Time Elapsed since initial signal sent, approximately 5 hours.
Assigned Crew – 86
Surviving Crew – 2
Newly arrived guests – 1
Imperial Recovery team – 10, Status: Dead
[Alert] [Alert]
Whisper Ridge Entry Tram detecting new Imperial signatures within the area. Activating normal welcoming procedure.
—————————————-
The roar of ceruleum engines blasted into the air, thunderous rumblings of the tri-powered engines of an aerial fastcraft cracked and thoomed loud as the Imperial Airship practically glided over the water, the sea spray reaching into the interior of the airship itself as the side bay doors swung open.
“We’ve got maybe ten minutes to the coordinates, Buckle down!”
Within the airship itself sat twenty good souls, good men and women, both of the Empire and not. They had their assignment and their briefing. Locate the entrance of Whisper Ridge Point, search for any possible signs of Belladonna, and if found, extract. A simple pick-up and go mission.. One could hope anyways.
Live feed reports from internal assets indicated that the facility had gone dark weeks ago, and there have been recent entries both forced and authorized. Belladonna had gone missing, and her last known recorded location was the sector they were heading for.
Whether or not this would give answers was unknown… But it was too late to turn back now.
“Three minutes! Prepare for landing! Nice and easy!”
—————————————-
Greetings, I am S-1-E-R-A, Siera. Welcome to Whisper Ridge Point’s Entry station. Would you like to visit the station? [Y/N]
“Er-… Yes.”
[Y]
Splendid! Please proceed through the terminal and to the boarding platform, the tram will depart shortly. Please, have a pleasant day!
With a large and echoing groan two large steel blast doors began to be wheeled and opened, parting the way, letting a midday sun’s light cast it’s warm rays into the whispering cold metal station. Be the large entrance, it itself looked like it could house several small gunships on the tram way. The actual scope of the facility was massive, encompassing what could’ve been miles upon miles of Allagan and Garlean tek. Within the door way now stood 17 bodies, all prepared to face whatever horrors could be waiting for them.
Dawn and Astra took the center position while the rest of the squad behind them formed a small diamond shape before stepping forward. Their rubber boots thumping lightly in the dark echoes that slowly began to illuminate themselves. Along the upper walls were glowing neon signs that indicated the station’s boarding platforms and other resources at the entry.
“Alright folks.” A husky voice called out to the group behind Dawn and Astra. “I want three teams, Michaels, Lee and Barnes? You three stay in here at the entrance, make sure we have a place to come back to alright? Stay in sight of the Airship, the boys on-board will have the ship running all night if we take longer. If it gets dark, you’ll have to hold each other’s hands.” Some of the crew let out their jeers and chuckles before separating, giving final nods and smirks to their comrades before heading back to the entry way.
“The rest of you, i want two more teams, six each. One team’ll cover the entry when we arrive and hold it down. I want nothing to sneak up on us, got it? This facility, from what we’ve been told has been dark for several weeks now. And our target is probably in there, she’s been missing for days now and this is the best lead we’ve got.”
While the leader of the band addressed the rest of the crew, Dawn and Astra walked single-file, looking around the halls before eventually arriving at the boarding platform. The tram itself was a flatbed transport. Large enough to carry supplies, ships and people, designed for heavy duty magitek lifting.
“Dawn.. do.. do you think she’s down there?”
“I don’t, Astra. But this is our best lead. Ruka managed to provide us the name and location. I don’t know if she’s down there, but She’s my sister. I have to find her.”
“We have to find her.”
It wasn’t long before the rest of the armed unit joined the two women one the platform. “Ma’am.” The leader gave a small nod and bow to them both before joining his team.
– Hello again! I am Siera, this station’s Internal A.I. I will be assisting you today on your visit as we descend down the tram way to the main facility.
– This tram ride will take approximately 3 hours and 22 minutes to complete.
– Upon arrival there will be a reception desk waiting to welcome you.
– Please enjoy the trip.
With a lurch of the platform’s gears the machinery that carried it began their long and dark plunge into the abyssal blue of the tunnel lights and into the darkness that waited below.
Dawn and Astra pressed themselves against one of the long dark corridors as the other team with them pulled off to the side as well, their rifles pointed yet no lights were on. Only the faint blue blips on their suits to indicate their positions in the black ichor of silence around them. The wet sloshing of skin and blood against metal floors sounded out as a figure that looked like Belladonna wandered around the halls, her voice grating and broken as it called out to those present.
The West Wing’s main lighting system had been shut off by Siera in an attempt to assist the would-be rescuers. Everyone’s heart pounded as the abomination shambled further and further down the hall, her voice calling out broken as it did before.
Only what could’ve been minutes before was a peaceful time. For fleeting seconds they thought their search was over, a barely clothed Belladonna stood before them behind a desk, laughing and crying as they recognized her. Unable to move from her spot they closed the distance while the rest of the team with them took positions along the room.. Their brows furrowing as several of them took to notice the truth.
