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Going over, you catch up with the Fire Fighter you rescued from a flame Spirit not too long ago and walk along with her as she went on her way to the nearby supermarket.

"Oh, Grave Digger, hello." She greets you. "You know, I hadn't been able to thank you properly yet for helping me that one time, had I? I've been gathering what useful things I could around here to make more things with. The parking lot around the radio studio is really starting to come together as a little camp."

"Ah, I've got it! I could build you somewhere to stay when I get back as a thanks. You know, like a little dorm or a room of your own, I've noticed you're sticking around but you don't really stay in one place, since you were gone for so long since I last saw you. Oh, I haven't even properly introduced myself either, huh? I'm Amelia."

"It is nice to meet you formally, Amelia. Yes, a room sounds like a fine idea, but I need to know something else right now. About the Spirit of the mountain you mentioned."

"Ah.... that..." She somberly says. "Well, what did you need to know?"

"Tell me everything, I want to know the whole story."

"Okay... well, uh, for starters, it was night... There were thirty or so of us, we were all being led by Brother Garman, he rallied us from the old cathedral to Mount Kilend. We were all resting after we had a good hunt that night, and we all woke up to this noise, it was like sirens or horns coming from the sky... loud and just haunting...."

"And then we saw this thing light up the sky like a comet, there was auroras and lightning and it was coming down towards the mountaintop! We saw it fall from the sky and collide with the mountain. We were all scared, even Brother Garman, even my dad, but we decided to go see what it was. We went up Mount Kilend until we reached the top and that's where we found it... it was like looking at the sun.... it had wings... and arms and... it had this part that looked like a human....." Amelia shudders speaking of it. "It was white and it had purple eyes, and then it was shouting words, clear words.... to us! It talked of 'cleansing' and 'purity' and when we tried to flee it attacked us! It was spraying fire and throwing lighting!"

"We got down the mountain but the lightning kept coming and blowing craters into the ground.... Last I saw, it was just me and Brother Garman. He went to his tent and got something, something gold that I never seen before, and then he went back up the mountain. That's that last I saw because I just kept running and running and I wouldn't stop." Amelia says.

"I'm.... I'm sure I'm the only one left now, nobody else made it down when I looked back." Amelia says.

"I see..."

You and Amelia walk in silence for a bit before stopping in the parking lot to the Coscovy supermarket, which had only a generic title, 'Buylot'.

"Well, I'm gonna go scavenge some things if you need me...."

You nod and turn around, walking away.

".....Hey.."

You stop and look back at Amelia, she just looks around at all the ruins around her.

"With how things are, with how... monstrosities like that exist.... do you really think God has abandoned us? Does Zodia even love us anymore...?"

Such questions might be met with harsh reaction by most of Mankind's whole, men did not take kindly to doubt in God in any way. You were different, so you could answer differently, but you still did know deep down that doubting Zodia was wrong by nature.

>Give Amelia your answer.
>Walk away silently.
>Write in.

>>3857525
>>Give Amelia your answer, Tenderly she needs someone to rekindle the dying embers of hope in her heart.

>>3857525
Support>>3857536

>>3857536
Support.

>>3857536
Support.
Can't wait to kill this weird angel thing on the mountain.

For a moment you stood looking towards that shrouded woman standing there, tired of sulking through the wastes of the world. To begin to doubt God was the beginning of one losing all hope and faith, and that simply couldn't go for a Human. Humans who lose their way will only end up vanishing for the worse.

"No, he cannot have."

"All Humans know it, all Humans learn of it. God's love for us is infinite, and he gives us all our lives for free, asking only that we cherish it in return. To doubt God would stray you from the path to the paradise he promises. Zodia always has a plan for everyone, the Saints and the Humans of yore all knew this, we should not forget it as people of the present, especially not in this present we find ourselves in. Hold on to it Amelia, like every man and woman should. Hold on."

Amelia seems awestruck by your words at first, but her better demeanor returns and she nods.

"Yes, yes of course. I shall not abandon the hope God gives me so easily, even after all this I've seen. Thank you, Grave Digger, thank you and bless you."

Amelia waves to you before continuing on her scavenging.

You turn and head back to the city paths.

You thought you might go look through one of the last places left in the city to see, the Commerce Guild.

You followed the street signs down to a plaza where you saw a prestigious building. It was aged and still oddly.... untouched compared to the rest of the surrounding ruins in the city, and the lights were still on.

Curious, you stepped up and entered the building....

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To your bewilderment, the interior was mostly clean as well, like it was still lived. The greeting lobby's doors were locked tight and so you had to break the knobs to enter.

This building seemed to serve a purpose of being a center of all business and trade in the whole city. There were plaques and frames on the wall depicting items and groups of people who used to work in high positions at various companies, the names of those said companies being listed on the frames.

The guild itself acted like a union or a central market for all means of trade and collaboration between companies as well as a means of handling their stocks and the values of everything. Interestingly enough, you guessed that the guild was just another subsidiary of the Zodic Church if the religious symbols you saw on some things were of any tell, which was easy enough to guess as the Zodic Church was massive and all encompassing of Mankind and the entire Earth at one point.

You went on ahead and found yourself wandering through the rooms of the guild halls until you came to one, a smaller room. It had piles of collected and scavenged things all over, and there was a long desk in the room too. A bell sound came from above as you entered, some sort of automatic alert.

"Hmm?" You heard a hard voice and looked over to see a large man enter the room too from a door behind the desk. There was also a strange small Spirit accompanying him, one that was like a cat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6kAruRfZH0

"Oh thank God, you're finally here. Look, I've already made all my amends and luckily enough I did actually manage to pay that one guy back after I totaled his car head on that one time, so I'm ready now, go ahead and get it over with."

"....I don't know what you're talking about."

"What? Aren't you the Grim Reaper?"

"I'm the Grave Digger."

"...So... it's not my time yet?"

"I suppose."

"....Damn it..."

"Okay, let's start over. Ahem.... I'm Barney, Barney Gibson. And this is Prilly, she used to be a feral Spirit but wouldn't you know, tuna seems to tame them well enough."

The tiny Spirit 'Prilly' looks at you and mimics a meowing noise with this smug look on her face. You didn't like this Spirit, it was cocky, you could tell.

"I used to work here when this city was still a city, but now I just hoard a ton of crap, there ain't much else to do. Oh, and I sell some things too... Prilly's pretty good at sniffing out the more exotic things there are to find."

"So, you uh... wanna buy something or..?"

>Talk/Question Barney.
>Inform him of the dangers of consorting with Spirits.
>Peruse Barney's stock.
>Write in.

>>3858149
>Inform Barney about the suvivors in the Radio Station
>Peruse Barney's stock.
Let's see what he has, maybe we can buy some gasoline.

>>3858170
Support. I wonder what he can possibly have?

"What? There's more survivors at the studio? Waaiit... that would mean Larry is still kicking, we used to be drinking buddies actually, wonder if he still has that old liquor cabinet of his. Oh, and a fire fighter too huh? Well I guess I'll go pay them a visit when I can, good to know who's around."

"What exactly do you sell here, Barney?"

"Ehhh I sell a bit of this and a bit of that. I mostly got junk but with Prilly here I'm usually able to find things left behind by Spirits in the places I look."

"I got a few of such Spiritual items at my disposal."

"That would be heretical in the eyes of most men."

"Hey pal look, I went to Church every Friday in the morning, I was an altar boy once. I don't think you realize it but we're living in the freaking apocalypse, I don't think big G will hate it too much that I got these things, I'm only trying to survive here, and maybe make a buck while I do."

"Sometimes I actually get some nomadic Spirits to trade with every month now and then. They usually give me a lot of weird food or more of their mumbo jumbo in return."

"Let me show you a thing or two..."

Barney momentarily goes into the back to retrieve a bunch of items he had and explains their function.

He has one Mana Booster, a medallion which when crushed will allow you to use an ability of yours three times in a row all at once temporarily.

He has two Amiable Perfumes, a pacifying supernatural agent that when sprayed will cloud the surrounding areas and allow Spirits to be more easily convinced and negotiated with.

He has three Zodic Soulcharms, a gem which can be used to recharge the Burial Blade for use again instantly when it is inactive.

He has ten Ward Shells, items which when broken will make one untouchable by those with Human Souls for a short period.

He has one Torpidity Perfume, a supernatural dormancy agent which when sprayed will cause all nearby Spirits or Humans to fall into an induced slumber for a period.

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Lastly, Barney has the Phantom Lantern, a supernatural device which can trap the being of Spirit inside of it with no way to escape. He explains that it's only catch is that it can only trap Spirits who have been weakened or are already weak and that it can only hold one at a time. Stronger Spirits won't be affected by it at all. Through the Lantern, one can control the trapped Spirit. He says he'll give it to you for free if you can tell him a 'really good joke'.

You ask if Barney has any gasoline. He says he might, and tells you to wait there for a second. Barney disappears into his lost and found and after seemingly thirty or so minutes have passed, he comes out with a rather lightweight canister of gasoline, he says it isn't much but he doesn't have a vehicle and all the ones in the city are wrecked. He gives you it for free.

He explains then that he only trades in either items or food or favors. He says that most Spirits out there should be carrying something akin to a 'supernatural currency' and that if you don't have any, you could try mugging them for it or something. He mentions having some, and that he uses it to buy more things from the Spirits who come by occasionally. You have none such currency at the moment.

What will you do?

>>3858313
>So, one man is driving a car, with his girlfriend and best bro in passenger seats.
>He drives recklessly - ignores speeding limit, cuts in lanes and acts like a typical roadhog.
>His girlfriend asks him: "Slow down or I'm out."
>He says: "Don't worry, my guardian-angel would keep me safe!"
>They argue and he has to stop to let his girlfriend out.
>He steps on the gas and continues driving in the exact same manner.
>Few minutes later his bro ask him the same question.
>"Nah, man! My guardian-angel would keep me safe!"
>Same deal, his bro is out and now he drives alone.
>After an hour of reckless driving he feels a hand on his shoulder.
>He turns pale and looks back at the passenger seats.
>"Enough is enough - let me out too." - says guardian-angel.

We could tell him the Nate the Snake joke.

Also ask him about what kind of favours he deals in.

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"So, one man is driving a car, with his girlfriend and best bro in passenger seats. He drives recklessly - ignores speeding limit, cuts in lanes and acts like a typical roadhog. His girlfriend asks him: "Slow down or I'm out". He says: "Don't worry, my guardian-angel would keep me safe!". They argue and he has to stop to let his girlfriend out. He steps on the gas and continues driving in the exact same manner. Few minutes later his bro asks him the same question. "Nah, man! My guardian-angel would keep me safe!". Same deal, his bro is out and now he drives alone. After an hour of reckless driving he feels a hand on his shoulder, he turns pale and looks back at the passenger seats. "Enough is enough - let me out too." - says the guardian angel."

"..............."

".................."

".......Was I supposed to laugh?"

Barney takes the Phantom Lantern and throws it into his back room. The door seals shut with a blue aura and you notice that it is the doing of his pet Spirit, Prilly.

"Come back when you have a funny bone that isn't broken, ya' back page schmuck."

Awkwardly, you stand there silently for a moment before again speaking.

"....You mentioned favors you deal in. What kind are we talking exactly?"

"It's radiantly clear, bone meal. Sometimes I hear from my customers that especially dangerous feral Spirits harass them when they're on the road. If it get word of one I'll have you go take it out, and I'll give you some things in return. Or, just anything else I might want."

>Make another attempt at humor and tell Barney another joke.
>Hold Barney up and demand the Phantom Hourglass for free.
>Try finding another way through the building into his stock.
>Leave and travel to the Raspharn Town.
>Leave the store and go somewhere else.
>Write in.

>>3858461
Fuck, that hurt. Now I feel like I'm already thirty. These modern maymays are fucking stupid and stand-up comedy doesn't work in a written format.

>>3858461
>Try finding another way through the building into his stock.
I didn't think that joke was spectacular either, more chuckle-worthy than anything but fuck this guy he could have at least chuckled and instead he just shit on us.

>>3858461
Fuck it, let's make it his character trait. Grave Digger is an old timer that knows only terrinle back page anecdotes.
>A psychiatrist sits in his cabinet
>Suddenly, a man crawls on all fours in with a screwdriver in his mouth.
>Psychiatrist: "Now, who do we have here? Maybe a little doggie?"
>The guy snorts, then crawls from wall to wall.
>"Hmm, a little piggy?"
>The guy stops and starts messing with baseboards.
>"Ah! A lizard!"
>The guy spits out his screwdriver.
>"I'm an electrician."

>>3858477
Or we could ask the spirit who knows a lot things for a joke that would make Barney laugh.

>>3858477
That's a good one. Anyway, If we're going to sit around telling Jokes then I suppose we should embrace our skeletal nature.
>If you want to keep a man warm for the night, light him a fire.
>If you want to keep a man warm for the rest of his life set him alight.

Just to be clear on one thing, we're all in agreement that we should pursue a route with Strela, right?

>>3858535
Wrong, we are not in agreement, heretic.

>>3858461
Harrass him with old anecdotes 'till he gives up!
>Two electricans are sitting up on a pole and look down deeply in thought. An old woman walks by an they call out to her.
>"Hey, granny! Could you pick up that wire?"
>She shuffles over and picks it up.
>"This one, sonnies?"
>Electrician slaps the other one on the head.
>"Told you it was 'ground'!"

I'm gonna commit some Heresy right now and say that not all spirits are bad. The vast majority are, but people like Strela and Barney's cat prove that there are some good ones out there. I suppose that there isn't a cutoff date for killing all the spirits? If not, then we can just leave it for however long.

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Barney groans as you continue to lay down awful anecdote after anecdote. Even the tamed Spirit Prilly's face is sinking from listening to it.

"Okay! Okay!" Barney suddenly shouts.

"Look pal, you obviously aren't one for humor, but if I give you something will you PLEASE for the lova' God stop telling me these recycled 'jokes'?!"

You nod calmly.

Barney gives you one Amiable Perfume for free.

"Alright, here, I'll cut you a deal. A little slice, eh'?"

"So there's this guy, one of the nomadic Spirits I trade with, his name is ehhhh.... Quizin or something like that. Well here's his stihck, he's a humongous nerd or something like that, he's obsessed with those old things kids used to play, video games, he's willing to give a limb to get an old game he wants."

"So he told me that if I ever find any video games, he'd give me some pretty nice things in return." Barney says, rubbing his thumb and index finger. "There's one thing in specific I really want from him, his summoning set. I'm willing to wager he'd part with it for some of those video games, only problem is actually finding any since they're all either broken or don't play. I personally have never found any myself, but I do know that there was a video store in old Raspharn, maybe there could be some there."

"You go to Raspharn and bring me back a whole buncha' them video games, and I'll give you the Phantom Lantern, capiche?"

"Very well."

"I'm glad we understand each other, bozo. Now go get those games, I don't know how soon I can expect Quizin to make his rounds with the rest of them traders."

>Talk to/Question Barney Gibson.
>Pet Prilly.
>Leave and travel elsewhere.
>Go to Larry's studio.
>Write in.

>>3859318
>Pet Prilly

>>3859318
>>Leave and travel elsewhere.
>Go deal with the mountain spirit.
We got both RPG and SMG, right?

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Yawning, Barney retires back into his store and you hear the sounds of a television before he closes the door.

You look over and see his pet Spirit Prilly staring at you with her rather large yellow eyes.

If you had to take a good guess, this particular kind of Spirit was a Scamp, a corporeal Spirit that only possesses incorporeal powers, making it fall into the inertial category of Spirits.

