Grian/Xelqua
Hermitcraft Front

"G-Corp has moved forces to the back of the Landing Village, Gem's Castle in SG Valley, and into Adventure Park in Occupied Scarland. They've set up a new base in Blue River Raceway, using Icebreakers to set up a Flotilla in the North. We need to take out the BRR base first." I said, pointing to each place on the map as I said it.

"The Perimeter has completely occupied the Shopping District and converted the mall I-Buy into some sort of munitions facility. They've infiltrated SG Valley, using the Dwarven Forge to supply new weapons to their forces. Gigacorp has engaged them in an attempt to seize the Aviaran Asteroid across the river. I will personally attend to kicking Doc out of SG Valley and take the forge for ourselves. Xelqua, handle BRR first and then move onto Landing Village. Assassin, tend to the occupied sector of Scarland." The Overlord ordered. I nodded, cracking my neck.

We stood in my old base, gathered around a table of rotten wood with a map of the server draped over it. A lone chicken pecked curiously at my boot. I immediately kicked it in the face, earning an indignant shriek as it ran.

Stupid chickens.

Mumbo's vault rose up in the edge of my sight, making my heart twinge.

Gigacorp would pay for killing him and Scar.

"What are we going to do about the Deepfrost Citadel?" The Assassin questioned accusingly. The Overlord waved her off.

"We have no need to worry about them. They're unarmed, trapped in their own dungeon. And any attempt to send men into the dungeon, even well-armed men, will be suicidal. The beasts down there are half-starved, trapped in the caves along with them." he said dismissively.

"Don't count them out quite yet. Tango's a genius." I cautioned.

"Tango is the coward who ran when Gigacorp arrived instead of fighting for his home." The Overlord countered aggressively.

I bit my tongue, the spiteful half of my brain keeping me from saying he actually had a family to protect above himself. The other half, the Grian half, the weak half, also kept me silent, remembering how kindly that entire family had treated me. Tango slipping me pork chops to do a test run, Mrs. Tango's warm apple cinnamon Christmas pies, his daughter helping me learn how to build...

I found myself wanting them to stay safe in the dungeon for as long as possible.

"If they come out I'll take care of them myself." I assured. The Overlord cocked his head slightly.

"Do you think you are ready to kill them?" he questioned.

"I said I'll take care of them." I snapped, picking my Bladecuffs up and clicking them back on my forearm.

"Sometimes we think we are ready to face our demons, Xelqua, but we are not. You must know for certain." Overlord stated. I ignored him, unfurling my wings and taking off.

Where was Mumbo and Scar when you needed them most?

. . .
Blue River Raceways

I perched in the shadows on top of the BRR sign, sitting crouched. My breath blew out as steam in the frosty northern air of the frozen north. Corporate Icebreakers sailed up and down the river, effortlessly clearing out the thousands of tons of ice that Ren and Etho had worked so hard to lay out. The lodge had a makeshift wall built around it, with various forms of mining and military equipment and personnel streaming in and out like ants.

I adjusted my footing slightly, peering through a pair of binoculars.

"Is he there?" an Australian voice in my ear crackled. The Butcher.

The Overlord had a council of sorts, each of them giving up their old names and giving each other new ones, new titles. The Overlord, The Assassin, The Butcher, and soon, me. The Vulture.

"I don't have a visual yet." I whispered, scanning over the lodge again.

Then a man stepped out from around the corner, adjusting his tie nervously and barking orders.

I smirked.

"Got him. Right corner, screaming bloody murder. You owe me thirty credits." I reported back smugly. Butcher muttered something unintelligible. Below me, I could see him aiming his massive sniper.

The explosion of a gunshot erupted a moment later, and the man fell in a spray of red. A rudimentary alarm system started blaring as the guards mobilized.

Another man ran out of the building, dropping down to the young man's body and cradling it.

Shit. Admiral Barnes.

"Looks like daddy's mad. Alright, we're moving in! Let's go!" Butcher barked, slinging the rifle back and pulling up his two-handed hammer that almost looked like a giant meat tenderizer.

I stood up straight, snapping the binoculars back into my vest and watching as the Lazarus forces charged downhill. Corporate forces immediately retaliated, launching volley after volley of antimatter shells in a desperate attempt to stop as many as possible before they reached the fort. And from the looks of it, it was working.

I cracked my neck, stretching my black and purple wings wide.

My turn.

With a blast like a gunshot I took off, soaring in a wide, fast circle around the fort.

Multiple turrets, from both the Ice Breakers and the Fort itself, rotated on me specifically.

I ducked sharply under the first volley of disrupter bolts, swinging around and blasting for an Ice Breaker.