Along the floor veins of flesh and blood streaked beneath the tables, leading to Belladonna. One of the other squad members called out to Astra and Dawn as they reached too close of a distance, paying the full price of the reveal. A large tooth and nail lined tendril swept across the room, knocking several of the squad down before seemingly instantly beheading the one who spoke up.
Within a flash and flurry of red and white lights, screams and cries filled the laboratory air as the would-be Belladonna split, her face and body tearing seemingly in jagged lines down the center of her body to reveal fangs and sharp tendrils to lash out to the closest person. A blur of fire and muzzle flashes thundered throughout the large room as the now turned abomination launched itself with a mangled voice over the table and onto another squad member, silencing their screams in only seconds, blood splattering and spraying along the grey and white colors.
Panicked screams flared out as Siera began to shut down the lights.
– User Guests, I would recommend fleeing room, I will do what I can to stall the unregistered life-form’s progress. Main light systems will be shut down, auxiliary and emergency lighting only.
“OUT OF THE ROOM, GO GO GO.”
“MOVE NOW, THAT’S NOT BELLADONNA, MOVE.”
“Don’t look back! It’s behind us! Go!”
“– I-it’s got my leg! I̱T̩̦̻͓̬’̴͚͍̗̳͙̝s̝̦̼͖͜ ̹̙̬̰G̱͇͙o̧̺̹̰̠͇͇t̯̗̯͇ ͏̦͈̯̟͓̱m͓̘̞̹e͏̝͖ ̱̹̩̹̖́I̠̤t͍̰’̢̫̱͇̙̮̳s̲̻͡ ̵͎̱̻͎G̭̞̜͉̼̯ͅah͍̣̭̣̤͈̼A͔̖̪̳̭̯AA̲͚H̶͙̝̬̟H̯̳͠H̸!̻̝̱͉͕!!̹͙͟"̜
"Leave him, we can’t save him! Through here!”
“Siera!!! Which way!?”
– A left at the intersection, then down the corridor and make another right turn.
– Right turn here.
– Down this corridor.
– [Warning] [Warning] Subject within the vicinity, recommendation; Hide.
As the bloodied doppelganger began to be lured down the hall by metal steps and flashing blue, the remaining squad, Dawn and Astra began to tred down the other end, escaping the abomination’s bloodied claws…
“What the FUCK was THAT?!”
“I.. I-i.. T-that.. I-it had her face! Dawn it HAD HER FACE!”
“I know. I KNOW. That.. that couldn’t have been her.”
“There’s no way.”
“That couldn’t have been!”
– That is correct.
– Subject Belladonna is perfectly safe.
– She is currently within Subject holding block 334.
“T-take us there..”
– Very well.
– It is worthy of note that the previous Imperial recovery team had the same destination, unfortunately… They did not survive.
“… That was all the shite we saw at the Entry hall.. w-wasn’t it?”
– That is correct.
– Please, proceed down the hall and follow the illuminated passage lights.
– Subject E has left the West Wing.
—————————————-
“… Clear.”
“Left’s clear.”
“Right’s clean.”
“Open the door.”
With the hissing and exhale of white air the compression locks of the metal doors released, sliding open for the team to step into the room. The room itself was empty, yet.. large. The walls lined with Blue hollow tubes, each had a bubbling blue liquid within and what looked to be a respirator mask connected to several tubes stretching from the top of the glass casing.
“Siera, where is she?”
– She is in stasis tube 23-C, indicating.. Now.
“There.”
“There she is!”
“Bella!”
Fleeting steps, boots one after the other came rushing down the large room before stopping. “H.. h-how do you get her out?”
– Would you like to release Subject Belladonna?
“We came all this way.. Yes.”
“Release her, please.”
“S..she looks.. different.. Are we sure this is her?”
– There is no mistake, this is Subject and User Belladonna.
“Why… why is she so.. different?”
Within the glass tube, Belladonna remained suspended, seemingly frozen in the swirls of crimson and blue. Her body was shorter, decorated in scars.. more than it could ever be. Splodges of discolored skin decorated her body, her skin seemed to “cling” to the musculature of the woman, outlining every muscle and bone in her body. Along the now visible vertebrae of her spine, it could be seen that the bones themselves extended outward, much akin stegosaurus spines, acting as a physical protection from behind. She was.. smaller, very much smaller.
– Subject Belladonna underwent genetic mutation and change as she was introduced to Ω¹⁷. As shown, her body was not prepared for injection and as such resulted in undocumented outcomes. While she did survive, her body suffered side-effects and has been untested.
– Her body, according to projections show promising outcomes. Though only simulations of her statistics have been ran. It is also important to note, her heart while having gone through change itself shows to be suffering from side-effects. While her main host can endure the stress and additions to the body, her heart may not. It is recommended that she receives a replacement before issued out to the field.
