The Elder Invasion: CHAPTER 6 - The South Gate

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Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

"Hurry up! We're almost there!" shouted Faramond as he began climbing up the hill.

Faramond didn't take a second look at the desolation around him: refugees huddled in makeshift tents, the rubble of what was once the glorious hub of Iwaku transportation, and spiders playing what seems like football with the skull of killed civilians in what was once Iwaku City's spacious and well-tended parks.

As Faramond reached the fragile chain-link fence that marked the boundaries of the settlement, an armed civilian approached him and asked him for identification.

Faramond looked back at Zypher and looked at the guard, "We're survivors from the forest. I have companions from south gate, and I want to know if they're okay."

The guard looked at Faramond and smiled, however, as he looked at Zypher, the guard became more apprehensive. "He's with me," Faramond said, "he helped me escape the forest."

"Is that so?" the guard said, "Not that I could do anything if you guys have dark intentions... But you know, if it helps the survivors feel any better..."

Faramond looked around the settlement and could only agree with the guard. There's nothing a flimsy chain-link fence could do against a noob onslaught, but it helps a lot in easing the minds of the already terrified refugees.

"Anyways, who are you looking for?" the guard helpfully asked.

"Twins by the name of Aya and Aki. Both of them have grayish hair and are of medium built," Faramond replied.

"Hmm," the guard stroked his chin, "I don't think I've seen anyone with such a description, but you might want to ask around..."

"Thanks!" Faramond smiled at the guard who returned the same. Before Faramond could have made a step, however, the guard whispered, "You sure your companion's okay?"

"If he wanted to kill anyone, he could have already killed me several times over," Faramond laughed a bit, "so I guess he's okay."

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summary:
faramond and zypher reaches the refugee settlement just outside south gate.
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

Zypher climbed up the hill just after Faramond and the sight that greeted him was one of desolation and destruction. Zypher gasped as he walked alongside Faramond. He looked at the refugees and understood, they were far from home and didn't know if they could ever go back, a similar feeling to Zypher when he first arrived from AFTA. Well on the bright side at least they're alive! And I'm sure that they'll be able to rebuild eventually! The bright smile returned to Zypher's face as a guard walked over to him and Faramond.

"I-identification..." Zypher started but Faramond quickly took over, "We're survivors from the forest. I have companions from south gate, and I want to know if they're okay." The guard took a look over to Zypher with a strange expression on his face, "He's with me. He helped me escape the forest."

As Faramond spoke with the guard Zypher's gaze continued to wander and he began to tune out what they were saying. So Faramond is looking for some twins...well there don't seem to be too many people here so that shouldn't be a problem, what is the problem is getting past those giant spider thingys... Zypher had noticed them earlier but it was just now that he began to pay attention, Well, my bullets can pierce through magical barriers and hit incorporeal things...but stone? I don't think they'll do too well unless I can find a weak point...I suppose I'd better just stick with Faramond and help him find these twins. Letting out a sigh he shrugged, not having the slightest clue on to where to begin.

"If he wanted to kill anyone, he could have already killed me several times over, so I guess he's okay." Faramond's voice snapped Zypher out of his thoughts and a sheepish grin crossed his face.

"That's right and but I'm not one to kill my friends!" Zypher said cheerfully, walking past the guard and into the camp, looking around for the twins that Farmond had described earlier.

Zypher comes upon the refugee camp with Faramond and is momentarily disheartened but quickly regains himself. He decides to work with Faramond to find the twins and tries to figure out a weakness on the spiders so they can get by into the city
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

"That's right and but I'm not one to kill my friends!" Zypher said cheerfully, walking past the guard and into the camp, looking around for the twins that Farmond had described earlier.

"Only scare them or maim them half-to-death..." Faramond mumbled, "Anyways, let's go look around. Those twins would be quite distinctive anyways, with their silver-colored hair."

Without another word, the two began scouring the refugee settlement in search for the twins. Faramond underestimated the difficulty of the search, for the twilight has begun to cover the entire settlement in darkness, soon, the only lights visible came from the stars, and the occasional light coming in from the city.

