly organized?

 

"I know. But there isn't much we can do about it."
He slows down a bit.

 

There's nothing in sight, but one of the shadows seems to be keeping back, having gotten a mech with a sniper.


"There's some ugly truth that proves you wrong, there. Ever heard of a Teregecygian?"


Seems the damage is done. She gets shocked a little bit, and in the break in the action, any mech that was shorted seems to contain an electrocuted pilot.

They are, not even cleaned yet. The only fingerprints are those of a merchant.

"I'd still love to take a bite out of her... your family was my family, too."

 

After a bit more looking, I put away the blacklight and put my hand to my ear.
"Nothing."
"They're not clean. Or really bloody, for that matter."
"Yes, I'm almost certain."
"No kidding."
"I'm going to do some more investigating. Make sure nobody there owns an armblade."
I take my hand off my ear, making my way to Mantis territory.

Meanwhile, Voidfiller goes to the person I was talking to about the armblades.
"Hey."

 

They nod.
"Yeh?"

 

"You're absolutely certain that nobody here owns any mantis armblades?"

 

"Yeah... wait, no, the merchant still has a few, but he's dead. His stall is sort of his memorial, I guess."

 

"...Are they easily accessible?"

 

"That is somewhat comforting, thank you. I shall bid you both farewell for now."

I begin to head for the chambers