Sixth Apostate
The sun no longer shined upon this school that found itself deep amidst dark, red miasmatic clouds. The rumblings of sinister machinations not lost to the two men present. The children along with the staff had been rounded up in the backyard and were being evacuated by the members of Sull's quad. The squad specialized in espionage and information gathering. The mission's original description was to investigate this location for potential cult influence as such the threat level it was given was one. At threat level one even if there were cult threats that attacked Sull and his squad would be enough to handle it. That is what in theory should have happened, in the theory that was now crumbling before them.
"Come this way, we shall escort you out!"
Yelled a member clad in a long dark red cloak. His brown hair was in a ponytail his moustache swung as he screamed at the panicked people.
"Squad leader! There are undulations in the cloud! It's spreading!"
"What!"
As the leader of Sull squad he would always show great responsibility and composure faced with any and all situations, not this time. His neck almost cracked from the speed at which he looked up to see the could look even redder, the center of this phenomenon seemed like it was a beating heart the lighting rumbling around seemed like veins pumping blood. A sight of no hope.
"Calm down! Just follow the orders and evacuate the people! Everything can be handled later!"
It seemed he had somewhat regained his bearings as he followed the most logical path forward.
"Lob! You go in front of the group and serve as vanguard for any potential sneak attacks! I'll stay behind and cover. The others can spread out around the perimeter and act as shields if need be!"
With insane speed were the orders spit out by squad leader Tom as he took a battle stance behind the group of panicked civilians. The squad member in question named Lob ran as he relayed the orders to the other four members before taking position ahead. The evacuation seemed to be going fine when they came close to the school's back gate. Soon they would be evacuated and safe, soon the fist part of their duty would be fulfilled.
Lob reached the gate first to scout for any enemies, his legs ran quickly when he stepped on the gate's threshold his mind did not even comprehend how he died. A dark purplish red bolt of lightning struck his head. Frying him to a crisp instantly, his charred body did not even have the chance to fall to the ground as it fell into charred pieces. Painting the gate that was supposed to be their gateway to safety with charred, black human remains of their savior.
*AAAAGHHH*
The civilian's collective petrified scream made Tom shudder and made his eyes widen when his eyes took in the scene of his subordinate's gruesome demise.
"Shit, don't approach the gate! We're trapped inside!"
"Then what do we do!?"
"We shall wait here, it seems as though the lightning only strikes those who try to leave."
...
The bling child smiled weakly as he professed relief and hope to the man.
"Are you going to help mom after this?"
"Of course child, you did well."
The boy fell unconscious after having his fears alighted. The man whose upper body was exposed and stabbed through out with nails smiled lightly.
'Finally, the plan went smoothly. Now let's see...'
He reached into his pocket and took out a frog carcass and threw it to the ground. The frog shivered before its mouth burst, revealing four men in cloaks that had a pendant of an eye around their necks.
"Time to play."
"Yes sir!"
...
"Captain, that lightning bolt struck where the civilians were! We need to move!"
Right in this instance both Fjoroft and Sull saw a group of people jump out of a carriage and run towards the main entrance where they stood.
"Lieutenant Pax and the others! Good."
Exclaimed Sull with joy.
"What is that?!"
"It's definitely bad whatever it is, no time to explain, we need to move in there as the people inside are trapped."
The group's reaction time and adaptability were commendable in their speed. Well, except Bultear whose mind went numb seeing the horrific scene.
"Come Bultear, consider this a continuation of your training and move!"
"Y-yes!"
The loud words broke Bultear out of his frozen stupor. The group went into battle formation with Fjoroft at the front Milek next to him acting as vanguard. Sinthia the long ranger was furthest back with the center being a triangle of Bultaer and Sull forming the second line and Pax behind them. When they passed the gate they could feel a disgusting wave wash over them.
*ugh*
Bultear's nose had a hard time coping with the smell making him grunt in discomfort. It didn't take long for them enter the building. They stopped in the main hall for a second to observe.
"It's awfully dark."
"Yes, remember, there is still a child missing in here somewhere. We have to save him as well as stopping this ritual..."
"Oh? If it isn't captain Fjoroft!"
!!!
From the dark hallway a man with a naked torso walked casually towards them, the nails stabbed into his skin shining brightly in the moonlight that had entered through the windows.
"You're still alive..."
Said Fjoroft while squinting his eyes.
Bultear cloud feel the air shift massively when his group tensed upon seeing this man.
'He seems dangerous... I can smell the stress coming from everybody.'
"It makes me so happy to see you here! Being picked to do this mission turned out even better!"
When Bultear saw Fjoroft open his mouth he thought that an answer would come next, yet to his surprise a blue beam shot towards the cultist at a speed incomprehensible to his eyes. The beam hit the man's location heavily freezing everything it touched except for the man who had somehow dodged the attack in its entirety.
"I'll handle this! Go search for the kid and stop the ritual while I keep him at bay!"
The man spread his arms towards the running people but before he could do anything he was met with a beam which he had to dodge, thus allowing the other members to enter deeper into the school.
"I'm sorry but your going to have to face me. Sixth apostate of the Eye of the Sky's Axis chapter, Ohomor the impaled."