Resurrection

Subject: Resurrection Sun Aug 23, 2009 1:06 pm

Prologue:

Prologue:

“Keep firing!” Toff shouted as he ducked behind a wall; reloading his V-FMS bullpup rifle before glancing at the positions his men had taken in the tunnel junction. The aging heavy bricks giving him shelter as bullets cratered the other side. A fine layer of masonry dust started to settle on his olive green fatigues as he fixed another magazine into his weapon.
“Who are these guys!?” shouted one of the soldiers, his panicked voice almost drowned out by the sound of heavy gunfire. Muzzle flashes lit up the dark surroundings; Toff estimated that there were only four assailants shooting at them, two seemed to lay down suppression fire as the other two reloaded. He could tell they were trying to force his unit into making a mistake, while his comrades shooting may be less disciplined, almost frantic, they knew how to hold a position under fire. Toff turned to face the solider; pointing at his ear, unsure what he had said due to the noise.
“Who the hell are these guys? They just seem to be standing there.” he shouted again, still sounding rather afraid.
“I don’t know, but I’m sure they bleed like everyone else! Just keep shooting Jenson, don’t let their suppression fire put you off, if you break and run they’ll cut you down.” Toff shouted as loud as he could; trying to get the message to not only Jenson but the other soldiers at the rear.
“That’s fucking accurate suppression fire sir!” an angry voice yelled from behind.
“The lucky bastards must have night vision, just aim for the muzzle flashes.” the lieutenant hollered back, trying to calm his men’s nerves; his expression was one of stone hard determination; unflinching as bullets filled the thick moist air. The young soldier gave a desperate smile at his commander; Toff could see his words had some of the desired effect but knew there was little he could do or say to subtract from the severity of their situation. Toff was caught off guard as something punched through the wall protecting him, repeating loud bangs echoed around the tunnel, even drowning out the normal gun fire. Toff instinctively hunched into a ball clutching his rifle as dust and chippings fell from above.
“HMG! Everybody drop!” Toff could barely make out the panicked cry as he wearily uncoiled himself before peering round the corner; large muzzle flashes filled the other side of the tunnel. “Five of them now.” the lieutenant thought out loud as more bullets penetrated the brick wall, he quickly ducked low, his back to the wall, hoping to avoid the heavy gunfire. He looked to his right to see Jenson still standing, trying to return fire.
“Jenson, stop firing and drop!” Toff screamed, but the young solider continued unable to hear his commander. Several rounds impacted on Jenson’s position, the brick wall offering no resistance. Toff could see an eruption of blood as the young man’s left arm almost detached itself from the shoulder. The solider screamed out of agony as he fell onto the wet concrete, his body now lying in clear sight.
“Jenson!” Toff screamed as he saw the youngest member of his team lying in the open; bleeding heavily. No soon had Jenson hit the ground a torrent of shots ripped into the exposed soldier kicking up blood dust and water. Toff’s eyes were fixated on the young man’s face from the moment he fell; the gunfire erupted before either of them could react. The lieutenant finally turned away as a bullet struck Jenson square in the cheek, the force of the impact ripping off his lower jaw. Slicks of blood continued to fly from his body as the gunfire continued for several seconds even though young Jenson was already long dead.
“Damn it! Animals! Fucking animals” Toff snarled as he popped from behind the wall to return fire; taking advantage of the lull in the shooting. He could barely see what he was firing at due to the darkness and smoke, but he could tell it wasn’t having any effect.
“Sir, they’re just taking whatever we throw at them. We can’t take them down from this range sir!” shouted a female voice from behind Toff.
“Well we sure as fuck can’t get any closer, not with that HMG shooting at us!” a gritty male voice barked in reply. Toff turned round to face his two remaining soldiers, a grim expression on his face, he knew the enemy was reloading this gave them a chance. “Maddic, Victoria; get back to the surface, warn the authorities, tell them to send reinforcements. I’ll cover you.” Toff shouted; his voice full of bitterness and regret. Toff never liked the idea of retreating, not when a mission remained unfinished, but he knew their current situation was hopeless, he had to get his remaining men out alive.
“Yes Sir!” Maddic replied as he pulled on Victoria’s shoulder. Victoria stood up, still firing into the darkness, as she slowly backed up towards him. The two soldiers began to duck and run through the ankle deep water, the long dark brick passageways periodically illuminated by Toff’s covering gunfire. The flashes of light faded as the two soldiers ran deeper into the tunnel, dirty water splashing up against them as they went. A series of loud bangs once again began to echo through the tunnel, they both knew they would still be in range of that heavy machine gun.
“Mad, in here quickly!” Victoria shouted, pointing to a derelict shack, ducking to try and avoid any crossfire.
“That won’t protect us from a HMG!” Maddic protested.
“Neither will running, just get in, they can’t hit what they can’t see.” Victoria explained as she moved towards the wooden dwelling.

Toff watched his soldiers run into the dark tunnel, disappearing from view, as he reloaded his rifle. ‘The old sewer network, not a place I wanted to die, it’s only a matter of time before...’ his thought was interrupted as a loud bang filled the air; a sharp pain then exploding in his right arm. Around his head brick work crumbled as bullets smashed their way through, the deafening sound of gunfire rebounding off the tunnel walls. Toff could feel the fresh warm blood treacle down his skin; he knew he had been shot, the bullet only grazing him. The gunfire stopped; in the quiet Toff could make out the sloshing sound of footsteps in the shallow water. ‘They’re advancing’ his heart sinking at the thought. Applying pressure to his wound, Toff began to stagger down the connecting passage way in an effort to find a way out.

Maddic and Victoria breathed heavily as they sat inside the small shack; it was completely dark, what little light there was revealed the silhouettes of some rag tag furniture, but it looked to be abandoned.
“You reckon the lieutenant will be ok?” Maddic asked, still breathing heavily.
“Toff knows what he is doing, he was selected to serve with the Isolon’s Fists; we just need to follow his orders.” Victoria answered sternly.
“That’s if we get out of this death trap alive; the radio’s dead; I can’t receive any transmissions, we’re on our own.” Maddic replied in his usual grim tone, “I don’t know what’s so special about the IF anyway...” he muttered under his breath.
Suddenly a light filled the room, the two soldiers shielding their eyes with their hands.
“Who...who are you? And what is going on?” asked a young timid voice.
Maddic turned towards the source of the light; a young girl holding a lamp. “Kid, turn off that light and get down!” he shouted. The girl looked shocked at the two soldiers, unsure of what to do.
“What are you waiting for?! They’ll kill us!” Maddic shouted again, lunging for the lamp.
“Maddic, she’s only a child, not a soldier and it’s not like your shouting will help. Look I’m sure they haven’t made it this far yet.” Victoria said calmly, placing her hand on Maddic’s shoulder. “Hello young one, I’m Victoria and this is my friend, I promise we won’t hurt you.” She said with a cheesy smile, trying to befriend the girl.
“Your friend is scary.” the child replied meekly. Victoria giggled at what the girl had said, before turning towards Maddic as he spun round, his gun at the ready; a panicked look on his face.
“Mad what’s wrong?” Victoria asked urgently.
“I heard something running outside; no way was that human.” Maddic replied as he backed up towards the shack’s door, his finger wrapped around the rifle’s trigger. Victoria turned to the child, her face one of desperation. “Now listen to me carefully young one, I need you to turn off that lamp and hide; just go back under the covers and stay there.” she said trying to hide the fear in her voice. The girl looked up at Victoria still unable to fully comprehend what was happening.
“Please just turn off the lamp.” Victoria pleaded, but it was too late. Gunfire tore through the shack; the bullets shredding the walls before ripping into both Maddic and the girl, they had no time to scream as they died in a hail of metal. Victoria watched in silent horror, strokes of blood splattered onto the walls and ruined furniture, the last splashing against her face. The bloodied bullet riddled corpse that only seconds earlier had been an innocent girl slumped to the ground extinguishing the lamp; plunging the shattered room into darkness. The gunfire stopped. In the quietness Victoria could hear the sound of a hollow metal object hitting the ground. ‘The bastard’s reloading, now’s my chance.’ with that thought she clenched her rifle; closing her eyes only for a second and prepared herself to exit the shack and face possibility of certain death on the other side.
Victoria suddenly opened her eyes; death it seems would come for her, as the entire outer wall of the shack seemed to disintegrate and splinter. A massive humanoid form bulldozed its way into the dwelling; the darkness showed any detail, but Victoria could make out four red glowing dots; two on either side of its masked face. Instinctively Victoria opened fire at point blank range; the muzzle flashes revealing the silhouette of a very tall armoured figure staggering backwards under the relentless barrage; dropping its weapon while stumbling over ruined furniture. She screamed out of rage as she emptied her thirty round magazine into the torso of the assailant; the armoured giant falling into the blackness at the other end of the room. The thudding sound of the body hitting the hard surface reverberated through the shack mixing with the echoes from the gunfire. Still catching her breath, Victoria cautiously stepped towards where she believed her enemy fell; kicking away the heavy weapon it dropped as a precaution. ‘Is it dead?’ Victoria wondered as she stepped back cautiously; a sudden sound caught her attention, she whipped round pointing her rifle where she expected to see those red dots only to find total darkness. The sound of a heavy foot step drew her attention back to the where she last saw her attacker; but no red dots only a massive armoured fist flying towards her face.

