Spring RTS Engine

Maelstrom wrote:I have a feeling Winchester is ever so slightly deranged.

me to

Zoombie... not since ZET have I got so suxed into a story... DAM IT THIS IS COOL!!!

I FEEL LIKE DOING SOME INSANE ART ON IT!!

(but i wont caause it wont be what u think it looks like and i sux at art 90% of the time)
WOOOOOOOO!

aGorm

::P.S:: Im English and Im not deranged... but I do know people just like winchester...

I saw the word Sucked, and the word ZET and assumed the worst. then the rest of what you said penetrated. Thanks aGorm. And do art damn it!.

That ZET comic was the best thing about that horrible, awful horrendous story.

Our gang recives a new member. A mystery is revealed. And Winchester is cool!


Arnold was in extreme, excruciating pain. His arms had been placed at roughly ninety degree angles from his shoulders, and then nailed to a metal cross. His fellow crucifixion victims were lined up around him, each one staring blankly at the Silt, trying to let death take them as quick as possible. Then Arnold heard something. He looked up to the side, the exertion almost making him pass out. A snowmobile, carrying a woman and two children slowly trundled past. A elderly man with a gray goatee and silvering hair, holding his helmet at his side, ran at a gentle jog to keep up.

├óÔé¼┼ôPlease leave us alone!├óÔé¼┬Ø April shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo, stay!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said. ├óÔé¼┼ôDon't listen to him├óÔé¼┬Ø April snapped. Winchester wasn't even panting ├óÔé¼┼ôNay, fair lady├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am sworn to your side├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôBut why?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou are in distress├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMy 'distress' comes from you following us├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered. Arnold watched them as they passed. ├óÔé¼┼ôHelp├óÔé¼┬Ø He croaked. ├óÔé¼┼ôSee├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou need help!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked, looking back with a puzzled expression on her face. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it was him├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, pointing at Arnold.

April stopped the snowmobile and looked up at the crucifix's lining the road. Arnold's had a cardboard sine with the word ├óÔé¼┼ôHeretic├óÔé¼┬Ø painted over it in smeared black ink. ├óÔé¼┼ôAre you really a Heretic?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. Arnold's head flopped back and forth. ├óÔé¼┼ôLeave him there├óÔé¼┬Ø April said to Mathew ├óÔé¼┼ôPeople don't get crucified without good cause├óÔé¼┬Ø. Mathew looked at Arnold ├óÔé¼┼ôHe doesn't look mean├óÔé¼┬Ø he said. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm not├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold got out. ├óÔé¼┼ôI say├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis might just be a innocent├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat!├óÔé¼┬Ø April snapped, looking at the madman. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can tell these things├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said, clambering up the side of the snowmobile and reaching up.

├óÔé¼┼ôYou can't get those nails out├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are pounded through solid├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester's left hand ripped out one of the nails, eliciting a scream from Arnold. ├óÔé¼┼ôSteel├óÔé¼┬Ø April whispered as Winchester dropped the bloody, jagged nail to the Silt. Then he yanked out another nail and hoisted Arnold over his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôGreat├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôA nutter, two brats and now an ex-con. This week keeps getting better and better├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Arnold got the snowmobile's left pontoon, and Winchester offered to carry Mathew. Mathew accepted and spent the next two hours riding on the extremely strong elderly gentleman's shoulders. Arnold was babbling incoherently, grasping at air and tearing at his makeshift bandages. April had to restrain him. Apparently sudden freedom had nearly broken his already half mad mind, and April really wanted to ditch him. Nothing good came from crucifixion victims.

The semi-official law of Utah stated that only three crimes were worth the pain and agony of crucifixion. Kidnapping, illegal sentient weapons and, last but not least, recycler destruction. Murder, if the family of the murdered individual is rich enough, can get you a crucifixion. Rape was a light tap on the wrist and a stiff fine, paired to raise the misbegotten child, if there is one. If there is no misbegotten child, then the money was paired to either the husband or the father of the woman. Oddly three castles had the hanging offense for theft, but no fine for rape.

So April was sure that whoever this Arnold was, he was not someone to trust with kids. Or guns. Or, well, anything. So when they stopped off the side of the road, delving deep into the very expensive material in the snowmobile. Extra fuel cells, ammo and guns were a side benefit. Food and water made the entire trip a cake walk. But April cried tears of joy. Gars, if he ever happened to pick up impoverished women hitchhikers and wanted to make a incredible first impression, had brought a single set of straps. She had taken the first opportunity to strap the armband on and relaxed. She had been worrying, as her old strap had run out half a month ago.

