Ch. 4 - Search & Destoy

"What's going on? Why?" Trix wondered what the commotion was all about. "Nothing you need to worry about or stick your nose in. Head home. It's getting to that point of curfew." He sounded like a nagging brother to her.

Meanwhile, Pixie went to her father storming into the counselors hq and reported. She suddenly felt ill now as well and even more pain around her arm.

A healer come over tore off her sleeve. That's when they saw a poison like rot build around her arm and when they began to use magic and medicine they saw it only getting worse. Her wound would then start festering and tissue began to rot like acid. It would get destroyed and it began to reach her shoulder. That's when she grabbed her knife and stabbed her arm where the infection was reaching at its point and cut. She groaned and yelled and then let go. "Cut! Cut my arm off dammit!" She said and pleaded and of course. Because of the unknow nature, and the sheer damage being done they agreed. In fact. Her own father came and held her down cutting her arm off.

He would then apply first aid now as well making sure she was at least saved. And of course her arm would start to grow cist and suddenly rupture. The damage being so much more destructive, as suddenly the puss from those cist began to infect as it landed on those around spreading the same acidity and rot to those hit. Some people had their faces burned who were close by and died. A another around its chest. Some most hands, legs and those lucky ripped off their clothes to save themselves. Luckily after the second hand off, the growing tumors would be just that. And no more damage would he spread or come too.

This caused a scene. And a massive one. As thos in HQ and leadering agents are harmed. And even a few of the leaders did die. The captain went into action making orders as they didn't know what to do, until things now settle down and no more new damage was done. "Medics, amputate those infected, and of course start taking them to the infirmary and start applying first aid." He commanded.

"Dad... the team! They are in danger..." she said grabbing on to his sleeve. Of course she also then passes out and would grow pale from the pain and blood lose.

"Take her to the infirmary, I'm gonna need a strike squad." He got up "recon, get me eyes down their." He said to the leader in charge of searching and gathering. Radar was used in more than just avoiding danger, they search for food also and can easily scan areas above and underground as well through wall, but thay takes more practical experience.

They soon had eyes underground, and while would watch though magic cameras as they soon notice the massacre of the team. They then checked on those left alive and would make it to a room locking themselves in only after tossing a smoke grenade to screw with the magical senses of the monsters, this gave them time for the last few alive.

"We need to get them out..." the captian said. But was stopped. "Those men are as good as dead. We need to focus on what happened just now..."

The captain understandably punched the man as hard as he possible could into the man face. "I gave an order... and don't think I don't know what you mean by that... no follow line... or your ass is exhiled." He said with every inch of calmness he could bring. "Find Proxy and Rick, we'll need them." He ordered.

The man got up, holding his broken nose. As his senses seemed to have come back. "Understood."

While Michelle was at Amanda's armoury, as he grabbed his new shotgun and gear.

She sighed. "Shame we won't be hanging out tonight..."

"Don't you worry, I'll make it up to you." He said. "No smoking?" He asked. Noticing she didn't have a cigarette.

"Ah, yeah... I figured I try to give it up... there's surely better ways to relax than that." She said but it was kinda hard for her.

Soon somone approached him. He was still with Trix as well.

"Proxy, we need you for an urgent job." A carrier said.

"Yeah I know... well if you not leaving me, let's go Trix." He said.

"Sure!" She agreed. "But my gear!?"

"You can borrow this stuff..." Amanda said. Tossing you some amrour and a submachine gun to her. Even ammo was also laid for her. "Hurry."

Trix would quickly dawn the armour, and while she didn't have all her gear it was half of what was normal for her.

They both went and met with Rick. Who then also were a few from Charlie and delta from last job.

"We got a new monster underground... " the captain said. "We also have some men trapped down there after doing some recon and searching. This is a critical mission, we need them back alive and kill off the hive of these monsters... however." He then explain the incident.

Trix would speak up. "We call them Stalkers"

"You know them?" The captain said. "Who are you?"

"I'm from Foreman, I guess they haven't exchanged the monster information to you yet. I'll explain, they are the type to burrow, they had crazy sharp faces with their nose at the point. They peirce, and decay anything they stab. They also use machinery built into their hands and are earth based so fire will do little. I recommend fighting with anything armour piercing or if you have anyone to cast spells."

"Spells? Hmm..." he then looked at Proxy.

"My sister isn't exactly stable. So she cant." Michele explain. "But... I can use them... in fact I recommend a small party of only 4 ot 5." He suggested.

"Why?" The captian asked. "Less collateral, if we have to many, we'd just repeat. If you lose us, the mission is over."

"Sound reasoning. Allright, your lead. Pick out who comes." The captian said.

"Rick and Trix with me... and... you two." He said pointing at the leaders of each squad. "You 4 with me... we move now." He said leaving.

