The City

"Valkyrie"

A transmission from one of the rooftop units informed Val and Lilith of a pair of young women scampering about. She ordered the man to keep an eye on them. She, too, would keep an eye from her window. Once the pair scurried out of site below the hospital's overhang, she decided to begin the attack. There was no need to delay. Everything had been checked and rechecked, and she knew her men would be getting restless. It was time to take the hospital.

It started out well, but quickly became chaos. There was some sort of resistance causing the Death Wings to be advancing too fast. Her soldiers were falling and the ranks behind would advance,and this would repeat. She was forced to order a halt, especially since they were being flanked by Templars of Blood. Goddammit, she said as she clamped her jaw and exposed her teeth in a menacing grimace. This was not turning out good at all. And besides this, there was some nonsense going on else where. Apparently one of their outposts was taken... "That's it!"

"What is, mistress?" Lilith purred.

"Those two girls... they must have escaped from holding at the outpost which we just lost... I wonder if the Templars are involved with that as well..." Val stood there, staring off into space, her thoughts elsewhere and not on her troops below. She needed to come up with something, and fast. To This was supposed to be easy, but with the traps or whatever in the hospital, and the opposing army... there were too many unaccounted for anomalies. And so, the Valkyrie turned to Lilith. "I need your advise, what do you suppose we can do to salvage this situation?"

The Templar of Blood.

“So you serve no master… very well stay out of our way and you may live this day.” The mass of black cloaks vanished into the surrounding debris as they made their way to assist the main body of their army.

(Was longer and had a post for Shinigami… but that post vanished for some reason… no idea why though so this is it for now.)

-Lilith

"I say abandon our North and East Posts and send the soldiers from there as back up to our forces in the hospital as well as a. RPG squad from our main base. The Templar's main forces surround the Water plant which is nearly ten miles from here, so we'd have a couple of hours to prepare for any more interference." She paused and placed a reassuring hand on Val's arm. "I'm personally overseeing surveillance of our base. Our scouts inform me of every movement that happens in a three mile radius. We're covered."

\____Shinigami____/

The black shadow rose from the center of the black mass of soldiers rushing at the backs of the Death Wings. With a slight movement of his arms he forced one of the Blood Templar’s grip to tighten causing it to discharge into the rows in front of him. After that he slid to the side slashing out the eyes of another Templar who responded with a shrill cry before opening fire blindly at his assailant… with two guns discharging in the center of the group a flurry of chaos overcame their trained calmness. Though before anyone had any idea what was going on Shinigami had weaved himself in and out of their numbers until he was behind them upon which he drew a single match and took a deep breath of what many would mistake for the scent of the destroyed city… the smell of gasoline. “Good bye…” He moved the match across a wall as it flared to life he parted it from his hands. It descended almost in slow motion before its’ flickering flames licked the ground spreading and reaching for the sky. The sound of screams filled the air as it blackened flesh and cracked bones… several Templar escaped the trap as thrashing balls of fire that collapsed shortly after they managed to break free of the column of greasy smoke and fire. “Pathetic creatures… the mind is more powerful then any weapon or physical brawns… but give a man mind and body and he becomes a god. Capable of killing a limitless amount of lesser beings.” His face remained apathetic as he climbed up the ladder and stood next to Kaylan “By the way… if were keeping score… I’m up by forty in this battle alone and I’m not even slightly amused yet… I call the leader of the Templar… we have history… she is worth my time…”

*Kaylen Grey*

Kaylen's inner conflict over whether or not to save the girl whom she owed nothing to, and had already saved once this week was interrupted by sudden movement on the street below. A dark shadow weaved it's way between the troops below causing chaos among the militia. The figure came to an abrupt halt after passing by the last man, and before the troops could realign their sights the man whipped out a match and flicked it at them. The ground burst into flames. The damp ground? That smell... Gas!
Kaylen's eyes flicked back to the figure illuminated by the flames now, it was that creepy loner, the guy who called himself 'Shinigami'. Did he do all that?
"Well, he certainly has right to claim that title..." Kaylen muttered to herself, as the screams of burning men filled the air...
Suddenly Shinigami's eyes shot towards their direction, and he casual strolled along the edge of the sea of fire muttering to himself, until he came to a stop three stories beneath the window.
Though his eyes were hidden by the shadows cast by the flames, Kaylen could feel Shinigami's stare boring into her. The man's voice carried upwards with the heat, “By the way… if were keeping score… I’m up by forty in this battle alone and I’m not even slightly amused yet… I call the leader of the Templar… we have history… she is worth my time…”