So now she could rest, her hormones kept in the comfort range of most humanoid women. But, for all the useful supplies in the snowmobile packs, there was no rope. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat should we do?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked Winchester. Then she started ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy am I asking you?├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôHe is a trusting and innocent soul├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said, looking down at Arnold. Scraggly blond hair, watery blue eyes, pail face and gaunt expression writhed in the depths of a nightmare, eyes darting around in the depths of REM sleep. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI will watch him├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSleep?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked ├óÔé¼┼ôYou do need to sleep like the rest of us├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôBah!├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester waved his hand in denial. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do I care?├óÔé¼┬Ø she sat back down on the snowmobile and pointedly ignored the others. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think he's a good man too├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said. Winchester ruffled his hair, grinning. Arnold slept, his body wrecked from two days on the cross. As the hours passed and Mathew and Luke drifted to sleep, Winchester unslung his rifle and stared into the night, his eyes open. They did not drop.

The dawn came, casting monochrome over the wastes. The twenty odd crucifixes now more then a few miles behind them, April was worrying about the supplies. She had assumed they would run into a new city, or town or fiefdom. But the road was beginning to get more and more broken and scattered, as if no one had tended to it for a long while. ├óÔé¼┼ôArnold├óÔé¼┬Ø she asked. The ex-con stirred from his half sleep on the back of the snowmobile ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø he asked. His heath had improved exponentially, now that he was getting food and water and not constantly losing blood.

├óÔé¼┼ôDid they carry you east or west?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôWest├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôTowards the sun├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø April murmured. She was definitely worried. Why crucify someone Twenty miles from town. A mile or so was good enough for the supposed 'atonement march'. Twenty miles and you risked killing the prisoners. Before their execution, of course. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis doesn't make a lick of sense├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is it?├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester asked, still jogging beside the snowmobile. His seemingly never ending stamina had been discussed. Winchester had simply waved off April's question and said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe good Lord provides├óÔé¼┬Ø.

So they continued to trundle along as the sun rose higher and higher. April watched the horizons, looking for a town. For, well, anything. There weren't even sky scrapers. ├óÔé¼┼ôStop!├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôYou hear that?├óÔé¼┬Ø. April slid the kick stand out and turned the snowmobile off. The wind whispered, seeming ten times louder in the silence. Arnold jerked up with some extreme effort, his hands still completely useless, no matter how well the holes healed. They had been spraying accelerators into the holes, despite April's misgivings. The veins and most of the muscle and skin had regrown, but the nerves would require a Mortician to look at it.

If they found a city. If there was a Mortician IN the city. And if they could concoct a convenient lie about how Arnold had gotten holes punched through his wrists. And if April decided his story was good enough to put faith in. They all listened. The wind whistled. April was beginning to feel a little creeped out. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets go├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said ├óÔé¼┼ôThis place is freaky├óÔé¼┬Ø. April wondered at that. It was just another stretch of empty space in the mostly empty wastes. What made this place so terrifying. But the horizons seemed to press inwards, making the entire place seem large and small at the same time.

├óÔé¼┼ôLets go!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said, louder this time. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think thats a good idea├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, turning back to the road. ├óÔé¼┼ôWAIT!├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester thundered, his hand reaching out to stop them. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôI think...I pray├óÔé¼┬Ø he crossed himself, an odd thing to do considering his recent predicament, ├óÔé¼┼ôOh god, who art in heaven├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGod damn it├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered, getting the cold shakes. She turned on the snowmobile, the engine roaring to life.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo!├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said. April heard over the roar of the engine a slow groan, a sound as low and as loud as any she had heard. It shook her bones. Then the road in front of them cracked upwards, creating a small mountain top. ├óÔé¼┼ôYou kingdom come├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold finished his prayer, his voice rising to a squeak of terror. ├óÔé¼┼ôPhil├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, pulling out her pistol ├óÔé¼┼ôCan you I-dent that├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Phil said, his voice rather meek ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I'm just as scared as God boy behind us├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôGuns do nothing├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said, pulling out his sword and turning it on. The mountain seemed to have grown five long gnarled spikes, uncurling outwards on three joints. Then the spikes shot up, the mound falling away as a thick, wood like, browned shaft of...flesh shot up. Then another arm, for that is what it was, shot out out of the same hole. It looked almost comical, the two hands levering whatever it was up on the Silt, but vanishing where the head should be. Then the hands heaved and the entire ground in front of the snowmobile was thrown asunder, the Silt Strider shooting up and out of the ground.

Two feet, two arms and a torso was all that could clearly be made out. A single, gaping maw opened in an upsides down tear drop. Sixteen eyes lined the opening. The entire thing looked like an ornamental mask, browned and cracked around the edges. Then there was silence again as complete and profound as the minuet after the Impact. Then the Silt Strider stooped down, knee's bending. Then it howled, long and deep. April closed her eyes at the sight of what lay in that maw. Arnold's second prayer was drowned in gibbering terror.