Toff sat back against a damp wall, his arm still bleeding, the sewer was quiet the only sounds that could be heard was that of water trickling on the walls and dripping from rusted pipes, he looked around in the dark, struggling to reload is rifle. His stonewall determination which had helped him prevail against hardened criminals and inhuman advisories had been broken with the brutal deaths of all those under his command; all those he promised to get out alive.
“Dead, they are all dead.” Toff whispered to himself, closing his eyes as he rested his forehead on the muzzle of his gun. His eyes opened wide as he heard a splash in the water close to him, looking up, Toff could see a tall figure standing in the open. The dim light made it very hard to see any detail beyond its basic shape, but what seemed to be its eyes were clearly visible; four soft red dots, evenly set in pairs on either side of the shadowy face they rested in. The figure stepped forward; revealing a little more detail, it appeared to be heavily armoured, its long limbs somewhat disproportional to its torso. Toff stared into the calm but menacing eyes, he instinctively recognised the enemy which now stood in front of him yet he could not remember any details, everything seeming like a fuzzy memory.
“What are you?” his voice was a whisper filled with defiance, as he slowly stood up clutching is wounded arm. The figure continued to approach, stopping about at a distance of about fifteen paces; what little light there was illuminating the edges of its drab armour. Toff could hear the long click of a blot being pulled back as he looked up at the towering figure; staring into its masked face.
“Why haven’t you killed me yet?” Toff asked his tone one of both desperation and cynicism as his memory started to gain clarity. The figure remained silent. “Well if you aren’t gon’a talk...” Toff said half laughing, “Then why don’t you just shoot me?!” with that outcry of defiance he pulled out his pistol with his injured arm; aiming at the figure’s face. The ground in front of Toff exploded as it was torn up by a torrent of gunfire; the force of the bullet impacts pushed him back against the sewer wall as they struck all across his body; ripping through his uniform, tearing out chunks of flesh. The armoured giant continued to fire even as what remained of Toff’s blood covered body began to slip down the cratered red stained wall into the shallow water.

Temple scourge Posts : 658 Join date : 2009-05-13 Age : 35

Plenty of action, and pretty well written. Slightly hard to follow, but as a whole? I enjoyed it.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Sun Aug 23, 2009 6:49 pm

The prologue may seem very off putting, but it has allowed me to experiment with a different writing style: Rather than set the scene I plunged straight into the gun battle hoping to give the feel of something very fast paced and chaotic. The story may seem a bit choppy when going from scene to scene, this was to show other events were happening simultaneous to what I was describing, keeping the story in the same time frame, rather than backtracking: For example during the scene where Toff is shot in the arm, Maddic and Victoria were entering the shack. This was done to further illustrate the fast pace of the overall scene. Personally I thought I pulled it off quite well, but I would like to hear other people's opinions.

I can say that overall Resurrection will not be as violent or combat oriented as the prologue, I will also be using more orthodox writing styles.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:10 pm

Chapter I (Part 1)

Ybgur lay asleep on her bed; her eyes squinting as the morning sun shone through the windows of her apartment, bathing the room with a soft yellow glow.
“Morning already?” she complained to herself, rubbing her eyes lazily.
Eventually Ybgur gathered the energy to sit up; opening her eyes and looked around at her roomy apartment. The sunlight reflected off the many paintings and ornaments, contrasting the shadows cast on the cream painted walls. The room had sense of luxury, perhaps excess, but it was to Ybgur’s liking.
Sighing, Ybgur slipped out of the bed, her long silk nightie trailing on the wooden floor as she shuffled to the French door, leading to the apartment’s balcony. From her vantage point Ybgur looked up upon the city of Negav; the sunlight illuminating the majestic buildings and towers in the damp morning air as the people below started their daily routines. Ybgur gazed at the city sights thinking about her job, an investigator, almost constantly at the whim of the Ps'isol Magiocrats. The thought frustrated her. Whilst her job paid well, it was rather mundane; spending weeks researching and analyzing artefacts or spells. What would it be like to be a field agent; to actually do some investigating? Even if most investigations came to the same conclusion; either the victim blew themselves up, was pulled into a mysterious portal or was eaten by something big and nasty; to Ybgur it would be far more interesting than her current assignments. Ybgur turned away from the window and walked towards her bathroom. Each wall of the bathroom was a giant mirror, the bath, toilet and sink made of white enamel. Ybgur looked into the mirror above the sink, staring at her reflection; her large dark eyes stood out against her pale oval face framed evenly by her long chestnut hair. A smile formed on her pink lips as she began to pull her hair behind her head; but soon became a frown as she heard a faint knock on her door.
“Miss Ybgur Tekcirc?” a muffled high pitch voice came from outside the apartment.
“Yes, that is me.” Ybgur replied, letting go of her hair; allowing it to fall naturally down her back.
“I have a message for you of the up most importance.” the voice said with a tone of authority.
Ybgur sighed, knowing that it would be the Magiocrats assigning her a new case. “Alright, I’ll be with you in moment” Ybgur said in a pleasant tone, trying to hide her irritation; as she scrutinised herself in the mirror before finally standing up and walking towards the apartment’s ebony door. Ybgur unfastened the lock and opened the heavy wooden door, but there didn’t appear to be any one on the other side, she stuck her head out to look around the corridor; but there was no one, just the other dark wooden doors embedded within the terracotta coloured walls.
“Down here.” Said the messenger; his voice carrying a slightly annoyed tone.
Ybgur looked down at the messenger; he was no more than two foot tall, dressed in a green uniform and cap with golden buttons and badges; the envelope he was holding had the unmistakable seal of the Ps’isol Magiocrats.
“Sorry.” Ybgur apologized; feeling slightly embarrassed.
“It’s alright. Here; this is for you.” replied the messenger as he held up the envelope. Ybgur bent down to retrieve the letter; a smirk appearing on the messenger’s face as he caught a glimpse of her cleavage through the nightie.
“I saw that.” Ybgur said in a stern voice, as she frowned at the midget in front of her.
“Here you go miss,” The messenger whimpered; his cheeks turning red with embarrassment as he handed her the envelope. Ybgur took snatched the letter, before slamming the door in his face.
“Pervert.” she whispered to herself angrily. “Now what do those stuck up mages want this time?”
Ybgur opened the envelope; inside was a formal letter summoning her to a meeting at the Investigator’s building and a hand written message attached to it; she took note of the time and room stated before casting the letter aside and looked at the unusual message. Ybgur quickly scanned the shot document; after reaching the end, she crumpled the paper without thinking: her expression was one of shock, but quickly turning to anger.

