Zeus
Nosalis
Posts: 87
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Post by Zeus on May 19, 2013 23:19:21 GMT -5
"Masks! We're close to the surface now." Mikhail barked as soon as the group stumbled upon the rusty ladder leading to the surface. Kazmier pulled his mask out, fitted a filter into it and put the mask over his face taking in a deep breath.
He checked his filter count and his ammo quickly before turning to his companions. "Okay, this should lead to a street about a block from the Library, be ready for anything, that beastie back there could have some friends waiting around up top."
Kaz slinged his gun over his shoulder, patted his pack and walked over to the ladder, grasping it tightly. "After me friends."
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Post by Lawnmower Joe on May 24, 2013 4:32:59 GMT -5
Balalaika put her gas mask on after checking it for any damage or wear. The tight rubber and plastic device felt like a second face to her, and the smell of plastic was comforting. She screwed the filter on a little more before approaching the rusty ladder that lead to the surface.
Up we go she thought and walked up behind Kaz. When the young stalker started climbing upwards, she unslung her rifle in case something up above was waiting for them to emerge.
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Zeus
Nosalis
Posts: 87
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Post by Zeus on May 24, 2013 16:01:55 GMT -5
Kazmier slowly made his way up the ladder towards the surface. After about thirty seconds of climbing the rusty hinges, he reached the manhole and pushed it out of the way, the sky coming into view. Kazmier took in a deep breath and climbed up onto the frozen sidewalk, and he suddenly felt a chill. Damn, colder than I remember.
After clearing from the manhole he scanned the area and unslung his VSS, looking for any adversaries.
"All clear," Kaz said to his companions down below.
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Post by CaptainNips on May 24, 2013 19:44:44 GMT -5
Mikhail was the last to climb up the ladder. He shivered and unslung his Kalash from his shoulder. The dead city sprawled out around them... the howling wind sounding like a ghostly moan. His long and steady breathes from the gas mask comforted him, like the beat of his own heart.
The Hansa guard looked into the distance and spotted a large, columned building. He pointed to it and remarked, "I'm guessing that's our objective?"
Mikhail levered his Kalash all around the open areas as he spoke.
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Zeus
Nosalis
Posts: 87
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Post by Zeus on May 27, 2013 17:39:25 GMT -5
"Yes that is it over there," Kazmier glanced around the dead city, then back to his objective. "Let's get moving, night is upon us, and I think you guys know what happens when night falls."
Kaz stood up and started walking towards the Library, trying to stay in the shadows of the destroyed buildings, which wasn't that hard. He looked up to the spires of the Library and noticed something. A large beast with wings sat perched on top of a half-destroyed spire, Demon, and where there's one there's always more..
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Post by Commander Xillian on May 28, 2013 1:44:11 GMT -5
Night already?
Charcoal rubbed her sleepy eyes, before looking out from the concrete tube she'd been lazing in comfortably. A Howler had taken to sniffing around the pipe earlier, and was blissfully careless to the Dark One right next to it, thanks to some gentle suggestions.
Certainly made the more passive critters, such as Lurkers, easier to get close to for good portraits. Librarians... Less so. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to worry about too many of them out and about this late at night. Rising, she peeked her head out, looking around some for any signs of movement.
As she prepared to make a run for it, confident that the cover of night would give her a good shot, she noticed Them.
Three Stalkers, the term Homo Sapients used for their top-side raiders. Not completely evil, though some certainly took the cake for crudeness, they never the less shot first, and asked questions never.
Incidentally, they were also responsible for the death of everyone she ever knew and loved.
That alone made her choose her next course of action, one which the young Dark One would rarely consider, eschewing violence in any form. Turning to the Howler, she bent its perception to "look" through her, and with but a few aggressive suggestions, the creature tore from the pipe in a horrified frenzy, rabid with fear. Letting out a loud, undulating warble, the Demon above took notice immediately, as did every How.er for miles, their own calls shrieking out in unison.
