Beige and spherical, the mask sped across the lane. Dodging and sidestepping, ducking behind one cement block, running past the second and- *BOOM*
The head exploded, leaving behind a body that fell forward limply. Pulling the bolt on my M40A3 rifle, I looked up using my own eyes to survey the abandoned apartment block before me. The snow filled the air between the building i was in and the one across, and for a moment, it was quiet. Then my eyes picked out a quick movement past the windows. I looked down my scope again, leading him to the next window, he ran into the needle, and *BOOM* he was sent spinning to the side as his blood painted the dull walls red. Something about the dull walls reminded me of my brothers. Days in the killinghouse seemed more distant than i could see through my scope...I wondered what had become of them.
Snapping me back to the present, firefights erupted all over as my fellow SAS stormed the building from a side entrance. I heard the familiar crack of a Dragunov sniper rifle from the left, and saw one of my comrades taken down. Scanning the direction i heard the shot from, i picked out the minute glint of the scope. Bringing the needle crosshair to the sparkle, i fired and the rifle dropping from the bush was the only indication i got that the Spetsnaz sniper had been taken out. Glancing through the windows of the wrecked building i tried to get a clear shot, i held my breath and fired again, this time taking out the machinegunner who was pinning down more of my comrades. Suddenly, i heard a minute *click* that signalled the trigger of a claymore mine before i heard an explosion...Someone had come through back. Slinging the rifle across my back, i drew my silenced USP and had my knife at the ready. Silently, I cursed Where are my brothers when i need them?
I walked carefully, listening for sounds of more intruders. Treading silently i cleared the empty rooms one by one. I stopped in my tracks as a creak from the next room alerted me to a presence...more footsteps now, walking steadily to my position. I tried my radio..."Echo, come in Echo"...static..."Leviath, anyone, can you read me?"...more static. I guess it's just me and the Russians. I drew a flashbang and threw it out into the corridor. Hearing the bang followed by shouts of surprise, i thought to myself...It's just me and the russians...I levelled my USP with my right hand and held my knife in the left...Walking out into the corridor, it was all i thought of...It's just me...
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Unknown Night
The metallic door swung open with a bang, pouring light into my pitch black cell. Blinded by the light, i could only see figures rush in towards me. Weakened by days of malnourishment, i could not fight, not against that many. The cold shackles clamped down on my wrists, i now had to stand and walk, lest i be dragged on my face to the workfloor. And the Lord Raven will stand. His fellow slaves needed to see him stand...
I remember the day i was caught. Through my investigations, i had found that the Tedari had been working with the Empire of the Eagle. Nights passed as i chased lead after lead, always seeing pieces of a puzzle. I travelled with Jeohn from the port city that housed the Tedari under cover of darkness and into the capital of the Empire. Sneaking into the palace we stole documents that indicated a rapid militarization of the Empire, i remembered the numbers in my head:
4000 Tanks
10,000 Warships
300,000 Men
6th day of Argothan, This year.
I snuck into barracks to see the strength of each man, they were not physically strong, but through the use of technology and those guns, they could bring down men stronger than themselves and from distances of up to 100 paces. Travelling on, I saw factories where large amounts of arms and armour were being manufactured, the lines of slaves forced to put these weapons together. I stole one of their guns for myself and Jeohn taught me to use it. It was simple. Deadly.
We then travelled to foundaries where they built iron beasts known as tanks. Systematically, slaves built carts of iron armour that rolled on wheels. Each cart carried an astoundingly large gun known as a cannon. These, Jeohn told me, could tear holes in the ranks of an army or the walls of a fortress. I imagined our glorious legions, banners flying in the sun and the light glinting of the helms of my men. I see them being blown away by large explosions and i knew i must do something. I see the plans and commit it's designs to memory.
However, one question kept haunting my mind: Where do all these slaves come from?
Finally, after weeks of searching, and following a trail so convoluted i had narrowly missed it completely. I was brought full circle to the port city from whence i had came, sneaking in to a
shipyard, i saw the warships for myself. Ships of varying size and shape were constructed, once again by slaves. Each ship was capable of transporting men, supplies and cannons. These ships would be the force that would bring death to our doors. I had wrapped up my investigation and was just about to leave when suddenly treacherous claws caught hold of me. Jeohn, my guide, on the pretense of getting help from the Tedari to destroy the shipyard, brought me to Griphan...
Shikaze: Regent, I've discovered much about the Empire, and what I found disturbs me. I will need a contigent of your finest to help me destroy a threat to Raxaferh. Quite frankly, I am surprised that your Tedari had not discovered this sooner considering how close the threat is to your home!
Griphan: I'm afraid I cannot do that Lord Raven...You see, we already knew of the shipyard.
Shikaze: What?! Then why did you not-
It was then that i heard several clicks, like the sound of a gun being prepared to fire and the stench of betrayal became painful obvious. I spun around quickly smacking the closest gun away, it fired and hit the floor. I saw the Griphan's bodyguards lined up aiming their weapons at me. "You have no where to run Raven!" shouted Griphan from behind me. I whispered a quick incantation that would temporarily increase my speed and in an instant I was in their lines.