“I.. I see.”
– Would you still like to release Subject Belladonna?
“Yes.. release her from containment.. Let’s get her out of here.”
– Very well. Initiating release of Subject Belladonna in stasis tube 23-C
Machines within the walls began to stir, the gears turning and compression locks hissing, white puffs of air shot out from beneath the stasis tube as the blue hued cylindar lowered itself to the ground. The remaining squad prepared as the swirls of blue and red liquid began to drain into separate tubes, leading elsewhere and out of sight. The glass case began to open outward, the seemingly broken woman slid out of the glass tube and into Dawn and Astra’s arms with a light thump.
“Let’s get you out of here, sis.” “We.. we are glad to have you back.”
More time passed as the highlander’s heart continued it’s valiant struggle to maintain the woman’s composure, at her side, holding her by an arm in a gentle nature was Drone 334-B. It had a humanoid frame, but resembled much of the ancient Allag’s clockwork drones within Azys Lla, yet this one was more controlled, more… careful. Shaking legs stumbled every few steps, causing the highlander to cry out in pain, yet despite the concerned blips and beeps from the drone, they pressed on. Belladonna clenching her teeth as her already weak legs strained to keep up.
She needed her medication..
– User Belladonna, your vital signs are below optimal performance, are you sure you do not wish to rest?
"Keep.. Keep fuckin’ goin’.. Lead me to Omega Seventeen..”
“That damn beast is still in these halls.. and I-’m pretty sure it can hear us..”
– Very well, you are nearing your destination. Three doors forward on the right.
“Thank you, Siera.”
– It is my duty to serve. But as I have the floor, may i ask your true intentions are for the Omega 17 strain?
“..I.”
The highlander, limped alongside the clockwork drone, having them open the door and guide her inward. The room itself was an entire laboratory, much akin to the one located at the main entrance, only notable differences at first were large vats and tubes that sat on both ends of the room, their contents were what looked to be oxygen masks linked to the top of the tube. They were empty aside from this. On the center set of tables and other bio-tek machinery were two vials of swirling blues and reds. Beneath the vials were clear labels; “Omega Series 17 Serum.”
“I want to use them..”
– User Belladonna, it is highly advised that you do not use these serums. According to vital signs and comparisons to other successful subjects, you, your body does not meet recommended statistical averages.
– You have a 65% chance of dying upon injection, User Belladonna.
“And.. If i don’t..? If i don’t die right out..?”
– You will undergo various genetic changes.
– it will be painful.
– Extremely painful.
“Sounds like just.. another day in the park.. if you ask me.”
– Your genetic makeup will change, and you may undergo severe or drastic changes in your body, User Belladonna. Should you survive, i am required by protocol to contact scientific authorities on main host Illsabard.
“I read the possible side effects and the primary ones too.. The risk is.. worth the reward, Siera.. If you knew what I… What -we- went through up there…”
“You do what you need to.. I will as well..”
Belladonna staggered forward, as she reached the table, the clockwork drone letting out a low hum as it reacted, helping the woman up. Her health was rapidly declining. It wouldn’t be long now before her body began to shut down. And she knew it, this trip.. this trip would be a one way only. There was only a way to get in, not out. And she had accepted every risk to get here. Her provided supplies had gone dry, the chase through the tunnel only seemed to worsen her condition, and expedite the shutdown of her body.
Shaking hands, assisted and guided by the drone’s own of steel did their best to assemble an injection suite, the vials were now swirling faster, as if reacting to the new touch, the new heat that went against the chill air. Slowly but surely the syringes were prepped by both flesh and metal hands, the shades of blue and red began to separate through two tubes, connecting into several needles, a machine began to spool itself up as the drone primed the machine’s calculations to adjust dosage rates and anesthetic involvement.
From out in the hall, there was another shrill cry of the abomination that remained in the facility. It’s voice was that of several mutated and mangled souls, forced together with the bindings of the dark. Their voices cried out for blood as unintelligible grunts, murmurs and cries filled the air.
Across the door way several other clockwork drones rushed past and down the way they came. Their steel steps hurriedly down the halls and empty corridors began to fade into the distance. The door to the hallway slammed shut, hissing as it’s compression locks exhaled white air.
– Minor precaution.
On the table beside Belladonna and the Drone were the hyur’s belongings, she sat in the machine’s belly as it had opened, providing a place for her to remain, her eyes growing tired. Amethyst hues gazed to the table, her left hand reaching out to view her things while her right arm placed itself onto the injection suite.
In her hand were only several small pocket photographs and a feather… Looking them over revealed to be the faces of the Network, laughing and smiling, drinking to their heart’s content. A bonfire night for them to come together and celebrate before the dawn of war reached them the following day. Her eyes came to focus on some select faces now as the machine whirred it’s internal engine. Drone 334-B indicated it would only be a few minutes now.