Then Winchester stepped in front of them. ├óÔé¼┼ôBACK!├óÔé¼┬Ø He shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôBACK!├óÔé¼┬Ø. The Silt Strider looked confused for a moment as the single man stepped forward, his blade humming. ├óÔé¼┼ôBack foul monster!├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester shouted. The Silt Strider raised its arm back. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered, frantically wheeling the snowmobile backwards. Then the arm swept over the road, narrowly missing her. Winchester however leaped up and over the arm, brining his sword down. A largish gash appeared in the wrist of the Silt Strider's wrist and a torrent of Silt thundered outwards.

Winchester forced his way out from the Stilt, pushing and shoving with all his might. The Silt Strider swung again, but Winchester simply rolled out of the way. He landed right next to the thing's left foot and he hacked with his sword, cutting at the ankleish area. The monster howled, a deep keening sound as a slow trickle of Silt came out of that wound. But Winchester hacked again and the cut went deeper. The Silt came out faster, and the Silt Strider tilted backwards. Winchester hacked again and the foot came clean off. The Silt Strider fell onto its back, writhing and howling. Winchester clambered onto its leg, holding on despite the motions of the creature.

He ran up the leg, onto the torso and finally slid to a stop next to the thing's eyes. He took his sword and plunged it into the eye. The blade vanished up to the hilt. Then to his elbow. Then to his shoulder. Silt fountained out, shoving Winchester backwards. More and more Silt spewed from the hole in the Silt Strider's eye until the creature had stopped thrashing. Then a minuet of peace settled over the battlefield, new mounds of Silt slowly dispersing in the wind. Winchester whipped his sword, sending some clumps of Silt flying off. He then slid it into his sheath, tunning it off, and walked down the center of the Silt Strider's torso and onto the ground.

├óÔé¼┼ôThat was amazing!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke shouted, running up to Winchester and hugging him. Winchester beamed. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was that?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôI think it was a Silt Strider├óÔé¼┬Ø April murmured, looking at the carcass. It was already slowly beginning to fall apart. Specks of it were drifting off, glowing green and burrowing into the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôIts good its day time├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThose Soulless wont be looking for food for a good long time├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold nodded.

├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do you reckon caused that thing to come up?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked Winchester. ├óÔé¼┼ôI have experience with all the creatures of the waste that are...not human in origin├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôIts required training for the Knights of the Nine├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour part of the Nine?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought they were all dead├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNay, fair lady├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôI am the last of the Nine├óÔé¼┬Ø he looked melancholy for a moment ├óÔé¼┼ôBut the nine always rise again. We survived the Collapse, the Impact and the Hundred Year Strife. We can survive some assassins├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April jerked her head around. ├óÔé¼┼ôAssassins!├óÔé¼┬Ø she hissed. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôThree have come after me. Thompson, the Eight Knight, had slain fifteen before the sixteenth took him down├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are slow in sending them, for I am the best of the Nine├óÔé¼┬Ø He held up his left hand. April noticed he had yet to take off the glove that covered it, a massive black one emblazoned with a golden Nine. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy don't you ever take off that glove?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd break one of the Oaths of the Nine?├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester asked ├óÔé¼┼ôNever├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo what caused the Silt Strider to come? I thought they...├óÔé¼┬Ø April resumed the original discussion. ├óÔé¼┼ôNot real?├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester asked ├óÔé¼┼ôSimple├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are very rare. And for good cause. One only comes when there is enough Death to gather the Soulless together in large enough num...ber...├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester trailed off, looking over April's shoulder. April turned around, looking where Winchester was looking. Luke and Mathew also stared. Arnold was asleep.

The city they had been looking for lay only a mile or so off the side of the road. The buildings were skeletal structures, some still smoldering. Corpses littered the Hard Silt surrounding the city, many mutilated by weapons April had never seen before. The city's mine field had gone off, not even claiming a single enemy soldier. The Soulless were out, even during the day. That was the amount of death that had been visited here.

They slowly road through the town of Apple Berry. Arnold's face was slack as they looked at the buildings. Bullet holes, larger then Luke's face, littered the Hard Silt. Scorch marks scattered about. The militia of the town had put up a fight, but many of them had no copper around them. Many had not even aimed their guns before being cut down. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood god├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester muttered, kneeling need a pitifully small corpse ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat barbarians did this?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen this before├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold gulped. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. Arnold looked around, face gaunt and drawn. He blinked away tears. Two women had been killed nearby, bullets lodged in their skulls, as they tried to protect their children. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen this...├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold had a hard time continuing ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen the N.E.T comes├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôGood god├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said. April looked up. At the Net.

Eep. So there is something living in/on the net?

Well theres the Net and the N.E.T Corperation (New Entertainment Technology Corp). It stayed in power after the collapse because they controll the Net. What the Net dose is a mystery at this point (At least to you, the reader. The charicters know, because the N.E.T has been controlling the world sence the 2600's). So when there are dots between the letters N E and T they are talking about the Corperation, not the thing.

WOOOOT THIS IS COOL!!!