Kaylen shivered, the man was chilling, a true born killer. This is... Interesting...
Kaylen slung her assault rifle over her back, and leaned out of the window and called out, "Charming, but I'm quite sure you're not allowed to call kills in war! At most I can propose a proposition of provisional propriety... we split her fifty-fifty, flip a coin on who gets which half! You can guess which side gets which, aye!?"
Kaylen, swung her legs over the window ledge, then slid off. She caught the ledge of the building underneath the window for a second, decelerating, then let herself fall again. She caught the second ledge down with her foot, slowing her fall again. Then from there, allowed herself to drop the remaining distance until she landed neatly with a roll.
"I didn't know I could really do that!" Kaylen half gasped, half laughed.

On the third floor of the building Smiler cursed the girl.
"She's new, she hasn't heard the stories of that man! She doesn't know what he can do!" He growled.
He stomped towards the door, and barked, "Rhodes and Spot, cover her from the window, the rest of you follow me!"
Smiler knew Kaylen was a good fighter, but that was what worried him, Shinigami liked good fighters...


*Sarah Freeman*

Sarah dashed after Reyna, focusing on nothing other than puting one foot in front of the other. She was aware of the bullets whizzing around her, but in her mind she though that if she payed too much attention to them they would find their mark. The hospital gate was locked, so Sarah didn't know where Reyna was going, but she believed the other woman wanted to survive as much as she did, so she kept in close pursuit, but she couldn't keep it up forever. She could already feel the buring in her lungs and the swimming of her vision. Damn he lax fitness regime, damn her for not staying on that diet, damn. Sarah suddenly noticed a man-hole in the ground.
"There!" She gasped, "I... Hah... Remember... Hah... That!.. Hah..."
Sarah remembered seeing light coming through the holes of a manhole cover just before entering the hospital for the first time, thinking about it now this must be that man hole!
"Hah... Get... Into the... hah... hospital!" She panted, starting towards the man hole. She had half slid the cover off before she felt the sharp pain in her back. A strey bullet had riccoched off of the pavement, and lodged itself under her shoulder blade. The pain was to much, Sarah collapsed, panting and sweating.
'Is this it?' She asked herself, lying bleeding on the ground, inches away from at least temporary safety.

\____Shinigami____/

“I don’t think you quite understand what this is about… in this game their have been many people who have thought themselves the best… be it fighters are gun slingers… however when it comes down to it… when it comes to those who rule over hand to hand and close quarters there are only two legends… myself and the leader of the Templar… What you fail to understand when I go into battle… it stops being a war… and turns into a slaughter. I have killed as of now over three hundred persons in this Game… and a little more then that while I still lived under six months. I am not your average run of the mill gunmen or killer… I am not some trash of diluted blood and unrefined abilities. I am by all means and definition -DEATH- incarnate… I have stopped bullets with my bare hands kill men as if I no more then stepped upon an ant and should you deciding ruin my duel between Shinigami and the Blood Lotus… I will kill you out right. For between to great killers one does not fight but engages in the endless waltz of endless intellect and skill clashing against one another. The chess game that will be decided by a single move… for in the end of all the thousand the two of us are the only one’s deserving of killing God… and it must be decided.”

Reyna Axelson

Sarah caught on one way or another. Yes, the manhole. That's how they'd get into the hospital. However, before they could get the cover off, a stray bullet connected with Sarah's back. Her shocked gasp and expression caused Reyna to reach out to her and catch her. She pulled kicked the rest of the man hole away and steadied Sarah. Then she coaxed her down the hole. She knew it had to be painful but they needed to get underground. They were in the middle of the mayhem.

Finally on the sewer floor. Reyna had Sarah lay across her back as she persisted to have her ride piggy-back. Reyna continued on as quickly--but steadily-- as she could toward where Seph had led them last time. Once within the hospital, she rushed in on where The Mender was supposed to be. Where she'd seen Seph and her go in last time they were here.

Valkyrie

Lilith always seemed to be able to anticipate her thoughts. She gently touched her arm and eased her very worry about sending out more troops from their HQ. Especially one of their Devastator squads. Though, the RPGs would be very useful. After standing there motion and emotionless, Lilith close at her side, she finally nodded. "OK. Do it."