Her eyes came to focus on Astra.. Then to Enambris, Crion, Marian, Olivia.. Dawn, Ruka, Ibakha, then Lydia. There were so many smiling faces in the photograph.. all the new faces the Network had acquired over the past few moons. A gentle smile came to her lips as her heart began to pick up it’s pace once more, knowing her time may be very well ending.
"Sorry I couldn’t do more for you guys… I’ve just been… So weak. So useless compared to what you all could do.”
“Mm’sorry I broke your heart Astra…”
“Sorry I haven’t been the best sister to you Dawn.. Only knew about our little family connection just for a little bit.. H-heh..”
Her fingers flipped to a picture of her and Dawn doing power poses for their mother, a small laugh as she put it aside as well. The next few photos were of her blood family, it was so great to see them… all together one last time. Finally she looked to the feather in hand, her heart seemed to strain itself as she looked it over, gripping it tightly for some small few seconds before setting it down.
“Sorry I couldn’t fight for you, Sari.. I didn’t even get to meet your parents.. How shitty..”
It didn’t take long for her to realize that the Drone was simply.. watching her. It’s box head tilted as if curious of what she was muttering and crying about. A low and weak chuckle from her before she set her photographs and feather down.
– User Belladonna, injection sequence is ready to begin.
“.. then let’s keep it rollin’.” Her voice shuddered as she adjusted herself.. deep breath after deep breath.
“For better or for worse..”
“I’m here.”
“Begin the process..”
– Beginning in 3
– 2
– 1
[[Part 2 Under the Cut]]
———————————————————————-
The whir and hiss of machinery echoed into the laboratory’s air as the sting of sharpened needles pressed into the highlander’s skin. The blue and red liquids combined to form a swirling purple as it began to course through her veins. The serum could be seen trudging through her entire body as her heart began to adjust and pump the rest of the dose into her bloodstream.
Belladonna let out a low hiss as she felt the sting of metal pierce into her skin, the surge of new liquid into her body caused her to jerk her head, with a growl. Her breathing began to quicken as she felt it like a some large wave rush through. Pain hit her from within as she began to thrash, clenching her teeth, grasping at the metal seat as her legs kick and buckle.
The assistant drone let out a low hum as it watched his subject react violently to the serum. Vital scans showed every reading it had come out wrong as he scanned her once more. The hyur let out a pained yell as her body started to fully react to the toxin that now began to eat away at her genetic makeup. Right arm began to spasm, tearing the skin still attached to the machine as the rest of her body jerked and recoiled to the now internal burn she was feeling. The heat of a thousand thousand suns ate away at her insides, not even the fires Enambris could conjure up would dare to match the pain.
The air began to fill with her screams as her heart pounded in her chest, the searing pain that clawed at her very fiber ate away at her, making it feel as though her heart was going to burst. As she jerked her body around more and more the machine reacted following protocol, it released the highlander, letting her be lifted if only slightly by the drone before letting go. Belladonna fell to the floor with a spastic -thud- as she screamed out in agony, her voice going more hoarse with each passing second.
Veins began to expand and trail across every part of her, her eyes going red as she clawed at herself, the drone and Siera could do nothing but observe the reaction. A red blip of light could be seen on the security camera in the corner, indicating it was recording and sending it to some off-site official..
Belladonna’s body began to convulse violently along the floor as she forced her eyes shut, her hands clenched while trying to rip away at her own flesh, almost succeeding. Tears began to form along her skin, leaking spurts of blood, letting it splatter across the shades of grays and blues of the laboratory. Eventually the pain surged to her spine, causing the woman to arch herself, her cries of pain became unintelligible blathering as she cried and pleaded for it to stop. But nothing stopped.
Along her arching spine, the skin began to tear itself as much as it did when she began to claw at herself, excess bone began to form along each vertebrae, from the base of her neck down to her lower back. Small ridges of bloodied white began to poke out from her sun-baked skin. Tears of blood and agony streamed down her face and body as she began to see her life come in flashes before her.
“MAKE IT STOP, SIERA.. PLEASE..”
“MAKE THE PAIN STOP.. I-I-I CAN’T”
– I am sorry, User Belladonna… But I cannot do that.
Belladonna’s please for salvation were met with nothing as she continued to thrash along the floor, blood began to pool beneath her as she stained her underclothes nigh near permanently with crimson tears. Internally, the hyur’s body began to shrivel, piece by agonizing piece. Swirls of aetherial ice flicked along her blood stream as her body’s temperature began to lower acting in self-defense of the dying host. Her heart pounding like a bass drum thumped over and over, pumping purple before ultimately being cutshort… Stopping entirely.