Ybgur marched down the narrow market street, keeping her head down to avoid eye contact with the crowds of people around her; the street was full of wooden and metal framed stalls, some were just tables with colourful sheets draped over them, but all were owned by overenthusiastic merchants; saying the same thing about their products and prices. Normally Ybgur would take the time to browse through the many stalls, looking for unique things to brighten up her apartment or office space, but not today; she wasn’t in the mood. ‘Why are they so patronising towards me?’ she thought to herself as she continued her way to her office. Caught in her angry thoughts about work, Ybgur cut herself off from the world around her; failing to notice a large figure blocking her path. She clipped the man with her shoulder, but rather than nudging past she bounced backwards; as though she walked into a stone wall.
“Hey! Watch where you’re...standing...” Ybgur’s voice trailed off to a whimper as she looked up at tall the man who had to be at least seven foot tall by her estimation. Shocked by the stranger’s size, Ybgur backed up before continuing on her way to work; the large man not seeming to notice her as he browsed around the many stalls. After clearing the markets and crowds without further incident, Ybgur finally reached the Investigator’s building. This peculiar structure looked as if it were a solid block of white marble; its only feature was a polished silver door and a glowing red orb hanging above it. Ybgur stood beneath the orb looking at her blurred reflection in the door before glancing down at herself. Her uniform was almost as bland as her job, a dark grey double breasted jacket and knee high skirt with purple trim worn over a white shirt and leggings. ‘I look like a school girl.’ she thought as the orb turned green, the sliver doors sliding open.
“Welcome to the Investigator’s Building Miss Ybgur Tekcirc.” the polite artificial voice coming from the orb as the doors slide open. Ybgur stepped through the doorway rather reluctantly, the lobby she walked into was made entirely of black marble; columns seamlessly rose up out of the floor, arching outwards as they hit the high ceiling, two white globes hung form metal chains bathed the dark interior with a soft light. At the far end of the lobby was another set of silver doors leading to the building’s elevator. Ybgur looked around the large hallway nervously; the lobby always made her feel uneasy no matter how many times she came here; the echo of her footsteps didn’t help either amplifying her feeling of loneliness. In many ways the lobby was a physical reminder of the oppression the Investigators used to represent; the dark and imposing architecture injecting a feeling of fear and insignificance in all those who passed through it. Suddenly a loud high pitched ping caught her off guard, Ybgur span round and looked straight at the elevator. The polished doors slid open; standing there was a tall woman wearing a formal, almost overly designed emerald green dress that flowed down to her ankles. Her long golden hair was tied back in a tight bun but with a fringe that cast a shadow over most of her face. Ybgur knew the woman was one of the Ps'isol Magiocrats, a low ranking member, but none the less a powerful person; both politically and in ability.
“You are late Miss Tekcirc.” the woman announced sternly, her voice echoing through the lobby, the harsh tone sending a shiver down Ybgur’s spine.
“I’m sorry Ma’am I...” Ybgur said apologetically trying not to crumble in the mage’s presance.
“I don’t want to hear your excuses!” the Magiocrat snapped as she waited for Ybgur in the elevator.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:23 pm

Chapter I (Part 2)

Ybgur sat at the end of long mahogany table; to her left sat senior members of the Investigators, all dressed in the same drab uniforms as her, to her right sat two men; one quite tall, the other only slightly shorter but much fatter. Considering how both men were dressed Ybgur believed them to be high ranking Vishmital officers. They were probably representatives of the conventional military and policing force, yet they seemed extremely young for their rank; Ybgur knew that Felarya preserved youthfulness, but it surely couldn’t reverse aging. At the opposite end to Ybgur sat Lady Visaria Jade; the Magiocrat who now heads the Investigators, the same woman who met her in the lobby. Ybgur looked at the elegantly carved marble walls of the conference hall, trying to distract herself from her boredom; their polished white surfaces depicting former members of the organisation as well as symbols of the city and the Magiocrats rule, a single light, like those found in the lobby, hung above the table, providing amble lighting for the whole room. Around her the other members of the meeting were discussing, perhaps arguing as they pointed to photos and files spread across the table.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I said your men were incompetent.”
“Be quiet. Please colonel, tell us again how they died.”
“Private Jenson Clipp, Corporal Maddic Loum and Lieutenant Toff Battiest all died due to being shot at close range with large calibre weapons, same goes for a young girl who we couldn’t identify.”
“That’s hardly unusual, do you mean to tell us that not only were you’re men incompetent but...”
“I told you to be quiet. I’m sorry, continue colonel.”
“Thank you sir. The other member of the team, Private Victoria Fairchild, died of a single blow to the head; whatever caused it had enough force to crush her face and completely shattered her skull.”
“You seem unsure about that.”
“No sir, there is no question on how she died, it’s just that the forensics report indicate it was caused by a fist, around twice as big as my own.”
“Indeed.”
“So, are you also aware of what happened at the Ascarlin mines a week ago?”
“Pardon?”
“Last week the miner’s guild reported an armed robbery, over a dozen dead, the assailants made off with a large quantity of explosives.”
“That case has already been attributed to the actions of a known terrorist group.”
“Ah, of course I hope you haven’t forgotten about our joint planned operation.”
“No, however I think we should stay on topic. Regardless, what is the situation concerning the media?”
“I assure you we have a cover story ready.”
“Will the populous believe it?”
“They will believe what we tell them to.”
To Ybgur the discussion was a blur; she wasn’t even sure why the Investigators were involved, ‘common murders and robberies are not part of our jurisdiction, this is demeaning to the organisation. Let the Vishmitals or Isolon Fists handle It.’ she thought to herself.
“Miss Tekcirc, as the main field operative assigned to this investigation, what is your opinion on the matter?” asked one of the senior Investigators. Ybgur snapped back to reality upon hearing her name; looking startled at first she soon calmed herself.
“Well?” the man asked again; sounding rather impatient.
“I mean no disrespect to our current company, but I do not believe this operation falls within our jurisdiction.” Ybgur replied firmly. Her comment caused a stir among the meeting’s members; the two Vishmitals looked on in shock, while some of the senior Investigators whispered among themselves, nodding in agreement.
“I don’t think you appreciate the unusualness of these murders.” Lady Jade said calmly as she held up a large spent bullet casing; the others around the table turned to look at her as she spoke. “These killings may appear to be nothing out of the ordinary, but the evidence from the attack in the sewer shows these assailants are far better equipped and organised than any criminal or terrorist group the police have dealt with.”
“Lady Jade is right.” the tall Vishmital continued, his young face showing relief that he was finally getting some support in this hostile atmosphere; “We believe that Toff and his men were killed as they responded to a distress call from Captain Fredric Esquire, an elite Isolon Fist officer who was in charge of overseeing security in the ‘Pit,’ a subterranean city slum. Evidence shows that Captain Esquire along with his entire squad were ambushed and gunned down in the sewers, it seems the same weapons were used by the assailants in both attacks.”
“What kind of weapons?” Ybgur questioned; wishing she had paid more attention to the message she received with the summoning letter.
“High calibre fully automatic weapons; if any normal human tried to wield one in the manner we believed them to be it would break their arms. Whoever did this was not human; it is one of the reasons why we have come to you.” The fat Vishmital officer answered sternly, trying to convince the Investigators to take him seriously. The entire left side of the table became awash with whispers and mutterings as the Investigators murmured about what had been said.
“How can you say that?” one of the Investigators asked the fat Vishmital, “this is Negav, it isn’t hard to come across some enhancing potion or technology.” he exclaimed, his voice very critical as he stared at the two officers.
“Indeed. However if they were using a potion where did they obtain it? Isn’t that your jurisdiction?” the fat Vishmital responded; letting his frustration get the better of him. Ybgur watched was tempers started to rise on both sides of the table. The tall Vishmital colonel seemed to retain his cool; reaching out he handed Lady Jade a small green crystal with a shiny metal tip.
“That is enough, all of you.” Lady Jade said abruptly; breaking the discussion of her subordinates.
“The good colonel has provided us with some evidence that will put this to rest.” she continued; placing the crystal into a golden lamp like device situated in front of her before dimming the lights with a wave of her hand. The crystal rotated slowly while being suspended inside the apparatus; as the revolutions became faster the crystal began to glow. Suddenly a three dimensional holographic image shot up from the now brightly glowing crystal; filling the air above the conference table in an ambient green light. An image of a pair of blood covered palms came into view; they were shaking violently as if whoever they belonged to was experiencing some kind of shock. The watching Investigators looked rather surprised; the Vishmitals looked disheartened, knowing what was about to happen. The image started to change, the hands moving out of view as the source of the picture seemed to move jerkingly before looking upward; focusing on a large humanoid shape. As the shape moved closer it clearly resembled a heavily armoured man, though much taller than any human, perhaps eight feet tall, on each side of its head were two faint glowing red dots. The armoured giant appeared to be brandishing a large gun of some sort; pointing it at the source of the picture. One of the Investigators sitting closest to Lady Jade threw her a quick look; the Magiocrat responding with a sigh before looking downwards towards the table. The holographic image lit up as a bright flash filled the room, followed by several more; a dark red slick shot across the image. The Investigators gave gasps of horror as they witnessed someone’s brutal death. The image started to fade as the crystal projecting it started to slow down; the glow diminishing, Lady Jade turned on the light as she looked round at her shocked subordinates. Ybgur was still staring into the open space where the image had been; her mouth hanging open.
“As you can see form this holo-vid captured by Captain Fredric’s head mounted camera; this enemy is not human, we believe them to be some type of advanced golem or robot.” the tall Vishmital announced; while many of the Investigators seemed to finally agree, Lady Jade appeared to exchange glances with one of her subordinates; from what Ybgur could tell they both seemed rather surprised by what the colonel had said.
“Well I think we are all in agreement that this warrants our services.” Lady Jade stated bluntly; addressing the whole room. “As you know we have assigned Investigator Tekcirc to this case, I think it would be most helpful if you were to send her a copy of your report colonel.” She continued looking straight at the colonel.
“Yes of course Lady Jade, we very much appreciate your assistance in this matter.” he answered; beads of sweat forming on his brow.