Alex Sledge
As the black cloaks disappeared, Alex relaxed visibly, but the others kept their hands up, seeming suspicious of the situation.
"What the f---", a very confused Elise began to say, but then a loud, maniacal "Holy-shit-we-almost-died" laugh erupted from Jon causing the team-members closest to him to jump before it died away in a cough.
"Uh, yeah..lets get moving", Alex told them.
They stepped further out into the street and heard the echo of gunfire and explosions coming from the direction of what looked like a hospital above the other buildings, so Alex called his group to a halt and motioned them onto the side of the entry way of an alley.
"Alright, as you can all hear there is A LOT of gunfire in that direction", he said pointing at the hospital.
"Reyna's smart, she might've gone for the hospital", Jon said.
"Yeah, towards the gunfire?", Elise remarked.
Alex thought for a moment, then an idea hit him.
"There's more than one way into the hospital", he said, then he saw the expression on Jon's face as he realized what the Ranger was getting at.
"The sewers!", Jon exclaimed. Alex nodded.
"There's a chance I might be wrong, and we could be heading into a fight at the hospital for no reason", Alex said.
The others all exchanged looks.
"We trust you Alex", Elise said.
"We'd follow you to hell and back", Jon added, everyone else nodded.
Except there won't be any going back, Alex thought grimly.
"Alright, lets finds a manhole".

-Frank Roseby

Frank watched the opposing forces face off against each other turning the courtyard into a battle ground. He'd shifted his aim onto the group with a larger number of members. He didn't want one group to overwhelm the other and then overrun the Hospital. No, as long as he kept things even they'd pick each other off. Squinting his eye and adjusting the nozzle slightly he caught sight of something in the distance. His eyes widened. "An RPG squad...." They took position. "Mara take cover! they have fucking Rocket launchers!" They fired. Roseby dove to the floor throwing his hands over his head as an nearby explosion rocked the building shaking the ground like a violent earthquake.

When it ended his heart was racing and his breathes were shallow. He poked his head up enough to gaze out the window and what he saw before him made his heart drop. The pavement and grass was covered with bodies. Many tried to pick themselves up, others crawled because that was all they could do and the rest...the majority laid on their backs or stomachs...lifeless. Roseby swallowed hard. "Mara...are you ok, down there? Hey Mara! Shit!" He picked his sniper back up and aimed it out of the window, intending to take down the RPG squad before they could reload. "Goddammit Seph...wake up already."

Alex Sledge

Alex and his team trudged through the sewers with the sounds of battle muffled by the ground above them. The ranger noticed they were passing man-holes above them at a near constant speed and had a hunch that maybe they were spaced evenly apart.
"Jon, how far apart are each of these man-holes?". He asked the large Hispanic
"I'd say about 100 yards apart", he answered.
"And how far away was the hospital from our location?".
"About eight football fields". Answered Elise.
"We've passed about four man-holes, four more and we should stop to check our progress", Alex told the group.

A couple more minutes of jogging and they reached an eighth man-hole. Alex went up first and motioned for Jon, then Elise to follow him up. Once he reached the top, he placed his shoulder and left arm against the bottom of the cover and carefully used his powerful legs to lift it from the hole. To his surprise, it didn't even the slightest noise, but it was short lived, when from fifty yards away, three men who presumably were guarding the hospital's loading doors, spotted him and began to advance, calling out as they raised their rifles.

"Shit, Jon get your ass up here!", Alex yelled as he heaved the heavy man-hole cover on to the ground and unslung his AR-15, just as m16 rounds began ricocheting off the pavement around him. Jon climbed out and crouched just as Alex hit the ground prone and trained the iron-site on the center man, still 40 yards off. Thankfully, these men weren't great shooters, probably why they were keeping out of the action by watching the hospitals back door, because none of the shots had hit Jon, Alex, or any of the others now coming out of the man-hole.
Alex squeezed the trigger for less than a second, sending a single round out of the barrel and into the throat of the center-man, dropping him instantly on the ground as he clutched in vain at the wound to stop the geysers of blood that spurted out of it. The man on the left stopped to help his comrade, but a shot that came from behind and above Alex dropped him as well, presumably from Jon or Elise. The last soldier turned to run, but Alex put a round between his shoulder blades, causing him to immediately go limp.
Alex rose and checked his team, and after being sure that everyone was alright, they jogged to the sliding metal loading door at the back of the hospital. Naturally, the door was locked at the bottom by a moderate-sized padlock, which was easily disposed of by a shotgun blast. Next, Alex, Jon and Mason gripped the bottom bar of the door and lifted, slowly sliding it up until the gears took over and continued to slide it up without their help.
The strike-team moved into the storage room and closed the loading door behind them as Alex approached the single door between him and the rest of the hospital. He unbolted the door and waited for the rest of his group to form up behind him.
"This is it..." Jon said. "We made it".
"Now we just have to find Reyna and Sarah..and deal with those fuckers outside". Alex said.
Then he opened the door.