The hyur’s body grew still, The drone tilting it’s head as it observed the woman’s vitals.. almost flat-lining. 334-B chirped and beeped gently as it turned to a large equipment case, revealing a Medium sized black and bronze tinted coat. On the collar of the fabric it read out: "OMEGA 17 SUBJECT PROTECTION UNIT”
As the drone began to lean down to address the still woman, Belladonna’s body lurched again, her screams continued once more as if nothing had happened. The woman clung to life with everything she had, her voice hoarse and haggard like a bloodied newborn. The shifting and reforming of bone and muscle could be heard with the groans of joints and the cracking of marrow. Within Bell her body was undergoing reformation to the extreme degrees… Her limbs began to short, yet her bones condensed and hardened. Her muscles layered over and over, capable of stress testing abominations like a colossus or bigger…
Yet her heart.. Her heart remained fragile… Ever weak and fluttering.
The highlander attempted to move, only resulting in violent vomiting of red and green from her body. The foul liquids expelled and splattered onto the slick white and red floor. Reduced to gutted sobs, Belladonna tried to reach for her scattered pictures, her vision blurring as her body attempted to adjust to everything that had taken place… The strain proving finally enough as Belladonna grew limp once more, her state going into light comatose as she passes out from the exertion.
Drone 334-B gave an acknowledging hum and chirp as it began to apply and seal the body to the coat, screws and clasps shutting tight. The suit began to glow blue from several blips on the body now… It began to activate, Bella’s vitals showing on her left shoulder… Shades of Oranges and yellows, as opposed to the wanted greens..
– Documented.
– Time stamp, elapsed time – 4 hours since injection.
– User Belladonna, I recommend you hurry to reach your destination. Subjects A and B have reached West Wing’s Entry hall.
– You are currently 100 meters away from your destination. Please continue down the highlighted corridors, i will continue to attempt to route the Subjects away from your location.
The air was sickly quiet as it hung still. The only other noises were the occasional shifting of the ventilation fans or a distant machine whirring back to life by some of the routine drones now on patrol. The metallic echo of steel steps rang out as they patrolled through the more concerning halls where the beasts were located.
On occasion the creatures would cry out in their mangled voices, whether it be from pain or a scent, regardless of what Siera could pick up, Belladonna could only hear the whispers in her ear. Their voices crawling up the back of her spine, the chill of an ever-cold grasp, trying to hold onto what was left of the living…
The whispers were all in her ear, her heart racing once more, barely able to keep pace with her fears. Every step down a corridor garnered her to stare back into the halls behind her, watching for movement, letting seconds turn to possible minutes before moving once again. Further and further she stepped, the more she grew to fear the darkness around her. Every step seemed to amplify in the metal and empty halls, her own breath was at a startling pace.
————————————————-
– User Belladonna, it is advised you take the next door, and remain hidden.
Without even a moment passing the door before her slid open, its compression hissing white puffs of air into the frame. Within the small room was a large wooden desk, several chairs and crates off against the wall. It was a personal office, it hadn’t seen use in weeks and that meant good things.
Breaking into a hurried yet hushed dash, the highlander slid beneath the desk, caking care to tuck her frame behind the shadow of the table. Her hands gripping her coat and scabbard as sweat dribbled down her face. She read the reports.. she wouldn’t be able to fight.. No matter how much she wanted to… There was little to be had here.
From outside in the hall, metallic footsteps followed by the thumping and crunch of misplaced and deformed bones could be heard. One of the two beasts in the West Wing was tailing a humanoid machine.. No doubt controlled by Siera. Across the open air from the left there approached the machine, its torso pointed in reverse, a blinking blue light flickered on one of it’s fingers. The beast that followed seemed enamored by the blinking wonder.
There was a shuffle as Bell’s boot slipped from a tensed position to go across the floor. Belladonna cringed, as she clutched herself, the beast turning it’s nigh near thousand eyes toward the small private office. It’s voice gurgled as the abomination gave out a curious cry. Tendrils flicked into the air around it, as if tasting, sampling the salt laden air. Thousand upon thousand eyes blinked, never in unison as it gazed. Claws outstretched into the space around and before it idly as if it were simply just muscle spasms from the collective heads it carried within it’s supposed bosom. Tears began to slip from the brim of her eyes as she fought herself not to breakdown.
The seconds ticked by as second set of machine steps could be heard. A low zap followed after, causing the creature to rear it’s head back forward. Only to become entranced by the flickering blue light once more. And with that, the monstrosity lumbered on forward once more, being escorted away by the first machine.. Their footsteps fading out into the distance, cut off by a door’s compression hissing and slamming shut.
– Subject B has been escorted away from West wing. Subject A has been routed to the opposite end of the Wing. User Belladonna, it is recommended you are escorted by Clockwork drone 334-B. This drone will walk with you and assist you, should you fall.