Ybgur walked down the black marble hallway with Lady Jade at her side; their footsteps echoing against the walls and high ceiling, neither woman had spoken a word since they left the conference room. Ybgur was quite tall for a woman, but Lady Jade was taller; her lean six foot frame making her physical presence all the more intimidating. This was torture for the young mage, even though she had just been assigned her first true investigation; something she always wanted, the mere presence of Lady Jade filled her with dread; she dared not even to look at her. The two women stopped several metres away from the silver elevator doors; Lady Jade looking quite cheerful, Ybgur looking the exact opposite.
“I may have been absent while you were initiated here, but I already know all about you Miss Tekcirc. You were appointed to the Investigators by your father; Hedrin Tekcirc, a high ranking member of the Ps’isol Magiocrat council, a man who could see himself in prime contention for the next rotation for leadership.” Lady Jade said smiling as she looked down at Ybgur. Ybgur however kept her head down, too frightened to speak or even look up at her superior. Even when Lady Jade seemed to be happy or calm the aura that surrounded her still pulsated a negative feeling. “Yet it seems you are not happy with your position; well I have given you what you want. I can assure you there are many mages who would give their lives to be a member of the Investigators, so I suggest you drop your foul attitude. Agreed?” Lady Jade asked inquisitively, still smiling, a warm sparkle appearing in her otherwise cold green eyes.
“Yes Ma’am.” Ybgur answered submissively; still looking at the tiled floor. A cold feeling seemed to rush through her mind as she broke into a sweat; something whispered in her hear, a soft soothing voice she felt compelled to obey.
“Good.” Lady Jade replied; the smile on her face growing slightly larger as her subtle spell started to take effect. “You can start your new outlook on your work with this assignment. Now in order to assist you I have conscripted an independent engineer for you to work with; he will handle any technological details.”
Ybgur started to feel more relaxed, the whispering in her ear continued to put her at easy. “This engineer, when will I meet him?” she asked; finally looking up at her superior, her voice sounding far more enthusiastic.
“He will be waiting for you outside, he’s very tall so I doubt you’d miss him.” the Magiocrat responded pleasantly looking at Ybgur before glancing at the silver doors. Ybgur immediately thought back to the tall man she saw on her way to the meeting only a few hours ago.
“Yes Ma’am. Do I have overall authority?” Ybgur asked confidently, the ill feeling she felt emitting from Lady Jade now replaced by the warm whisper.
“Yes, however as this is your first field assignment I expect frequent reports on your progress.” Lady Jade ordered; waving her hand to open the elevator doors.
“Understood Ma’am.” Ybgur said politely as she bowed to Lady Jade before continuing towards the open doorway.
“Miss Tekcirc, you are a promising young mage, I don’t want to see you fail.” Lady Jade said reassuringly; Ybgur simply turned back, bowed her head in acknowledgement before entering the elevator; the doors closing with a shallow locking sound behind her. Lady Jade watched the metal dial above the door start to move towards the left, signalling the elevator was moving back down to the lobby; once it had reached the bottom, Lady Jade turned back towards the conference room; a satisfied smile on her face.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:02 pm

Having a story set in Negav is very interesting - it's a very under-used place. I like the set up you have going.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Tue Sep 01, 2009 3:08 pm

Thanks. I would say more but then I'd be giving away spoilers. Wink

Evil admin Posts : 3812 Join date : 2007-12-08

This start nicely !
The urban setting is original and promise to be interesting. It allows to explore different aspects of Negav. I'm curious to see where it will go ^_^

Subject: Re: Resurrection Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:53 pm

Thanks. As I have been busy this week with the new rugby season starting I haven't really had time to work on the story, but I should have something ready to upload next week.