Nuff said

aGorm

:: ANd another thing :: Could you jsut decribe the strider in more detail?? Only it sounds bloody cool...

I thought I did. But then again you can never go wrong with details...unless you put so many in NOTHING happens in your story and everyone leveas the thread en masse.

after reading it again I know what a silt strider looks like in MY mind... but thats probablie differtnt to your's so I was meaning just describe what a silt strider would look like in your imagination... Only problem is mine dont have a head, becasue your description does'nt realy say enough to form a mental picture of the head area...

How can I draw if i dont know what it looks like?

aGorm

It doesnt have a head. Hence why it is not described. The arms just "[vanish] where the head should be". From what I understand, its got its mouth and eyes on its chest.

Pretty much. Its a big old, weird old, round old, gigantic thingy.

Artists rendition (NOTE: I "drew" this in about...five...seconds...):




Oh and If anyone can do a better job, please do so!

the net is creepy...

The plot thickens and a new agency steps into the open, confounding our heros!



There was silence. Then suddenly a babble of voices. The children burst into tears, terrified by the surrounding death. Arnold started suggesting they leave, and fast. Winchester flew into a rage over the massacred. April's eyes moved from body to body to body, looking at each one. Then she turned around to the arguing, crying and rage. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up├óÔé¼┬Ø April whispered. Then she looked at them dead on ├óÔé¼┼ôSHUT UP!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Then there was silence again.

├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôGo into the town store and get a shovel├óÔé¼┬Ø She said to Winchester ├óÔé¼┼ôYou├óÔé¼┬Ø she turned to Arnold, who was wringing his useless hands ├óÔé¼┼ôTake the kids to a house and occupy them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYour not serious├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôWasting time burying these body's?├óÔé¼┬Ø. April lunged forward and grabbed him, throwing the man tot he ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen you fuck├óÔé¼┬Ø she hissed ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are burying these corpses, and I don't want any complaints├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold nodded meekly and struggled to his feet. The children were silent. ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm going to get a shovel├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered.

The shovel went into the hard Silt, cracking it apart. April shoved the grit away, over her shoulder, and started to dig into the soft silt, creating some kind of pit. She tossed three corpses into the pit and filled it in again. April slammed the shovel down and rested on it, panting. Winchester had done four times the work, continuing with the same vigor he had when they had started. Four hours ago. April whipped the mix of sweat and tears off her face and started to dig a new hole.

├óÔé¼┼ôSo why were you on the crucifix?├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke asked. Arnold jerked away from the window ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The two kids had been quiet, mostly chatting with each other in their own language. Arnold sighed. He knew that the mad man and the bitch, as he mentally named the two others, were never going to believe his story. They would assume he was a murderer or a kid napper. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø He said, thanking God for child naivety. They would believe his story. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø he started again ├óÔé¼┼ôHave you ever heard of the word...Republic?├óÔé¼┬Ø.

The night fell and the town of Apple Berry slept several feet below the ground. April thrust her shovel into the hard Silt and rested, panting heavily as sweat rolled down her hair. Winchester wasn't even sweating, walking somewhat jovially to her, shovel slung over his shoulder. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo├óÔé¼┬Ø April gasped, breath still not quite returned to her ├óÔé¼┼ôSilt Striders are real?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMost definitely├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said, swinging his shovel down to rest on the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôI thought they were legends. You know things to scare kids with├óÔé¼┬Ø April said.

├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said. A Soulless slowly drifted up out of the cracks in the Hard Silt, wafting over the town, looking for the corpses that were now buried. It dimmed, disappointed, and vanished between the cracks. ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Soulless├óÔé¼┬Ø he said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Silt Strider. The Dria-des├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester gestured to the Silt around them ├óÔé¼┼ôAll of these were born in the Impact├óÔé¼┬Ø. April frowned ├óÔé¼┼ôI though the Impact was just a meteor├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Winchester's face cracked in a grin ├óÔé¼┼ôIt seems, to me fair lady, that all but the Knights of the Nine have forgotten the Impact. The Impact was magic, pure magic. It struck our globe at a speed undreamed of by man. It killed billions of people, creating the Silt. But as those people died, their dreams, their hopes...their nightmares lived on├óÔé¼┬Ø. The wind whistled louder ├óÔé¼┼ôThose dreams are the Soulless├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey live in the Silt, live were their creators died├óÔé¼┬Ø. April looked away from Winchester, a shiver running up her back ├óÔé¼┼ôYou said nightmares, right?├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. Winchester nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôLets get inside├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôBefore we find more legends├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Wind played at Lord Newhaven's coat tails as his corpse hung from the straps at the crucifix. The lord had been dead for quite a while, and in a few days his corpse would be fed into the recyclers. Gars had decided to put his father on trail, and found that immediately after his father was off the throne Noblemen and Noblewomen poured out of the wood work, proclaiming his evilness. The trail had been over quickly, with a unanimously guilty verdict. Gars took no real pleasure in his fathers death. No scratch that. He took a lot of pleasure in his fathers death.