At the far edge of the settlement, near a cliff overlooking the city, Faramond finally found them. The twins, with their faces towards the city, eating what's left of their little dinner.

He stopped short of approaching them. He couldn't make himself approach them, for he knew that once he approach them, they will once again be dragged into another mess, and perhaps, one that would be bigger than the one that destroyed their home. But he has to. He feared the twins would soon be food if he doesn't do anything. At least, for the time being, Faramond convinced himself to observe them. To give them a moment of their own before he once again intrude upon their lives.

That moment ended when Zypher found Faramond and the twins. "Is that them? Great!" Zypher grinned and charged forward to the twins. Aki felt Zypher's presence, turned around and spoke for the two, "What do you want from us?"

"Who are you and why--" Aki went on but was interrupted by Faramond, "Please pardon Zypher, Aki." Faramond stepped closer towards the twins. He smiled, but everyone who could see his face would be able to tell that he was in the verge of crying.

"Glad to see you guys safe and sound," Faramond managed to say before he got choked up.

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summary:
zypher and faramond finally managed to find the twins.
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

War off into the city the iconic mall exploded with light, a sign that fighting still raged, nowhere was safe. Refugees were coming from everywhere which meant they had nowhere to go.

"Faramond..... wheres Megane....?" Aki started looking from Faramond to Zypher sensing something was wrong.

"The forest wasn't what you expected, was it? Aya sounded sad, she didn't take her eyes from the city and hadn't touched her meal. All around the camp fires were being put out and armed guard were helping people into shelter for the night.

"I guess its time to give this back to you." Aki said holding out Megane's sword. "I don't think we'll be seeing our home again.
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

As soon as the question about megane was brought up, Faramond's defenses shattered. He went near Aki, took the sword and hugged him as he cried his heart out. His cries flooded out everything, anything from his senses. All he could do was to cry.

"They are toying with us. They are," Faramond said in between sobs. "We, we who don't even want to be involved, and yet we are the ones who suffer."

"I can't take this anymore...." Faramond mumbled as a dark aura began enveloping him. He released Aki from his hug and moved a step back. Fondling the sword in his fingers, Faramond mumbled something incomprehensible and the dark aura grew more intense.

"In this world where I could never attain happiness... I pray..."
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

Zypher watched the whole scene play out between the twins and Faramond. He felt out of place, like he was invading on a private moment between lost friends. The twins seemed distraught but Faramond seemed even more so, the tears streaming down his face he walked over to hug Aki. As the two of them began to talk he stepped over to Aya and sat down next to her, looking out over the city and seeing the castle in the distance.

"You know you should really eat. After all I've got a plan to get us up to that castle and I'll need all the help I can get." Zypher flashed the girl a smile and looked back to Faramond and Aki, "You guys eat up too, we're getting to that castle! After all it looks like it hasn't been attacked yet!" He turned his gaze back out over the city.

"But, before we go I have to find someone that would probably be here, do any of you know someone named Rory?" Zypher asked, looking around at the rest of them.
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

BAM!

Famarond hit the ground hard Aki standing over him fist still clenched. "No Faramond, not that again. I'm not letting you endanger me and my sister, not now..." he looked over at Aya who remembering back to what Faramond had done in shapeshifter town could guess why Faramon'd was is distress. It was perhaps not that the magnitude of the invasion struck home. The twins, most likely homeless, Magane.... there was only one question left... why?

Aya sighed, picking up the bowl of burned looking mixed vegetables and what looked like egg and pushed it around with her spoon.
"Are you sure Rorys in the castle?" she asked Zypher. "Not sure if I'm sure of anything anymore."
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

The punch woke Faramond up. He looked around and saw saw Aki standing, hovering, over him. Aki helped him up and together, they went over to Aya.

"Are you sure Rory's in the castle?" she asked Zypher. "Not sure if I'm sure of anything anymore."