Once I have Chapter I finished I'll post it and the prologue on my DA account.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Mon Nov 16, 2009 6:21 pm

Chapter I (Part 3)

Ybgur stood in front of the lobby door; her puzzled looking reflection staring back at her from the polished metal surface. ‘Did I just overcome my fear of Lady Jade? Or was it?’ she thought having recalled the conversation from minutes earlier; she began to rub the back of her left ear, remembering having heard a voice, but there was only Lady Jade and herself around. “Must have been a spur of the moment” Ybgur muttered to herself, a slight grin appearing on her face. “Well I best find this adviser, and get to work; I suppose it’s not only the Investigators are relying on me, but the Vit’als are as well.” she continued her voice full of confidence as the importance of the assignment sank in. Ybgur extended her hand towards the doorframe; touching the cold metal surface with her palm. The silver doors of the Investigator’s building slid open; the bright light of the midday sun filling the dark lobby. Ybgur shielded her eyes from the intense flare with her hand as she stepped out of the door way and onto the pavement. The street was crowded with people as they shuffled along to the busy market; cocky adventurers exchanged exaggerated stories while eager merchants tried to sell them all sorts of trinkets. Smells of all kinds of foods filled the air, from the bland to the exotic; all of it was for sale to tempt hungry travellers and residence alike. “I suppose I am feeling a bit famished after skipping breakfast, and it is lunch time.” Ybgur thought out loud; clutching her stomach as she tried to decide what to have; everything seemed to tempt her nostrils and tastes buds; it didn’t matter how over priced it was.
“There is nice little cafe about two blocks from here, home cooked food at great prices.” The deep voice took Ybgur off guard; she spun round several times trying to see where it came from before looking back at the Investigator’s building. Standing against the marble wall was a very tall man dressed in dirty reddish brown overalls; his pale skin made him look like an albino but he had dark hair, cut very short. His long broad arms were crossed against his chest as he looked towards Ybgur.
“Are you interested? I’ll pay.” The man offered kindly.
Ybgur recognised the man as the one from the market earlier and began to feel rather paranoid; unsure as to why this stranger is talking to her. Yet despite her uncomfortable feelings Ybgur felt secure; she was an Investigator after all and there are plenty of people around. On the outside Ybgur simply nodded politely remaining silent. The man looked rather unsure; unfolding his arms slightly. “You are Miss Ybgur Tekcirc? Assigned to the recent murder case?” he asked; his deep voice matching his body language.
“Yes I am, sorry you startled me.” Ybgur replied, realising this man must be the assistant Lady Jade told her about; giving a sigh of relief upon this revelation.
“Ah, good; a Miss Jade told me to meet you here; I’m Hol, technical engineer from Interneringskamp Six.” he replied; fully unfolding his arms as he walked towards the young mage. Hol’s towering form dwarfed Ybgur; in fact he would dwarf most people she knew, but his physical appearance didn’t intimidate her at all; he seemed polite and gentle. However even if he was a total brute Ybgur knew she was in charge; something she thought she should remind him of after giving her a scare.
“Well, while I am happy to meet you; you should really introduce yourself before asking strangers out for lunch.” Ybgur stated half seriously; lightly laughing towards the end of her sentence; while she wanted to be authoritative she didn’t want to come across as been pushy, however he did deserve it. Hol laughed a little; his expression showing he saw Ybgur’s point. “For that I apologise; now do you want to go for lunch or not?” Hol asked rather directly; raising his eyebrow as a mischievous smirk formed on his face. Ybgur clutched her stomach as it rumbled slightly; “I’d like that, I like that a lot.” she said, looking up at Hol, “That is as long as you’re still paying.” Ybgur continued with a cheeky smile.

Lady Jade walked into the conference hall; the large room seemed crowded even when vacant; the figures carved into walls giving the impression a permanent audience oversaw whatever transpired within. Standing at the main table was a rather short man wearing an Investigator’s uniform; surrounding him were floating documents encased in golden frames; the man moving them about with the motions of his hands as if he were the conductor of an orchestra. Lady Jade coughed on purpose; announcing her arrival. The Investigator lowered his hands; the documents floating gently into neatly arranged piles on the main table. He turned his head to face the Magiocrat, “Welcome, My Lady, finished seeing off our new field agent?” he asked politely; as a cocky smirk formed on his hawkish face. Lady Jade knew this man would not be intimidated by her presence like all the others; no they had known each other for far too long and he knew her far too well.
“Master Epsom, why have you summoned me here? And yes I saw Miss. Tekcirc off just a moment ago.” Lady Jade stated coolly; immediately noting her second in command’s usual attempt to undermine integrity.
“There is no need for that look, My Lady, I just wanted to discuss what transpired this morning, but admit it; you were scared when you saw that holographic projection.” Epsom stated bluntly; his eyes narrowing as he looked up at the Magiocrat. Out of all the Investigators in Negav, Master Epsom, was the only one whom Lady Jade would tolerate such behaviour towards her; he did it not out of disrespect, but because he was and still is her mentor; having led the Investigators organisation himself.
“As were you.” Lady Jade responded almost immediately, her eyes matching Epsom’s. To her showing fear in front of her subordinates, not to mention the Vishmitals, was a sign of weakness; something she could ill afford in her current situation.
“Indeed we all were; well all of us who knew.” Epsom responded; sighing midway through, his facial expression changing to a slightly embarrassed smile in an effort to calm down the conversation. He knew he had ‘privileges’ when addressing Lady Jade, but there were limits. “I reviewed the footage, and there is no doubt in my mind that it was a member of the old Special Unit. However it seems the Vishmital’s own ignorance was our saviour.” he continued; his tone become much more relieved towards the end.
“We can’t count on that alone.” Lady Jade stated bluntly, knowing full well the political consequences that could follow. “But it does not surprise me giving their current situation.” she continued as she picked up one of the documents; removing the sheet from the golden frame before reading it.
“Indeed, it also seems their officers are getting younger; that colonel of theirs is only a few years older than he looked.” Epsom acknowledged; tilting his head to one side in order to look at the Magiocrat. Lady Jade lowered the document she was reading; her cherry lips moulding into a slight smile. “That is more or less their situation; their older and more experienced officers are being picked off and we can thank the Special Unit for that. It has been happening for a few years now.” the Magiocrat said; a sense of satisfaction present in every word. Lady Jade knew using the Special Unit was dangerous but the possible rewards were far too tempting for her.
“My Lady, Visaria; I know that look of yours. Last I checked they were mass murders, not enforcers. You remember what happened at Interneringskamp Six all those years back; the damage it caused us?” Epsom responded in a panicked fashion; trying to convince his superior not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
“I know.” Lady Jade answered calmly, “I’m not that naive. This time I only wish to watch from the side lines, and besides I doubt the majority of the Council is going to care too much if their political enemies on the outside suffer a crisis, even if the Moderates currently hold power.” a wicked smile forming on her face. Epsom sighed; knowing full well there was little he could do to change the mind of his superior. “So I take it our investigation is a way of proving our innocence I suppose?” Epsom asked in a critical tone; his face forming a frown, showing he was far from satisfied with Lady Jade’s plan. “If you went offering our services to them openly or otherwise, they could get suspicious.”
A narcissistic sparkle flared up in Visaria’s eye upon hearing Epsom’s subtle hint regarding her power. “No they came to us of their own free will I assure you.” she remarked in an almost gleeful expression. “As I said this has been going on for a few years now and the Vishmitals have been keeping it very quiet. However as the latest officer to die was an active member of the Isolon’s Fists; they know they can’t keep that a secret; people will start asking questions.” she looked down at Epsom; his frown still etched on his face.
“Indeed My Lady.” he stated; still not fully satisfied. Epsom had a long service record for the Investigators; longer than that of Lady Jade; if there was one thing he knew, it was a flawed plan of action.
“Oh Master Epsom; I do wish you had more faith in me.” Lady Jade pleaded; her overly cheerful voice seemly full of sarcasm. “There may have been a time when the Vishmitals could have seen through this ruse, but not at the moment; they are too busy recovering from their latest losses.” The Magiocrat would have to rely solely on her reasoning skills; any attempt to alter Epsom’s perception would fall flat; no matter how subtle. He may not be immune, but is wise enough to catch on very quickly.
“Are you calling me paranoid My Lady?” Epsom quirked; his frown replaced by a look of bemusement. “Any way, as you seem set on this plan, why use Miss Tekcirc? I would hardly call her a sound choice.” he continued having realised he could easily answer his own question with a firm yes. Lady Jade looked on with satisfaction having convinced her mentor to follow her plan. “She does what she is told, Master Epsom.” the Magiocrat answered; throwing a slight dig at the fact she could not stamp her authority on her second in command, “That and she lacks the experience and initiative to do otherwise.” she resumed; her tone very formal.
“I see, but considering there are dozens of other personnel with the same attributes, I doubt that is your only reason. Has this anything to do with her father?” Epsom asked, matching the Magiocrat’s formal expression. His curiosity seemed well placed as Lady Jade turned towards him; her face dominated by a sinister smile.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:46 pm

Ok after almost two months no activity I'm back working on Resurrection, though it wont be regular I'm hoping it wont be too irregular when it comes to updates. I have made changes to my pervious posts to help the story.

