Aeterna | Spera
Midnight
BGM: Legend of Dragoon OST - Ruined Celes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtI8aad8BRU
A lone figure stood atop a small hill outside of the small town of Spera, a lit cherry the only thing illuminating his gruff face. He observed the town briefly before speaking.
"Such a nice little town..." he said in a deep voice, gruff as his appearance, "Why am I the one that has to burn this place to the ground? Couldn't Tyruss have gotten Malus or Tenebrae to do this?"
The man removed the cigar from his mouth for a moment before pressing it to his lips once more and sucking in a great deal of smoke. The cherry on the end blazed a little bit brighter before dimming down again. He removed the cigar once more and let out a heavy sigh, the smoke escaping from its prison with ease. He turned around and observed his regiment camped out in the small valley below. Three thousand troops were prepared to raid this small town all to hunt a small group of rebels that had been giving their supply caravans problems.
"In fact, I don't quite get why Tyruss got rid of all of the more technologically advanced stuff in the HiveNET in the first place. Wouldn't it be easier to oppress and control if we had firearms?"
"Well then, it would be easier for them to fight back, wouldn't it?" Said a voice from behind the man, slightly higher than his.
"Malus, why are you just now showing up?" the man said.
"I'm not. Two of the elite guard are using their light and sound magic to project me here. You should know how I operate by now, Vohr." Malus said.
"Yeah, I suppose so... Don't like getting your hands dirty," Vohr said mockingly, "You'd rather operate from the safety of Regius. Is that why I'm here and you and Tenebrae aren't?"
"I don't want to hear it, Vohr. You were ordered out here and Tenebrae is tending to other matters."
"So of course, you two in your infinite laziness, send me to do it.. Is this really necessary? Can't we set up a trap or something for them?" Vohr asked.
Among Tyruss' three generals, he was the most anti-violence. Or rather... he loved violence, but would prefer to keep innocent people out of it. It was bad enough that everyone who got trapped inside of the HiveNET was effectively a vegetable in reality now. The hospitals must have been chock-full. Really, this hijack was a cruel thing indeed. Those who died in the HiveNET remained alive and aware, but physically unable to wake up. Some people died in the real world during the first few days, but remained trapped anyway due to their consciousness being uploaded to the HiveNET. Living here wasn't that bad, but dying here was a fate worse than actual death now. Before you'd just wake back up. Now you sit in a pit of darkness for eternity.
"Tyruss refuses to appear weak. If there is rebellion, it is crushed, not trapped. Smash Spera, Kill Bellator, Spare none of his Rebels." Malus reiterated.
"Whatever..." Vohr said as the image of Malus faded from view.
He looked down at his regiment once more. They had been reduced to using medieval siege weaponry thanks to Tyruss's changes. Because MODERN ARTILLERY WAS TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR.
"Looks like they're all set up." Vohr groaned and sharply inhaled.
"READY!"
The soldiers went from casually strolling about to readying themselves on horses and equipping their weapons and whatnot. It looked like Vohr had just kicked a Hornets' Nest... or maybe knocked over an anthill.
"READY!!"
The troops organized themselves, the cavalry and infantry riding and running up to him, lining up with him. The artillery in the back remained. Vohr raised his left hand, right in pocket, and snapped his fingers. A flame sparked outward and upward, spreading and growing in the air when it reached a certain height, creating a vertical curtain of flame. Thousands of shadows were cast on the valley below, an eerie sight, indeed. Vohr reached up to his cigar with his right hand, removed it from his mouth once more before throwing it on the ground and smashing it with his foot. His arm came down with it, in a long, downward sweep directed at Spera.
"ATTACK!!!"
Immediately following his cry, the catapults fired simultaneously. 15 stones were thrown into the air, through the curtain, and directly at Spera. As the now flaming rocks smashed through homes, they lit the town ablaze. Not far behind were the infantry and torch-carrying cavalry. As they entered the town, they immediately set everything they could on fire. Spera became a sea of flame, the inhabitants crying out in fear or pain. Though... it was not actual pain. What existed of their minds told them that they were experiencing pain, though, so they felt it despite having no nerves in this virtual space. The raid went on for 15 minutes before there was an explosion in the middle of the town. Vohr ordered a runner to find out what the issue was, but noticed a horse already leaving the city, rider on back.
"Sir... it's Bellator. He's engaged our forces in the town square."
"Dammit, soldier, your orders are to KILL. ALL. REBELS. I don't care if it's Viriun or Goddamn Santa Clause. You kill it, you hear me?" Vohr snapped
"That's the thing, though, sir... there were so few in the town who fought back. Most of the citizens are all hiding away in the catacombs or something. They have a defensive force protecting the refugees underground but.. What we're fighting on the surface... We're beginning to believe that Viriun makes up the Speran Rebels. A proper fighting force barely exists in that place!"
"You're telling me that one man has enough power to fight off all of you?" asked a surprised Vohr.
"Well... I don't know about power, but.... he's fast. Too fast."
"Dammit, I knew Malus should have done this instead. Speed is his thing." Vohr groaned. "Do whatever you have to do. I want Viriun dead."