Faramond sat next to Aya and cleaned his eyeglasses, "No, I am not even sure if he would stay there. Given that the noobs are invading Iwaku, Rory should know that it would not be safe to stay there." He scratched his eyes and put his eyeglasses back on, "As far as I can remember, there is another castle out there by the name of Nerf Castle, some castle that could withstand seiges."

Faramond looked at Zypher, "However, since you're the one who want something from Rory, I'll leave things up to you, anywhere is safer than this place anyways. Not with those refugees attracting the noobs and whatever shit."

"Just what the heck do you want from him anyways?"
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6


Zypher tried to hide a bemused smirk as Faramond hit the dirt hard. It's about time someone did that, if he wasn't going to snap out of his funk I would've done something similar soon too. This Aki guy seems to be of a good sort.

"Are you sure Rorys in the castle?" she asked Zypher. "Not sure if I'm sure of anything anymore."

"I'm not sure of anything either, but that doesn't mean I can't try! If we give up before we've started we're doomed to fail!" He nodded looking at the two men in the group. He gave a strange look as Faramond talked about some other castle.

"Look around, there isn't any other castles in view, I think we need to go to that one there. And like you said, with all this monster bait we should have a clear shot to the castle! If you can't fight just stick close to me and I'll shoot anything that gets too close. After all magic shields can't even stop my bullets!" He gave a triumphant pose before looking at the others, "Oh and to answer your question about what the hell my business with him is, here's your response." He fired a shot that would whizz just past Faramond's ear, maybe even nicking it just slightly as to scare him.

Without a further thought he turned and headed away, down the cliffside that they had come up to find the twins, and heading right for the darkening city, shouting back over his shoulder, "COME ON! WE'RE BURNING COVER!"
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

"To the castle it is then. On one condition we make a stop off in south gate." Aki said following Zypher and closely followed by Aya. He was tired of being pushed around, by the war and by everyone. If there was a way to end all this maybe king Rory knew.

Aya took one last look around the camp. Either it would disperse or be attacked, either way it would not be around for long.
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

The bullet almost grazed Faramond's ear. "WHAT THE HE--?!" he yelled at Zypher but stopped upon realizing that any more ruckus from their part would attract the noobs. Besides, yelling at Zypher would only result in more bullets flying to his general direction.

"To the castle it is then. On one condition we make a stop off in south gate." Aki said, almost calmly.

Faramond turned at Aki, confused, "But you see that scenery before you, right?" The others have already started walking at this point, and Faramond had to catch up, "There are noobs everywhere in South Gate. Are you sure you guys would be safe there?"

He reached out to Aki's shoulder, but hesitated and let his hands swing back to his back, "But, okay. We will make a stop there."

"Is that alright with you, Zypher?"
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

Zypher began heading towards the south gate, the darkness giving decent enough cover for him to be okay with it. It looked like the spiders had gone away to patrol the other parts of the wall.

"To the castle it is then. On one condition we make a stop off in south gate." Zypher looked back at the twins and nodded.

"Yeah that shouldn't be a problem but let's not take too long, we want to use the night while we have it, and if we don't keep moving we might be attacked by those spider thingys." He nodded, pulling out his guns as they began to step away from the refugee camp.

Well this is certainly interesting...lots to file in my reports to Diana...but we better make it through here okay, I just hope Faramond doesn't do something stupid...
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

Faramond followed Zypher and the twins as they began to walk back towards the center of the refugee camp with the intention of going out the same gate they entered earlier. However, when they reached the camp's gate, there were already lots of refugees waiting outside. Some of them were shaking the wire fence while others were already scaling it up and jumping in to the camp. An irate refugee was yelling at the guard who tried his best to reply with the best courtesy and civility he could muster.

"This is bad. Let's find another way out," Faramond told Zypher and the twins. To this, the others nodded, except for Zypher who brought out his gun and fired up the air. This made the guard turn his head sharply that he almost felt his neck crack, and the refugees outside started pouring in. The other refugees, in the meanwhile, started panicking and started to scatter out.