Most feral Spirits weren't capable of being tamed, and the fact that Barney managed to tame even this one was impressive. It was like a pet now, and you could even see a doggy door on the lower halves of various other doors in the building for it to use.

Seeing no harm in it, as the thing was timidly curious of you, you reached forward and patted the Spirit on her head.

"You shouldn't procrastinate when you have work to do, Grave Digger."

What? There was a voice.

Who said that? Where did that just come from?

You saw Prilly smiling at you now, it mewls happily before hopping off the desk and back into Barney's stock room.

Strange......

Turning and leaving, you left Coscovy City and ventured back out towards Mount Kilend...

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Back along the ways you went, things were now different and it was approaching dusk fast.

The auroras in the sky near Mount Kilend still raged and lightning blared and furiously struck and pelted not only the mountain now but the Earth as well.

You took care as you approached the base of the mountain, watching out for stray bolts of the lightning pouring like rain along with real rain.

"Halt." You heard then, the voice of your servant.

Heliac burst forth from your finger in a haze of Light and floated into your path.

"My master, please, you are not yet capable of withstanding the being sealed at the top of this mountain, it would make short work of you."

"You must turn back, your destination lies in the grand city of Metaldom, not at the peak of this cyclone."

Heliac levitated there, adamant on blocking your way. But even it knew that it could not truly hold you back, it was subservient to your will.

Will you heed the Angel's warning or will you arrogantly continue onward to find the being that lies at the peak?

>>3859878
>heed the Angel's warning
Let's not kill ourselves just yet,I reckon that by the end of the Metaldom arc we'll be strong enough to fuck him up.

>>3859878
>Well, let's march on the Metaldom. Not interested in sidequests for now.

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Hesitantly, you turned away and heeded the warning of your Angel, instead going to back in the direction of the west.

You wanted dearly to deal with this threat, whatever it was, but if your Angel insisted, you would listen for now. Heliac went to return to your hand by you stopped the Angel as you walked.

"You said it was sealed at the top of the mountain."

"Yes, that disastrous being is sealed using a divine artifact of the Church, and old object as ancient as The Orphan."

"What exactly is sealed up there?"

"A Fallen Angel cast out from God's realm. It is called Revelation, it was once one of the most prime and celebrated of God's host."

"A Fallen Angel? How did he fall?"

"When God announced his plans of sending a Messiah to bring salvation to Mankind in it's trying times, after The Orphan vanished, Revelation was consumed with pride as he believed God would choose him to be that Messiah. When he realized he wasn't being chosen, but rather that the new Messiah was being created personally by God, he flew into a rage of jealously and unleashed his fury, daring to even attack God himself."

"God easily defeated Revelation and stripped him of his Angelhood. Before he could be damned to eternal punishment, Revelation sacrificed some of his mortality to escape to our material world. God could not reach him now, for God merely touching our world would destroy it. Other Angels volunteered to go in after Revelation, but those that did were slain by Revelation. I was chosen for another purpose in this world, which is why I am the only Angel in it currently."

"During the ancient times in which The Orphan was not missing, God used the Divine Child to send some of his strength forth into our world safely and had it take form as a monument which his Human servants placed upon Mount Kilend's peak. This monument was made to seal the Prominents with, but instead the last watcher of the monument, a Human named Garman, managed to seal Revelation with it when he finally reached our planet. The monument wavers however, and one day, Revelation will break free."

".....I see...."

Did that mean this Fallen Angel was mightier than even these fabled 'Prominent' Spirits you've heard of? Such a thought was disturbing...

"What exactly would happen if Revelation broke free?"

"If it broke free, Revelation would bath this world in an ocean of flame and cleanse all life away. It still thinks it is the Messiah of God's plans."

Good to know...

You were most likely going to run through Raspharn on your way West. Heliac was still following you on the road.

>"Tell me about The Orphan."
>"Tell me more about God."
>Question Heliac about something else as you go.
>Retire Heliac back to your finger and be on your way fast.
>Write in.

>>3860103
>"Tell me about The Orphan."
Stronger than the Prominents ? I guess it'll take more than a Metaldom arc to kill. Or we could trick the 3 Prominents into fighting him

>>3860138
The sheer destruction that would follow... It needs to be done.

"I've heard about 'The Orphan' quite a lot. Tell me more about The Orphan."

"In the beginning, God was alone, and he felt nothing there in his realm of infinity. Thus, Zodia was led to form ambitions, one such being the creation of a magnificent world for a people of his carving to inhabit. Their happiness would be God's happiness, and he would love them with all his heart, and they him with all of theirs. God sent forth his darkness and his light to shape all that is and make an eternity that would last forever."

"Our world was formed of the darkness and the lightness, and primordial energies were left behind that soon gave rise to the first lifeforms. These lifeforms were abominable, not made of God's hand but a mistake, a side effect of his work, they were Spirits. However, there was something that God placed there before the primordial energies of conception gave rise to those abominations. There was a being shaped in the material God, weaved from his threads, a child. This Divine Child was Zol, The Orphan. An Orphan because God was not her father, she was a piece of God, apart of him and one with him."

"The Orphan is a figure who acts as the eyes and voice of God. Through her, God administered the world and Mankind. Through her, God was able to bring his miracles, his unlimited power and glory into the world without fear of disassembling it. The Orphan is the life entity, and when the Orphan perishes she will return to God, and all Human souls will follow. Spirits will not receive the same salvation."

"You mean to say that the Orphan dying would as well kill all of Mankind too?"

"Precisely, this is all apart of God's plan concerning the Messiah. The Messiah will kill the Prominents, the arrogant Temporal embodiment Hallow and the traitor Cheridex, and the Devil Amalefon, the King of the Demons. The Messiah will enact it's last act and kill The Orphan too, thus ensuring all of Mankind is saved, not one soul will go without salvation and if even one did, then God would admit failure. All Human souls will come to the safe keeping of God's hands, and then God will be able to cleanse the world of Spiritkind forever, personally, without fear of harming Humanity."

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"The world will be destroyed, and in it's next iteration, God will ensure that something as Spiritkind never happens again, that mistakes will not be made again. In the next world Zodia plans to shape, all Human souls will be reborn all across this new Universe, and then God will be able to love his people, forever. There will be paradise and nirvana, but no hells nor oblivion. No Spirits, no Demons, no Fallen...."

"There will only be God, and his creations. Only God, only Man, only a pure world."

"Is it not a fulfilling thought to behold?"

You stayed silent.

Heliac projected an image into your mind showing The Orphan, Zol, radiating beautiful golden light.

"The Orphan is missing too apparently. Why?"

"Only Zodia knows, but he will not tell us why. It is all apart of his plan, and what Zodia wishes to be shall always come true. The Orphan vanished before Judgment Day, a climatic battle in the Great War for Survival between Spirits and Men, one that marked the death of Saint Gaspard."

The Town of Raspharn was close by now.

"Was that all you wished to know, Master?"

>Answer yes and recall Heliac to your finger.
>Question Heliac about something else.
>Write in.

>>3860161
Hmm. A lot of interesting things to stew on. Will we fulfill the prophecy? Or go our own way?
Anyway, onwards to the town!
Also, ask Heliac if he (? she?) has ever actually met God in person. How were they sent to this world?

>>3860161
>Why where you sent to me ?
I understand it's by God's will,but why us ?
And I think it'll be my last question before town.

>>3860161
I can't decide whether or not I think Zodia is an asshole or a good guy here.

>>3860161
>>Answer yes and recall Heliac to your finger.

>>3860176
we need more information, I am somewhat fond of the shadow people we meet.

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"Have you ever met God in person?"

"All Angelkind have, we lived among him in Sacro Spatio, and we all knew him personally. I have technically never left God, as my true being still resides in Sacro Spatio. This vessel here is merely a hardlight projection with my consciousness in it. Angel can only die truly if they die in Sacro Spatio, but even then they will just return to Zodia."

"I was sent here to serve the Messiah."

"Then why are you with me? Why did God send you to me?"

"I must stress that I believe I arrived far too late to actually find the Messiah, it took some considerable time for my projection to reach this planet. I know the Messiah is out there somewhere, but I don't know exactly where."

"I found you among the things the Devil Amalefon was toying with, and I saw that you were more capable than anything else bound to his service, so I follow you now by God's own advice. I believe that one day we will find the Messiah together, you only seem to grow stronger, therefor you are a good chance."

"....Wait, what do you mean you found me 'among the things' the Devil toyed with?"

"You were bound to a service of digging in a graveyard by Humans at the cove. This cove and the family that inhabit it are all Demons in disguise, and are in someway connected to the home of the Demons, Endinlos island. By extension, all things at that cove, including you, are just toys in the plots of the Devil Amalefon."

"I see. Well, we draw near, return."

At your command, Heliac returned to your finger and you approached the rim of the historical town of Raspharn. The entire town was surrounded by a massive wall of stone and cement.

In fact, it was surrounded all the way around, entirely encircled by this wall. The places where entrances once stood were now filled in by stone.

As you walk around looking for a way in, you see a figure also trying to enter, a skeleton much like you, in an exquisite uniform fitting of a bullfighter.

"Hm? Ahh! Saludos, mi amigo esqueleto." He greets you as you near. "Are you trying to get into the town as well?"

"Yes. Is there a way in?"

"Indeed, however, it is covered. The town is inhabited by troublesome spirits, I came here to retrieve my muleta, it was stolen by one of these things. They will not let anyone in, and when I tried bargaining, they asked unreasonable demands and then threw a bucket at me."

You hear a laugh from above and see a Spirit watching you from atop the wall.

"I am clueless as to how to get in at this point..."

"Oh, I did not introduce myself, forgive my negligence. I am Santino, Josep Santino. I seem to have risen from the dead and I do not know why."

Great, now you had to find a way in....

>Use Heliac to teleport inside the town.
>Dig under the wall.
>Try reasoning with the Spirit gatekeeper.
>Talk to Josep Santino.
>Go back for your RPG, that will deal with this.
>Write in.

>>3860784
>>Talk to Josep Santino.

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>>3860784
>Talk to Josep Santino.
Chat with fellow esqueleto!

>>3860784
Ask him how he died and what his life was like before he died.

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"Your name sounds oddly familiar..."

"Ah hah ha! I get that a lot. You see, I am a descendant of a once great and renowned bloodline, the Santinos. My family stretches back many centuries all the way to my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, grea... Er, you get the idea."

"I am the latest addition to my bloodline, it stretches all the way back to Saint Santino, Francisco Santino I, the first District Pontiff of Alenheim Cathedral."

"A Saint? Your family attributes it's fame to the Church?"

"Yes, many of my bloodline's members of yore ages back held high positions in the Church, some were even District Pontiffs like the founder and Brother Generals. A lot more of us Santinos did other things, such as founding businesses and pioneering the frontier. Me? I was in the Church once, but after a long lifetime of service, I retired to pursue another forte I practiced and admired. Bullfighting. I was the face of the ring in my time, I quite miss the cheers and the roses I received when I gave the crowd a spectacle they wouldn't soon forget...."

"That sounds quite nice. You're a skeleton now though, how did you die?"

"Fighting Spirits in the defense of Alenheim Cathedral when the Dominion laid siege to it. I had with me an heirloom, my family sabre, a blade that Saint Santino passed down the bloodline. It was a weapon unlike anything else, enchanted by holy powers to cut through anything with it's silver blade."

"Soon though, machines from Metaldom arrived to aid the Dominion Spirits, and Cheridex himself marched along with them. When we could not hold any longer, we retreated to the inner sanctum and the Prominent himself came down on us. Those who threw themselves at him perished, but I put up a better fight, I managed to inflict a wound upon that traitor before his hands mangled me! And what last I saw was him making off with my family blade!"

"I remember rising from the same spot I died, and why I do not know. All I know now is that I plan on making my way to Metaldom. Even if it is the last thing I do, I swear I shall take back what was stolen from me by that vile tyrant!"

"Ah, you are going the way West to reach Metaldom too? So am I."

"Really? Then perhaps my fellow esqueleto would like to partner up? It is always good to have another watching your back."

"You and I go the same way. I will help you with whatever it is you desire, if only you would help me retake my heirloom. What do you say?"

>Agree to cooperate.
>Disagree, you work alone.
>Write in.

>>3861616
>Agree to cooperate.
Bone bros, unite!

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"Of course, I find myself in agreement to your proposal."

"¡Virutas de embalaje!" Josep said.

"By the way, I did not get your name my new amigo."

"Just call me the Grave Digger. I don't remember my name, I'm out to discover it myself."

"Hmm, Grave Digger? Fitting I say!" Josep compliments you.

Just then, another bucket fell from above down on his head.

"Ay ay ay! Stop dunking those things! Give my muleta back already!" Santino said in frustration to the laughing gatekeeper above.

"YOU NO GIVE FANCY THINGS, YOU NO ENTER!" The Spirit above shouted.

It was an Irontop, a corporeal Spirit that protects itself in a shell of iron apart of it's body. It clanked as it hopped up and down, giggling devilishly before throwing down another bucket at Josep who moves out of the way.

"I have tried reasoning with these practical children for quite a while now to no success. Perhaps you could try, mi amigo?"

You look up and the Irontop gatekeeper hums before shouting at you.

"SKELEMAN! SKELEMAN! HAVE SHINY SHOVEL! GIVE SHINY SHOVEL IF WANT IN! GIVE GIVE!"

That's the last thing you would do in such a situation like this.

What will you do to get into the town?

>>3861661
>shoo the spirit
>start digging a tunnel under The Wall
>arriba arriba we cross the border!

>>3861661
Let's go with this one>>3861673

>Use the amiable perfume. This is the perfect opportunity.

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"Buzz off you dumb oven."

"DUMB OVEN....?"

"AAARGH! YOU PAY FOR THAT! ME GO GET FRIENDS! BEAT YOU TO PULP!"

Angrily, the Irontop falls off the wall and you hear it hit the ground hard from behind the wall before it scuttles off.

You signaled Josep and raised your shovel before you plunged it into the dirt and began to dig. From your experience digging under a wall for the first time back at that factory in the dunes, you found a way to speed the process up, and there only being dirt in the way helped that.

Gradually, you began to sink down into the ground as you dug a hole out. Josep Santino was amazed at your skill and hopped into the hole after you.

"¡Soberbio! Simply sublime! Your skill with that shovel."

Within almost no time you finally reach the other side of the wall.

You are met with a large group of Spirits staring you and Josep down as your heads emerged from the hole.

"Ah, this however is not sublime."

"ME IS RUSTBUCKET!" Says one Irontop with an incredibly tall helm, he bore a Metaldom emblem on his rusty shell. "I THE LEADER CAUSE THE BOT AND DJINN SAYS SO!"

"YOU NO GET CAPE BACK! GO AWAY OR WE KILL YOU! THE IRONTOPS IS IN CHARGE OF THIS PLACE! WE CALL SHOTS!"

"So, uh, what are we going to do about this?" You hear Josep whisper to you.

>Attack the Spirits.
>Point out that Rustbucket just admitted to having bosses too and ask to see them.
>Try to negotiate once more using Amiable perfume.
>Try negotiating without perfume, they might realize your game.
>Incite revolution among the non-Irontop Spirits.
>Write in.

>>3861740
Point out that Rustbucket just admitted to having bosses too and ask to see them.
We don't want things getting out of hand around here. We can always use the perfume on the bosses, I hope. After we've dealt with them we could incite revolution, depending on how everything goes.

>>3861740
>Point out that Rustbucket just admitted to having bosses too and ask to see them.