Ever sense he was little Gars had hated his father. The constant fear of his father's eye turning to him, the sick feeling he got in his gut every time he looked at his fathers bed. Gars mother had died at the same time he was born, so he had no 'good' parent to look up to. Rather he had the old captain of the guard, a weathered veteran of the fifteen Border Wars that had come and gone over the twenty years that spanned the last bit of the thirteenth decade of the Newhaven family ruling the Newhaven Fiefdom.

Now he was Lord Gars Newhaven. Now he had no idea what to do. So he started with the obvious. He cut down the nobles pay, and liquidated it to pay the N.E.T for some new recruiters, gotten from SLC and some other small towns. He also bought a Conjurer to expand the hard silt around his castle, and fill it with soil. The Raiders and the Silt Pirates had not attacked in three years, so Gars decided to turn Castle Newhaven into a real settlement, not just a little border fort. After the second day of this whirlwind of activity, Gars was glad to see that one quarter of his new farmland was already ready to be planted. Soulless, attracted by the activity, drifted over the soil, only to be waved away by some guards.

Then Lord Gars head something. It was a steady thumping noise, like a continually going drum. Gars stared around at the sky, trying to pick out what was causing the noise. It couldn't possibly be-. ├óÔé¼┼ôSIR!├óÔé¼┬Ø One of the watch men called ├óÔé¼┼ôOVER THERE!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Gars looked around and saw the speckle of light, spinning madly, spinning so fast that it blurred into a circle. The thing got closer and closer until Gars could see what it was. It was a helicopter. He saw the embalm on the side and gaped ├óÔé¼┼ôGet my council together├óÔé¼┬Ø he shouted over the roar of the helicopter blades. Noblemen, torn from their beds, ran into the courtyard as the Helicopter arrived.

It slowly set down in the center of the castle, blades slowly spinning down until they were a occasional thump. The side of the helicopter opened up, the embalm being moved aside by two men. The first man, the taller of the two, was almost seven feet tall. His eyes were obscured by sunglasses. He had short cropped black hair, evenly parted down the middle, and he wore a immaculate suit. His partner was the shorter of the two, being only six foot six inches. He also had short cropped black hair, sunglasses and a white suit, as compared to his friends black one.

As the helicopter blades finally stilled the two men walked forward to meet Gars. ├óÔé¼┼ôHello├óÔé¼┬Ø The taller one said, his teeth flashing in the night. His skin was incredibly sallow, Gars noticed. ├óÔé¼┼ôCan we go├óÔé¼┬Ø his partner said. ├óÔé¼┼ôIndoors├óÔé¼┬Ø The tall one finished. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes├óÔé¼┬Ø Gars bowed, gesturing to his banquet hall. They walked into the hall and the tall one slid his briefcase over the table. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are├óÔé¼┬Ø he started. ├óÔé¼┼ôFrom the IRS├óÔé¼┬Ø the short one finished, also sliding a briefcase over the table. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have kept up with our taxes├óÔé¼┬Ø Gars grinned, trying to hide how completely terrified he was.

├óÔé¼┼ôWe heard about your recent├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall said. ├óÔé¼┼ôtroubles, with internal politics├óÔé¼┬Ø Short finished. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd about how you had a escapee, owning an illegal├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall opened his briefcase. ├óÔé¼┼ôSentient weapon├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said ├óÔé¼┼ôObtained from the N...├óÔé¼┬Ø he trailed off and licked his lips, wetting them. Tall gulped, his Adams apple bobbing ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we digress├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe need to find the woman├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThis woman├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said pulling out a photograph.

It was blurry and only a few seconds long, replaying the same five seconds again and again and again. A woman, her face half covered, walking across a crowded street to a bus station. It was undeniably April. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat is the charge?├óÔé¼┬Ø Gars asked. ├óÔé¼┼ôTax├óÔé¼┬Ø Short said. ├óÔé¼┼ôEvasion├óÔé¼┬Ø Tall continued ├óÔé¼┼ôBut we are more interested in...her├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNew friend├óÔé¼┬Ø Short finished, smiling wanly as he slid the photo back into the briefcase.

Amazingly, your pic is amazingly similar to my dodel...

http://www.onebob.co.uk/darren/pics/stridermb.jpg

though maybe mines took a little longer... maybe ill finish this pic! (That would be a first... I have 100's of half finished pic's)

aGorm

Thats...really good! I mean, wow. That is REALLY good!

FINISH IT! Your mast- i mean freind COMMANDS YOU!

Thanks man ill finish it off and make it into a front cover for you...

aGorm

I need something more general then the cover then just one monster. But it would be a nice illustration.

Its time for the next episode!