Part 3 is now up and done, I'm still unsure about the convisations between Ybgur and Hol (I'm crap at writing stuff like that)

Subject: Removed. Thu Nov 19, 2009 12:25 pm

Better sketches will be in the works.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:53 am

Chapter I (Part 4)

Ybgur leant forward against the cloth covered table; pushing her cleared plate to the side, “That was the best battered jewel fish I’ve had; you weren’t kidding about the cooking?” she proclaimed; a very satisfied look on her face, leaning back in her wooden chair. The small cafe had space for only a handful of small tables; the walls were covered by mosaics of different fish and plants, acting almost like a giant menu. Ybgur remembered pointing the artwork of the jewel fish; only for the waiter to ask if she wanted one. There were no windows to the outside as the cafe was situated in the centre of an apartment building. It seemed strange how such a pleasant little spot that served great food was not full to its meagre capacity; Ybgur and Hol being the only customers.
“Believe me Ybgur I don’t usually kid.” Hol said grimly still looking at his plate. The chair he sat in was barely able to accommodate his large size; creaking constantly whenever he moved. A slight smirk formed on his lips, but he made sure he kept it hidden from view.
“Oh. But I thought...” Ybgur exclaimed; sounding rather disappointed. She looked down at the blue and white chequered table cloth; brushing the few crumbs of batter onto the floor with her hand. A quiet laugh suddenly made her look up; she could see Hol snickering away as he hunched over the table, causing it to rock. Ybgur’s face started to turn red with both frustration and embarrassment; she had been the butt of most of Hol’s joking since they arrived at the cafe.
“You are far too easy.” he stated; still laughing as he sat back in the chair, stretching his arms above his head. The chair began to creak louder than normal beneath him.
“Yeah, yeah.” Ybgur replied; pouting, still not fully seeing the funny side.
“Cheer up girl, you should laugh at yourself more; it would do you some good.” Hol suggested; trying to bring Ybgur round to his way of thinking, or at least try to make her take life a bit less seriously. A sharp cracking sound passed through the air; yet it was only as audible as a whisper.
“Did you just hear that?” Hol asked; perking up suddenly. Ybgur only passed him a puzzled look; seeming unsure by what he meant, though in reality she knew exactly what was happening. His chair was giving way but she didn’t have the heart to tell him, ‘and now I get my own back’ she thought; still appearing to be ignorant of Hol’s impending situation. Another cracking sound shot across the room; before either of them could react Hol’s chair gave way beneath is weight; the two back legs snapping off. The large man fell backwards; taking out the chair behind him and landed with an all mighty thud; which shook the whole calf. One of waiters stepped out of the kitchen to find the source of the racket; having seen Hol lying awkwardly on the floor amongst the broken chair he simply threw his hand into the air before walking back into the kitchen. Ybgur held her hand over her mouth in an effort to stop the torrent of laughter from pouring out; once she saw that Hol did not appear to be injured her giggles turned to full blown laughter as she began to point at her fallen college.; holding her other hand against her forehead. “Now who’s the butt of the joke.” she blurted out, rubbing a small tear from her eye as her laughing fit continued. “The bigger they are, the harder they fall you know.”
Hol slowly staggered to his feet, rubbing his head a look of beguilement on his face. “Ok, I suppose that’s one way to make you laugh.” he said; the soreness in his voice easing off as he was able to stand up fully; the top of head only inches away from the ceiling. Ybgur’s laughter eased off to a chuckle. “It’s a good job they don’t seem to mind.” she announced; looking back towards the kitchen door.
“Yeah it’s happened before; sometimes it doesn’t pay off to be this big.” he explained with an embarrassed smile; rubbing his back. “I get on well with the owner,” he lowered himself down so he could whisper to Ybgur “and to be honest he needs to keep his regulars, business isn’t as good as it used to be.” he continued, touching his nose with his finger; indicating he knew the reasons why but wasn’t willing to say anything.
“Oh.” the young mage exclaimed. “Well I suppose it allows us to talk in private.” she reasoned; looking around the empty seats, the artwork on the walls still catching her eye. “So you said you worked at Interneringskamp Six? Isn’t that just a dig site; I mean half the stuff they find there passes through my office, and I haven’t seen any weapons or anything.” She asked; seeming rather puzzled that this so called weapons expert worked at a permanent archaeological camp.
“Yeah, that’s my current job; my background is in gunsmithing however. As you know your organisation runs background checks on everyone who works at the kamp; apparently when they needed someone with a background in weaponology with limited ties to the Investigators, I was one of the first to come up.” Hol answered; pulling another chair towards the table before sitting down; like before the chair creaked under his weight. Ybgur looked straight at him, her eyes forming wide ovals as she took in the information; though she wondered why they would send someone who wasn’t an Investigator. “Why did they send you, I mean why didn’t they just send for another Investigator?” she queried. Hol looked rather surprised as he lent across the table towards her.
“You don’t seem to know much about your own history do you?” he stated, almost berating her, before smiling to himself. “Decades ago there was constant allegations that the Investigators were corrupt; ignoring cases; altering evidence, testimonies and the like. To put a stop to this that group of aristocratic mages, the...” he paused abruptly unable to think of their name.
“Ps’isol Magiocrats.” Ybgur interjected politely.
“Yeah, tanks.” Hol said appreciatively before continuing, “Those Magiocrats introduced new regulations stating that all investigations must have an independent element, to ensure fairness. Of course that savvy boss of yours Miss Jade; got round this ‘obstacle’ by using guys like me, who work at the kamp, as an independent element; of course if we don’t do as we are told, we lose our jobs. Some things never change.” his voice trailed off in a disappointed tone as he looked down at the table. Ybgur didn’t realise that the Investigators would resort to such tactics, she knew about tales of corruption within the organisation, but never thought it would still be so prevalent; maybe being a field operative wasn’t as glorious as her fantasies made out.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:59 am

Part 4 is done; pease don't condem me or my story because of who I am introducing I hope to have Resurrection explain them rather than write a profile or anything; I may write one later but not in the near future.

Evil admin Posts : 3812 Join date : 2007-12-08

Well it was mostly dialogues but I think it flowed very well. It sounded natural to me Smile

Subject: Re: Resurrection Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:39 am

Unfortunatly I am focusing on getting each part done, eventually I may go back and fill out some the physical descriptions which I am currently bypassing. And thanks.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:52 am

Intriguing, honestly. Good job...