>>3861740
>Point out that Rustbucket just admitted to having bosses too and ask to see them.
and then if they're all as stupid
>Incite revolution among the non-Irontop Spirits.

"If you're the "leader" 'because the bit and djinn says so' then that means that this 'bot and djinn' are the real leaders here, teapot. Why don't you call them over before things get ugly." You say.

"NO! I IS THE LEADER! EVERYONE LISTEN TO ME!"

"Hey, he has a point Rustbucket." The hand-like Spirit says.

"Yeah, you're just the officer's posssster boy! We shouldn't even listen to you! Come on everyone, let's go!" The insectoid Spirit said.

At that, everyone around save for the Irontops left the scene and returned to their routines.

Rustbucket looks around and fumes over the other Spirits having left, he stomps the ground angrily and grunts, making the other Irontops back away.

"YOU MAKE RUSTBUCKET LOOK BAD! OH YOU SEE BOT AND DJINN ALRIGHT, RUSTBUCKET GONNA HAVE THEM KILL YOU! COME WITH!"

You looked over to Josep and he shrugged at you before standing out of the hole and following the marching Irontops. You hop out of the hole and go along too as the Irontops marched into the town of Raspharn.

It was now that you could truly get a good look at the historical town, with most of it's buildings being centuries or even decades old. There were many spires quite high off the ground from the tall buildings and churches and old timey storefronts with multiple levels with stairs elevated from the brick walkways upon which rows of the whole town were built on. There were alleys and wells and you saw steam rising from a sewer drain and from the chimneys of the houses.

Most grimacing however was the number of Spirits here. There had to be at least a hundred. They seemed to be using the town as civilians, living in it's old houses and making new stores for themselves out of old ones.

Why on earth were these abominations tainting this beautiful town with their filth as this? Did Spirits not build their own livings?

You would find out now as the Irontops took you and Josep to an old hotel building and past it's registry.

They stop you at the red door of one of the rooms and demand you go in alone. For the moment, you complied with the Irontrops and step inside the hotel room.

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You see Rustbucket stomp past you as you entered the hotel suite. The walls and floor were flaking and mildewed and the stench was awful. There was only one single lamp functioning inside the suite and you looked forward to see a glowing Spirit muttering something to a Metaldom machine.

"Hello, we are the Dominion and Metaldom representative officers placed in charge of this settlement. Are you the skeleton that's been making such a fuss outside the walls? What did the Irontops do to you and what do you want?" The Djinn asks.

"I'm not the one making a fuss, my colleague was because your Spirits have taken his 'muleta'."

"Whatever it is that was taken, we've instructed Rustbucket to return it, so you have nothing to worry over now, theft is prohibited here under our combi-laws. The Irontops make for useful henchmen but they keep giving this new coalition settlement a bad impression because they don't follow rules so well, they have notably lower IQs on average." The machine says in it's processes speech.

"Coalition settlement?"

"Yes, that's what this place has been converted to." The Djinn says.

"As the Dominion and Metaldom expand, there is a need to house the ever growing populations. In the midst of the war, much of the earth has been ruined, so Spirits from both of our nations aim to rebuild using what the Humans have left behind since we have drove them into nigh-extinction over the decades." The machine says.

"Human settlements in fine enough condition are refurbished and rebuilt to an extent, maintained so that Spirits can inhabit them and pick up the pieces Humans left behind when they were killed by invading armies. This refurbished human town has become a Coalition settlement due to both the Dominion and Metaldom laying claim on it. In order to remedy conflict from these two claims, we have agreed to form combi-laws implementing things from both of our nations that officers of both agree on for the Spirits living here to abide by. Both the Dominion and Metaldom claim tithe as well from this town as a form of taxation. We won't allow Metaldom to convert souls to machines here unless by consent as is the agreed upon combi-law, which is abnormal to the standards of Meteldom." The Djinn explained.

"And the Dominion are not allowed harvesting here to gather more innocent souls from slaughter for their supreme leader to devour as is the agreed upon combi-law, which is abnormal to the standards of the Dominion." The machine says, making the Djinn scoff.

"Combi-rules work well enough and both sides are in cooperation. Otherwise, we would be fighting each other since our real enemy is mostly gone now. Such is the nature of nation states." The Djinn says.

"So, is there anything else you wanted?"

"....I came to gather some objects from a video store here."

"The video rental store has been occupied by a novice hunter named Xiom. You will have to check in with him about that. Don't make a fuss while you're here, and try to abide by the laws. There's a board in the town square listing our combi-laws."

>Ask the two officers something.
>Explore somewhere in Raspharn. (Town Hall, Salon, Clothing Store, Grocery Mart, Library.)
>Go see the video rental store.
>Attack the Spirits.
>Leave the town and continue to the West.
>Write in.

>>3862507
>Pick up Josep's muleta
>Visit the Town Hall

>>3862518
Might as well support for the moment.

Having nothing else to say, you nod to the two officers and they leave to get back to their business.

You exited the hotel suite and saw Josep there, waving his scarlet muleta around.

"¡Virutas de embalaje! Jajaja! ¡Virutas de embalaje!"

"Ah, my precious muleta! I always feel more steady with it in hand. Now that I have it back, I shall follow your lead, Sepulturero. Let's get out of this cesspool as quickly as we can, yes?"

Santino let you take lead and followed close by, his muleta clutched tightly as he gave glares to the Irontops you both passed.

Coming out into the town square, you saw the stone columns of the town hall and decided to check it out.

On the inside, which was mostly clean, you saw some Ghosts sweeping the floors by possessing brooms all while under the watchful eyes of a Dominion Watchman and a Metaldom Legion Drone.

Hurriedly, another ghostly Spirit came over with a clipboard in hand, dropping papers as she stopped in front of you gasping.

"H-Hello! Welcome to the town hall! I'm the Assistant Representation Officer! I'd be happy to answer any questions you have or otherwise offer you assistance in any way I can! W-What can I help you gentlemen with?"

"Am I allowed to look around inside?"

"You mean in here? Well, no, the Representation Officers have marked a few places as off limits and trespassing is against the combi-laws. You'll need a home owner's permission before you can just waltz around their home."

"Assistant! Fetch me another beverage!" You heard a voice come from upstairs, making the ghostly assistant groan.

Looks like you weren't getting into here so easily.

What will you do now?

>>3862692
>Go to the video store. After that ask Josep's opinion on spirits, and what he thinks we should do.
Also, is Josep a spirit? Or is he something like us?

>>3862692
This>>3862727

As you walk down the town road, you talked to Josep in a hushed tone.

"Santino, what is your outlook upon Spirits?"

"The knaves of the world? Like most humans, I despise them. But, in times like this, most humans must think a bit differently and less on the high horse. I have always been a man of policy, I shall treat others how I wish to be treated, and do unto them what they do to me. Though I may not like Spirits, I could still interact with one in a civil manner. If they receive me well, I shall receive them well, and that goes for my fellow men too."

"Do you think rising from the dead has made you a Spirit?"

"I am unsure of that in particular. I have heard stories of Humans transforming into Spirits before, and if this is what it is I fear for my Soul. Deus hates Humans who betray mankind to become Spirit just as much as he hates Spiritkind. Though, I never deliberately made this choice to rise again as a Spirit if that is what I am now. I take reassurance in the thought that Deus will be able to tell the difference and pardon me when I go to him one day. Until then, I swear on my ancestors, I will reclaim my family heirloom from the Caudillo no matter what."

"That reassurance, that is something I can get behind." You commented.

Quietly, you and Josep marched down to the sixth avenue and saw a large building smeared in pink paint that simply read 'Thah Brothel'. Next to it was the video store, which had it's sign broken and hanging to the left.

You and Josep entered to be met with a sight that every teenager once reveled in, rows and rows of movie rentals and television show cuts in the formats of discs and VHS tapes. There was some stands next to the checkout lined with every conceivable kind of snack and candy and soda there, and to the back you could see the video game section with signs that listed various kinds of consoles.

If you were a Human teenager who spent his Mondays hitting up this place for quality entertainment back in the day after Church school, you think you'd have felt at home too.

"Heh, I remember this place." Josep says.

"You do?"

"Yes, my grandparents lived here in Raspharn. I used to come visit when I was a child and I would always beg them to take me here every time. Hah hah hah....."

"Did you want to see if they're here?"

"No, it is no worry. They died a long time ago. I would never forget even one of my ancestors, remembering those who lived is important to my line."

"Hmm..."

You walked through the aisles of the video store and to the back where the video games lied. You would gather all you could carry in order to get that Phantom Lantern from Barney.

As you were perusing the items on the shelf, your vision fell right and you saw a Spirit there looking back at you timidly. It's body was simple, it having only one eye, and the whole body was composed of a slimy black gelatinous material.

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"U-U-Uh! G-Greetings!" He blurts out, not having expected you and Josep to enter his home.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Uh! O-oh... I-I'm Xiom, I'm a Shoggoth... uhh... I live here.... I'm the uh.... t-the town hunter, but.... I'm not very good at hunting... I wanted to be a p-peaceful monk b-but they assigned me a job and wouldn't let me have a choice... I-I don't really care about this place's things... you can have them... I just live here... it's a hard life since we're in poverty but... I get by..."

"Okay... You don't mind if I take these?"

"Oh! No... not at all... I-I can't really desire for material things... t-they're fleeting.... I uh.... I still try to practice my enlightenment... even they I'm forced to go hunt... and fail..."

You heard Josep pull up a shopping cart from behind.

Why not. You went ahead and packed as many video games as you could into the cart from the shelves. None remain when you are done, and you could still shove more into it yet.

You figured you could simply use Heliac to get back to Coscovy instantly to quickly exchange these things for that lantern before getting back on the road.

>Quickly exchange the games and then get out of there.
>Talk to Xiom.
>Give an offer to join you on the road and escape this town to Xiom.
>Grab some movies too.
>Push the cart out of the town walls first before using Heliac, don't want to attract attention.
>Write in.

>>3862870
>>Talk to Xiom.
>>Give an offer to join you on the road and escape this town to Xiom.
>>Grab some movies too.
>>Push the cart out of the town walls first before using Heliac, don't want to attract attention.
Pretty much all of this. Ask Xiom what kind of enlightenment he is seeking.

>>3862870
>Grab some movies too.
>Push the cart out of the town walls first before using Heliac, don't want to attract attention.
Nah, leave him alone.

"What do you mean by 'enlightenment?'"

Xiom's eye shifts across the room, making sure it's just you and him.

"U-uh... well... don't tell anybody I told you this... I might get l-locked up for it.... b-but I h-heard a rumor... a rumor about the 'Pardoned Spirit'.... have you ever heard of them?"

You shake your head.

"We-Well... the rumor goes that... there's a being out there... a Spirit who was 'pardoned' by G-God for their benevolence.... m-meaning that their soul is saved.... a-and they started worshiping God like a H-H-Human.... and showing other Spirits the way to Him... s-so they became a 'Bodhisattva'... a-a Spirit who guides others to paradise... They call it the... Soothsayer... a Spirit who was gifted with precognition by God..."

"Th-They say he runs with a carnival of other Spirits who ju... just want to spread joy..."

"I... I want to be just like the S-Soothsayer too... I-I want to reach enlightenment like they did and become a B-Bodhisattva too.... I.... I hate the Prominents... they're evil.... Hallow eats... souls of his own brethren and.... Cheridex just wants to rule everyone... make everything.... mechanical...."

You looked at the shy Shoggoth for a moment and he stared back with his head low.

"Do you want to get out of this town?"

"W..... ye...... I... do but.... I can't leave... others here depend on me hunting for them... even if I'm not good... this whole place is in.... poverty... but at least... we're not getting harvested... or... mechanized..."

It seems he declines any notion of leaving this town. You could care less, he was still a Spirit even if a... spiritually knowledgeable one. You reflected upon what Santino said earlier then and just wished the Shoggoth good luck before pushing the cart out of the video store, throwing in some movies you saw off the shelves as you did, to sweeten the deal with Barney Gibson.

As you walked through the streets of Raspharn to find the exit, you received stares from Spirits passing by looking curiously at your cart.

At least three Irontop officers stop you to check if you had Xiom's permission to take the items. These little metallic shits were without a doubt the most ignorant and annoying of any Spirits you've encountered thus far. You kind of wanted to kick one to see how far it would fly but went on your way.

Once you came out to the exit of the town, you had to wait a moment. Gears and cogs turned and a segment of the wall itself was picked up slightly and angled so that you had a way out back onto the road leading into the town. Quickly, you and Josep run-walked out and saw the wall closing again behind you, being operated by two of the insectoid Spirits.

You simply walked for a while until you were a good enough distance away from the town.

"So, what is the plan now?" Josep asks.

You hold from saying anything and press Heliac to bring the Angel out. Josep Santino covers his eyes from the light and looks in bewilderment at the Angel. Heliac paces between looking at you and looking to the other skeleton before introducing itself.

"Greetings mortal, I am Heliac, I am an Angel."

"....You know... over my life, I've learned to question everything, but this... I will not question..."

"Heliac, can you access our minds?"

"If you should will it, yes, to a degree I can."

"Then take me to the location I'm thinking of."

"Very well, your will be done...."

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And here you were again, back in Barney's shop with Heliac on your finger. Josep was not with you however.

"What the hell is- Oh, it's you."

Barney stumbles out of his stock room with a double barreled shotgun in hand, which he sets aside as he peers at the shopping cart you had with you.

"Holy crap, you really did it, you got those games I needed."

"I trust you'll give me my due now?" You asked, pushing the cart behind the counter to Barney who looked through the games.

Barney steps back into his stock room again and then comes out with the Phantom Lantern and sets it down in front of you.

"You got it bone meal, it's all yours. Pal. Thanks, I appreciate it."

"Actually, you got... a fuckton more than I was actually expecting. I didn't even think there would be a fourth of this. Tell you what, I'll throw in something else on the house since you really helped me out here, I'm in for big when Quizin makes his rounds again. You know what I got, so tell me what you want."

>"Give me the Mana Booster."
>"Give me the Perfumes."
>"Give me the Soulcharms."
>"Give me the Ward Shells."
>"I don't need anything. If you have a lot of food, send some of the way of Larry, he'll need it for his plans."
>"I don't need anything else, this is good enough."
>Write in.

>>3862967
Give me the soulcharms. That should be very useful.
We should probably get back to Josep soon. Amigo is probably wondering where we are.

>>3862967
>"Give me the Soulcharms."
>Then go back to your new amigo

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"Hey you got it pal, Soulcharms coming right up."

Barney goes to the back and comes again with the three golden Soulcharms in hand.

"So uh, you know how to use these things, right? Cause I'm clueless. All I know is that make Church relics work through prayer."

"Prayer? What?"

"Yeah, prayers, the Zodic Church could actually use prayers as a power source, and they used it for a lot of things, but mostly to power their super relics to go dump all over Spiritkind with, they was quite advanced for their time, I'm sure we'd have been all been rounded up and sent to the slaughterhouse like cattle in no time if the Church never existed... actually, that's kind of what happened anyway, isn't it? Guess it was just delaying the inevitable."

"I don't know... maybe you crush them like some of the other things I have? You'll figure it out, just don't squander those prayers inside, you won't be getting that again so easily."

"Alright, I'm gonna go get plastered at Larry's now. Lock up for me, will ya'?"

Barney locks his stock room and leaves the guild hall.

With him out of sight, you bring Heliac back out and the Angel flutters it's wing-like protrusions at you.