Chapter Three: Tax Evasion

├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø April grabbed Arnold by the lapels and slammed him against the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere you with the N.E.T!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYes!├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold shouted ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy are you hitting me├óÔé¼┬Ø. April slammed him against the wall again ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't like the N.E.T!├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I don't like finding out things they kill you for knowing!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôThen why are you asking me questions?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked, shaking his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôBecause├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf I know a little that will get me killed, I'd better know a lot that will get me killed├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôDon't hurt him!├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke said ├óÔé¼┼ôHe didn't deserve to be on the cross!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up!├óÔé¼┬Ø April snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø She said ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat military capability dose N.E.T have, aside from the police!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can't-├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold started to say. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow much!├óÔé¼┬Ø April shouted, slamming him against the wall again ├óÔé¼┼ôHow many units, how quickly can they move! Tell me!├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôMore then you could dream of├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said meekly. April let him slowly drop to the ground ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø she said, her voice deadly soft, ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said. April's fists tightened, preparing to lift him. ├óÔé¼┼ôI don't know! I left the N.E.T a few years ago!├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said.

├óÔé¼┼ôApril├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôStop├óÔé¼┬Ø. April slowly let Arnold's lapels slip through her hands. Arnold slipped away as best he could, his hands flapping slightly. ├óÔé¼┼ôShit!├óÔé¼┬Ø April kicked a table over, sending its contents, several Silt cups crashing to the ground. ├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen death├óÔé¼┬Ø April said to Winchester ├óÔé¼┼ôI've seen people killed, and ripped open. But those were children!├óÔé¼┬Ø she pointed out the window ├óÔé¼┼ôChildren! Twenty! I counted!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester frowned. April shut up. Winchester's frown was a rather formidable sight. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhen the N.E.T...cleanses a town├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôThey are very thorough├óÔé¼┬Ø.

April turned away from them, facing the wall. She bit her knuckle, closed her eyes and counted to three. Then she turned around. The kids staring at her, still sitting on the floor. Winchester frowning. Arnold looking at his hands, eyes frittering to her face every once and a while. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø April said, licking her lips ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have several unanswered questions├óÔé¼┬Ø. The others nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have the Silt Strider├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôIt seemed to be made of Soulless. Soulless come when there's food. Where there is death, there is food, right├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold nodded.

├óÔé¼┼ôAnd the N.E.T killed everyone here, making a lot of food. So the Soulless merged into a Silt Strider. Right?├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. Winchester stroked his goatee. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd so we have the Silt Strider explained to my satisfaction├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat abou-├óÔé¼┬Ø Luke started to say. April waved him silent ├óÔé¼┼ôI'm on a roll here├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôNow...├óÔé¼┬Ø she thought ├óÔé¼┼ôWe have the N.E.T attack and Arnold's crucifixion├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat do those have to do with each other?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked, seeming angry. ├óÔé¼┼ôShut up├óÔé¼┬Ø April snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôThe N.E.T attacked...why?├óÔé¼┬Ø she looked at the celling ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no idea. Why Arnold was crucified. No idea├óÔé¼┬Ø April leaned against the wall and looked at Arnold ├óÔé¼┼ôExplain├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHe's a re-revolutionary├óÔé¼┬Ø Mathew said, stumbling over the unfamiliar word ├óÔé¼┼ôHe was going to bring rebubliuck to the world!├óÔé¼┬Ø. April slammed her head into the wall ├óÔé¼┼ôGreat!├óÔé¼┬Ø she moaned ├óÔé¼┼ôNot only was he convicted but he was convicted on charges of terminal stupidity├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHEY!├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold shouted. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo one shouts at my lady├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester transferred his frown to Arnold. Arnold backed off immediately, looking terrified.

├óÔé¼┼ôNow why did they crucify you twenty miles from town?├óÔé¼┬Ø April said. Then the light washed over the window. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the hell?├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered, looking at the window . The light washed over it again and April walked to the window. Something in the sky was playing a search beam over and across the town, looking at things. ├óÔé¼┼ôOh shit├óÔé¼┬Ø April muttered. The stealth helicopter landed in the middle of the town, its rotary blades not even making a swish noise in the air. As it landed the searchlight blinked off.

April immediately dropped, crouching below the window. The door was to her right, so if it opened it would cover her. ├óÔé¼┼ôIf anyone comes in here, pretend you NEVER met me├óÔé¼┬Ø April hissed ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd that I'm not here├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester opened his mouth. ├óÔé¼┼ôNOW!├óÔé¼┬Ø April almost shouted. Winchester closed his mouth. Then the door was kicked open, the lock splintering and flying into the room. April scrunched up her knees. A IRS commando walked into the hut, gun at the ready. The commando's armor was blood red, scaled like a dragon. A small pack on its back produced energy, powering the shield and the armor itself. The gun was three pronged, with a single orb in the center that flickered as it rotated faster then the human eye could see.