Subject: Re: Resurrection Thu May 20, 2010 3:46 pm

Ok the next revised section (part 1) is up, once I finish editing part 2; I post both parts 1 and 2 up on DA.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Tue May 25, 2010 4:50 pm

Ok, more edited sections have been added; parts one through four. I have also put the edited versions on my DA page

Subject: Re: Resurrection Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:56 pm

Chapter I (Part 5)

“So have they given you a Kubus yet?”
“No, I doubt I’ll get one; they are ridiculously hard to make and I think my post as a field agent is only temporary.”
“That’s a shame dear, from what I’ve heard they can be very useful bits of kit.”
“From what you’ve heard? I though they gave you one, I mean you’re more or less a field agent Lum; and considering they have you working at Ur Sagol having a Kubus would be invaluable.”
“Yeah it would. Anyway I finally got a chance to talk to her.”
“Talk to who?”
“Neia, the naga who works for the Explorers Guild, I’ve seen her a few times amongst the ruins; but I finally got to talk to her.”
“Really? Wow. So what’s she like?”
“Nice; but I’d say she seemed a bit awkward, I have nothing against her, but I don’t think she likes people knowing she’s a naga. Though considering her job and the reputation of her cousins I’m not surprised. However she said she would take be back to Negav when I finish my assignment here.”
“That’s very kind of her; I take it she knows a few safer routes being in the Explorers Guild and all.”
“Yeah.”
“Just stay safe Lum.”
“You know I will Ybgur, and what’s with the downer tone?”
“Well today I learned a few harsh realities, and it makes sense as to why the Investigators assigned you to work in Ur Sagol, the fact they didn’t give you a Kubus or any real protection. You’re a Vishmital Lum, and the old stories still hold true.”
“You really think that? Look Ybgur if what you are trying to tell me is true I doubt they’d have me as an Investigator in the first place. I’ll be fine I can look after myself, also Neia will look after me.”
“It’s not that they would do anything, rather I just don’t think they would care if anything did happen to you.”
“Ybgur you need to stop worrying, unlike most of my kind I’m not nostalgic about the old glory days, I was born here; I like it here. Anyway, could you check on my little sister in a few days? I know she can look after herself; it’s just so she doesn’t get lonely.”
“Ok sure, so when do you get back?”
“I think I’ll be back in a week or so.”
“Ok, I’ll see you then.”
“Good Bye.”
“Bye.”
Ybgur sighed as removed the sleek metal headset and placed it back on the receiver. Lum meant the world to her; the two having known each other since their intense and stressful training to become Investigators. The fact she was a Vishmital never bothered Ybgur, despite her having misgivings for them as a whole. Yet she knew that the Investigators leadership would view Lum with discontent regardless of her personality; to them she was just a Vishmital, one of the enemy; recruited to fill a quota set by the Magiocrat Council. They immediately sent her away to Ur Sagol, a death trap for the inexperienced, under the excuse of official business. To them Lum’s life held no value, should she die in the jungles they would view it as a convenience, one less Vishmital to threaten their power; the thought alone sickened her. Ybgur lent back in her heavily padded chair; looking at the paints that hung on her wall above her as she started to think things through; perhaps this was why she was given a desk job within the organisation, to keep her ignorant as to how they truly worked. With every thought on the matter Ybgur grew angrier clenching her fists as her breathing grew ever deeper. A deformed bullet recovered from the sewers drew her attention; Ybgur began to calm as she stared at the used mushroom shaped projectile, remembering the events of today. For some reason her memory took her back to the conversation she had with Lady Jade; to when the Magiocrat mentioned her father. Ybgur knew her overall opinion on how the Investigators operated or their attitude to the others mattered little; if anything it would be counterproductive. She was appointed to the Investigators by her father in an effort to help bridge the ever increasing gap between the Moderates and the Oligarchs within the Magiocrat Council; a sort of act of good will. If she were to openly express her views that the Investigators at its core is still the extrajudicial secret police it could really cause a political maelstrom and seriously damage the efforts of her father to unite the Council. “What should I do?” Ybgur asked herself out loud; as she leaned further back into her chair; looking up at the ceiling. “And what does Lady Jade really think of me?” Ybgur picked up the malformed bullet on her desk; examining it closely in an effort to distract herself from the questions which burned at her conscience. Hol had explained to her that the reason the bullet had mushroomed though it all went over her head. However he did conclude that the bullet was Vishmital in origin and had most likely struck whatever that attacked the soldiers, thus would probably be her best bet at finding any residue associated with golem magic of from the golem itself. For Ybgur this would be like finding a needle in a hay stack; “Ok analysis of the holo-vid footage has already ruled out typical golems, thus leaving only mechanical golems which would logically be made of metal, but the bullet is also metal.” she whispered to herself sighing out of frustration, “I’m going to need my alchemy books.”

Subject: Re: Resurrection Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:58 pm

Chapter I (Part 6)