"Master, I must remind you that I cannot repeatedly transport things in this limited form across space. I will be capable of transporting you twice more before I need some time to regain my focus."

"Okay. Take me back to where I was before then."

"As you wish, Master."

In a blink of light, Heliac takes you through space again.

You end up back in the same place as before and see Josep Santino down the road from you. You quickly catch up with the bullfighter and he looks surprised to see you again.

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"Gran scott. Compañero, I had thought you abandoned me, or even deceived me. Ahh, but thankfully I have more faith than that. What did you do?"

"I brokered a deal with somebody in Coscovy City to obtain this using what I got from that town."

You show off the Phantom Lantern to Josep, he taps in chin and looks it over curiously.

"Peculiar thing you have there. What does it do?"

"It can trap and bend Spirits."

"¿Verdaderamente? Eso suena increible."

"Yes, it'll come in handy."

"Where do you think we should go now?"

"Do you happen to have a map?"

You pull out the map that you were given by the Zodic remnants and hand it to Josep.

"Hmm... yes, this map will work. Well, there are a few ways we can try to get into Metaldom once we're there."

"We could see if there is a plane we could use in Nedhe's airport, or a boat in the harbor town of Franks. Getting to Metaldom will be easy, getting inside will be hard."

"We could also try Cyfrus, which if I remember correctly housed an old church installation with much firepower. An old war device called a Mortar Magnus, which we could easily take out that nearby fortress with, if it still functions."

"You did showcase that ability to... teleport yourself with your Angel thing... so trying to sneak in through the walls from Narramar is always an option too if you can take us across the Jade Sea."

"I would be able to take both you and your companion to any of these places before I need to meditate again, Master. You only need say the word."

"If that is so, then could you take us into Metaldom itself?"

"Negative, my powers do not function that far so close to the influence of a Prominent. There is also the likelihood that you would both be immediately attacked and eliminated by appearing so suddenly in such a heavily guarded city."

"Fair enough."

"What are you thinking, compañero?"

>"Let's go to Nedhe on foot and see about a plane. No need to drain Heliac right now."
>"We should go there by boat, so let's go to Franks."
>"Cyfrus sounds like our best shot, and we'd be close enough to get in. We go there."
>"Let's try and gain our way there from Narramar, taking this quietly is our best bet."
>Write in.

>>3863577
>"Let's go to Nedhe on foot and see about a plane. No need to drain Heliac right now."

>>3863740
Isn't Nedhe where the Zodiacs are preparing that nuke? Anyway, I'm, supporting using a boat. We might stop by the Demon island.

>>3863812
Support but hell no to going to the demon island.

>>3863577
Yeah, okay, switching to boats
>"We should go there by boat, so let's go to Franks."

I mean, it'd probably be a good idea to make sure that we don't get nuked by the Zodiacs. But I'm not sure how we'd do that.

"The boat sounds like a good enough approach, we'd be right at the wall if the map is anything to go by, and we could make our way in from there. Let's head to Franks."

"Muy bien."

Heliac returns to your finger to meditate at your signal and you take off into the day with Josep, heading towards the Scrap Dunes

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Night soon approaches when you have made it through Interstate 81 and into the Scrap Dunes.

Your plan was to see if Strela would like to tag along, or if she had anything else for you. As well you would like to see about getting your revolver back to possibly arm Josep with it.

As you venture into the dunes with Josep, you eventually run path with the Vizier.

"I have put thought to it. I cannot let you run rampant in this world, Anathema. Time for you to die."

"You're making a mistake here, giraffe."

"Silence monster! Stay still and die!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXmMdRPVfbs

The Vizier attacks suddenly! You and Josep Santino both prepare yourselves for battle!

The Vizier takes initiative and begins the fight by casting the Susata spell, slowing your movement!

"You deserve a slow death, monster."

Josep looked as though he wanted to try something, but was unsure if you were doing to do anything yourself first....

>Attack the Vizier.
>Shoot with your SMG.
>Wait and Defend.
>Wait and try counterattacking.
>Give Josep a command.
>Use the Burial Blade.
>Use Terror Force.
>Use an item.
>Write in.

>>3863999(checked)
>Attack the Vizier with your shovel.

>>3863999
>Tell Josep to attack when we do. Use our shovel.

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Strutting forward as fast as you could, you took a swing at the Vizier, but the sorcerer dodged it easily as you were affected still by the slowing Susata spell he cast.

Thankfully, as you commanded, Josep Santino attacked the sorcerer too. He conjured a thin and pointed blade with a red handle into his hand and struck the back of the Spirit, puncturing it in three swipes that licked the body's flesh away underneath the robes and punched down inside, carving it's way.

The Vizier hissed in pain and cast a Barrier spell to blow you and Josep back.

Flickering with aura in his hand, the Vizier casts a lethal Ether Fire I spell, hitting you and Josep with the torrents of pink compound flame.

It burns badly, and you and Josep both feel immense pain from the torrent cutting deep into your bodies and your bones. Josep loses his balance and you fall to your knees.

"Maybe in your prime you would have won, but after all that has transpired, you are too weak now. Die monster!"

You feel your movements regain their pace, the Susata spell has worn off. You pick yourself up and Josep stands too, ready to fight again.

Another hit or two from a dangerous mystical attack like that and you don't think you'll come out of this alive. Fleeing is always an option,the Vizier himself seemed to move slowly, having no legs and relying on mystical energy to stay afloat.

>Attack the Vizier.
>Shoot with your SMG.
>Wait and Defend.
>Wait and try counterattacking.
>Give Josep a command.
>Use the Burial Blade.
>Use Terror Force.
>Use an item.
>Attempt to flee the battle.
>Write in.

>>3864071
>Use Terror Force.

Raising his hand again, the Vizier casts Ether Fire I, blowing another torrent of pink flame at you and Josep. This time however, both of you are able to evade the stream thanks to your distance.

Closing in, you charged and threw your arms forward, lunging your shovel at the Vizier and awakening your hidden powers again.

In the form of your green aura, you launch the Terror Force wave at the Vizier, who braces himself and then receives the full brunt of the attack with his one arm. The force of the staggering blow carries the sorcerer into a dune so fast that the whole dune is blown away in an implosion of sand getting taken by the wind.

You see the sorcerer rolling in the sand, overtaken by fear from the affect of the Terror Force. He uses his one good arm and bendable neck and head to drag himself through the sand, crawling away as fast as he could. It seems that the Terror Force has temporarily suppressed his ability to utilize mystical arts, which is the true cause of his fear from the attack.

You could easily get out of here now, as the sorcerer crawled away.

"Curse you anathema! Curse you to hell! I'll come back... I swear I will hunt y... you!"

>Barrel over and deliver a finishing blow to the Vizier.
>Leave and continue on your journey, sparing the Spirit.
>Use the Phantom Lantern to entrap the sorcerer Spirit.
>Write in.

>>3864120
>Use the Phantom Lantern to entrap the sorcerer Spirit. This should be fun.

>>3864120
>Use the Phantom Lantern to entrap the sorcerer Spirit.

>>3864120
>Use the Phantom Lantern to entrap the sorcerer Spirit.

Don't you guys think we should wait to use the lantern on a better spirit?

>>3864170
Maybe,but the dude himself is pretty powerfull and we'll just have to kill him once we meet a more powerfull spirit that we can trap.

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Not allowing the chance to slip, you take the Phantom Lantern from the back of your belt and raise it at the Vizier.

The lantern alights with a more intensive flame and begins pulling the very being of the sorcerer Spirit into it. Having been weakened, the Vizier could not resist as he pulled and scraped at the sand, being dragged backwards along with his supernatural essence into the candlelight of the lantern's flame.

You watched it flow around you in a watery fashion as the essence of the Vizier was pulled into the flame and he was entrapped within it.

Now trapped and at your command, the Lantern's flame died down somewhat. You could feel the presence of the Spirit inside making no attempts to escape.

Did this perhaps alter his mind? You'd think the Spirit would want to escape above all else, but it only relaxed.

The thought of it, Spirits creating devices made specifically to enslave their fellow Spirits, it seemed just like them in their wicked nature.

Putting the lantern back onto your belt, you gestured to Josep and the two of you continued on your way.

Striding through the dune trenches again, you and Josep come out to the hydraulic door to the Highwaymen encampment and you knock on it using your shovel. You see one of the two Shadow People goons look out down at you before hopping back down the other side of the door.

The things crankily rises and opens and you are met by the two goons who begin thanking you for your help with their encampment before rolling out a dirty and tattered red carpet for you to the fence ahead.

The fence ahead is opened and this time you aren't met with Highwaymen wielding spears, but Highwaymen all looking to you happily and givings thanks.

You see things have changed at the encampment to a wide extent. There are many, many huge crates that have been plundered by the Highwaymen containing all sorts of useful materials and items in far better condition than what was normally found in the Scrap Dunes.

You saw that all the Highwaymen had new clothing, new metals they used as armor and they had some better weapons rather than the cheap things they were using before.

The ground across the encampment had rugs and pads spread out and you saw some of the Shadow People sweeping their floors and adding newer plank boards to their shacks. Some were working on their buggies, adding new parts and internals to it, as well as mounted MGs.

Most of them stopped what they were doing as they saw you and waved and thanked you before returning to work.

One Shadow Person approached you and bowed slightly. "Oh good sir! We are all grateful to have you again. The Church remnants have rewarded us all greatly for the help you gave the matriarch. I'm the first mate, is there anything I can help you with?"

"I left a revolver here last I was around, find it and get my friend here armed with it." You say, motioning to Josep.

"Ah, you mean that old thing? We've received newer weapons from the Remnants that they didn't require. We could arm your friend with something better."

"Like what?"

"A tactical revolver over a gun store variant like the one you had."

"Alright, do it, and get him some ammo too."

"Yes, of course."

"And can I speak to Strela?"

"Of course, of course, she's taken some time off supervising right now, you'll find her in the largest cabin."

You nod and begin walking to the large cabin you saw ahead.

"Oh! One more thing, sir. Please leave your weapons on the rack outside, the matriarch doesn't let us carry weapons into her shack."

Complying, you approached Strela's shack and set your shovel and SMG aside on a wall mounted rack outside before stepping in, Josep following and leaving his muleta.

File: Meeting.png (385 KB, 1191x763)

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The interior to Strela's shack was notably more well maintained than the others you saw despite looking the same outside. The floor and walls and ceiling of board planks, metal panels and tarps all seemed to be dusted more thoroughly and you saw a few of the same new things from the crates outside in here as well.

You hear two voices from behind a tarp closing off another room and then see Strela emerge from it, raising her hands to the air.

"Well look who it is. Boner, how have you been? ....Oh, and who is this strapping fellow with you?"

"Saludos, señora. Onions el señor Josep Santino."

"Huh.. what?"

"Err.... I am Josep Santino, pleased to meet you." Josep says, bowing in a traditional way.

"Aye. It's a pleasure."

"Ever since you helped out at that factory, things have flourished around here, boner. Those remnants held their part of the deal, sent us heaps of things and food. We'll last a year with it I'll bet."

"Oh, and I haven't forgotten about the other promise I made. If there's anything here you'd like, you can have it, unless it's really important. Like a weapon or something."

"So what do ya' need?"

How will you go about expressing your plans of getting to Metaldom to Strela and asking if she would like to tag along? Depending on how you word it, she may decline, seeing it more important to watch over her camp than go along to Metaldom.

>What will you say?

>>3864687
>Onions el señor Josep Santino
Hah!

>>3864687
Tell Strela that we plan to go to Metaldom to begin the end of the Prominents. That includes Lord Hallow, the guy who chased her and her family out of their homes. We're asking for her help, so that we can bring an end to the Prominents and help people out like Strela.

Tell her that while we understand that there's a lot of stuff keeping her here, as she said it will only last a year, and after that what then? If she comes with us, she'll have access to all of the resources of Metaldom, and whatever else we come across. Hell, we can probably clear out a better place for Strela and her band on the way there. Are they happy just eking out an existence in these dunes? Things are better now, but will they accept constantly robbing people as a way of existence, living in fear of powerful spirits or people? Taking on Metaldom, while dangerous, could free her and her band from this life, and she could really do something for them if she accompanies us to Metaldom.

>>3864763
support

Strela listens carefully to you, as you explained your motives. Her face takes multiple expressions of shock and hesitation as you talked over it all. Josep remained steadfast and agreed wholeheartedly with all you said.

"You.... want to take Metaldom on?"

You nod silently.

"Have... have you actually lost it? That's impossible... It's like walking into hell and thinking you'll come back!"

"The world is already hell, Strela. If the Prominents are to ever fall, a start has to happen somewhere. We're going to Metaldom to make that start happen."

"You just don't understand what you want to go up against." Strela says nervously. "The Prominents may as well be all powerful, they've fought against Humans and God for sixteen thousand years now, you know that. They have millions of Spirits who follow them gladly, and Metaldom is massive, as large as ten regions and filled with machines..."

"I know, but that can't stop me, or any of us. You'll only last a year here with what the Remnants have given you, and if we do this, we might just find somewhere better for you and your people to be free at, with more supplies."

"You've already fought the machines before, you know what you're up against, the three of us could do a lot together."

"En efecto. I alone am quite skilled to boast, but I'm sure adding my prowess with more warriors will make things all the easier. We only need cooperate."

"I don't know... the gain would be great, yeah, but you want to go try and get inside a giant place like that.... everywhere is just city and industry in Metaldom crawling with machines. I... I need some time to think about this."

"Very well."

"The uh.... the shed behind this one has some cots. You can go stay back there until then... I guess...."

Strela still seems hesitant and disappears back behind the tarp in the cabin. You look to Josep and he stretches.

"We should let her think over it, since you seem adamant on taking this Spirit with us. I shall go find a place to pray until then." Josep says before stepping out of the cabin, leaving you there.

You go and look out the window in the cabin's wall and look around the camp. There is a stand where a Shadow Person was handling weapon, there was a cabin with a neon open sign on it and a plank with white paint that read 'Bar', and there was the shed behind Strela's shack she mentioned where you could rest and wait until she had thought over your proposal.

To the left, you saw a stack of books and newspapers along with some old propaganda posters on a dining table. To the right there was a workbench with tools and a strange painting on the wall.

What will you do?

>>3865048
>Go to the right to have a look at the newspapers and propaganda posters. Then look at the strange painting.

>>3865048
>Go to the stand with the spirit, ask if he's the local weaponsmith. What can be done with our SMG?
>If not, take a look at the propaganda posters and try to find more backpage anecdotes in the newspapers.

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You stepped over to the left and up to the dining table with the stacks of newspapers you saw. There was also what appeared to be Strela's own personal diary there too.

You picked up one of the things and noticed something different about it. The newspaper was black rather then white, and the color of it's letters were blue. Ahh, that is because this was no ordinary newspaper, this was a Dominion newspaper, it must have came from the time of when Strela and her other Shadow People lived in the cold and harsh Northern Dominion.

"Victory is assured."

"Slowly, the Great War is coming to it's closing stages as the last strongholds of Humans fall globally. Morale for the Zodic Church is in decline and Dominion troops have made it a past time of overtaking Church held territory and settlements. However, the rate at which the Dominion is able to push further comes slowly as our world faces morale hits of it's own from the disappearance of Lord Amalefon and the exit of the Demonic Clans from the Great War. Dominion troops have suffered high casualties of their own but have not truly lost any captured territory to the receding Humans, they are hard pressed to fight in the cities of Mankind where staggering resistance is encountered.