They walled rapidly and once down in the subway, he ordered. "Everyone guarding, seal the area off, there's critical danger down here." The gaurd went into action, signaling a close in the subway route. The five would be at the locked door. And when they opened the ceiling was blocking them. "Another way in it is... follow the tunnels and we'll go through the first door. This area should be connected,"

"Trix, recon for me, look for a door we can use thay connects" he requested. "Rick, use you get ready to apply first aid. We don't need another massive loss here."

"That'll be hard... your only real option is amputation, if your lucky." Trix said. "Once stabbed they inject you with so much toxin and poison and what ever the infected carry that it's creaters tumors on the impacted area until it explodes your organs. What's worse the puss that is also exploded out is basics acid and a toned down version of the initial attack. They are dangerous... but not immune or immortal, use armour piercing on its chest and then destoh their heads, they have claws for swiping so watch out, and they only attack in straight lines."

While they jogged looking for a new entrance, he would hear her voice again. "Do try not to die just yet... these monster while simple with their attacks... they have devastating force. Not to mention... they're so lengthy and tall they easily could be much like those lamp post out above ground." She said to him. The overlord spoke.

He had to think to answer her inside his consciousness. 'I really don't wanna deal with this right now, you've been so quiet why are you speaking up now?' He wondered.

"Because, your around death... or at least, this could be where you die... we'll have to see... but if you live... I'll start spilling a few more secrets to you... and let's clear something up. They are very weak to fire... just resistant to weaker levels of it. So her information is wrong... or she is lying.' She told him.

'You think I'm not aware of that possibility. I'm also aware not everyone knows everything. And besides, I can't exactly prove your telling me the truth other both of us sharing a life at the moment. And even with that, I don't know any fire spells.' He explain to her as they kept pace.

'Of course you do... don't lie. Your hiding so much from these people... I wonder if you stopped to think. Our meeting was meant more than just an inconvenience.' She chuckled.

He then wondered how much of himself did she know about. 'We are gonna talk later.' As he regain focuse. Everyone stopped by a door.

"This way," trix said.

Rick would force the door open and the other two members went in first.

Following them was Proxy then Trix and last with Rick as the door he shut behind them. They immediately notice the tunnels. And began to burn them with there own throwables as well bombs a few to keep themselves from getting ambushed.

"Orders boss." Rick asked.

"We split up, Rick and trix, both of you, and I alone. Stay on coms and remember to always move." Proxy would order and then mark them. "Trix mark me amd the other, make sure we stay on radar as well, and avoid one spot to long, we need to find them. Who spots first, which I'm hoping is you Rick and trix, ping them, I'll be looking for the nest and clear our extract. Now get going." He ordered.

And without question they began to take different paths.

He stayed alone before heading down one. There were three distinct paths, his was ultimately the worse.

"Will he be alright?" Trix asked Rick.

"Don't worry about him... man has dodged death a lot since he's arrived... I suspect here won't be any different, but... I agreed this might be to much, so let's hurry and help him." He said.

"Got it. I'm seeing blimps ahead, I hope those are your people. I'm seeing many more just behind us." She said calmly and went into cloaking.

"Don't tell... they are all targeting Proxy now..." Rick stopped and began to listen with her. They heard the walls being smashed but sound only got further away.

"Your surrounded." The woman spoke to Michele.

"I know that..." he felt the presence of each creature after him, and just as one burst through a wall to stab him, he stepped back lining his gun up at the same time and fired, he then styled his reload spinning his level action pump before running again, as he tried to be quick as he search. "Shit..." his radar was jammed at his wrist and sure now he was in the dark. "No, it's not them... is it their nest?"

"Correct, you may wanna brace yourself. And put on a mask... it seems the spores here are just as deeply as being stabbed by them." She helped.

"Right." He listened as to not give death so much as a chance, showing adaptation and cooperation between him and the mysterious woman who has invaded his mind.

"Use your talisman instead on your ammo, use it entirely on your gun." She said to him.

"Alright by why?" He asked while he ran he did just that.

"Doing your same tactic, only now on your gun, will help you use the equivalent or tear 3 Magic. So this might hurt... a lot." She chuckled. Also, I'll reinforce your body, we don't want you getting infected and suddenly blown up." She was actually helping a lot more than he realized.

"I hope that means for them." He said before doing as she said, and he could the difference already. He got to soon test it when he got ambushed again, now from both above and his side. He would turn his body, and at the same instant lock on the one aiming for his guts with his shotgun and fire. This time. It completely destoyed the Stalker. It's body entirely gone with a burst if flames that also pushed and ignited the tunnel. Overall the push back and force of thay blast made Proxy bounce against the wall. He quickly got up and kept running smashing his body against a door as he then feel down a deep cavern made from those monsters. He saw black mist and dark magic around so he got up and would heard them. "Found their nest... but... where am i?" He asked himself recording with his wrist monitor as he was now documenting a whole new area.