– I have taken the liberty to scan your person for vital registry and tracking. Please, proceed with caution.
————————————————-
As the moments turned to seconds and second to minutes, the halls became more barren, more empty. The echoing of boot and steel side by side was all that rang out.. Weak breaths for air were met and overcome by the cries of the blood beast that remained within the hallways somewhere in the West Wing.
The shuffling and trundling of the abomination would on occasion seem to grow closer and closer. As they reached a cross section, on one far end of one of the halls stood the abomination… Laying still, waiting. A concerned blip from the Drone halted both itself and Belladonna as it cast it’s gaze toward the beast’s direction. It hadn’t noticed them yet.
It’s voice morphed and changed actively as it spoke out the words, one at a time.. each word spoken by a different tone, a different person… It was clear that more than one person made up that abomination but now it was confirmed. The beast let out a low chirp, it sounded like a child’s giggle in the dark end of the hall way. It’s breath haggard and heavy as it called out again.
After only silence in the dim and dank halls did the beast lurched itself right, down another corridor and further away from the Drone and Hyur. There was another set of shuffling some few seconds after. A duo set of other Drones came from the left end of the hall, to follow the abomination as it lumbered away.
– Greetings User Belladonna, This is S-1-E-R-A, Siera pinging you through local intercom system within the facility. You are coming up to West Wing Entrance, it has been 56 minutes and 34 seconds since you departed from the main entry hall. The West wing has been reinstated and is now functioning at a stark 86% efficiency.
– While the rest of the facility is still deactivated, it is worth of note that the demons of the [VOID] are located north of the West wing. All registered life-signs in that quadrant are offline. [ELIZABETH] and her horde have infected 100% of the detained demons, their transponders have been rendered offline.
– You are now currently three minutes away from the West Wing Entry, it is strongly advised you make no stops on your way to the blast door.
“And why is that?”
– There are currently four other lifeforms in the entry hall, excluding yours. They do not register as any of the surviving crew members.
“.. That’s fair.”
– Please proceed with haste. They have now been made aware of your location and are closing in on your position. The door is open, I do not have power to close the entry way. You will have to do this yourself.
—————————————————-
Within the dark and dim shades of red lights behind her, the heavy breaths of mutated flesh abominations could be heard as the four monsters set their bloodied sights on the lone woman. Her own pace picking up as her eyes widened upon seeing that the abominations carried deformed faces of the crew, their expressions agape, stuck in their last screams of agony. Their forced collective voices called out for their new would be victim.
Their claws, their mandibles, their tenticals all lashing out closer and closer as their distances closed. Bell broke into a sprint as she saw the lights of the entry way in-front of her, but from behind she could hear the voices of the damned, coherent and clear as the ardent black whispers reached her..
The highlander’s heart pounded as it jumped and lurched in her chest, the ground shuddered beneath the weight of all the monstrosities calling and reaching out to her.
– User Belladonna, locking pad is on the left side of the door from within the west wing. It is ready.
Amidst her flurry of vision her mind seemed to focus on the gentle nurturing voice of Siera through the intercom, leaping forward, the highlander bound off the few steps up to the door way. On the floor were puddles, her boots slipped upon contact, splashes of red painted the woman’s clothes as she slid further into the open door way. Not too far behind her were the now colorful beasts of death. Their hundred eyes blinking, their mouths agape with teeth chomping on air, claws and hands grasping forward.
With a panicked scream the air grew silent as the doors slammed shut, the compression locks hissing as they stilled and sealed themselves…
– Entry hall, sealed. Elizabeth Horde, routed. User Belladonna, Welcome to the West Wing.
With haggard breath, cold and tiring sweat seeped down the sides of her face. Her heart struggling to keep pace with the adrenaline that coursed through her body. Bell’s figure was shuddering as she turned to face the rest of the room, her back against the wall while she listened for noise..
The only other things in the air were the fading communications from her linkpearl to the outside world and her quivering breath.
Before her the rest of the West Wing began to illuminate, the ceiling lights primed themselves, a low hum of neon blue filled the air as the room came into view. A large room, that could pass for a facility in it’s own entirety. Pillars stretched from one side to the other, white and gentle blue flood lights casting their reach across the entire floor. A standardized laboratory, complete with testing tubes and chambers in it’s entirety. Vials of swirling green and blue liquids lined several of the tables, their designations faded or scratched out. Several.. things dotted the floor, at first glance they were just rubble, but closer inspection revealed them to be bodies of the dead, cold and untouched. Their expressions laid blank and bare.
As if Siera had been tracking Belladonna’s stare, she chimed in, describing each function of the devices she cast her gaze to, eventually standing to look at the machines and tables herself.
– User Belladonna, after consideration of your previous inquiry, Omega 17 series serum is located further down in the West wing. It is important to note that due to the incursion of Elizabeth and her infection of the crew, much if not all of the available doses of Series 17 have been destroyed, in attempt to fulfill the [OMEGA] Security protocol.