Burring her sorrow for the Howler as it was plucked by the Demon beneath a thin layer of hate, she took a moment while the demon was close enough and hid herself from its eyes. If they were keen, maybe the Stalkers would see her, but she doubted they would, not in the fading light and with the distraction of the Demon and Howlers.
Running from her shelter, she made for the Library, her home and sanctuary. Cracking open the door, she closed it shut slowly, softly as she could. Only when removed from the immediate situation did her actions sink in. She had sent an innocent Howler to die, just so that she might inflict harm upon some possibly- no -likely innocent and good Humans. She was ashamed of herself.
Heart heavy with her brash actions, she slowly plodded her way up the stairs and towards her room in one of the offices, where she hung all her drawings and sketches. Closing the second set of large doors behind her, she release a heavy, sorrowful psionic wimper, trying to keep from crying in shame.
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Post by Lawnmower Joe on May 28, 2013 7:07:21 GMT -5
The surface, grey, blasted, desolate. The windows of empty buildings seemed to stare down at Balalaika like hundreds of dead eyes.
"T'voyu mat", she muttered, her eyes darting around and her fingers drumming slowly away on the worn wooden handguard of her rifle. She quickly reached for her dosimetre, hearing a faint and irregular crackling sound coming from it, and saw that they had entered a slightly radioactive area.
"Radiation", she said, voice muffled by her gas mask, "nothing major but I don't want to hand around here for too long."
As Kazmier set off towards the monolithic, columned edifice that was the Library, Balalaika followed and kept her eyes on the sky and on the shadows cast by nearby buildings. While she scanned the base of an old apartment block, she saw the small, familiar shape of a Lurker rooting around in what appeared to be a pile of rubbish. Balalaika wiped her gas mask's lenses clean to get a better look, only to feel her stomach twist into a knot when she saw the pile of rubbish was actually a dead and rotting stalker.
"T'voyu mat", she said again through gritted teeth. The grey, square arches of the Library came into view and Balalaika noted that the wind still whistled through them in a way that made the spine tingle.
Suddenly, there came a blood-curdling screech. With a sharp breath, Balalaika turned to see a Howler come dashing out of a smashed concrete pipe. Its frenzied charge was brutally interrupted by a Demon, which swooped down from the roof of the library and swept up the helpless mutant.
"Christ", murmured Balalaika, "I hope that didn't attract..."
Long, lugubrious howls rose from the streets around them. The Demon, which had perched itself atop the Library's entrance, raised its bloody maw from its freshly killed meal and roared defiantly back. It was with pure terror that Balalaika looked back at the buildings they'd left behind; sure enough she could see dozens of Howlers loping towards the Library. The Demon took off with its prey, leaving the three hapless humans to face the Howlers.
"Get inside now", hissed Balalaika before darting towards the Library's heavy double doors, the gear on her back clanking away in a noisy mockery of discretion. As she ran, the small stalker thought she heard the throaty, ape-like shrieks of Librarians from deep inside the Library.
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Post by jasonblade1 on May 28, 2013 7:58:44 GMT -5
Jason slowly turned the corner, panting and wiping his mask clean, leaving red lines from where the blood got trapped in the cracks. He had been unable to do anything when his escorting party was ripped to shreds by the pack of beasts. The leading officer had shoved him into a small crevice in the ground before being tackled and mauled. Jason gripped the Bastard in his hands tightly. "Just a scavenger run. Nothing could go wrong." He scoffed. The merchant had obviously lied. This area near the library was obviously dangerous. He noticed a party of what could be Stalkers emerge from a manhole. "Possible help? Or gruesome demise? Decisions decisions...." He changed the filter on his mask before stepping out, holding the Bastard in one hand as he waved, only his head and arm visible in the light. That was when he heard the screeches. He turned and saw the beasts, howlers, dashing in his general direction. "Well, this won't end well..." He turned and shouted down to the group. "Run!! Get inside!!!"