"WHO'S THAT?!" the guard yelled towards where Zypher was. Other guards who have heard the gunshot started appearing from all directions and went to the gate.

"Nice idea, bright guy," Faramond muttered in between shallow breaths. He hated having to run to begin with, much less running away in the midst of a chaotic crowd. "What's your plan now?"

"Remember who's the one having a gun here," Zypher smiled at Faramond and pointed the gun directly into his forehead.

The other refugees who scaled the fence had managed to tear a portion of it down by just sitting on top of it. It made a huge crashing sound that distracted none but the guards.

"RUN!" Aki yelled as he dragged Aya towrds the torn wall. Zypher and Faramond followed suit. The four ran for some time and soon found themselves at the foot of the hill, near the cliff where twins were found.

Scratching his head as the Zypher and Faramond arrived, Aki laughed, "I guess we could have simply jumped off that one."

"Whe--?" Faramond asked, but soon saw what Aki was referring to, "... okay, but it's a bit too late for now."

"Yeah, and we need to get going. The spiders could be on their way here as we speak," Aya said in a voice so soft that it was drowned by the noises coming from the camp. "Yeah, let's go," Aki followed up, and started walking.

Despite his misgivings, Faramond followed suit and soon, the four reached the ruins of the walls surrounding Iwaku City. They could have passed by the gate, but Faramond thought it would be better for them to sneak past the damaged walls.

"Okay, we're already here," Faramond said as he readied himself, clipping megane's sword into his belt. He looked at the twins, who by now started to look more disquieted. The twins were looking into the city, or what was left of the city. The once magestic buildings were reduced to rubble, and even those which managed to remain standing were either defaced by the noobs, or were already close to crumbling.

Faramond thought about how the twins were feeling. They were about to go back to their home. A home they thought they could go back to after their journey. A home they weren't even sure to be still standing. A home that represented their simple, idyllic life before this shitstorm. He couldn't find the words nor the guestures to console them.

He was in the verge of feeling sad for himself when Aki went near him and slapped him hard in the back, "Stop that. We're okay." Faramond looked back at the youngster, unsure of the correct reply.

"Thanks for the concern," Aya smiled, "But we're really okay." Aki nodded at his twin sister's reply and grabbed her arm, "Let's go." The two then started walking towards the wall, and entering the city.

Zypher, who was leaning against a large slab of former wall, grinned at the other three, "Just about time..."

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summary:
Unable to exit the refugee camp the usual way, Zypher created panic by firing up the air. The group fled the refugee camp in the chaos that ensued and made their way towards the city walls.
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

The twins knew the streets, or how they once were and progress through he outer portion of the city was rapid. The avoided the still burning train hub that the district got its name from and instead chose narrow side streets still visible in the rubble and scattered debris. Aya stayed close to her brother her eyes on the desolation of the walls and buildings they had known their entire lives. It was Aki that seemed to keep it together. Then suddenly they both stopped.

They had come to a small square where several roads came together that in another century would have known hawkers and town criers. But their eyes were not on the square but its opposite edge. There were a collection of old semi-detached townhouses, or rather the shells of them while inside the halls piles of rubble ans burned timbers littered scorched floors. They stood for a full minuet heedless of any impatience the others might show. Everything they had had was in front of them. Across the square.

Slowly they moved forwards without speaking. Passing through the gaping doorways broken glass cracking beneath Aki's shoes. Disbelief would be the best words to describe their expressions. Then Aya burried her face against her brother's shoulder.

"Everything.... well... I guess its time to go to the castle."
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

Faramond didn't want to see the the destruction brought upon the twins' former home and went sitting on a large piece of rubble not far away from the others. He gazed at the skies further east, towards where he thought he first materialized in Iwaku, wondering if like the twins, his hopes of ever returning 'home' would be fulfilled. That is, if he has a home to begin with.

"Everything.... well... I guess its time to go to the castle" Faramond heard Aki said. Upon those words, Faramond reminded himself that there still might be a way for him to go home. There is a way, he insisted to himself. He stood up, removed the dust from his pants and went to the others.