Chancellor Kleis has issued multiple national charities in the face of events ongoing in both the Dominion and Metaldomian threatres. Chancellor Kleis urges more able bodied men to enlist and join the efforts, doubling the pay grade and royalties families may receive from their loved ones joining the front lines.

His radiance Lord Ion Hallow himself even has something to say on the matters as he is due to give a speech within the time frame of the next two months encouraging the war efforts and sharing words of wisdom with the entire nation in the hopes that it will bolster morale and motivate even fiercer effort on the front lines."

The newspaper was dated 5/7/15989.

Curiously, you put the newspaper down and looked up at the painting you saw. It depicted some kind of regal and faceless humanoid with a head emitting whiteness. Who was this supposed to be?

File: Propaganda.png (520 KB, 1191x763)

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You then take a look at the propaganda poster you saw. It was a Metaldomian propaganda poster depicting a number of machines marching to a red background with a tall figure behind them all.

This was without a doubt to you the fabled Cheridex you've heard of, the Caudillo of Metaldom. For a powerful Human turned Spirit being dressed that nicely for the most part, his hat looked kind of tacky in your opinion.

You chuckled as you read the bit about freedom before setting the poster down.

What a sick being, wanting to trap everyone's souls inside of metal to serve him....

The sad part about it was that somewhere out there at one time, or even still today, there are a few people who likely believed this propaganda, and ended up paying their free will for it...

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Having had enough of the props within Strela's cabin, you decide to go see what the gunsmith in the camp had to offer.

Stepping outside from behind the tarp, you are met with a different sight, one you did not expect. Everything was darker, and shrouded with... red mist... symbolic of a Demon.

You backed away right back into the cabin and looked out the window and.... everything was fine, you could see Josep Santino over at the Bar, and the Shadow People Highwaymen going about their business. One strolls by the cabin and notices you looking out, they wave and continue on their way.

You look away from the window and back out the door.... only red mist...

You look back at the window and now you could see only the red mist outside too.

What the hell was going on now?!

You cautiously stepped out of the cabin and quickly grabbed you shovel, slowly stepping out into the middle of the encampment until you heard something ahead.

"Desperate. Oh, so desperate they were. Achievement was the only thing they wanted, they were so close. Yet it eluded from them the truth of how things would really play out, and so long as they never knew, they could not do anything it but fight Mankind to the bitter end, and that was ideal. There was however but one who did discover what waited behind the veil of honesty, and it led to him vanishing from all other sights. The Demons remained, but they did not fight Man anymore, they left the rest of Spiritkind to do that job, for the Demons had a more important role to assume now."

"Spirits and Men will fight forever. God will hate forever, and you will never remember."

"Mayhaps now you venture to your destruction as a lemming walks towards a high cliff obliviously. That demise may be perfect in their eyes, but to mine it is something I cannot let happen, nor can I bade what might happen if you did survive and they didn't. I urge you, go back before you cause a calamity, Grave Digger. Your life was so simple before thanks to me, you don't know what you're getting INTO!"

You steeled yourself at the voice.

What will you do?

>Call out to him
>We know who you are Amalefon (Come on, who else can it be?). You have to give us something better than that.
>Prepare yourself for combat. Make sure to not be too aggressive, we still might be in the camp afterall.

>>3865194
Support >>3865199

>>3865199
support

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"I know who you are. You are the Devil. I do not fear you, you will have to try better than that to deter me."

"There is always a boast before an end."

"If it worries you so that I go my way, then nothing you can say will turn me back. Begone in the name of Zodia!"

The red mist around you suddenly crackles before bursting with force that makes you stumble.

"God cannot help this world. I understand God's nature even more than anyone else, and it is my ultimate weapon. I have blinded the Twilight and assumed the composer's wand."

You see something in the mist, a horned figure draped in blood red flesh. It smiles wickedly at you.

"On this rock, people will pray... and I will hear it, not God."

"Humans are dwindling and Spirits are rampant, a juxtaposition of how our times were long in the past. And in the future, it will again turn over. Humans and Spirits will fight forever, and God will wait, hating us forever. Humans won't die, but neither will Spirits."

"They are all connected to my strings, and my clan pull at them as I do."

"Any one thing threatening the integrity won't last under my watch, and my eyes cover the Earth. Grave Digger, if you go out there, you will die, and I need you alive."

"You want to go to Metaldom? It will be your grave. Cheridex will not be so merciful as I. Come back with me. You may even bring your 'friends', I can grant you all happiness from the sorrow."

The Devil Amalefon outstretches his spinal hand to you.

You looked at his red claw in disgust.

What will you do?

>>3865875
>Your promises are empty, you've shed your aliances the moment you saw an opportunity - do you take me for a fool?
>I'm going to the Metaldom. You want me alive, yet offer me nothing. Be gone.

>>3865875
>Reach out and grab the hand
>Hold it steady so our shovel can cut it off

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Slowly, but steadily, you outstretched your own hand at the Devil who smiled even wider at you.

As your finger bones met with the carapace of Amalefon's hand, you grabbed it suddenly, making the Devil himself shift his head back in surprised as you raised your shovel by the tip of it's head and slammed it's blade down, severing the Devil's hand.

Amalefon makes no noise of pain but stares at you as you throw his hand back at him, blood leaking out from his stub and spraying onto your cloak.

"Your promises are empty, Demon. Do you take me for a fool? You shed your alliances the moment you saw an opportunity. I know your kind, you live on treachery and insidiousness. I am going to Metaldom. You have nothing to offer me. Begone."

Amalefon sighed as his severed limb retreated back into his cloak. He shakes his head dismissively.

"If I cannot teach you, you will only find out on your own."

"I have things to do, the likes of which you will never understand, my old friend. But, I hope that in time one day, I can finally open your eyes to realization of what is truly wrong with our world. Until then, I can only wish success to my children, and to myself in maintaining the status quo."

"If you must... then go to Metaldom... but don't come crying back to Dole Cove when you face your doom."

"Hmm hm hm heheh heh heh heh....."

Having enough of the Demon's words, you lung forward and bring your shovel down onto his face and see things change in the blink of an eye.... you snapped back to reality...

'WH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" You heard someone call out.

You opened your eyes in a hurry and saw your self leaning down slightly. You looked up worriedly and saw your shovel had smashed a crate. You looked around and saw the Highwaymen all across the camp looking at you in confusion and some of them with fear across their yellow eyes. A few had their weapons ready, their expressions hidden behind their masks.

"M-Mister?!"

You looked ahead and saw the crate was next to the gunsmith's stand, the gunsmith was shuddering behind his stand at you.

You let go of your shovel and back away a few inches, raising your hands to signal that you meant no harm.

"I..... I'm sorry... I was.... I was seeing things..." You said, trying to dispel the air of intensity.

"Ah.... ah!... O...okay..... Uhh... well, uh, thanks for not splitting my brain in two?"

The gunsmith saw how everyone else was watching still and coughed before laughing awkwardly.

"Ahah... ahah hah! Yeah, shellshock, I get that a lot too! Hah hah hah... Well uh, false alarm! False alarm everybody, just a bit of PTSD is all!"

Muttering came from around the camp and slowly the Shadow People began to go back to doing what they were previously, some still staring in your direction worriedly before resuming their work.

"......Okay, I have no idea what made you flip like that, but I hope for my sake you got it out of your system... you good?"

"....Yes..."

"Okay...." The gunsmith coughed in his rural accent. "I'm Benny, I'm one of the engineers, but I handle the weapons, just call me the smith. We don't really use guns, but we have a lot."

"So, how can I help you in specific?"

"Are you open to trading?"

"Trading? Buddyro you saved our whole damn camp, we was bound to run out of food by the time you arrived. Now disregarding your little flip, I'd say I want to thank you personally for that, cause I haven't eaten for two years until the Remnants showed up with the supplies."

"So here's what I got."

The gunsmith shows off a variety of weapons he had including...

A sawed-off shotgun.

A bolt action scoped rifle.

A grenade launcher.

A tactical shotgun.

And a crossbow for hunting.

The gunsmith also had upgrades and parts to attache onto weapons. If you wanted to upgrade your SMG, he had an extended mag, a stock and a reflex sight.

What will you do?

We haven't really used our SMG much. I'd like to put it to good use.

>Upgrade the SMG.
>Ask the gunsmith if he has a silencer as well.

>>3866315
>Ask for the tacticool shotgun and a sling for it. We can have two weapons, right?

>>3866315
>Upgrade the SMG, we definitely need reflex sights for it
>Ask for the shotgun as well if possible.
Shotgun ammo is customizeable, Humans have probably came up with anti-spirit shots by now.

>>3866436
support

"Well alrighty then."

Shuffling through his wares, the gunsmith grabs you a reflex sight for your SMG and attaches the new sight to it for you using his screwdriver.

Satisfied, you take a few looks through the sight from varying angles and then open your coat to hang it back onto your belt.

"Now, one more thing. I want the shotgun, the tactical one."

"Whew there man, looks like you don't have enough space on you carry it all... Oh! Wait, here..."

Grabbing something from his smashed crate, the gunsmith puts a sling on the tactical shotgun and sets it down for you. It is larger than the sawed-off but has no stock, and it has a second handle on it's pump.

"I'm thinking you'll want to try and find a better belt for your ammo, and maybe a better coat to carry things with. Looks like you've reached your limit and you're just pushing it now."

"Do you have any recommendations?"

"Yeah, actually. There's a town going up west towards Equinox, Sefil. That place exported fibers and cloth and things like that. We ran across it when we were fleeing the Dominion years ago. There's a factory for that kind of stuff there and there's also a pretty darn huge Williamsons."

"Williamsons?"

"Yeah, Williamsons, it's the name of an old world enterprise that sold clothing. Lot of controversy surrounded those outlets, Church used to try labeling them heretical during the height of the war because they also exported clothing to the Dominion for the more humanoid Spirits like us. Most Spirits can get away with being nudists cause most of them don't even have any junk to begin with, but not us Shadow People, it'd just be darn rude if we walked around in the nude."

"Remind me again, why do you Shadow People so closely resemble Humans?"

"Cause Shadow People came from Men mixing with more corporeal Spirits in ancient times. We can inhabit shadows and become a bit incorporeal, but we're mostly corporeal and we even have some Human DNA. Don't know what the Church thinks of that though, they seemed to be more open to us that's for sure."

"Hmmm..."

You knew Zodic teachings well. And if they were anything to go by, then the Church most definitely considered beings resulting from Human-Spirit mixing to be just as abominable if not more than the rest of Spiritkind. You weren't going to say that of course, didn't want to make anyone mad for no reason when they're helping you.

You sling the tactical shotgun around your waist under your coat and tip your hat to the gunsmith.

"Have a nice day partner."

There was still some time to waste. It might be a night before Strela announces her decision to you.

>Go hang out in the bar with Josep.
>Go watch the sky until further notice.
>Go rest on the cot in the shed.
>Write in.

>>3866473
>Go hang out in the bar with Josep.

>>3866489
So, we're going to Franks for the boat, make a stop at Sefil to gear up, then continue our way to the Metaldom, right?

>>3866491
Yeah, seems like it. I'm not sure what we're going to do once we reach Metaldom though, if we just start killing spirits or try and find our way to Cheridex. I'd like to try and do this >>3860138 instead of simply killing them but we'll see when we get there.

>>3866489
Support
>>3866491
Basicly that,though I'd like to see what Franks has to offer.
>>3866505
I'm not sure how we're going to trick them tho,they seem to already know who we are so it't not going to be an easy task.

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Coming over, you entered the bar in the encampment.

The inside was shoddy and dim with only a few strobe lights illuminating the place. You saw very few of the Shadow People inside though, including one wearing a carpet as a hood sitting next to a burly one with a diver's helmet and golf club who grunted as you walked by.

You approached the bar and saw Josep sitting there with his muleta. His posture was impeccable, but that was most likely just because of his now skeletal nature. You take a seat next to him and see that he has some green bottle in his hand, courtesy of the bartender who was an incredibly old Shadow Person, much resembling an elderly Human woman.

You stare in confusion as Josep takes a swig from the bottle. You look down at the floor, expecting to see the alcoholic beverage dripping through him, but to your surprise, you see nothing.

"Ahh, I see you've noticed too. I cannot understand either, but I still seem to be able to drink things despite my condition. And I can taste it... it is very strange... Hmm... Maybe you can as well. Una bebida para mi amiga también, señora."

The bartender smiles and rolls another bottle down the bar to you, you catch it and look the beer over, you were unsure of drinking this rotgut.... whatever it really was...

You decided to change the conversation.

"Josep, what does that mean?" You ask, looking to Josep's shoulders.

"Ahh, these? These gilded markings are symbolic of the Sun and the Moon, which have been symbols for light and darkness since the first founding. I could have gone for something else but I stuck with this, so I am always reminded of my faith."

"In God?"

"Well yes, but also no. Faith comes from God, but he allows us to have faith in more things than one. When I am reminded of my faith in God, I am reminded of the faith he has in me like all Humans. If I have faith, I will always succeed in doing what is right, and I will stray from doing what is wrong. Absolutes absolutely exist."

"Wouldn't you agree?"

>"Of course."
>"Not really."
>"I can't decide."
>Write in.

>I can't decide. Things can be so confusing... I think that there are some absolutes, such as God, but there are many things that are not.

>>3867694
>"I can't decide."

"So you stuck in the divide of indecisiveness. Yes, I know this, I know this really well. A lot of us end up this way, and there's nothing wrong with that."

"I think even I have, a little." Josep says, his eyes looking around the room at the Shadow People Spirits.

"I can tolerate.... 'them' more easily... at least the betters of 'them'." He says more hushed.

"I see what you mean."

"Though I'm sure if it were me when I was still alive.... ehhh.... not so much. So that is why I think even I have fallen to that divide, a little. But for the most part, I reserve my absolutes. Such as Deus, such as 'us'. I treat others how I wish to be treated, I do to others as they do me, those are also absolutes."

"It is nice to level on these things with others, no? What are some of your absolutes?"

"Well, for one, a high respect of the dead, and to the living.... for these, I also tolerate..." You say, also shifting your head to the other Spirits in the room. "But for the rest of 'them', I cannot say I feel anything towards other than... prejudice. To 'us', I feel much.... I think somethings you say I agree with, such as that last part about doing unto others as they do you, and such."

"Well, that is only natural. It is apart of being..... Human." Josep whispers.

Josep drinks again.

"So, I go to Metaldom for my blade. But what do you seek there?"

"I was advised to go West, to Metaldom by someone I think I can trust. I think that when I get there, I'll find out more. I want to get close to this Cheridex like you."

"I want to kill him, and the other Prominents."

"That is bold of you to desire... not many ever consider such a thought. Or even do they consider it a possibility, not after this long. I also would like to see something as this happen, perhaps we are on the road to seeing that outcome. But with how possibility and impossibility go, we could be on the road to doom."

"But that's not going to turn us back, is it?"

"Absolutely not."

"Hmm."

"In my days, I always drank with my family and friends to a lot of things, good luck, happiness.... all of those warm and nice things. My family all met their ends a long time ago, and I did too, so my line is over. My friends all moved on or left, and I think when I am truly gone for good, I will be able to see them all again. At least, I hope so."

"I always made friends fast. My father would always tell me it was charisma, and that we all had it. Really, I just think it's because I see people as friends easily. I think you are my friend now, Grave Digger, since we've met and went through that town. So let us too drink as friends, to our success."

Josep raises his bottle.

>Drink with Josep.
>Appreciate the gesture but refuse the alcohol.
>Appreciate the gesture and head to your cot, saying you need some rest.
>Write in.

>>3867937
>Drink with Josep.