The first guard i reached shot his gun but narrowly missed my head, i sliced his wrist with one of my throwing daggers, swept the feet from under him and stabbed down as he fell. Leaving my blade lodged in his chest i quickly drew 2 of my throwing daggers and sent them flying at my assailants. As they flew in the air towards two guard, i dislodged my 1st dagger and rolled towards another, knocking him down. I quickly stabbed his throat and picked up his gun. Levelling it at Griphan, i aimed but as i squeezed the trigger, i heard a loud bang and felt a sharp pain in my left leg. Turning, i saw Jeohn holding the smoking gun as i collapsed, all my weight supported on one leg and the pain shot through my body. The guards beat me down, trying to defend myself as best i could, i killed 2 more, but there were too many rifle butts, fists and kicks. My vision darkened and my body became numb...
I awoke in the cell, painfully, I used my magic to heal myself, it would fix my cuts and my shot leg, but the pain would not go away. I was taken to the shipyard and put on a work detail. Over the course of the next few weeks, I would learn everything about building and sailing these ships, I would find that the slaves were taken from Raxaferh by the Tedari and I would be the architect of their escape. Secret stashes of improvised melee weapons would be stocked, riots and strikes would tax the slavedriver's security and slowly chip away at their sense of security. While with each successive strike, the slave's morale grew. Soon the slaves would be free, soon the guards would be made to suffer, soon i would return to Raxaferh...Soon. For now, we were arranging the 5th strike...
I remember the day i was caught. Through my investigations, i had found that the Tedari had been working with the Empire of the Eagle. Nights passed as i chased lead after lead, always seeing pieces of a puzzle. I travelled with Jeohn from the port city that housed the Tedari under cover of darkness and into the capital of the Empire. Sneaking into the palace we stole documents that indicated a rapid militarization of the Empire, i remembered the numbers in my head:
4000 Tanks
10,000 Warships
300,000 Men
6th day of Argothan, This year.
I snuck into barracks to see the strength of each man, they were not physically strong, but through the use of technology and those guns, they could bring down men stronger than themselves and from distances of up to 100 paces. Travelling on, I saw factories where large amounts of arms and armour were being manufactured, the lines of slaves forced to put these weapons together. I stole one of their guns for myself and Jeohn taught me to use it. It was simple. Deadly.
We then travelled to foundaries where they built iron beasts known as tanks. Systematically, slaves built carts of iron armour that rolled on wheels. Each cart carried an astoundingly large gun known as a cannon. These, Jeohn told me, could tear holes in the ranks of an army or the walls of a fortress. I imagined our glorious legions, banners flying in the sun and the light glinting of the helms of my men. I see them being blown away by large explosions and i knew i must do something. I see the plans and commit it's designs to memory.
However, one question kept haunting my mind: Where do all these slaves come from?
Finally, after weeks of searching, and following a trail so convoluted i had narrowly missed it completely. I was brought full circle to the port city from whence i had came, sneaking in to a
shipyard, i saw the warships for myself. Ships of varying size and shape were constructed, once again by slaves. Each ship was capable of transporting men, supplies and cannons. These ships would be the force that would bring death to our doors. I had wrapped up my investigation and was just about to leave when suddenly treacherous claws caught hold of me. Jeohn, my guide, on the pretense of getting help from the Tedari to destroy the shipyard, brought me to Griphan...
Shikaze: Regent, I've discovered much about the Empire, and what I found disturbs me. I will need a contigent of your finest to help me destroy a threat to Raxaferh. Quite frankly, I am surprised that your Tedari had not discovered this sooner considering how close the threat is to your home!
Griphan: I'm afraid I cannot do that Lord Raven...You see, we already knew of the shipyard.
Shikaze: What?! Then why did you not-
It was then that i heard several clicks, like the sound of a gun being prepared to fire and the stench of betrayal became painful obvious. I spun around quickly smacking the closest gun away, it fired and hit the floor. I saw the Griphan's bodyguards lined up aiming their weapons at me. "You have no where to run Raven!" shouted Griphan from behind me. I whispered a quick incantation that would temporarily increase my speed and in an instant I was in their lines.
The first guard i reached shot his gun but narrowly missed my head, i sliced his wrist with one of my throwing daggers, swept the feet from under him and stabbed down as he fell. Leaving my blade lodged in his chest i quickly drew 2 of my throwing daggers and sent them flying at my assailants. As they flew in the air towards two guard, i dislodged my 1st dagger and rolled towards another, knocking him down. I quickly stabbed his throat and picked up his gun. Levelling it at Griphan, i aimed but as i squeezed the trigger, i heard a loud bang and felt a sharp pain in my left leg. Turning, i saw Jeohn holding the smoking gun as i collapsed, all my weight supported on one leg and the pain shot through my body. The guards beat me down, trying to defend myself as best i could, i killed 2 more, but there were too many rifle butts, fists and kicks. My vision darkened and my body became numb...
I awoke in the cell, painfully, I used my magic to heal myself, it would fix my cuts and my shot leg, but the pain would not go away. I was taken to the shipyard and put on a work detail. Over the course of the next few weeks, I would learn everything about building and sailing these ships, I would find that the slaves were taken from Raxaferh by the Tedari and I would be the architect of their escape. Secret stashes of improvised melee weapons would be stocked, riots and strikes would tax the slavedriver's security and slowly chip away at their sense of security. While with each successive strike, the slave's morale grew. Soon the slaves would be free, soon the guards would be made to suffer, soon i would return to Raxaferh...Soon. For now, we were arranging the 5th strike...
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