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Zeus
Nosalis
Posts: 87
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Post by Zeus on May 28, 2013 22:39:38 GMT -5
Howlers were everywhere, and a demon attack was imminent, and when Balalaika screamed "Get inside now," he wasn't one to disregard the order. Only a few feet behind her, Kazmier was sprinting for the heavy double doors of the Library. Only to make things more interesting, he heard another's voice, a man. His voice came out of nowhere, and the words he yelled were "Run!! Get inside!"
Kaz pulled out his Tokarev and began unloading into any beast that approached him or his allies. Once he reached the doors he heard the roars of Librarians inside the building, Things just keep getting better don't they?
Kazmier turned to Balalaika and yelled, "Cover me while I get these things open!" He began to tug, pull and push on the behemoth doors frantically while he hoped that his companions were covering his ass.
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Post by Lawnmower Joe on Jun 5, 2013 13:20:21 GMT -5
"Yeah!", yelled Balalaika before turning to face the oncoming pack of Howlers. The shaggy beasts were bounding swiftly towards the stalkers, smelling fear in the air. Balalaika raised her small Kalash and fired a couple of bursts, the rifle kicking savagely upwards as it spat bullets towards the mutants. One mutant yelped and fell, leaving a small trail of blood on the paving stones. Another one of the beasts collapsed without a sound, its skull pierced by a bullet. The scent of blood and the pained yelps of their injured companion made the Howlers change tactics, and they loped swiftly behind cars and other obstacles.
"Hurry up and open that fucking door!" Balalaika yelled over her shoulder. This brief moment of inattention was all that was needed for a cunning Howler to leap at the short stalker, knocking her over like a skittle. Balalaika hit the ground hard and lost her grip on her rifle, which came to rest on the floor a few metres away.
"T'voyu mat!", she hissed through clenched teeth. Out of the corner of her eye she glimpsed the hulking form of her attacker closing in for the kill. Survival instincts took over and the short stalker rolled away just as the beast pounced. Its sharp claws clattered harmlessly onto the paving stones and it growled deeply in frustration. Before it could attack again, Balalaika drew her pistol and shot the mutant three times in the face. The beast seemed to freeze for a moment before slowly dropping over onto its side, blood leaking from its ruined skull.
Balalaika rushed to retrieve her rifle and saw the pack of Howlers closing in. She could hear their ragged, excited panting despite the clatter of gunfire. Suddenly she glimpsed a new stalker who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "You!", she yelled, help me keep those monsters at bay! Kaz! Get that bloody door open before we all get killed!"
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Post by jasonblade1 on Jun 5, 2013 13:38:12 GMT -5
Jason fired at least half a clip from his Bastard into the incoming back before it jammed. He heard one of the Stalkers below show at him to help, just in time for him to turn and take a face full of howler skull. It knocked him over and ejected the jammed bullet with the force from the gun hitting the ground. He emptied the rest of the clip into the back of its head, pulling the spent cartridge free and throwing it at another Howler, hitting it in its eye and sending it veering into a wall. He pulled out his Tokarev, firing into the rest of the pack. So this is how i get re payed. He pulled another clip out of his pack before quickly reloading, a Howler tackling him to the ground just as he slid the magazine in. It tried to bite down on his neck, but he was holding it back, using both hands to keep it from tearing his throat out with its teeth.
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Post by CaptainNips on Jun 5, 2013 17:52:36 GMT -5
Hordes upon endless hordes of howlers. Mikhail brandished his AK-74 and shot any beast that came near. He nearly took delight in hearing their howls in pain as lead tore through their bodies. The killing was easy enough... sure. But the fact that so many were attacking at such a time puzzled the Hansa fighter.
Ha, and we're trying to take cover in a place bound to have more dangerous creatures... maybe this will be the end of me...