>>3867937
>Drink with Josep.

>>3867937
>Drink with Josep.

>Appreciate the gesture but refuse the alcohol.
I don't think drinking will be a good idea. If we can taste it just like Josep then we could also get drunk from it too.

>>3868024
It's just one beer,we're not that much of a light weight.

>>3867937
>Drink with Josep
>>3868024
When we smoked the cigars we felt fine afterwards so I'd say this is fine.

"Let's."

You raised your own bottle and chinked it against Josep's, drinking simultaneously with him.

That night, you sat at the bar, reveling in the joy of being able to actually still taste and drink. You talked with Josep more, speaking of things of the old world and the 'good ole' days'.

He tells a joke, you chuckle. You and him discussed humor.

You finished your drink, and found yourself enraptured by being able to taste. Josep asks for another, you ask for another.

The night goes on of your talks and your humor. You have another beer.

It's getting late, so you have another beer.

Josep is sober, and you are too, even though you have another beer. He takes you by the shoulders and suggests you get some rest. You agree while having one last beer.

And so you head to your cot to rest for what little of the night is left...

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....Huh?!

"Come on lad, it's time to stop being so inebriated. Get up now."

Groggily you lean up from the cot and look around to see the lights on. Strela is standing there and beckoning you. You quickly stand up and walk over slouched slightly.

"I've already made it known, it took a while, but I think the gang will be alright."

"You mean..."

"Yes, I thought about what you said and I've made my choice. I'm coming along with you to Metaldom. Anything bad that happens to Cheridex... is a good thing in my book." Strela says with a ready smile. "I've taken care of business, first mate will be watching over things while I'm gone, he should be able to take it, everyone likes him."

"If what you want to do is kill a Prominent, then it'll take a lot of effort, but working together, we can do anything."

"So, you re.... agh... uh... ough..."

Strela pulls out a bottle of perfume from one of her satchels and sprays you heavily with it.

"There, that's better.... So, you ready too?"

"....Absolutely." You say, grabbing your shovel from the wall and following Strela out.

Outside, you see a buggy being prepared and gassed up by Shadow People. Josep is standing by and waves at you while Strela was seen off by her gang.

You step near the buggy and the engineers salute you as they finished their work on the machine. Josep comes up and taps your chest.

"You had one too many last night my friend, I hope you'll be fine for this ride. Your comrade has brought this out for us to use. We will be able to reach Franks with it in no time."

"Though, while you were asleep, I was told some things about Zodic Remnants planning to drop a bomb on Metaldom. I think we could use this to our advantage too."

"I don't know when they'll drop it though, and just how much it will really help when they do drop it."

"Mhmm. Well, me thinks we should find out."

"He does have a point, we don't even know if Metaldom is prepared for something by air or not." Strela interjects, coming from behind you, holding your map in hand. "I borrowed this."

Strela unfurls the map on the hood of the buggy before you.

"There's a lot of ways to reach Metaldom, like the boat your other boner friend mentioned. And there's the matter of those remnants too. You're the one with the idea, so you're in charge lad. What's it gonna be?"

>It would be best to go to Nedhe and seek cooperation with the Zodics.
>We should just go ahead to Franks and get on our way.
>Let's scout out Deltonin first and see what's ahead.
>Write in.

>>3869189
>It would be best to go to Nedhe and seek cooperation with the Zodics.

>>3869189
>It would be best to go to Nedhe and seek cooperation with the Zodics.

>>3869189
>>It would be best to go to Nedhe and seek cooperation with the Zodics.

"If we went to Metaldom and the remnants dropped their bomb, then there wouldn't have been a point in going in the first place. We need to know just when they plan on dropping it. So let's head to Nedhe and have a little chat with the Chaplain."

"Alright, Nedhe it is then. Isn't that far away. Alright, saddle up, we'll get there in no time." Strela says.

You and Josep both oblige and settle down into the uncomfortable seats of the buggy. It bugs you that there isn't a seat belt, but this land rover was made from spare parts and jerry-rigged from junk, so that was to be expected.

You hear it's engine roar to life as it's pipes exhaust fumes and the buggy shakes noticeably. You stare with concern as you see Strela has a belt on her seat, contrary to yours and Santino's. You take the next best option and grab onto the metal bars of the buggy and hold on tight, Santino does the same and adjusts his collar nervously.

"Are you guys ready for the ride of a life time?"

"How fa"

You couldn't even finish saying your sentence before suddenly being thrust forward harshly as the buggy jolted into the dunes and kicked up waves of sand behind it. The Highwaymen could be heard cheering and seen waving as Strela drove your party out into the dunes.

"THIS ONE WE MADE USING OUR NEW PARTS! IT'S FASTER THAN OUR OTHERS! AND IT'S GOOD ON GAS CONSUMPTION! WOOOOOOOOOO!" You heard Strela yell as the buggy zoomed and zipped throughout the dunes, jumping over the sand rises and plowing through all the junk in the way with it's protective plates.

It was a slow roller coaster on the ground, any normal Human would have hurled on this ride. You kept your composure however and Santino seemed to have his eyes closed, Strela on the other hand was yelling joyously on the ride.

It was bumpy and the buggy seemed to jump over the dunes a lot. At least Strela was true to her word of getting there in no time.

Once through the dunes on the fast buggy, you, Strela and Josep eased down. Upon reaching actual roads and gaining closer to the town of Nedhe, the ride became more bearable and not nearly as bumpy.

Strela drove you through the back roads away from the town of Nedhe. The airport was where the Zodics were held up at, and it was outside the town someways.

You looked up and over and could see a large bell tower looming over the rest of Nedhe. There were spotlights shining down even in the daytime over the place. It made you wonder why if that town was abandoned, right? Maybe it was just like Raspharn, refurbished, but being close in the vicinity of the airport and the remnants... that might mean that there could be more Humans there.

"Oi, out of your daydreaming. We're almost there. Looks like they've barred it off." Strela says, snapping your attention to the left.

Down the ways, you could see the vast runways and open spaces of the airport of Nedhe. There were planes there mostly intact, and from the looks of it, a jumbo-jet, and a helicopter. The premises of the airport was mostly surrounded by barriers of collected junk, built up fences and trenches with sandbag walls and barbed wire fences alongside the metal chainlink fence encapsulating the airport already.

Not to mention that you saw watch towers and banks with large steel weapons mounted on them, with strings of large chrome shells being fed into the chambers.

The buggy begins to decelerate and swerves to the side, stopping at the entrance to the airport which was closed off by a large gate reinforced by wood.

You tell Strela and Josep to sit tight and get out of the buggy, approaching the gate.

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As you neared, you suddenly heard the clanging of something metallic and looked up. There was a Church soldier with a golden harness and barbute, wielding a golden greatsword.

"Nay! Nearest our sanctum you shall not! Turn back and be on your way lest we send you to the labor in the township!"

"I come in peace, I am an ally. I am one who helped your Chaplain get the parts he needed for his bomb." You say, the soldier tilts his head and gives you a sideways stare.

"I would like to speak with him again concerning the threat of Metaldo"

"SILENCE!" The soldier suddenly yelled. "We care not if you come in peace or not, if you be an ally or not. No one is to enter our sanctum by the order of the Brother Chaplain. Get thee gone fore you work in chains, abominable Spirits!"

"Make haste! Get out of here, scum of the Earth!" He screams, pointing the greatsword to you from the top of the gate.

This soldier doesn't seem like he's going to give you anything but difficulty.

You glance back and both Strela and Josep shrug.

What will you do now?

>>3869571
>Tell them to go to Franks and wait for you there, we'll catch up.
>Summon Heliac, take out the Burial Blade and repeat your request. Would he not recognize an angel?

>>3869586
>Support.

>>3869586
>>Summon Heliac, take out the Burial Blade and repeat your request. Would he not recognize an angel?

>>3869586
Support

Coming over, you look to Strela and Josep.

"This is a bit more complicated than I would have liked, than you guys would have too I'll bet. So I have another idea. You both go ahead to Franks, I'll catch up after I'm done here."

"My esqueleto amigo, are you sure about that? Franks is quite far away, very very far."

"Yeah, did you even look at the map? Franks is miles away, it'll take you a long while to reach it walking. I have a better idea, we could regroup at Deltonin if you really insist we go." Strela suggested.

"If you say so. Then go to Deltonin."

"That way at least we could scout Franks out before we reach it so we know what we're dealing with. Every town pretty much has at least one Church in it, so let's meet up back at Deltonin's church." Josep says.

"Then it's decided, go and I'll meet you there."

"Okay, but I just want you to know that I think this is an absurd idea, boner."

"Don't worry, I won't be long, I have my ways."

"And I have this, heh heh." Josep says, pulling something out from the buggy's strapped on storage trunk. A guitar.

As Strela slowly cruised away on the buggy, you heard the noise of Josep playing the guitar and singing.

Turning back, you approach the gate again and the soldier looks down at you and sighs.

"Your friends have deserted you." He says.

"No, I told them to go."

"...?"

"You told them to leave? Why? Did you want to volunteer yourself for chattel chains?"

"No, I wanted to show you this." You said, pressing Heliac and summoning the Angel.

The cohort guarding the gate recoils in surprise and nearly drops his sword over the gate.

"T....That is....!"

"Let me in. Now."

"Y....Y-Yes! Right Away!"

As you requested, the gate opens and the guard leads you in. You are watched closely and guided through the airport, watched by all manner of guards, militants and religious men and women in fitting attire nervous at your Angel, some even bowing to the thing.

The entire airport had been renovated thoroughly, Zodic symbols and carpets were everywhere and they had multitudes of working Church military technology, including vehicles and golden weapons made to kill Spirits.

They take you to the flight control and ask for your weapons. You comply and hand over your shovel and SMG, but refuse to give the Burial Blade. They begrudgingly allow you in. Heliac orders the Humans around and they listen without hesitation. It takes a place guarding the door to the flight control as you go through....

In the flight control tower, you find Brother Chaplain Major Decanius looking down over the base. The flight control has been turned into some sort of shrine with fonts and sconces on the walls and standing at the edges of the room.

"Ahh, Grave Digger. What a pleasant surprise."

"Getting in hear wasn't so pleasant."

"What do you mean? Did the guards forbade you entry? I thought I had.... Oh, wait, no... I did not tell them of you... My apologies."

"How may I help you?"

"You remember that I asked for you help in knowing how to reach Metaldom."

"Yes, this I do. What of it?"

"I wanted to know your due date for dropping your bomb. I still want to go to Metaldom and do something there, but I don't want to get caught in an atomic blast while I'm there."

"Ah, yes.... Metaldom... our bomb... about that, we are having some difficulty."

You twist your skull.

"The engine you helped us acquire is mostly intact and without major scuffles, however, while we were transporting the engine itself to our airport via a convoy, we came under attack by an enormous Metaldomian machine, of a caliber we've never seen before, larger than buildings, it was a sight to behold."

"In order to get away safely with our engine, we had to... sacrifice some of our members to distract the machine long enough for us to get underway. They all died driving their truck into the machine's leg to benumb it and then attacking it from underneath it's view to diver it's attention. We got away with the engine, but the initial surprise attack seems to have caused it some internal damages."

"My engineers are currently working to fix the engine. We estimate that it will be two months time before it is operable again from their repairs. It will take that long because we lack the necessary parts to fix it off hand, instead having to resort to more unconventional method, such as slavery and the use of junk. Nothing is manufactured anymore as you might know. My workers assure me it will work in due time however, so I wait."

"I see. Then that is all I need."

"Of course. Anytime."

You go to leave.

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But stop.

"Wait.... Did you just say... slavery?"

"Yes. We have enslaved some Spirits to help do our bidding. It is no lie that there are some species of Spirits out there who possess better capability to process synapses than Men, some think far faster, which makes them ripe and useful to use ourselves."

"I thought consorting with Spirits was forbidden by the Church."

"Yes, it is, but in desperate times like this, we must use anything we can to fight back against Spirits. If we can use them against them, we will." Decanius says, wagging his finger.

"The town of Nedhe was a 'coalition settlement' when we found it, Spiritual Dominion and Metaldomian rule was over it together. We killed most of the Spirits when we came here and took the rest as slaves. The place was so poor that no help came, it was ignored all together by the Spirit governments. It's ideal for us."

"Any other Spirits we encounter traveling anywhere near Nedhe we kill using our hunters."

"We have quite a number of psionic Spirits under our control here at the airport working on things such as my engine. The Spirits in the town are all used for various other purposes, such as mining in the nearby mines. We keep them under control with strict beatings and by limiting their supplies. My men do whatever they like and I do not mind."

"Whatever they like?"

"Yes, whatever they like, except killing them. We get more resources with more of them alive."

"There is nothing wrong with this practice, nothing at all. Morality is meaningless. Spirits are abominations, their existence is a sin. They cannot atone, all Spirits are irredeemable. Their only slight penance is death, and the ones we have enslaved will not even get that. Humans always make Spirits suffer for how Spirits have made Humans suffer." Decanius says with his fist clenched.

"Now, if you do not have anything else, I must resume my reading and observation."

You stand there and Decanius goes back to the glass to look out.

You got your confirmation on the time frame you're working with here.

Strela and Josep should still be going on their way now.

The town of Nedhe was nearby and you were stepping back to leave the flight control.

What will you do now?

>>3869803
>Look around town if possible
Better to know how each city is mapped out just in case.

>>3869828
>Support
I've decided that I don't like these church dudes. They seem... wrong somehow. Maybe we can do something to the spirits? Give them a little mercy?

>>3869803
>Offer the Vizier in exchange for anti-spirit shells for our tactical shotgun, and some intel on Metaldom. Hopefully something other than it's 'impenetrable'.
>Ask for some piece of clothing that would make us more recognizable to the members of the Church, so that thing like that won't happen again

>>3869841
Support,the Vizier is powerfull compared to us but probably nowhere near any spirit heavy hitter.
>>3869839
I mean,you also got to take in the fact that spirits almost whiped out humanity,made the world into a wasteland and that most of them are evil in nature. Add in the fact that God's existence is undisputable and that he told all of Humanity "You see these guys over there ? Fuck'em." and I could see why they'd do this.
+I'm sure all of the spirit slaves are assholes so fuck'em.

>>3869841
We're going to keep the spirit lantern, right? Otherwise support, but I suppose we can just tell them about the ring form of Heliac. Maybe get a church ring?
>>3869851
We've got the example of the Soothsayer and Strela so I suppose not all spirits are bad. The vast majority are of course, but there are some that deserve mercy. Anyway, slavery is a little worse than death. They deserve that much, but not endless suffering. We need to be cold, not cruel.

>>3869889
I'm guessing that the shadow people aren't the only human/spirit mix,which would give them the ability to become good people. When it comes to the Soothsayer I'm a bit perplexed since we've also seen the young Shoggoth try to repent. But if we get rid of the Church's slaves they won't be able to work efficiently,which means that they won't be able to help us efficiently. If we really want to we could kill the slaves near the end when we get 1/2 prominents recruited/killed.

>>3869906
support I guess

"I've been told that guns are mostly useless against Spirits, is this true?"

"Guns? Yes, guns were made for Humans to fight each other with when things got out of control. They cannot hurt Spirits as they do us. Spirits are harmed by things anathematic to them, such as Gold and Silver, materials given to us by the Divine Child. Holy symbols and our power through prayer also repel them, which makes it extremely difficult for them to do anything to our blessed missions and cathedrals. It takes especially powerful Spirits to resist our symbols." Decanius says.