I quickly squeezed my fists, activating my purple wrist blades, before slicing right through without even slowing down.

The ship practically screamed in protest, both halves creaking and catching fire as the behemoth sank below the frozen waters.

"Focus on the damn turrets in the fort, kid! Not the bloody Ice Breakers!" Butcher snapped.

"You're welcome." I replied sharply, quickly adjusting course and heading for the fort.

The blades changed shape around my arms, encompassing the back of them all the way up to my elbows as I put them out in front of me.

I sped up as I lowered myself, blasting through the South Wall's turrets with little to no resistance.

Man, I loved these things.

"Vulture!" one guard screamed below, aiming his disrupter rifle and firing wildly at me.

I changed course in a snap, blasting back and slicing the dude in half.

I skidded to a stop in front of the main gate, quickly chopping down the two guards before opening the gate.

The Butcher was standing there with his troops already, dark silver hammer dripping with blood.

"Still owe me thirty creds." I said casually. He lightly slapped the back of my head.

"And I'll get you your creds later. Focus." he said, walking past me.

"Look at who you're talkin to. I'm always focused." I replied, taking off.

"I know! That's why I said it!" he yelled after me.

I made quick work of the rest of the turrets and the guards operating them before on the roof of the lodge.

Pure chaos filled the fort, with Gigacorp forces in pandemonium. The walls burned, the rank smell of gasoline tattooing my nostrils.

"Xelqua, Admiral Barnes! He's getting away!" Butcher barked in my ear.

I adjusted the visor on my helmet, blasting into the air and scanning for him. He was just outside the wall, huddled behind a rock with a gun in one hand and a sword in the other.

I smirked.

Gotcha.

"Roger that. I have him in my sights." I replied, arcing down and at him.

But right before I sliced through the rock and the Admiral, Barnes slid to the side and, grabbing tightly to my left wing, swung me around back-first into the rock with a sharp crack. My helmet popped off, skidding across the forest floor.

Whoa. Only Pearl had been able to catch me like that mid-flight.

I grunted, barely ducking to the side as he swung his sword at me.

He grinned wickedly, circling like a shark.

"Grian." he said simply. I jolted.

"How did you know that?" I hissed.

"I've heard all about you from our mutual friend Scar."

My heart skipped a beat.

"What did you do to him?" I hissed, circling as well. Barnes put his hand to his chest, faking offense.

"I can't believe you would accuse me of such a thing. Scar was a kind man! But war broke him. You wanna know why he was caught in a war?" he mocked.

"Not really, no. All I know is that you killed my best friend." I growled, taking a swing. He easily sidestepped, keeping his eyes on me.

"You saw one video and got all pissy about it. You ran away. The tension of trying to find you fractured this server. And when war came, Scar was not ready. YOU broke him." Barnes continued.

"LIAR!" I screamed, spittle flying. Rage overtook me as I swung wildly. He sidestepped every single one with ease, only making me angrier.

He grabbed my arm suddenly, twisting it behind my back and shoving me face-first into the ground. Mud and snow immediately filled my mouth.

"You done yet, kid?" he asked, amused.

I snapped my wings up, smacking him in the face and surprising him long enough to jump back up. I spat the mud out of my mouth, raising my fists.

Barnes pinched his nose, spitting out a wad of blood as he watched me.

"It's better." he admitted.

"Go to hell." I snarled.

Someone blasted by me suddenly, hammer a silver blur.

Barnes swore, narrowly sliding to the side. Butcher stood up straight, lashing out with the hammer again.

"Get me back up to the ship, now!" he barked, holding his com up to his mouth as he slid away from Butcher. He landed hard.

"No escape this time, Admiral." Butcher crowed, slamming the hammer down on Barne's leg with a sickening, wet crunch. Blood splattered across the snow in a red spray, staining the snow crimson.

He was stunned into silence for a moment as the muffled sound echoed through the frozen trees.

Then he screamed. And screamed. And screamed.

Butcher planted his foot on his chest, pushing him to the ground before dropping the hammer on his shoulder with and equally horrific, muted crunch.

I felt sick.

Butcher leaned down, black armor creaking ominously, grabbing Barnes collar and pulling his face closer to his.

"Killing me... will only embolden Gigacorp. You've done nothing." Barnes hissed.

"I have avenged my moonworld. That is enough." Butcher growled.

Barnes body dissipated into a blue mist, quickly soaring up into the sky. A Drauger, bigger than any I had ever seen, sat in orbit.

"Coward." Butcher hissed as the mist soared up to the Drauger.

And, for the first time, I questioned the mission.

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