"Careful... the dead and thos mutated aren't the only hostile abomination around here..." she told him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Considering how many your encountering, and the many you hear... it should be obvious they hunt as a pack as well... only it seems they have also a pack leader. This is most unusual." She was in thought.

"Fine... let's change course and kill whatever is down here." He said moving along the cavern, and killed many more Stalker's that got in the way. He was impressed by the sheer damage and power of this method taught to him, that he then was curious. He grabbed his pistol with ap ammo and used an exploding talisman, and when he fired. The bullet dug into the wall before exploding. He noticed it acted like a times explosive with the same power of a hand grenade. He slowly noticed the power of his shot gun being depleted and used another to rearm its punch.

"They're timed... good to know... and roughly 40 minutes. More than enough time. But I gotta pray not to run out of them or ammo." He spoke to himself and start closing up tunnels he found with his pistol as they expode and destoy the tunnels far faster and effectively than spending a grenades.

The woman looked at him from her realm, and she was clearly amazed by him. She noticed how quickly he was adapting, not to mention he naturally ability in battle. She watched as he killed more and more of the danger, making this critical mission almost a breeze. Even though he took a detour, he was taking care of the secondary objective.

On the opposite side of him, both Charlie and Delta, would meet up with Mox and his remaining squad first. Only, what they ended up finding once they entered the same supposed room they were meant to be in, they had all been wiped out by the sight they witnessed. Blood, guts, even the puss of thee monsters from the side effects they cause. There was also Stalker bodies. A battle did occur and one of pure bloodshed. The two men noticed generators, and a note in blood from Mox who's fingers were used. 'There is still Power'

This was revolutionary. They then reported to Trix and Rick.

"What's the problem?" Rick asked.

"We found the bodies of Mox's team. Everyone is dead. Not a single one alive... but they did find and learn something." Charlie said, before then delta yelled. "We got more enemies, hurry to our location!" The sounds of gunfire soon were heard and communication fell.

"Let's hurry" Trix said, taking out a bolt of her from dead beast.

"Agreeded. What they found must be of value if they need us after confirming KIA of the whole squad." Both would rushing off and heading to their location. It was once they arrive that they saw the final Moments of delta as he shoved Charlie aside and took the stab deeper from the nose and head of one amd then took more another to his neck and one right down his spine and back. He held a grenade and made sure the 4 of them were taken out.

As the dust cleared and trix and Rick had to move and cover. Coming out they then saw just his legs before they fel in separate directions and left Charlie alive as he came out. The death of a comrad quickly flew over them. As Rick asked. "Did Proxy reply?" He asked Charlie.

"No..." he got down to grab his dog tags and shove them into his pocket. It rattle with the many others he was able to find. He also collected the ones Delta once had on himself now holding all the tags of everyone died.

"I see... what did you find?" Rick asked entering with him to the storage and back up generators. Where Rick saw what they did.

Trix was queit, and followed behind them.

"Somehow... there is power still kicking... we don't know how or where these sorce is that's supplying energy here..." Charlie explain soon messing with the back up generators, until power soon erupted. Light came on all through the tunnels and the area they were around.

"This... is incredible." Trix said. "No one has seen power like this in decades... at least from what I've heard... you guys?" She asked.

"Same... this is... new, shut it down... we should wait for captain and Proxy, they might figuer out what might we can do... I can't even imagine what this means for our poeple." Rick said.

"You two should radio in Proxy, I'll head up and let Captain know what happend " Charlie said.

"Are we sure...? We don't have his location? He's not reachable." Trix mentioned. As the entire time she was looking at her radar on her wrist and couldn't even see him.

"Hmm..." Rick was in though.

They all wanted to see what would best. And Charlie's idea wasn't bad at all. But still they all wanted to bring back Proxy. Since they lost Delta, and the rest of Mox's squad they didn't wanna lose more.

Rick spoke up. "Trix can you try and reach hq?" He asked.

"Yeah, I think I can, if I patch this generator, I should have the strength to send a signal. What's your plan?" She asked while starting to tap into the electrical source for a song output.

"We gonna go lookin?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, she'll send a message, not to send anyone down here... I think we can't reach Proxy, is because he might have found the nest... knowing him, I doubt he would leave it be. So it's best if we go together to support, you trix aren't apart our settlement, your with Foreman, if you die it would strain relations..." he was concnered of the future of his people.

"Yeah, I assume so, but this concners both out people... these monsters are a problem, if I know my poeple, and if yours won't leave a man behind. Then I know we can settle this, or this place will settled after we die." She soon sent a signal and managed to get a radio going.