├óÔé¼┼ôDROP THE GUN!├óÔé¼┬Ø The commando shouted, his voice tinny as it was translated through his visor. Winchester stood steadfast. April silently hit her head against the wall, wondering why Winchester had to be so pigheaded. The commando, however, was feeling lenient. So he fired his gun over Winchester's shoulder. The orb pulsed, a tendril of it slamming outwards at 2X light speed. Winchester dropped, half his face burned horribly. The wall behind him exploded, the hardened Silt flying like lethal knives. Luke shouted, nursing a huge gash in his arm. Mathew's eye's boggled at a large piece of blackened Silt that priced the area between his big toe and the one next to it.

Four shards surrounded Arnold's head as his eyes darted from one to the next. Each had missed him perfectly. He was not even scratched. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow├óÔé¼┬Ø The commando said ├óÔé¼┼ôHave anyone here seen an April├óÔé¼┬Ø. Blank stairs. ├óÔé¼┼ôAnyone?├óÔé¼┬Ø the commando asked. Arthur slowly shook his head. ├óÔé¼┼ôReally?├óÔé¼┬Ø the commando asked. Arnold slowly nodded. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell├óÔé¼┬Ø The commando said ├óÔé¼┼ôHave a good night, sirs. Keep paying those taxes├óÔé¼┬Ø. The commando walked out the door, closing it. Five blackened shards of Silt stuck half way through it.

├óÔé¼┼ôWell that was close├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said ├óÔé¼┼ôAlmost though he had us there├óÔé¼┬Ø. April groaned inwardly. The door flew open again ├óÔé¼┼ôGOTCHA!├óÔé¼┬Ø the commando shouted, gun raised ├óÔé¼┼ôNow put your hands up, where I can see them!├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold's arms went up over his head, hands flopping downwards under the force of gravity. ├óÔé¼┼ôNow I knew something suspicious was going on in here├óÔé¼┬Ø the commando said, walking closer to Arnold, pulling out hand cuffs ├óÔé¼┼ôI suppose its my job to bring you in for questioning├óÔé¼┬Ø.

Arnold backed against the wall, trying to get as far away from the gun tip of the commando as possible. The orb was contracting and expanding a little more erratically now. Then there was a dull twang and the commando fell down with a thump. April lowered the frying pan she had grabbed from the shack's ------- area. ├óÔé¼┼ôIdiots├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôThey make these things capable of withstanding fifteen different forms of energy, but they do nothing against blunt force trauma?├óÔé¼┬Ø. The commando stirred slightly, and April smashed him in the head again.

Then the body suit crumpled in on itself. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat the├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold muttered, prodding the suit with his toe. It was empty. April knelt down and felt the entire thing over with her hands. Then, finding what she wanted, she drew away. ├óÔé¼┼ôRight├óÔé¼┬Ø she said ├óÔé¼┼ôArnold, you get Winchester out of here, kids you follow him├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHow?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked, flapping his hands around ├óÔé¼┼ôI have no hands├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôHook your arms under his armpits├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd drag him├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold sighed and did so. April grabbed the commando's gun.

The backpack on the commando's suit started to beep. April walked out to the helicopter. It was a one man stealth copter, but April was not going to take any chance. She found something that looked like the trigger for the gun and fired it at the helicopter. The entire thing exploded, sending a blue fireball ripping into the night sky. April threw the gun on the ground, and it shattered into a thousand pieces from the impact. Those pieces fizzed and bubbled until they were no more.

Then the backpack on the commando's suit exploded. Half the town of Apple Berry went up, a blazing blue fire ball tearing it to shreds. April fell to the side, shock wave bowling her over. Arnold and the kids were also knocked to the ground, bowling head over heels. Winchester was already on the ground, and only rolled onto his side. April slowly got up as dust filled the air. She looked around and winced. The blast had, fortunately, been focused away from her by the buildings. But the N.E.T and the IRS would have to be blind to miss the explosion.

April dusted her shirt off and walked over to the others. Winchester had woken up and was dabbing some ointment on his burns. April pulled out some Medicare bottles and tossed them to him ├óÔé¼┼ôFree of charge from the IRS├óÔé¼┬Ø she said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhere are you going?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked, looking at Winchester. ├óÔé¼┼ôThat explosion has been noticed, or I'm a whore├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôWe are going to need to get out of here soon├óÔé¼┬Ø. She found the snowmobile, nestled at the edge of town, and slid it over to the others ├óÔé¼┼ôWinchester gets the back seat, the kids get the pontoons and Arnold gets to walk├óÔé¼┬Ø.

├óÔé¼┼ôHey!├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said. ├óÔé¼┼ôSorry├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôyou need the work out├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôYeah, right├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold grumbled. They went into the night, leaving a smoldering ruin where a town once stood. After getting a few miles away from the town and back onto the main road, April stopped the party. Arnold collapsed, sweat streaming down his face. The kids hopped off and started running around, gathering together blankets and pillows to bed down for the night. Winchester felt his face, witch was still blistered and red, and winced.