-Hades

Hades stopped and pressed his back against the wall. He waved his hand ordering four of his men to advance forward. He stopped waving ordering them to come to a halt then pointed his hand in another direction ordering the rest of his men to head in another direction. Then he nodded for a single soldier to follow after him down an empty hallway. "Interesting. This place is emptier than i thought it'd be. Oh well, can't complain." he snickered. He was sending each seperate team off to place detonators off in what they predicted to be the most unstable parts of the Death Wings base. He came to a hall that turned off into an area where elevators were. There were two Death Wings walking back and forth sentrying the area. He dove from cover firing several rounds. The soldiers hit the ground with loud thumps. "Hope no one heard that."

In no less than a second a choir of foot falls came stomping down the hall. They fired before all of them hit the corner. Hades rolled behind a wall as he saw a small black ball fly threw the air landing in the heart of the new arrivals. It exploded releasing thousands of tiny darts that tore through there bodies, leaving them all on the ground
in dead or nearly.

"Kühl," Hades smirked. "Really glad you joined my side, Jeremiah." He complimented the ex-police officer who didn't give him a reply. Hades yanked out his MG and showered all the men who were still moving in bullets. He didn't want any surprises. He then used a bar to pry one of the elevator doors opens. The shaft was empty. The elevator was on the fourth floor and here he was on the sixth. "Looks like it's climbin from here, buddy," he called to Jeremiah Hawthorne who pried the elevator doors across from him open. "Remember we'll meet at the converging point when all the detonators are set." With that Jeremiah was gone. Hades jumped onto the single thick cord that touched the top of the building and began to steadily climb his way up.

-Ramon Weston

Ramona Weston was startled out of her sleep by several loud pops coming from outside the window. Gun shots? She'd fallen asleep at the dinner table in front of empty plates. Victor Marrol had left so long ago. She hadn't set dare set foot outside of the house for fear of what was on the outside. Raising her head and wiping the small bit of drool on her face she heard more of them and instinctively dove under the table. Her eyes darted around frantically. "Bird..." she called out to the child. "Bird where are you?" She crawled from under the table and began to look around the apartment worriedly. She couldn't find her anywhere. And then she discovered something that sent terror shooting straight through her heart. The door to the stairwell leading outside, hung open.

But why would she run outside into danger. Something had to scare the little kid. Something that was already inside the apartment. Had someone snuck in, was she trying to escape from them? Did they take her? If some sort of struggle did happen it didn't wake Ramona. She then caught sight of something in her periphery. A dark stain on the floor boards. Blood. Her eyes folowed the trail to a closet door that was slightly ajar. Tentatively, she approached the closet. catching whiff of a completely rank scent. Her body tensed as she shoved the door open wide. She screamed and fell to the floor. Bodies, lifeless decaying battered corpses stuffed into the closet like rag dolls. Everything she had eaten earlier came up, spilling on the floor next to her. "What in the world...." Then it hit her. That's what Bird must have seen. Seeing the bodies must had frightened her enough that she ran from this place without thinking. Ramona had to admit that she suddenly didn't want to stay there either.

Without another second to loose, Ramona was jogging down the stair well. Her hair bouncing around her shoulders. She peeked out of the door. The street was empty. "Bird...which way did you go?" She decided not to waste anymore time and finally chose a direction to jog off in. She prayed that it was the correct one.

Örnek, leader of the Skull Brigade's gold squad which was stationed in the surrounding area of the Hospital peered through his binoculars then pressed his thumb on a single button on the side of his walkie talkie. "Red squad, blue squad. Direct orders from Hades. Take out the RPG squad that's just appeared then enter the hospital and wipe out the remaining forces. Do you copy?" After the team leaders buzzed in their confirmations he raised one had. "Target lock." he gave his snipers a few moments to lock onto their targets. "Fire!" he brought his hand down.