"Holy water and holy resins also work. However... guns can work if they are loaded with silver. We have some such examples."

"I'm willing to trade you something special for some I can use in a shotgun."

"Oh? What's your offer?"

You show your Phantom Lantern.

"I have a powerful sorcerer Spirit trapped inside of this, I'll give it to you in return for some of your silver bullets."

"A sorcerer Spirit? Ahh, sorcerer Spirits are a rarity, especially ones in Phantom Lantern's. You have yourself a deal. Just leave the Lantern with me and go get your shells from the armory."

"What if I want to keep my Lantern too?"

"I'll be reasonable with you. We have another such kind of Lantern ourselves in the armory, it's empty. You can have that one."

Complying, you hand over the Phantom Lantern to Decanius. He pulls out a communicator from his robe and signals the armory of what you want.

You take your leave and Decanius resumes his observation.

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Heliac rejoins you and follows you as you go through the airport.

You follow makeshift signs written on the wall and go through the terminal to the back office of the airport which has been turned into an armory by the Zodics.

You approach the gated counter where the armory quartermaster greets you, clanking around in golden armor.

At your request, he gives you an empty Phantom Lantern and twenty nine silver shells meant for a shotgun. You test them out and they fit your tactical shotgun perfectly. Deciding you no longer need the mundane shells, you give them away to the quartermaster who gladly takes them.

Before you leave, you make it clear that you want to appear more recognizable as an ally to the Church remnants.

The quartermaster has an idea and shuffles back through the armory stores.

They give you a drape with a golden pin.

"It's a holy shawl, every person attending sermons was required to wear it. Us remnants use it as a way to recognize who we can trust now. Spirits don't know the difference, our golden symbols are mosquito repellent to them. Wear this and we won't treat you so outlandishly."

You take the shawl and pin it to your overcoat's left shoulder, letting it drape over your arm.

With your business concluded, you leave the airport and decide to take a look around the actual town of Nedhe. You didn't suppose it would be any trouble, and you had plenty of time before you thought Strela and Josep would reach Deltonin as you agreed. You could simply get there using Heliac, the Angel had to be ready to teleport again by now.

Heliac returns to your finger as you walk down to the township...

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The town of Nedhe was... how would you put it? More advanced? Things here appeared more modernized than how things in Raspharn and Coscovy looked. There were far more buildings with newer architecture than there were ones built more traditionally.

The town's outer layer was surrounded by high rises of built up junk topped with barbed wire and sharpened stakes to prevent anyone escaping. The junk was built up between buildings and some were packed down with cars. The way in between the airport and the town was closely watched by Zodic militants wielding golden bows you could faintly see out of your peripheral vision. It almost looked unguarded to the untrained eye.

In the town itself, you saw the streets crawling with despairing Spirits of all kinds with golden and steel chains around their necks, binding them. They were herded like cattle by the Zodic guards stationed there, hoarded back and forth between the town and the paths leading to the mines nearby by the guards. You saw the guards often striking at the Spirits with their rods and the blunt sides of their blades to keep them in line. All the Spirits here were in total fear and obeyed without choice.

As you walked through the park of the town where most of it's life was concentrated, you saw many things unfold before your eyes. You saw some guards tearing away some insectoid Spirits from their child, some guards beating some Irontops and a lone guard dragging a terrified and wailing Onryo Spirit away down the street to a black building.

This treatment was awful, worse than the bog standard for slaves. But you were sure the Zodics weren't doing anything more than the Spirits would do to them if the tables were turned. Ferociousness had to be met with ferociousness after all.

Deciding you've seen enough, you turn around and go to leave.

As you did, walking down the sidewalk, you looked ahead and saw three Zodics exchanging harsh words with an enslaved Shadow Person.

"Sweep faster, imbecile!" One of them says, striking the Shadow Person in the back with a golden rod. The Shadow Person seemed to be no more than a teenager in Spirit years, he was in shock and stuttering and shaking while sweeping.

"Remember what we said, scum! If you have another seizure, we'll break more than last time!"

"Hey! You! What are you doing out of your bindings?!" The Zodic with the rod suddenly yelled as you neared to pass by. He steps in your way and puts the rod in your face.

"Calm thyself brother, this one wears a shawl, he's in the clear." The taller one says.

"What are you doing walking around like this?! The Spirits will get envious of us not striking you all the same. This town is for our operations only. Get the hell out of here before you make the cattle start thinking about doing something!" The one with the shield demands.

The Shadow Person looked at you with pleading eyes before being struck in the back again.

You really should heed their words and leave. You should just get out of there and go to Deltonin to wait for Strela and Josep already.

What will you do?

>>3871136
DARK

>>3871136
>tip your hat and leave, it's time to hit the road

>>3871136
>Ask them if the church was always this needlessly cruel. Or is this how they operate now, no better than the spirits they pretend to be superior to?

>>3871183
support

"Was the Church always this needlessly cruel? Or is this how you are now? No better than these Spirits you act so highly over."

"Why you wretch-eh..." The one with the rod goes, nearly about to strike you with it before his hand is caught by the taller one.

"The Church has never changed in any regard, the military arm has always been the same, we always had ideas of using whatever it takes to win. We are the military arm of the Church, the brothers dedicated to protecting Mankind from Spirits." The taller one says.

"What we do to Spirits, they would have done to us tenfold. Have you never heard the story of Filkfaust, skeleton?" The one with the shield asks.

"No."

"Then it is high time you learn of it."

"O-oh... I-I know the story of Filkfaust... uh.... I t-think everyone should know it..."

"Then why don't you tell the ignorant skeleton, and tell it the way it really is." The shield bearer orders.

"Y-Yes, Ser Gladiator...."

"Filkfaust was a settlement made by Spirits and Humans years before Judgment Day... it was an idea had by an old Human philosopher named Ucrates.... it's settlers both wanted to get away from the war... and have peace without Prominents or the Church ruling them... there was a lot of them..." The enslaved Shadow Person says. "They lived there for years in peace... a-and they refused to pick any sides when others found out...."

"And what did the others do when they found out, slave?" The tall Zodic asks.

"The Church left Filkfaust be... because they wanted Ucrates to learn that letting Spirits in was his first and last mistake..... The nations of the Spirits... tried to take Filkfaust by force..."

"Precisely. The Church showed mercy, and Spirits attacked a peaceful community as barbarians. Continue, slave." The tall Zodic says.

"Filkfaust fought them off.... but one day, the Spirits living in Filkfaust all turned on their Human neighbors who they built the place with and slaughtered them... and let in other Spirits who attacked... and then the whole city was destroyed by Spirits c-causing havoc all throughout.... before the Dominion claimed the city..." The slave finishes.

Wordlessly, the rod wielding Zodic takes out two things in wrappers from his pouch and gives them to the slave who gratefully and ravenously eats them.

"Filkfaust was the first attempt made for peaceful coexistence between Spirits and Men since ancient times. Much like in ancient times, Spirits became the root of all things going wrong in Filkfaust. The famous philosopher Ucrates who founded the city was crucified on display along with any other Human who was captured by the Spirits there. The Spirits even killed what of their own brethren stood up for their Humanly neighbors. In retribution for all the innocent lives lost there in that dark event, Filkfaust was burned to the ground by Saint Gaspard and all the Spirits were killed and driven out." The tall Zodic says.

"Never take pity on a Spirit. Only Mankind is chosen by God, skeleton." The shield wielding Zodic says.

"Ad Fontes." All three of the Zodics say at once.

"Now, be on your way."

You say nothing else but tip your hat and go on your way.

File: Deltonin limit.png (219 KB, 1191x763)

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With all done in Nedhe, you strolled outside the limits of the place and summoned Heliac.

"How may I assist you, Master?"

You take out your map and point the Angel to Deltonin.

"Take me to this place.

"At once."

You closed your eyes and waited as the Angel blinked you away from your previous spot and relocated you with it's amazing power.

You opened your eyes and saw the beginning of a vast frontier before you. The lands of the dunes had vanished and you saw grass beginning to return under your feet somewhat with patches of dirt here and there. In the distance you saw the hills and bumps of the land that Nedhe was known for.

You looked around and saw that you were at the limit of Deltonin. The small town itself was backwater as you could see. There were no especially large buildings in sight you could notice. The tallest thing you could see was a small church building from afar with it's steeple broken off.

You stood on the road and waited. You estimated given the time since you sent Strela and Josep off that they would be here soon.

Seconds go by and turn into minutes, and minutes go by and collect into units. You've been standing there for one half of an hour waiting but thinking it impatient to do anything now, you just sit and keep waiting.

And waiting... and waiting... and waiting....

"Angel." You say as you summon Heliac again.

"Yes, Master?"

"How long have I been waiting here since you transported me?"

"Three hours and eight minutes, Master."

"Three hours?!"

What was taking Strela and Josep so long?

Maybe they already arrived...

>Go look around Deltonin.
>Go out and search for your companions.
>Pass the time by playing tic-tac-toe with Heliac.
>Ask Heliac something.
>Ask Heliac to give you a vision of God.
>Go look for Spirits to entrap.
>Write in.

>>3871452
>Go to the church and try to climb the tower. Maybe we can see something from there?

>>3871452
>>Go out and search for your companions.

>>3871459
Support
>Heliac,could you tell me about Hallow ?

File: Time.png (1.09 MB, 1191x763)

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"Heliac, I know much already about Cheridex, but I was curious of the other Prominent, Ion Hallow. What more can you tell me about him?"

"Would you like to begin from the very start?"

You looked around, still Strela and Josep were not in sight. You guessed you could pass some more time.

"Sure."

"In the beginning, Spirits were formed of primordial energies left behind by the darkness and lightness God shaped and washed the world in. The Prominents are the most powerful of Spiritkind, being Demigods, they are special in that no other Spirit will reach their level. They possess the greatest strength, wisdom and powers of anything that lives on this Earth. They were born from gigantic masses of primordial energy that came together like a nexus. Amalefon, the first Demon rose at Endinlos Island and Ion Hallow, a unique and terribly powerful Spirit at the time of his birth rose in the northernmost pole."

"In ancient times when Men and Spirits lived together, Ion Hallow was as a great healer to Spiritkind, his unrivaled mastery over all things mystic and magical led to him uniting most of Spiritkind under himself and so he proclaimed himself Lord. He was then chosen to represent Spiritkind as a Prominent alongside Amalefon, who also rose to notable status as a Prominent before Hallow."

"In his life, Hallow sought knowledge and understanding of everything, including Zodia. After such a long time of service under God as a Prominent who loyally obeyed The Orphan, he was one day granted an audience and entered Sacro Spatio itself through The Orphan. There, he forged a covenant with God and was made the embodiment of Time itself. Hallow had amazing control over Time, almost completely."

"Hallow continued to lead Spiritkind as Lord, and eventually his love of himself grew larger than his yearning for knowledge. He had finally reached the point where he believed he was omniscient and so arrogantly proclaimed himself as a God, thus angering Zodia. Even Zodia himself is not entirely omniscient."

"In retribution, God acted through The Orphan and stripped away most of Ion Hallow's powers and made him mortal. Ion Hallow still arrogantly believed he was invincible until he one day felt weak from aging. He grew a new fear, a fear of death, and it consumed him and drove him to madness over it. He sought many ways to avert his death, and he found one. Consuming the souls of other beings to prolong his own life and to regain his lost powers."

"Hallow can reverse Time and make it fly faster, he can stop it and he can take things from the past or the future into the present, but he cannot alter history or the timeline of the world anymore, and he cannot stop his inevitable death and aging with his powers. He demands a great donation of Souls from his Dominion to regain power and extend his life. He has harsh breeding programs in order to create larger populations to consume one day."

"Though he is mortal and weak after receiving punishment for his blasphemy, he is still the most powerful Spirit. He will never be defeated easily. I wonder, how would you think to defeat him?"

You see a projected image depicting Ion Hallow come into your mind from Heliac. You recognized the form, that was who you saw in the painting at Strela's shack. You wondered why she had a painting of him, but you remembered she was a former-Dominion citizen.

You go into the town and look around. There are skeletons with tattered and shredded pieces of clothing on them in some places you see when you enter Deltonin.

Deltonin was without a doubt a poor place, rural and barely populated. The most notable buildings being a small police department and a vehicle repair garage with dozens of cars in it's lot.

You saw some rats scurry away into the sewers as you walked past a diner, and you swear you could hear something shuffling around inside the diner... there was a knocking noise but you continued on your way.

Heading now over to the small Church, you push open it's rotten wooden doors and step inside. The inside has a bad stench to it and some of the pews are overturned. You see some kind of.... puddle.... of brown stuff at the base of the altar, which is giving off the bad stench.

You huff and fan with your hand and look to some double doors which you kick open and see a tiny room in with just a table and a couch. You try some of the light switches but the power doesn't work, and you look up and pull the string of a ceiling trap door to reveal a folding ladder.

The thing does not feel good to climb up, it makes loud creaks with the slighting pressure from stepping onto it but you manage to climb up without breaking the damn thing. You see sunlight again and stand up inside the upper steeple where you see a bell laying on the wood. The top of the steeple seems to have been broken off by something and is now on the ground outside.

The view up here isn't much higher than any other building in the town but you are able to get a slightly better view of the distance from here and.... you see something in the distance faintly, something large moving fast and kicking up waves of dirt behind it, if only you had some damn binoculars to see it better with. And then you heard a loud noise in the distance where you sighted that large thing too...

As the noise sounded off, the clattering from the diner became louder and you could hear it more clearly. There was something in there. And then, it hits you.

Your mind falls back to what Chaplain Decanius said about the engine...

"-...while we were transporting the engine itself to our airport via a convoy, we came under attack by an enormous Metaldomian machine...-"

That convoy... it was attacked off from the factory... which is past Nedhe... you sent Strela and Josep off that way to reach Deltonin here... oh no...

What sound will you investigate first?

>>3871586
>The sound from the big thingy

>>3871600
Support. Oh dear, we seem to have ourselves in a pickle.

>>3871586
Support>>3871600

>>3871600
>>3871603
Should we teleport back to Coscovy and pick up the RPG? Or do you think it won't be very effective?

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Damn it. You didn't anticipate that something like this would happen. The giant machine prowling out there and all. Right now, you had to make sure Josep and Strela were okay.

You jumped off the steeple of the church building and began to sprint as fast as your legs would allow, your overcoat flying with the wind as you held your shovel in both hands.

You dove across the distance like a jack rabbit, practically leaping bounds each time you raised a leg, flying over the grass and dirt underneath you.

Ahead, you saw a smidgen of smoke, a dark gust rising and increased your pace until you were upon it.

It was Strela's buggy.... crashed and wrecked in the dirt....

The parts were blown off and strung about, the storage container on the back broken to pieces and the wheels dislocated. You slowly approached the husk of the destroyed rover and looked over it. Strela and Josep were nowhere to be seen, and it looks as though something struck the back of the buggy overturned on the dirt.

There were scorch marks...

You didn't see the large thing prowling in the distance anywhere around, and the wind was beginning to pick up.

File: bandana.png (260 KB, 1292x757)

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Just then, you heard another sound, the same as the loud noise you heard in Deltonin.

You began to back away, you didn't see either of your companions out anywhere. As you backed up, you foot caught something and you looked down.

It was Strela's bandana...

The sound comes again and you hear loud thumping in the distance...

>Run towards the thumping.
>Retreat back to Deltonin in a hurry.
>Hide against the buggy and wait.
>Stand your ground.
>Write in.

>>3872547
>Run towards the thumping

>>3872547
>Run towards the thumping.