The night passed quickly, if painfully for Winchester, and the dawn broke. Soulless danced over the Silt and April took a moment to relax and watch them. The dancing patterns of the Soulless were always beautiful. The damn things would shred you if you gave them the chance, but they were very beautiful. April watched them a bit longer as the Silt slowly regained its color, the sun banishing the eerie monochrome of the dawn.

Then April spotted something. The Soulless were beginning to clump together, forming a spot of growing green in front of the road. April sat up and looked around at the others. The kids snored, Winchester's goatee whispered as he breathed through it, and Arnold was out cold after what he called 'the death march'. April looked back to the growing clump of Soulless. It formed outwards, shaping two arms, two legs and a head. April blinked, wondering if she had fallen asleep. The form shook itself and the green light fell off of it, scattering like solid matter.

It was a woman. A nude woman, standing in the midst of Soulless. It- she cupped her hands and the Soulless pooled into the offered opening. Then the woman 'smeared' them over her body, covering the naughty bits from prying eyes. It was a shear enough outfit to make even a whore blush, but it was better then nothing. The woman stepped forward, walking slowly over the Silt to the road. April noticed that the woman's feet did not touch the Silt, but rather the Silt moved up to meet her feet. The woman stepped hesitantly on the road, almost tripping as she went from the Silt to the hard, compacted Silt of the road.

├óÔé¼┼ôI'm dreaming├óÔé¼┬Ø April said softly. The woman stood on the road, or more accurately, the edge of the road. ├óÔé¼┼ôWho...who are you?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. The woman reached forward with her arms, face deadly serious. The hands were palm up, as if she was asking for something. Then Winchester leaped up, springing from his resting place, sword flying from his scabbed. It flew from his hand, aimed perfectly. It buried itself in the strange woman's chest. Silt sprayed out her back and she looked at the blade, mouth gaping.

Then the woman fell apart, turning back into Soulless. Then those drifted into the wind. ├óÔé¼┼ôWinchester!├óÔé¼┬Ø April snapped ├óÔé¼┼ôWhy did you do that?├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôIt was a Dria-des├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said. ├óÔé¼┼ôWhat was going on?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked, blearily. ├óÔé¼┼ôGo to sleep Arnold├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd I thought the Dria-des were well...promiscuous and friendly├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said ├óÔé¼┼ôThe Dria-des are carnivorous. They trick young lads and...lasses into their beds and eat them├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEat them. As it rip them apart or the other thing?├óÔé¼┬Ø April asked. Winchester glared at her crossly, then winced, his face still not fully healed.

April looked at him for a moment. The medicals they had used would heal the wound, but it took time, just like anything that used technology. ├óÔé¼┼ôNo more killing monsters for you├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôNot till your fully healed├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester looked shocked and offended ├óÔé¼┼ôBut, my lady├óÔé¼┬Ø he started to say. April waved him off ├óÔé¼┼ôYou've killed a Silt Strider, faced down a plasma rifle and now slew a Dria-des with a single blow. I think you've earned a break├óÔé¼┬Ø. Winchester frowned, winced as his sore skin pulled, then turned away, grumbling.

April kicked Arnold. He rolled off the road and onto the Silt, then got up, grumbling. ├óÔé¼┼ôListen up├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôIf memory serves me right there should be a town in that directions...eventually├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôEventually?├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold asked, feeling his stomach where April had kicked him. ├óÔé¼┼ôWell see the Conjures patrol these parts, stop by towns, visit the brothels, do some drugs, then create whatever the town needs to live for the next few weeks├óÔé¼┬Ø. ├óÔé¼┼ôSo we just hope we run into a town that hasn't been destroyed, and hope they are friendly├óÔé¼┬Ø Arnold said. ├óÔé¼┼ôThats it, basically├óÔé¼┬Ø April said ├óÔé¼┼ôAnd Winchester gets the back seat again├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold sagged slightly, looking dejected. ├óÔé¼┼ôI can walk├óÔé¼┬Ø Winchester said in April's ear. ├óÔé¼┼ôFine├óÔé¼┬Ø she muttered ├óÔé¼┼ôYou get the back seat├óÔé¼┬Ø. Arnold perked up and clambered onto the snowmobile.

They set off in good order, Winchester jogging at his normal dogged pace, never slowing or even looking tired. They kept going like that for a few hours as the sun beat down on them. Then Arnold spotted something. ├óÔé¼┼ôOver there!├óÔé¼┬Ø he said, pointing off to the side of the road. April stopped the snowmobile and kicked the kick stand out, letting it rest. They had found not just a town. Rather the third largest city in Utah. Roosevelt City.

Souless are wierd.

They are! Seems (at this point) that all cetures in the Silt are formed of Soulless, clumping together. Also the Soulless them selves can go up your nose and suck out your brains!