The snipers fired, hitting their targets with moderate succession. As they reloaded Örnek saw the mouth of one one of the RPGs being repositioned in their direction. His eyes widened, without giving any sort of signal to his men, he turned to run. Which did him no good. The round went flying into their building, exploding on impact turning team Gold's post into a smoldering towering inferno.

The last operator of the Decimation squad was so satisfied with himself for pin pointing the direction where enemy fire was coming from and then executing them, that he didn't notice that a member of Blue squad had a lock on his forehead. He didn't notice when the round blew his head into pieces splattering the pavement with his brain matter either.

-Hades

His men had already pried the 11th floor elevator door open by the time he reached it. One offered him a hand, but he ignored it and hopped out of the shaft and back on to solid ground. "Are all they all in place?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Where is Hawthorne?"

"He's already in position."

Hades didn't reply, he was on the move. He was mere minutes away from eliminating his biggest opponent. Goose bumps crawled across his pale skin. His men moved with him as crept down the hall. On sight his men shot down the guards at the end of the adjacent hallway. Boiling over with excitement Hades rushed ahead of them ramming his foot directly into the door causing it to swing inward hanging loosely on it's hinges.

he cocked his MG and fished a then metal stick with multicolored wires taped to it from inside his shirt. His hazel eyes smiled as he spoke his next words. "Sorry, to barge in on you like this, but there are just too many death gods around here. I've decided to take it upon myself to personally see to it that we become an endangered species."

/-{.The Templar and the Blood Lotus.}\

It was now that the sound of heavy boots filled the air in mass chorus. The clanking of metal and the sound of engines roared as the Templar marched in full force. The average black uniformed men filled most of their ranks… but their was also those who wore suits of heavy set metal armor crafted from scrap and refined with makeshift forges. They carried light Machineguns and machetes and stood with self importance. These men were all stationed around a thin woman who was sometimes half the size of those surrounding her… and yet one couldn’t help but have a horrific sense of dread about her.

Though this wasn’t all the templar brought soon armored cars fortified into small tanks with a single hole in the roof and a mounted Heavy MG which had already started firing at any movement they saw in the buildings around the procession. Even so… the Blood Lotus still gave off the most sense of intimidation…



†☠†.The Mender.†☮†

After what must have been a good half hour Mara’s voice came over the two way radio. “I’m not sure Frank… seeing I distinctly remember dying before this… as of now I think I’ve only suffered some soft tissue damage so I should be fine.” she dusted off her clothing and stepped over the body of a man who had met his end via a tripwire that connected the circuit the water he had stepped in. “If we survive this bloody thing its going to take a hell of a long time to clean this up. I’m going to need a janitor… please find the proper application Mr. Roseby we need to start looking soon… the longer their blood pools the deeper the stain is.” She gave a forced laugh… it was all she could do to keep her sanity. She hated killing and having to see the bodies of her actions… but she had to keep going as patients and lives rested on the out come of this conflict.

-Ramona Weston

Ramona heard the sound of a child cry out. "Bird!?" She called back. "I'm coming, Bird! I"m coming!" She dashed down the alley way where she heard the scream come from and end up at an intersection. Which way? Her turned in both directions frantically. Peering into the darkness for a sign. Come on... Come on... which way... She finally chose a direction and headed down the path to her right. She heard another scream from behind her. She rebounded and headed down that direction. "Bird! Bird! Bird!" Suddenly, something blunt hit her hard in the face. She saw stars and then fell back, her head hitting the pavement hard.

She groaned. As a man climbed on top of her. His yellow teeth and his sour breathe matching perfectly. His dirty hand caressed her cheeked. Ramona's world was still spinning as she started trying to slap him off of her. He grabbed both of her wrist with one hand and pinned them down. Licking his lips as his free hand crept down to venture under her dress.

"Leave her alone!" Bird cried pounding the guy with her tiny fists. "Get off of her!"

"Stop that you little brat!" The man reared his leg back kicking bird directly in the stomach. Sickening crack filled the alleyway as the little girl fell backwards. Ramona regained her senses. She brought her knee up, hitting the distracted man directly where it hurts. His hands flew to his groin. her hands free Ramona decked the guy as ahrd as she could in the nose. As soon as he fell off of her, Ramona was on her feet scooping Bird into her arms and taking off. The biurly man got back to his feet, yanked a gun from his pants and shot at her.