"Yessir."
Midnight
BGM: Legend of Dragoon OST - Ruined Celes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtI8aad8BRU
A lone figure stood atop a small hill outside of the small town of Spera, a lit cherry the only thing illuminating his gruff face. He observed the town briefly before speaking.
"Such a nice little town..." he said in a deep voice, gruff as his appearance, "Why am I the one that has to burn this place to the ground? Couldn't Tyruss have gotten Malus or Tenebrae to do this?"
The man removed the cigar from his mouth for a moment before pressing it to his lips once more and sucking in a great deal of smoke. The cherry on the end blazed a little bit brighter before dimming down again. He removed the cigar once more and let out a heavy sigh, the smoke escaping from its prison with ease. He turned around and observed his regiment camped out in the small valley below. Three thousand troops were prepared to raid this small town all to hunt a small group of rebels that had been giving their supply caravans problems.
"In fact, I don't quite get why Tyruss got rid of all of the more technologically advanced stuff in the HiveNET in the first place. Wouldn't it be easier to oppress and control if we had firearms?"
"Well then, it would be easier for them to fight back, wouldn't it?" Said a voice from behind the man, slightly higher than his.
"Malus, why are you just now showing up?" the man said.
"I'm not. Two of the elite guard are using their light and sound magic to project me here. You should know how I operate by now, Vohr." Malus said.
"Yeah, I suppose so... Don't like getting your hands dirty," Vohr said mockingly, "You'd rather operate from the safety of Regius. Is that why I'm here and you and Tenebrae aren't?"
"I don't want to hear it, Vohr. You were ordered out here and Tenebrae is tending to other matters."
"So of course, you two in your infinite laziness, send me to do it.. Is this really necessary? Can't we set up a trap or something for them?" Vohr asked.
Among Tyruss' three generals, he was the most anti-violence. Or rather... he loved violence, but would prefer to keep innocent people out of it. It was bad enough that everyone who got trapped inside of the HiveNET was effectively a vegetable in reality now. The hospitals must have been chock-full. Really, this hijack was a cruel thing indeed. Those who died in the HiveNET remained alive and aware, but physically unable to wake up. Some people died in the real world during the first few days, but remained trapped anyway due to their consciousness being uploaded to the HiveNET. Living here wasn't that bad, but dying here was a fate worse than actual death now. Before you'd just wake back up. Now you sit in a pit of darkness for eternity.
"Tyruss refuses to appear weak. If there is rebellion, it is crushed, not trapped. Smash Spera, Kill Bellator, Spare none of his Rebels." Malus reiterated.
"Whatever..." Vohr said as the image of Malus faded from view.
He looked down at his regiment once more. They had been reduced to using medieval siege weaponry thanks to Tyruss's changes. Because MODERN ARTILLERY WAS TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR.
"Looks like they're all set up." Vohr groaned and sharply inhaled.
"READY!"
The soldiers went from casually strolling about to readying themselves on horses and equipping their weapons and whatnot. It looked like Vohr had just kicked a Hornets' Nest... or maybe knocked over an anthill.
"READY!!"
The troops organized themselves, the cavalry and infantry riding and running up to him, lining up with him. The artillery in the back remained. Vohr raised his left hand, right in pocket, and snapped his fingers. A flame sparked outward and upward, spreading and growing in the air when it reached a certain height, creating a vertical curtain of flame. Thousands of shadows were cast on the valley below, an eerie sight, indeed. Vohr reached up to his cigar with his right hand, removed it from his mouth once more before throwing it on the ground and smashing it with his foot. His arm came down with it, in a long, downward sweep directed at Spera.
"ATTACK!!!"
Immediately following his cry, the catapults fired simultaneously. 15 stones were thrown into the air, through the curtain, and directly at Spera. As the now flaming rocks smashed through homes, they lit the town ablaze. Not far behind were the infantry and torch-carrying cavalry. As they entered the town, they immediately set everything they could on fire. Spera became a sea of flame, the inhabitants crying out in fear or pain. Though... it was not actual pain. What existed of their minds told them that they were experiencing pain, though, so they felt it despite having no nerves in this virtual space. The raid went on for 15 minutes before there was an explosion in the middle of the town. Vohr ordered a runner to find out what the issue was, but noticed a horse already leaving the city, rider on back.
"Sir... it's Bellator. He's engaged our forces in the town square."
"Dammit, soldier, your orders are to KILL. ALL. REBELS. I don't care if it's Viriun or Goddamn Santa Clause. You kill it, you hear me?" Vohr snapped
"That's the thing, though, sir... there were so few in the town who fought back. Most of the citizens are all hiding away in the catacombs or something. They have a defensive force protecting the refugees underground but.. What we're fighting on the surface... We're beginning to believe that Viriun makes up the Speran Rebels. A proper fighting force barely exists in that place!"
"You're telling me that one man has enough power to fight off all of you?" asked a surprised Vohr.
"Well... I don't know about power, but.... he's fast. Too fast."
"Dammit, I knew Malus should have done this instead. Speed is his thing." Vohr groaned. "Do whatever you have to do. I want Viriun dead."
"Yessir."
Comment