>>3872547
>>Run towards the thumping.
take the bandana

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You take off again after shoving Strela's bandana into your sweater's neck to stuff it.

You went through the dust fearlessly and dauntless, determined to find what was out there, and possibly your allies as well.

You did not fear the worst for Strela and Josep yet, you would need confirmation before you believed that they might be...

Slowing down, you stop and listen out. Everything has gone quiet now around you. The dust is still blowing and there is no thumping....

And then there was.

Quickly, you threw yourself out of the way as a humongous metallic beam struck the spot where you stood. You rolled across the ground as two more of the objects impacted it, trying to crush you.

Jumping to your feet, you dove forward and slid across the ground before running as fast as you could from the objects stomping behind you until you heard it stop.

You stopped too and turned around...

"I am surprised to see you survived your little mission at that factory, nemesis. This time however, you will not walk away so easily..."

"Behold! The pinnacle of war machinery!"

File: The Decimator.png (382 KB, 1191x763)

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"The Cyberantasm Systems SK series 991-SLM. Or simply put for ease of recognition..."

"The Decimator. The newest addition to my legion."

You looked up at the massive machine, cacophony of noises clicking from it's inside parts and it's outside plates. It's circuitry whirred a rhythm and it's exterior plates shifted with small pipes exhausting steam. It's weapons beamed with energy and started stepping forward, making you back away.

"It comes equipped with a Cyberantasm Systems BW-K1 tri-barreled proton repeater weapon, a Guron Productions V-5 electron rocket pod, and a Cyberantasm Systems BW-QIPHO photino particle annihilator cannon. All of which will most certainly spell your doom."

The Decimator emits another loud noise, one much like a band all blowing loud horns together.

"Besides that, this Decimator is powered by twenty Souls, it's Cyberantasm reactor will last forever and the plus amount of Souls enhances performance, performance that most machines are not built to handle from such a number of Souls. It has a mine dropping hatch, an advanced recon detection system, anti-air pods, and a powerful rating ten force field. It is one of the best things I have ever made."

"So, nemesis, are you ready to die? Don't worry, it will be relatively quick and painless..."

>"Who are you?"
>"What have you done with my friends?!"
>Summon Heliac.
>Use the Burial Blade.
>Shoot at the machine's eye.
>Run forward to attack the machine. You'll have an easier time underneath it and out of view.
>Wait and prepare to dodge it's next move or even parry a strike.
>Turn and run as fast as you can.
>Write in.

>>3872963
>>"What have you done with my friends?!"

>>3872963
>Use the Burial Blade.

>>3872963
>"What have you done with my friends?!"
then
>Use the Burial Blade.

>>3872974
Support.

"What have you done with my friends?!"

"You mean the two traveling in that mobile trashcan my machine shot down? They escaped, like I needed after all."

"What?!"

"Yes, they fled, possibly to one of the nearby towns. My calculation that you would come this way was on spot. Now you can be destroyed with ease. Turning over automatic control... now..."

The machine stood up taller and then aimed it's particle annihilator at you. You heard the weapon charging with a hum.

Thinking fast, you extracted the Burial Blade from your overcoat and saw that it was completely golden and ready again, so you used it.

"Help me, blade!"

The Burial Blade split lights as the particle cannon fired a stream of neutrinos at you. The light emitted powered straight through the subatomic particles and you looked on as the light flew at the Decimator after dispersing it's attack.

Metal and sparks flew as whatever was in the light sliced at the machine, going around and severing it's back leg clean off. You fell backwards from the force of a shockwave as the light impacted the machine from above.

When you looked up, the machine's lenses were off and it sat there motionlessly in the dirt. The Burial Blade was silver yet again, so you hook it back inside your coat.

Of course, you knew better and so raised your shovel.

The machine's glow flickered back on and the thing rotated it's two remaining limbs across it's body, standing up on only two legs now. It's rocket pod hung a bit lower and it's rockets were loose and in clear sight.

>Attack the machine's legs, aiming for joints.
>Use Terror Force on the machine.
>Attempt to climb and mount the machine.
>Shoot at it's lenses.
>Write in.

>>3873016
>>Attempt to climb and mount the machine.
Try to take out it's weapons first,then we'll cut off one if it's legs and bash it over with it.

>>3873016
>Use Terror Force on the machine.
It's a giant death robot, how can we miss?

>>3873025
Can it even suffer from Terror Force?
Supporting >>3873021 for this one.

>>3873035
I suppose it can be knocked down,but I'm not sure about the fear effect.

>>3873016
>write in
Try to tap into more hidden power, that way we might get a new ability

Summoning your aura, you threw your shovel forward and blasted at the Decimator. The machine reacts quickly and goes to move out of the way, but it's size and the distance does not give it enough time as the lightning fast stream of your power brushes the thing and makes it recoil heavily back to the dirt.

You see a few plates fly and the rocket pod detaches off of the machine, getting torn off from being hit directly by your Terror Force ability. Most of the rockets still manage to stay inside of the pod, but a few fall out as the pod is sent many feet away to crash into the dirt. Miraculously, none of the rockets exploded.

The Decimator's tiny and compact head rotates as it scanned towards the pod, it then turns back to you as if calculating everything each second it worked.

The machines lowered itself then before leaping very high into the air suddenly! How such a large construct could be so agile was impressive in it's own way.

You saw what it was doing then. Objects began falling out of it's bottom hatch. It was dropping mines.

You turned around and ran as the mines fell to the ground behind you, exploding on contact and blowing small craters into the ground. You did not stop until the machine was not dropping them anymore before you looked up and saw the Decimator land in front of you.

The thing jabbed one of it's legs deep down inside the ground and spun around on it, bringing the other leg around like the blade of a helicopter's rotor.

You raised your shovel in front of you and tried to slide under, but you were caught and the leg bashed you with it's gargantuan strength, sending you flying through the air. You felt every bit of the attack and pain coursed through your bones, your bones with feeling left inside.

You came crashing down to the ground near the rocket pod and you slowly stood up.

Your shovel.... was unharmed... faintly glowing with your green aura.

You snapped back over to the machine which was stepping towards you fast, running it seemed. It was charging it's remaining two weapons as it ran.

>Throw a rocket or two at the incoming Decimator.
>Raise your shovel and prepare to throw it off balance.
>Chuck your shovel like a spear into it's hull.
>Wait for it to get close so you can latch onto it's leg.
>Try to summon and call upon more hidden power.
>Write in.

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>>3874037
>Try to summon and call upon more hidden power
Become stronger!

>>3874071
>Support.

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As the machine barrels towards you, you stood calm and collected and meditated on yourself. Feeling that power of Death resurface over you in this grim situation.

Your ancient mind recalls something...

Death From Above

This ability allows you to propel yourself high into the air, levitating using your malignant powers. With it, you can launch yourself and come crashing down upon an enemy, attacking them with a powerful strike of malignant aura. There is a chance that the force of impacting from above will temporarily cripple you.

Sacro Guard

This ability will use your shovel as a catalyst to summon a symbol that can repel all Spirits and their advances, producing a perfect guard. Even a Prominent cannot break through this symbol. Humans however are not halted by the guard of this ability.

Which ability will you recall?

>>3874223
>Sacro Guard

>>3874231
support

>>3874231
Support.

Sacro Guard, you recall from the abyss of your mind the ability to use Sacro Guard.

As the Decimator ran, you held your shovel up in defense and your aura formed around it, producing a symbol and an ethereal shield, a mark of your power.

The Decimator slowed to a stop and dug it's feet into the ground in front of. The machine shifted and stepped about in front of you, warily scanning over the shield. It seemed to hesitant to attack.

Yes, it seemed hesitant, and only seemed. After a few tense minutes of standing off and staring you down, the machine came and lightly kicked at you with it's one leg while balancing itself on the other. The touch from the leg nudged you backwards and passed straight through your shield.

You had only a minute to look on in shock before suddenly the leg went away and then came back far harder than before, striking you again and launching you off your feet into the air.

You went flying over and fell back to the dirt, mostly unscathed from your shovel taking the full brunt of the force.

This shovel was far more unique than you thought it. It clearly was something more than just an ordinary plain old shovel, displaying it's ability to summon malignant energies and being able to withstand such strikes from that massive machine that would have made every part of an entire building fly with one kick. You also owed your survival in this fight to your own durability as well, which made you all the more eager to find out more of your old memories.

You stood up but had no time to do anything before the machine shot at you with it's photon repeater, missing you directly but hitting the ground under your feet and staggering your balance.

With you staggered, the machine came forward and jumped, landing it's left foot to your right and puncturing into the earth to gain support for it's weight.

The other leg came around after it spun and instead of kicking you forward, it came and swept you up, throwing you dozens and dozens of meters high up into the air as it struck you.

Now, you were falling down towards the machine from the air, and you still had your shovel clenched tightly in hand.

You felt your skull gain a few new cracks as you fell. The Decimator down below raised it's repeater and began firing more photon shots at you, which you dodged by pulling your weight through the air. You managed to grab onto your SMG mid-fall after briefly letting go of your shovel and twirling while you undid your overcoat's buttons. You shot back at the Decimator, aiming at vital points and spraying dozens of bullets into it.

You aimed to hit anything that would cause damage before delivering a powerful strike from above while falling...

>1d100 to succeed in this risky move.

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>3874591

>>3874600
Wow, good job.

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>>3874615
Thanks, anon.

And your aim was true.

Halfway down the height, you ran out of bullets and so let go of your SMG mid-air, you would retrieve it after you dealt with the machine.

The bullets you sprayed hit most spots on the machine visible, but did nothing to the advanced armor plating. Your keen eyesight allowed you to see what spots were affected however.

The lens of the Decimator's lone eye was hit as you saw and the frame of it cracked, making the machine recoil.

More yellow-green bolts flew from it's repeater upwards at you, nearly connecting a few times, but you glimpsed something utterly lucky as you fell past them. An explosion inside one of the repeater's barrels. A bullet must have strayed down that way and somehow got caught right inside the barrel, causing the thing to erupt when premature energy emission collided with it's material inside the barrel as it fired.

It's bottom repeater was fried and two of the barrels fell off as the thing burst into yellow flame.

There certainly wasn't enough time to charge the last weapon it had available, so it planted one of it's leg and waited as you fell ever faster.

Realizing what it was planning to do, you placed your arms to your side and accelerated downwards towards it. As you anticipated, it lowered it's leg and calculated the distance before suddenly swinging it hard to try and hit you out of the air. But you saw it coming.

You took that last moment to swerve and move your shovel to bear, striking the foot of the thing and propelling you to fall downwards on top of it's torso, allowing you to drive your shovel deep into it's hull while it went alight with your green aura. The machine regained it's footing and shook itself, trying to throw you off, but you grabbed onto a plate and held on as it's servos overworked.

The spot you covered with your diving attack revealed many things underneath, such as wires, pistons and servos rocking and turning inside, and electronics clicking on the inside. Much of it's electronics on the right side of it's body were exposed and you directly underneath the arm of it's particle annihilator.

You looked up and the small head of the turned to you, it's green optic shrinking as steam blew out of it's back exhausts. It was like this machine was expressing anger.

The particle annihilator weapon's arm servos shifted to position the weapon in a spot where it could hit you then, and you heard the weapon begin charging to fire....

So you...

>Began tearing at all the wires and electronics you could find.
>Attacked it's head to disable it's sight and tear the thing off.
>Chopped at the arm with your shovel to save yourself.
>Beat downwards to dig yourself further into the vital parts now exposed.
>Waited so you could move in time, letting the machine blast itself with neutrinos.

>>3874802
>Waited so you could move in time, letting the machine blast itself with neutrinos.

>>3874802
>Waited so you could move in time, letting the machine blast itself with neutrinos.
then
>Attacked it's head to disable it's sight and tear the thing off.
If possible.

>>3874802
This >>3874814

Waited so you could move in time, letting the machine blast itself with it's own neutrinos.

And as you predicted, the particle annihilator fired at you, and you used your arms and legs to throw yourself out of the way, towards it's head. The stream ejected from the nozzle of the weapon vaporized a hole straight through the machine and even down whole meters into the ground below before dispersing, making the ground cave in somewhat. The machine fell off balance as the dirt below shifted and you held on as it went straight down onto it's bottom.

Looking over to the head, you raised your shovel and prepared to attack, but brought the handle to protect yourself instead as the thing tried to slap you with the particle annihilator cannon itself, which could no longer recharge due to the severe damages the Decimator endured.

You knocked the thing away and hacked at it's arm, severing the weapon off of the chassis of the Decimator with relative ease. The damages seemed to limit it's power, and so everything functioned worse. The machine was trying desperately to bring itself back up with it's now stiff legs.

You did not waste the chance you had and now went for the head of the thing. It could only look on as you began to whack away at the head, but you soon found the armor plating on it's head carapace was just as sturdy as the rest of the body, and it seemed to be trying it's best to move again as you uselessly struck it.

But you would not let this machine get the chance, so you turned your shovel and with the back handle rammed the lens of it's eye, breaking it to pieces and smashing it's camera. The thing shook around violently then, seemingly regaining strength from emergency protocols now activated with the destruction of it's vision.

You planted the flat head of your shovel into a tiny opening you saw at the base of the head and stomped it down inside with your foot. Now with both arms, you heaved and pushed down with all of your strength in an instant, making the head of the Decimator pop clean off, tearing multitude of wires and plastics inside as the thing rolled off of it's body.

The machine's movements ceased after a brief spasm in it's shifting and the thing lost all power, now decommissioned.

You huffed and puffed, twisting your neck and eliciting a cracking from your spine as you realigned any bones that might have been displaced from the hits you sustained. You hopped off onto the dirt below and looked at the husk of the machine.

You were victorious.

You sat and pondered for a minute, how could that machine have bypassed the defense of your Sacro Guard? Only non-Spirits can do such a thing but....

Ahh, that was it. Machines are powered by Souls, this Decimator must have been powered by Human Souls. Then it would be best to release them.

You climbed back on and hacked and chopped away at more of the machinery until you uncovered a large device that was shaking unstably inside, glowing with green and blue energies. So you struck the thing, and you saw the essence of Human Souls pour out and disperse into the air from the thing, making it blow apart in the process.

The Human Souls were freed and would return to God. Now, you only had to go find your companions.

"Had fun, did you?"

You turned around. There was another machine there, a small one floating above you, a probe most likely. It was only a thruster with a lone camera eye on it and a speaker.

"It surprises me that even now you still retain much of the skill and promise you did in older times. But, nonetheless, I am not worried. You will never be able to go anywhere like this, the world will chew you up and spit you out."

"No. If the world around me would bite, then I will pluck it's teeth!"

"Ho ho ho! You amuse me! I hope you carry that bravado when you arrive, it would be even more amusing to see you use it before you die. I will arrange a mighty welcoming party"

"You're Cheridex."

"Of course! Good to see that even those who have forgot me still recognize my greatness. I know you are coming to my grand city, nemesis, you will dig your own grave there."

"You must know what you would dare face. You think to strike at my domain? I command a legion with one billion of the world's most finest assembled troops. My city spans for miles and encompasses everything in it's path. My walls stand higher than mountains, as do my laws. My fist cannot be shaken when it takes hold of anything. You would come here with only two so-called friends to fight all that I am? You will die, fool."

The probe floated downwards, closer to you, staring into your empty eye sockets with it's green lens.

"You cannot unseat me, nemesis. I am Cheridex! I am the greatest Prominent! I am the ruler of the world!"

>Destroy the probe and be on your way silently.
>Make a comeback to Cheridex before leaving.
>Write in.