C' mon years of track give me strength! The bullets blew past her. A single one landed directly into Ramona's shoulder, another into her leg, throwing her to the ground. Bird rolled out of her arms crying. So...much pain..

The back of her dress was becoming stained by a blossoming bud of blood. She closed her eyes, her body tensing for the final blow. he bang went off. As her eyes slowly opened her hands patted her body. Nothing. She analyzed bird. She was still crying, but there was no blood. Finally, she turned her head in time to see the burly man fall, lifeless. behind him was an even bigger man, dressed in black holding a gun.

He pulled his helmet off. "Are you alright?" he said approaching her. "My name is Hassan. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Sorry, to barge in on you like this, Val whipped around in surprise, simultaneously drawing her sidearm. But there are just too many death gods around here. I've decided to take it upon myself to personally see to it that we become an endangered species." Val glanced Lilith, who looked shocked and just shrugged slightly.

"How the hell did you get in here. No... how the hell did you find me?" Val paused. Never mind. That's not important. What's important is that now I have a the opportunity that I've been waiting for." The Valkyrie's mouth slowly slid into a devilish smirk and then a sinister grin. She fired twice before diving to the side. One of her honor guard took a round and he, as well as his rifle fell beside her. She holstered her pistol and seized the rifle. Then positioned herself behind the cover of the furniture and prepared for a fire fight. She took a few bursts while Hades dealt with the rest of her guard.

-Frank Roseby

"Glad to finally hear from you. Knew you weren't dead." Roseby chided. He Was heading down the Hall to check on Seph. When he got to the end of the hall he saw the door hanging wide open. Frantic he sprinted ahead dashing into the room. Seph was gone. He headed back out of the room and stopped abruptly as he came face to face with a shirtless man covered in bandages. "Seph..."

"What's going on?"


-Seph Halberd

The loud explosions and the constant sound of gun fire started Seph out of his sleep in the Patient room where he laid. He was covered in bandages. Every move he made ignited some fire of pain in different sections of his body. His legs felt like Jello. it was difficult for him to stand, but he managed. He didn't know what exactly what was going on, but in his state he knew he couldn't fight. Self-preservation kicked into gear. He made his way out of the room and into the hall, which was empty. Most of the sounds were coming from below. As he neared the stairwell he heard foot steps and caught glimpse of a black helmet. Instinctively he backed away, heading back to the room he awoke in to formulate a plan of action when he bumped into Roseby.

Roseby explained. "Mara's making a stand against some gangs that are trying to take over the hospital."

"Some gangs? The Skull Brigade?"

" I don't think it's Hades. I recognized some Death Wings...maybe some Templars too."

"They're working together?"

Roseby forced a a laughed. "Hell no, they're massacring each other."

"Well, we need to do something. Someone was heading up the stairs."

"That explosion must have really done a number on you. I've never known Joseph Halberd to get antsy when it comes to fighting."

Seph rolled his eyes. "I'm not in the best shape here." He gestured to his bloodstained bandages. "How long was I out anyway?"

Roseby handed Seph a gun and some rounds. "Almost three days." Seph took them and made sure the weapon was loaded.

"Where's Mara?"

"First floor."

"Okay...let's go."

The pair headed out of the room and down the hall. They encountered some trouble on the stairwell which was handed with little difficulty. Once they got down to a certain floor their vision became obscure by white smoke that filled the corridors. They slowed their pace. Taking their time, crawling across bloodied corpses. Mara's been hard at work, Seph thought. he was starting to think maybe they'd just get in her way. he heard a nearby yelp then a thud. More gun shots. The Templars and Death Wings were killing each other in here as well. It was like being at war. The he remembered. This was war.

"I know this hall." Seph said to Roseby. He pulled himself up to his knees and dashed off. Mara's office was at the end of the hall. His body was screaming for him to take it easy, but despite the pan he urged on. Reached the door and burst through only to come face to face with two familiar faces. "You're those girls...from the Last 100...Reyna..and...Sarah."

†☠†.The Mender and Shinigami.___/

"Frank get out of the building... I don't think I'm going to be able to make it out." She said over her headset. She blinked as blood ran over her right eye lid. She felt as if she was spinning and no matter how hard she focused on the single man walking towards her.