But all the while, Mikhail did not give up hope. His Kalash rattled on at the seemingly endless monsters. He heard Balalaika shout out for help. Thankfully, a new stalker had appeared to help! Kaz began to pry open the Library's door. Suddenly, a brave Howler charged up and caught Mikhail unawares. The mutant bit onto the Hansa guard's leg, causing the man to shout in pain but strongly kick the Howler away. He then unleashed a long burst onto the mutant's grey body and proceeded to reload another magazine.
He examined his leg for a second and cursed, Dammit... the bite wasn't deep, but I probably have to disinfect it soon. I can still walk, but I definitely have a limp. God damn that thi-"
From the corner of his eye, Mikhail saw another Howler leap upon the new stalker. The beast was voraciously attempting to gorge itself into the man's neck. Mikhail limped as fast as he could to the man, trying to ignore the stinging pain in his leg, and drew his wicked Bowie knife. Once close, he grabbed the creature's mane with his left and drove his knife into it's neck. The mutant gurgled, scattering some droplets of dark blood from it's mouth onto the prone stalker's face.
Mikhail kicked the mutant off of the stalker and withdrew his Bowie knife from it's corpse. He turned to the new man and shouted, "Get up! Pick up your carbine! You owe me one, stalker."
Luckily, Balalaika had been killing any mutants that approached at that vulnerable time. Mikhail winced in pain and fired upon a charging Howler in the distance. The mutant collpased but was only replaced with two more relentless Howlers over the hill.
Mikhail shouted back to Kazmier, "Hurry up! We can't hold these things for much longer!"
The whole poisonous air was filled with the cries of mutants and the bellowing gun fire of stalkers, doubtless being heard a mile away.
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Zeus
Nosalis
Posts: 87
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Post by Zeus on Jun 6, 2013 2:35:48 GMT -5
As his companions held the attacking hordes at bay, Kazmier spent a few minutes trying to open the doors that seemed almost welded shut. He then slammed his shoulder into the door and part of the large door broke off, exposing the inside. He looked inside and noticed a wooden bar pinned against the doors. Kaz grabbed the bar and threw it away. Now with the bar gone he easily opened the doors and threw them open.
"Get inside NOW!" and Kazmier stormed inside, VSS at the ready. Noticing no adversaries he turned and began firing at the horde, covering his friends as they began to straggle towards the doors.
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Post by CaptainNips on Jun 6, 2013 3:00:12 GMT -5
The group fended off a wave or two of mutants before Kaz had finally pried the door open.
"Get inside NOW!" the Baumann shouted.
Being the slowest, Mikhail stumbled into the library last. The companions then shut the door, a loud boom echoing throughout the building. Outside, Howlers were hurling themselves against the door. They roared and scratched at the wood, trying to break inside. One stuck it's ugly head through the hole, snapping it's crooked snout. The Hansa grunt jabbed it's face with his elbow and took a few more steps inside the library.
Mikhail didn't spend any time to observe the area; he couldn't help but sit down on a fallen scrap of wood, possibly a shelf. The hoarse cries of the Librarians could be heard, but none were in sight yet. He inhaled shakily and looked down at his bitten leg, blood was beginning to stream across his khaki pants. Bites marks were prominent in the wound. The banging against the door turned louder and the Howlers more ferocious. Outside, Mikhail could swear he heard a demon roar.
While on the floor he shouted, "Bar the door! Don't let them get inside! Grab book shelves, tables, anything! I am useless as of now..."
Mikhail levered his Kalash to the doorway, grinding his teeth from the burning pain from his shin. He wasready to kill anything that broke it's way through their defensive position.
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Post by jasonblade1 on Jun 6, 2013 12:42:18 GMT -5
Jason watched as one of the stalkers killed the beast above him before grabbing his Bastard and reloading it. He fired into the pack behind them as they made their way inside, even finishing a clip as the closed the door. He reloaded again and started to push over a shelf that was at least three times his size next to the door. He could tell it was heavy from not only the sheer amount of oak wood, but also the couple hundred book on its shelves. "Need a hand! This should block it pretty well!"
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