– The staff designated to carry out this task perished within this very wing. I have detected traces of untouched or otherwise undamaged doses. Please follow the blinking floor lights to their destination.
With a gentle nod, Belladonna began to take slow and painful steps throughout the wing. Her eyes glancing over the broken machines, their equipment stained in red. And as before, Siera would give an explaination to what she saw..
"Just like a museum tour.. except there’s no end.”
-Thump-
-Thump-
-THUMP-
– [Warning] [Warning] North end of West Wing has detected a breach. Two unidentified lifeforms detected. User Belladonna, it is highly recommended in your current state to avoid these lifeforms at all costs. I will begin to deploy security drones to distract and lure subjects A and B away from your location as you proceed through the Wing to your destination.
—————————————————-
– User Belladonna, please proceed with caution.
“You’re not the two I’ve been looking for.. my sweet..”
Blackwall was created as an offshoot of the “Superior Soldier” Programme created in light of Project: Loyalty and Operation: Pandora. Blackwall was the seventeenth variation of the Primary Series [Omega] Steroid. The serum was meant to empower and develop a Soldiers of the Empire specifically designed to combat the Demonic presence that is the [VOID] and all things supernatural.
Serum Series Blackwall was restricted to non-essential bodies of the Empire. Those willing were recruited, POW’s were also recruited. Non-purebloods were the primary subjects for such series testing.
It has been noted that Series Seventeen has obtained and remained at a steady 77% mortality rate. All successful subjects to Blackwall have proven optimal combatants against their pre-determined enemy. Field testing has also resulted in a near 90% fatality rate. Creatures of Majestic class and higher have been such causes of such results.
Following results, the creators of Series Seventeen deemed it necessary to limit its distribution and keep it’s testing and development strictly to Whisper Ridge Point.
For more information, please read provided stock files while on your way to the west wing.
((credit to @bad-sector for gif origin [hopefully loads] ))
————————————
Greetings! I am S-1-E-R-A. You may call me, Siera. I am a re-purposed Allagan Node AI.
I have been assigned to Whisper ridge Point, I function merely as an Observation and Monitoring service for the staff here. As indicated in my programming, I am here to serve.
Whisper ridge Point is currently… 467 Malms below the surface of the “Siren Song Sea”.
Whisper ridge Point houses the Research Center for Demonology. (The Study of Demons, or in proper terms; Void)
This facility was originally designed by the Allagan Empire 5000 years ago, today. It was found and re-purposed by the Garlean Empire approximately 15 years ago, today.
Assigned Crew – 86
Surviving Crew – 3
Newly arrived Guests – 1
[Stop.]
“What the fuuuuuck…..”
Stopping.
Is there something wrong, User?
[Death of Crew.]
Ahh, yes. The death of 96% of active service crew members was not intentional. A foreign entity designated as:
[̨̩̰̞ͅ ̛̯E̵͉͎̳̘̪̜ ̨̫̭͔L̺̟̕ ̧̝̜Ḭ̵͇̹̹̤̗ ̤̣̰̲ͅZ҉̳͖̫ͅ ̮̣̻̖͝A͝ ̱̘̫̟̀ͅB̝̼̤ͅ ̛͖̲E̳ ̮̱̠̭͝T͙̫̙̼̀ ̡̰̼̱̠͙̤̝H̼̜͈͙̩ ͓͕͕͉̣̯̮]͈̠̻̜̙̪̫ ̮͇̟̤̭̬͜breached the facility approximately 24 days ago and began infecting the staff. Over the course of the past weeks, those surviving began to try and eliminate those affected by the foreign entity with mixed results.
Physical contact seemed to hasten infection and it did not take long before those affected would become as one with invading organism.
Fire and Ceruleum proved to be an effective deterrent against those infected, until however the supplies of obtainable ceruleum quickly diminished. As a result, more than 60% of the facility is destroyed.
Traditional Firearms and weapons have also proven to be forms of deterrent against
It has also been noted by surviving crew that the invading body has also established a [NEST] in the lower levels of the facility. The captive creatures from the [VOID] have been released from their cells as well. Safety protocol [OMEGA] has been initiated in response to containment breach. All quadrants deemed unnecessary for [CORE] functionality have been disabled.
The remaining crew have deemed that this facility be purged of all living entities within its halls, unfortunately they have found no success in doing so. Their current hold of the cafeteria has been besieged by the native horde for several days.
[Deactivated quadrants, designated purpose]
The quadrants not necessary for [CORE] functionality were designed and used to house experiments and creatures known as demons from the [VOID]
Alternatively, this facility was also redesigned with a secondary purpose to [INTEGRATE] Subjects of the Empire with Ω¹⁷.