Lady Jade sat in her darkened chambers staring at the holographic projection in front of her; rapid bright flashes spontaneously lit up and cast deep shadows on her face as she bathed her visual senses in the gentle green light. The way it moved with such efficiency, its unyielding nature, the sense of duty it seemed to hold as it butchered its prey. The Magiocrat looked in awe of the glowing red dots o the side of its face; it was as if it was looking directly at her, rather than looking at the corpse of a man it has just killed. ‘They were mass murders, not enforcers.’ she thought to herself remembering Epsom’s words to the letter. “However Epsom one can practice enforcement through fear.” she thought out loud; chuckling as she continued to watch the holo-vid.
“I didn’t think you were the type to sit in the dark Visaria.” A soft female voice came from the doorway. Lady Jade knew who it was upon hearing the first syllable; arrogant yet docile, young yet experienced. She immediately cut off the holo-vid; the lights gradually increasing in brightness revealing a luxurious office. The walls, like many in the Investigators building, were solid white marble and were without windows; the tiled floor was a chequered pattern of marble and imported jade. A golden seal of the Investigators hung above the large styled quartz desk which dominated the room. Above that was the seal of the Ps’isol Magiocrats etched in copper with a centre of pure ascarlin; beyond the two vivid symbols nothing else decorated the tall white walls.
“You know it is very impolite to enter someone else’s chambers unannounced and without prior notice.” Lady Jade stated bluntly keeping her back turned to the visitor. “Nor is it proper practice to address a member of the Council without their proper title.” her stern reminder echoing through the cavernous room. Yet she was very pleased this woman had come, her harsh worlds were only a friendly act.
“What is a little informality between friends?” the woman asked almost snidely; playing along with Lady Jade’s act as she stepped ever deeper into the office. “I do have to say I like what you have done with the place.” she continued; shifting to a much more pleasant tone. Lady Jade finally decided to look at the face of her visitor; the large polished ebony chair she sat in swivelled round slowly bringing her and her guest face to face. In front of her desk stood a slender young woman dressed in what had to be one of the finest dresses in all of Negav. Beneath her gentle youthful looks lay a woman of incredible ambition, confidence, and power all of which seemed to radiating from within her. This was Lady Alastazia Lesona, one of the youngest members of the Magiocrat Council yet she had already worked herself into a position of significant political influence; enough in fact to help grant Visaria membership into the Council. Lady Jade effortlessly rose out of her chair, turning away from Lady Lesona as she slowly walked around the large desk; stopping only a foot away from the young Magiocrat. The two women looked at each other in silence.
“C’est bon de vous voir mon ami” Lady Jade announced in an almost relieved manner as she embraced Lady Lesona; resting her head on her shoulder.
“De la même manière.” Lady Lesona responded before formally breaking the embrace.
“So what does the Maiden of Cruses, or whatever it is you are having people call you, want to see me about?” Lady Jade asked smugly as she backed up and sat on her desk; her long arms at her side; her fingers curling round the edge.
“Officially I am here to find out what you and your organisation is doing about the murder of a captain of the Isolon’s Fists.” answered Lady Lesona sharply her eyes narrowing to further convey her displeasure over the whole matter. Lesona had a long history with the Isolon’s Fists having served in the military unit as an officer before becoming involved in politics. Despite having left the Fists, Lady Lesona still had a lot of say within the unit as a whole; while officially the Isolon’s Fists took their orders from the Magiocrat Council they really took their orders from her.
“Ah you are referring to Captain Esquire?” Lady Jade enquired; not taken aback by Alastazia’s show of irritation, “We were formally asked to assist by Colonel Davin Fairchild, representative of the Vishmital High Command on the grounds that these assailants may be some form of golem; we are not leading this investigation.” she continued confidently.
“I see, so you don’t plan to set up your own independent investigation?” Lady Lesona questioned; not fully satisfied with Lady Jade’s response.
“That is not in our jurisdiction my friend. And besides let us not forget who our true enemy is in all this.” Lady Jade replied as she smiled at her superior; reminding her of their overall political aims.
“I haven’t forgotten, however regardless of ethnicity the murder of an Isolon’s Fists officer is a serious matter, and while our own intelligence unit is far less capable than your Investigators they have already ruled out golems as being responsible.” Lady Lesona stated frankly; she seemed tense, almost the complete opposite of Visaria; it was obvious this debacle was having a personal effect on her.
“Is that so? I haven’t seen evidence stating that.” Lady Jade rebuked as she hunched her shoulders; trying to relieve her own going tension; while she had miscalculated Lady Lesona’s response to the murder, she was shrewd enough to get round it all.
“Simple, golems don’t use machine guns.” Lady Lesona declared sarcastically rolling her eyes.
“I wouldn’t simply dismiss it, there are numerous accounts and documentations detailing golem weapon use; using firearms would be a logical step when facing a well equipped military force.” explained Lady Jade; keeping her smile to hide her increasing nervousness over the direction in which the conversation was heading. The Isolon’s Fists perform several of the duties that were once undertaken by the Investigators; as such they have a small but capable intelligence unit. Lady Lesona is also very capable in this respect; and the last thing Lady Jade needed was for her or the Fists to find out about the Special Unit; a revelation which would easily cost her friendship with Alastazia and doom her politically.
“Yes but wouldn’t it be more logical for the golems to use magic based attacks?” Lady Lesona scrutinized still not satisfied by Jade’s explanations on the matter at hand.
“Well I’m inclined to believe that these are mechanical golems, and if I’m not mistaken the Vishmitals hold the same view.” answered Lady Jade; her smile grew with her confidence; believing she would be able to sway the conversation in her favour. “A mechanical golem is an automaton; a mechanical body controlled and powered by magic, as they rely more on engineering than magic weapons such as machine guns would prove to be needed armaments.”
“I see, so who do you reckon could construct such creations?” Lady Lesona asked as she tilted her head to one side; her tone changing from one of frustration to that of genuine curiosity.
“I don’t know, but I ask you to give me the time to see the investigation through. Alastazia, it is in both our interests that we let this investigation reach its conclusion.” remarked Lady Jade; now feeling at ease having steered the conversation clear of her secrets. Of course it helped that she heavily hinted towards their main plan, something she knew Lady Lesona would pick up on.
“Alright, we’ll wait.” Lady Lesona conceded; smiling insidiously. While she still wasn’t completely behind Jade’s explanation; she did not want to compromise their plans. “Now on to business;” Lady Lesona announced as she clapped her hands together. Visaria’s face lit up upon hearing those words; she had known from the start this was the real reason behind Lesona’s visit and was eagerly awaiting the chance to discuss their plans. “The Moderates who currently control the Council have probably constructed the ideal power sharing system in which to rule this city. We the Magiocrats retain the majority of power while other groups have control in more ‘local’ matters, this way everyone is happy and political strife is a thing of the past agreed?”
“No.” Lady Jade responded bluntly as she stared at the young Magiocrat; in the small fraction of time it had taken Lesona to finish her question her expression of glee had melted into one of shock and frustration. “Those idealists fail to see reality for what it is. The Moderates seem to over look the fact the Vishmitals are self-serving and only seek to rebuild their long lost empire; Negav to them is only a means to an end. While our rule may be viewed as despotic we will at least protect this city and all those who inhabit it; not run off once our pockets have been stuffed with ascarlin.” her words were filled with bitterness and fear; fear that her words may be proven true.
“Indeed.” Lady Lesona responded; her whimsical tone signalling that she had dismissed most of what Lady Jade had just said. While they were both members of the Oligarch political block, a group dedicated to preserving the Magiocrats absolute rule, Jade seemed extremely critical of any leadership outside that of the Ps’isol Magiocrats; even more so than her fellow Oligarchs. Though that could be attributed to her long service to the Investigators; a position which allowed her to see what she considered the true face of any group vying for power in Negav. Yet it is her political standing and autocratic control over the Investigators that made Lady Jade the perfect ally for Lesona’s own bid for ascendancy within the Council.
“Alastazia, the rule outside of these city walls is that of the jungle, the weak perish while the strong survive. It is no different here; the Vishmitals view the Moderates as being weak despite their intentions. It is only a matter of time.” Lady Jade pleaded. While it was very uncharacteristic for Lady Jade to act in such a manner, she didn’t have much of a choice. The last thing she expected was for Lesona to be taking the view point the Moderates. Again to her surprise Lady Lesona seemed to be giggling before her face took a more formal look.
“You are right Visaria; and I can tell you that I and many of the other Oligarchs share you disapproval of the path the Moderates are heading. I was merely testing your commitment.” Lady Lesona said with a sense of arrogance knowing she had successfully played Visaria.
“Why would I not be committed to my own plan? For me to back away now would be highly uncharacteristic of myself.” Lady Jade responded in her defence.
“What we are about to undertake requires the upmost obligation; there is no going back.” Lady Lesona stressed. While Visaria was a little annoyed that Lesona had doubted her, as a former intelligence officer she could fully understand as to why. It wasn’t unheard of for the Investigators to get involved in political proceedings; however this was something on a far grander scale.
“I know, believe me even without the threat of a Vishmital coup I have my own reasons to take that bastard down.” Lady Jade responded her voice lowering in tone.
“Good, I knew I could count on you.” thanked Lady Lesona as a sinister smile gradually etched itself across her face.

Hol sat slouched in his chair looking down at his desk; it was covered in unused and spent bullet cartridges and fragments of different metals, all of it evidence recovered from when he and Ybgur ventured into the sewers. To Hol it was obvious Ybgur was a rookie to field work based on her reaction to the scene in the sewers; the blood covered and bullet riddled walls left her very pale, yet he was impressed by her through attention to detail. Hol picked up one of the spent bullet casings; holding it in front of his face as he stared at in a trancelike state. Images of dark surrounds periodically lit up by bright flashes filled his mind as he continued to look at the bullet. A high pitched beep echoed around the small room throwing Hol back into reality. He gingerly looked around his small dwelling; the room resembling a barracks more than an apartment, with luxuries kept to a minimum. Of course this was one of the better accommodations of Interneringskamp Six; being outside the main security perimeter. Having fully regained his senses Hol opened the second of three draws that were built into his metal desk; inside on top of some sealed envelopes was a small back pen like device. The appliance beeped again before Hol picked it up and placed it in his front trouser pocket. Upon closing the draw Hol stood up and walked towards the door of his room.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:58 pm

Ok that's Chapter I finished, finally i hope Chapter II goes a little smoother.

Evil admin Posts : 3812 Join date : 2007-12-08

haha I was surprised to see them speak in french XP

That was a nice chapter ^_^ I loved how you managed to pull all the tension, probing, calculations behing their words in the Lesona - Jade meeting Razz

Subject: Re: Resurrection Sat Jul 03, 2010 3:47 pm

Definately an interesting read, with Ladies Jade and Lesona speaking french (you kind of misspelled curses) and the discussion of automaton between them is slightly dull but that doesn't mean it isn't interesting. I wait with anticipation for the next chapter or part... whichever comes first.

Subject: Re: Resurrection Mon Oct 11, 2010 10:37 am

I have been continuing with my work on Resurrection; however I have moved it to my DA page here Should you have any problems or what have you, I'll put up here as well.