"So pessimistic my dear..." Shinigami said with a half-insane smile. "I believe I had special orders for you... but I've unfortunately forgot them. Though I haven't forgotten how many of my wondrous pieces of work you've ruined. A human on the edge of death sustained only by adrenalin is a ultimate form of beauty. Though you just had to ruin my art... save those I had already claimed and let those who couldn't be saved die." He tightened his gloves as he stood over her his gaze all consuming even Mara couldn't move Shinigami rarely lost his temper but his rage showed clear now. "I like to think of myself as one who simply couldn't but a defenseless dog down... but... your one bitch I'll gladly curb stomp." He brutally sent his heel down upon her head before lifting her by the collar. "I am going to enjoy you my dear... I rarely get so excited... your defiant... no tears to shed?" His hand wandered and she squirmed in pain.

Mara couldn't even see straight anymore... her vision had blurred now to the point where everything looked the same. She feeble reached down with numb fingers drawing the combat knife she had attached to her boot and plunged it into Sinigami's stomach. Though the man didn't seem to react much at all. Using his free hand he merely drew it out and returned the favor... forcing it deeper then the blade s the hilt split her skin. "My dear... you see pain is something one should embrace. It is the sensation that your enemy has failed to kill you. So drink in your life... feel your still beating heart... for I shall embrace it still."

Reyna Axelson

"....Reyna... and... Sarah," came the familiar voice of the shirtless man now before her. Reyna's eyes went wide at the site of him. Her lips parted slightly, but nothing came out. After a couple seconds she managed to reply.

"S- Seph... Are you OK?!"

"I'll be a whole hell of a lot better once this craziness if over." Reyna nodded. Then she looked to the other man. "Frank? You too, are you alright?"

"Let's go," Frank said. "We have to get to Mara." Reyna nodded. They needed to help the Mender. So many people owed it to her, and present company was not excluded. The four followed Frank back down the stairs. Reyna was glad she had run into comrades of the past. She wouldn't dwell on the abandonment. If they were all wanting to work together now, in all this craziness, then she wouldn't argue. She had enough enemies all around the building and some within.

On the first floor, the group sneaked through the dusty, loud combat zone, making their way toward the office. Another surprise was in store for Reyna, one just big as running into her first savior in this crazy post-death experience. It wasn't too long at all that Reyna and company crossed paths with Alex and the remnants of his strike team. The people from the mall. Frank snapped-to, ready for a fight, but Reyna bolted for Alex, colliding with him in a tight embrace.

"HOLY SHIT!" she said when she finally looked up at him, slowly looking go and stepping back. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"

"I'm glad you're OK!" Alex said. "Where's Sarah? Is she with you, too? Is she al-" She walked up beside Reyna and smiled at Alex.

"She's here. We're fine. Well... considering..."

"I gotcha... oh!" Alex turned his head and reached behind him and fidgeted a bit. Reyna watched, quizzically. A few moments later, Alex pulled out a bow and a quiver. Reyna's eyes widened, and then a smirk began to form.

"I didn't think I'd see this again either," she said as she accepted the gift. She secured the quiver on her waist, the pouch of arrows on her hip and down her leg. She then readied her bow. She turned her head back to Seph and Frank. "Alright, now I feel more useful. Let's do this."

"What's 'this?'" Reyna turned back to Alex.

"We need to get back to Mara's office and make sure she's safe," Reyna replied. Alex nodded.

"Yeah... we owe her at least that much. With that, they were off. Reyna glad to have her weapon back. Maybe she would finally be able to be more than dead weight and be able to actually contribute to the others' and her own survival. With the war having broken out all around them, there was no doubt that arrows would fly, as well as impact their targets; that is, some sadistic fucks were going to get shot.

\___Shinigami___/

Shinigami heard the footsteps approaching he'd have to postpone the final act of his killing... no he didn't trust her to stay put until then. To bad he guessed as he lifted her rifle and pushed it against her stomach... applying more and more pressure until the skin rupture and the barrel slid through the soft tissue and was embedded half way through her torso. He looked her over with a slight bit of hunger and with a slight motion of his wrist he cut open her shirt and took a slender detonator from where she had slid it for safety. "Typical..." Shinigami said with a shake of his head.