Ω¹⁷ is registered as a serum or toxin to genetically alter subjects of the Empire to tailor them to be more able to combat demons housed within and those that exist outside of this facility. This project is more widely known as Operation: Pandora.
“… Huh.”
Ω¹⁷ or Omega Series 17 is a loving olive branch to its original sister; Omega.
[Omega Series]
Omega series serums were originally designed as tools for Project: Loyalty.
Ω¹⁷ is the seventeenth series of this original strain and was more associated with Operation: Pandora and Whisper Ridge Point.
“..Fancy. Seems seeing how far the rabbit hole goes did pan out.. And me sitting on a fuckin’ underwater tram meant something. Shit.”
[Omega Series 17, still in use]
Ω¹⁷ is still in use today, more solely for Pandora on main host Ilsabard, but Whisper Ridge Point is currently still the only facility to manufacture this series.
Unfortunately, with the most recent incursion from
[̨̩̰̞ͅ ̛̯E̵͉͎̳̘̪̜ ̨̫̭͔L̺̟̕ ̧̝̜Ḭ̵͇̹̹̤̗ ̤̣̰̲ͅZ҉̳͖̫ͅ ̮̣̻̖͝A͝ ̱̘̫̟̀ͅB̝̼̤ͅ ̛͖̲E̳ ̮̱̠̭͝T͙̫̙̼̀ ̡̰̼̱̠͙̤̝H̼̜͈͙̩ ͓͕͕͉̣̯̮]͈̠̻̜̙̪̫ ̮͇̟̤͜ most of this facilities crew has been confirmed dead. While three other persons remain alive, it is highly improbable that reaching them to any capacity will be possible.
“Of course.. Fuck you, Elizabeth.”
“.. Alright alright.. come on Bella.. We didn’t come the fuck down here for nothing..”
[Series 17, location.]
Ω¹⁷ is housed in the west branch of this facility. From this data node it is expected to be a thirty minute transfer by Tram, 60 minute transfer by foot.
Would you like to visit this location user Belladonna?
[Yes, reactivate quadrant]
[I have needs]
Very well. West Wing will be reactivated. Simply head through the door behind this node and you shall arrive within the hour. Unfortunately, facility wide Tram service is rendered inoperable and several of the tunnels have collapsed.
“Looked like a shit-fest on the way in..”
I shall await your interaction at West Wing, user Belladonna.
Signing Off.
“Looks like I’ll be staying here a bit longer than expected, doves..”
———————————————-
Belladonna looks back to the incline of the underwater railway behind her, the illuminating blue of the glass that viewed the ocean outside gave the room a cool feeling in the air. With a slow sigh, she turned back to the door, it’s metal frames decompressing and allowing the steel doors to slide open at a snail’s pace. Hand gripping her scabbard she squinted at the shades of dim red and bubbling blue ahead of her..
Belladonna roared from her bloodied core. Her green armor seemingly stained red as crimson leaked from every joint on her. Her body screaming for itself to stop as her bones and muscles betrayed one another. Everything hurt, and yet everything made sense. Her world seemed to bring itself to a halt, the air was still.. yet those around her remained in motion, the song of ringing steel, the shrill scream of magic… Ana D’mira’s cries of pain.
Refreshing her grip on the blade, her thumb flipped a small switch beneath her sword’s guard, then shifted to flip a similar one on her scabbard. With a flash of shimmering light, the katana’s edge became enveloped with a pulsing silver as a low hum came from the blade itself, the aether-focus transfixed within the inner machinations activated, empowering the weapon.
Slashing forward once, Belladonna leaped to the side, using her other hand to discharge the fire-arm in hand over and over and over until the chamber was empty of everything but a smoking barrel. She had made sure that every bullet found it’s home within the Tyrant.. The Drowned Queen.
“Every bullet as your name on it, and I intend to make sure they all find you, every -single- one.”
“Fuck you Ana, you ruined everything I had.. Every-single-thing I had before you.. You took away from me, you ruined everything.. Everything.”
“I’m going to make sure that every bullet, every sword, every bit of magic here finds and makes you feel the pain. The pain that I felt when you took away my life, when you took away my happiness, my marriage, my EVERYTHING.”
“i’M GOING MAKE SURE YOU FEEL THE PAIN THAT YOU’VE CAUSED NOT JUST TO ME, BUT TO EVERYONE. EVERY SINGLE PERSON.”
————————————————————————————–
“We won..”
“I can smile now..”
“But hells I know it’s far from over… It’s always far from over…”
“But looks like that feather you gave me, my dove.. Looks like it helped.”
A wise man said… Only fools rush in.. But I can’t help falling in love with you Can i please stay? Would it truly… be a sin? If I can’t help falling in love with you?
Like a river flows Surely to the sea Darling, so it goes Some things are meant to be P-please.. take my hand… Take my whole life, too For I can’t help falling in love with you…