He took a glance at the destruction to the residential area around him. There wasn't even a trace of where the former houses are, and had the twins not known the area very well, Faramond was sure they would have had trouble finding this place.

"Well," Faramond forced a half-smile, "At least we're lucky not to have run across some elders, spiders, noobs and whatever other abominations Iwaku might have..."

"...yeah, let's go," he went on after a pause, "before those creatures find us...."
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

Zypher didn't like the panic that he had caused. It was completely accidental but alas, it couldn't be helped. Although he did take some satisfaction in that Faramond was miserable having to keep up with Zypher and the twins. Zypher enjoyed running and he was certainly having his fill of it as they weaved through the camp with the refugees running in every which direction. He made sure to keep an eye on the twins and Faramond to make sure they stuck together.

Eventually the group had found their way to the base of the cliff that the twins were resting atop of before Zypher and Faramond had found them.

"I guess we could have simply jumped off that one." Zypher chuckled at that and nodded, Faramond hadn't quite grasped it as quickly as Aya and he had however..

"Yeah, and we need to get going. The spiders could be on their way here as we speak," Zypher nodded and let the twins lead the way into the ruined city. Zypher raised an eyebrow at Faramond as he clipped the sword to his belt, he'd make note to ask him about it later, he highly doubted that he could fight with it but he could at least swing it around a bit and defend himself maybe.

The group walked along the city that was torn asunder. The buildings, probably once beautiful had become hollow shells of their former selves. It's almost like they were hit by a nuclear bomb... Zypher shook the thoughts as the twins led him and Faramond to a small square where he assumed their house once stood.

As the twins looked about and said their goodbyes Zypher inspected his guns and made sure he had plenty of ammo. Hopefully I'll be able to find more or at least get back to my pod to get some more... He sighed, he wasn't in danger of running out anytime soon but he liked to have an over abundance of bullets all the time.

"Everything.... well... I guess its time to go to the castle." Zypher frowned at the twins, a rare expression to see indeed. He felt bad for the twins, never being able to return home, something similar to what he had felt when he first landed here from AFTA.

"...yeah, let's go, before those creatures find us...." Zypher glanced at Faramond as he spoke but from the street the group came from a chorus of cries of the noobs rang out, followed by cries from most of the other streets. Zypher quickly pulled out his guns and looked at the cityscape to see the castle off to the north.

"Spoke too soon Faramond, looks like we run again!" Zypher cried out, seeing a few of the noobs coming closer towards them. If they didn't go now they'd certainly get killed, "RUN!"

Zypher stayed at the back of the group as they darted through the ruins of the city, he fired at the noobs taking a few down. He'd also shoot over his shoulder as they ran, Aki and Aya at the front followed by Faramond.

After what seemed like hours of running and fighting the group found its way to the lake by the castle with nowhere left to run large mobs of noobs charged at them.

"FIGHT!" Zypher cried out, spreading his arms out wide and firing in rapid succession as he closed his arm, taking quite a few of the noobs down. As he shot he realized this was a losing battle, they were severely outmatched and no matter how many bullets he had he still couldn't defend them all.

Well at least we made it near castle...

Zypher screws up escaping the refugee camp but gains pleasure in making Faramond run. The group makes a stop at the twin's old home but are swarmed by noobs. Zypher makes them run through the city while he fights off some of the noobs. The group makes it to the lake by the castle and Zypher realizes it's a losing battle but at least they made it close to their destination.
 
Re: The South Gate - CHAPTER 6

An hour after Zypher and the others had left, the Flamers broke into the camps. Their violent celebrations were getting out of hand, and the guards and camp staff made no effort to resist. The Noobs poured through the hospital tents and open areas, burning anything they could and scattering the refugees with blasts of fire.

Screams and jeering became the night, and those two were set alight with flames, flushed out to the waiting clubs of Trolls and the chains of the Pimprats.

The massacre had begun.
 
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