Now he turned to face his visitors with a smile two knives streaked across the distance with dead eye accuracy as they pierced the skulls of two Templar. "Ah... a wasted good knives on fodder. How disappointing." He awaited for Alex and the others to arrive as he held the detonator in clear sight. "Hello kiddies... I have a proposition for you all... drop your guns and face me bare handed... no guns no knives just skin and skill and in return I won't blow us all up. Though I highly doubt many of you are going to live through this anyway. Though their is a chance I may spare you if you choose to fight like men."

-Seph Halberd
Seph's face contorted in both pain and anger seeing Mara bolted against the wall by that monster. "You son of a bitch!" he barked throwing his gun on the ground. He started forward, but a hand gripped him.

"Seph, you can't take him on. Not in that condition. I mean look at him he's barely harmed at all. You wouldn't stand a chance."Roseby told him. Seph shook him off and approached the shinigami with fists curled so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Let's do this.."

-Hades
Hades grabbed the closes soldier to him and used him as shield to protect his own skin. He fired in the direction where the Valkyrie dove while their adversaries joined her in fire all using the Furniture that occupied the room as cover.

-Kaylen Grey

A bullet blew through the air in the hall grazing Alex's cheek. "You heard him. Drop the steel." Kaylen said advancing an inch. She wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but the psycho was on her side and she wasn't exactly ready to face a mob of hostiles on her own.

Alex Sledge

Alex jerked his head to the side as the bullet scored a stinging hit across his cheek, drawing blood and the Ranger's anger. He had come so far to find Reyna and Sarah, and as a bonus, he had found Seph and Frank, and he wasn't ready to die again, or let any of his friends die.
He dropped the AR-15 on the ground, unclipped his hunting vest and weapon belt, leaving him standing there in an OD green sleeveless shirt, green and black cammo pants and black combat boots. Alex called upon his ACT and SAKPI martial arts he had learned in both the regular U.S army and the Ranger's remembering every strike, counter attack and grapple he could.
"Which one of you wants to get your ass kicked first?". he said very calmly as Seph walked up beside him, fists clenched.
"Who do you want?". Alex asked.
Seph just simply pointed at the man that had a woman pinned to the wall by gun barrel.
Alex grunted. "Guess I get the bitch that shot at me", and with that he begin walking toward her.
"Be careful, Alex!", he heard Reyna call out, he turned with a smile and nodded reassuringly at her.
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-Kaylen Grey
The man Kaylen had shot at dropped his weapon and gear and approached the center of the hall. As he got closer, Kaylen noticed he was a bit shorter than herself, but well built, and when he stopped walking.Beside him was a man much taller but not as built and a good bit younger. He looked at Shinigami with rage and she hoped the young man knew what he was asking for.
She noticed the older man was intently staring at her, she looked at him and he nodded. Kaylen unclipped her own gear, dropped her gun and approached him until she was standing 3 feet away.
This man had the look of a killer, from his thousand-yard-stare to the eery way he seemed to be standing perfectly still and Kaylen began to wonder if she could take him. She shook off the thought,remembering that she had Shinigami, the Death God, on her side, if she was defeated, she doubted this man could handle him.
The Marine took up her combat stance.

-Seph Halberd

Seph walked until he was a few feet away from the Shinigami throwing his bandaged fists up into a guard. His eyes skated over at Mara's face for a second inciting even more anger and pain. "Are you ready?" He asked through clenched teeth.

Shinigami smirked lashing out with lightning speed he sent a kick hurtling towards Seph's right temple. "I've been waiting on you fool." Whether his kick landed or not did not change his follow up as he twisted his entire body around in the air landing on the leg which he had attacked with first to follow up with the momentum with his second leg.

Seph caught the first assault with both his wrist, but was completely blind sided by the second blow which connected with his spine knocking him to the floor."Really? I feel special." he mocked.

Shinigami smiled moving down in a single fluid motion to drive his elbow into Seph's chest... specificly the solar-plexus.

Seph saw the attack coming and instinctively rolled out of the way pulling himself up hastily and then charging forward to tackle his opponent.

As Seph charged him Shinigami got up ran forward and jumped into a slid kick, if it connected and sent Seph falling down forward he would head-butt Seph with incredible force.

Seph momentum sent him flying when the Shinigami knocked his legs from beneath him, but he crossed his arms over his body to soften the impact of shinigami's follow up head butt. Nevertheless, when safe's body hit the ground he yelled from the sting. Some of his back wounds reopened and blood began to seep through the bandages.