"What's going on?" Captian asked.

And soon they briefed him. How everyone was dead. How they lost delta and Proxy was MIA, and how they intent to follow after assuming he located the nest.

They left the captain in a tough call. But he decided. "No... that's enough loss... get your asses home... that's a high command order."

This would cause them to bicker.

"Sir!" Rick protest. "We can't let this pack take out people."

"I said, to come home. We will no argue about this." He finished.

Charlie, Trix and Rick all couldn't just disobey the order from main HQ.

Trix cut communication. "Well?"

"I know we wanna help." Charlie said.

"But... an order is an order... and remember, what squad leader said. He was gonna lock for the nest... and to never stay in one area to long... we need to move. Back up to the surface we go." Rick made the final call.

Deep down they all wanted to stay and help, but they also were just soldiers.

"Ah... so this is where you freaks nest at." Proxy would stand at a massive dome entrance. And there were cists and holes about everywhere, and so many of them those createds just idle staring up at the ceiling. Very soon a far more mutated version of then showed them slaves, exploding from the center massive puss and as it emerged, it began to stomped on its kind and soon roar at him. It didn't have a sharpnose and face, but instead it had a tail. It still had a mouth and its size was that of a building as it expelled vomit and fluids much like the acid that bursts from those cist.

"This might as well be your last fight..." she said.

"No..." he looked down with his chin up. Looking at them like the filth they were. "I got a sister to come home too and protect... this will not he my last fight..." then loaded his shot gun, and used another exploding talisman on his gun. "Your gonna help me..."

"Of course." She smiled and then looked beyond. "Let's start... on what magic really can do." She extended her hand, and at the same time so did he. Water expelled from the tips of his fingers and shot eith suck high velocity dodging was not possible as he pierced the heads of many of them. As the water kept bouncing until suddenly snapping to ice.

"Amazing..." he said.

"That's not all, let's use dark magic now... bate them with blood." She said.

As he grabbed his knife they began to charge at him.

He then cut his hand and she guided him, using dark magic as his blood soon became a second weapon. His blood was in the air and took the shape of a sword. It began to spin and as he through his hand, his sword launched in the direction easily cutting through them. He then had an idea and on instincts, he began to use earth based magic and formed a vine from the walls and underground foliage as he swung down right into its direction.

It noticed nothing but a free meal and it began to charge and began also spill ita guts out to completely aim and kill him.

However, Proxy would aim his gun to the right, fire. The explosive recoil launched him left, and he guided his sword splitting it two, and made steps onto the monster side along its face he then guided his blood swords to start gutting its lower half as he then shoved my gun into the eye hole of the monster and fired, a massive explosion as parts of its face soon exploded. But it kept moving and kicking, his then shaked and swung his hear and tail tossing around his body to get him off. "Stay right where you are." He then summoned earth magic from the ground to stab and pierced its body lifting it the center of the room. As even then, he brought spears from the ceiling and stab him downward. It soon hung in the center of the room and stayed within an inch of its life as it howled again vomiting pods of more monsters like it.

He moved his two sword right into its stomach and slices it open from its belly as he pulled both swords apart into opposite directions of each making sure its guts were spilling and its acid was now all over the ground as it killed its own pods.

Proxy stood on his swords now in the air. "Still some how alive." He then loaded another round as he pumped in another reload. "Let's finish."

"Now... lets, use light." She told him.

He began to infuse his blood into his weapon, and aimed. The barrel of his weapon lite up as a gathering of his blood began and when he fired. The explosion from his talisman and the sheer power of light, would obliterate it. It created an entire hole into its body completely destroying any life left. And beyond that. A hole formed into the wall, and the burning left behind, soon all created small explosions as he suddenly created a cave in. He looked up as he saw light coming through.

In the tunnels they all felt shaking, "what's going on!?" Trix asked.

"Let's hurry!" Rick said as they all sped back to the surface. Where they saw the captain on the walls looking out.

The captain saw the nearby park sink and submerged into the ground. "Let's go... everyone with arms get ready." He declared. The commotion alerted nearby undead. Normal zombies as they gathered. Only they began to die suddenly and instantly.

His concernes only grew, and as he was at the gate he was called. "Sir! Someone is coming out!"

Everyone gathered as the gates opened. And aimed at the massive hole in the ground just some ways away. The captian, trix, Rick. Amanda and Proxy's sister Snow, all would watch.

Proxy would emerge and as he got out, he would notice everyone.

The captain and many other would then rush to him, and meet in the middle when the dust cleared.

"Holy shit..." Trix was amazed he was alive, but also the damage her left behind.

Rick would walk past him. And see the trophy he left behind in the hole. And monster Proxy would single handedly kill. "No way man..."

Then others would look and see his achievement.

The many dead bodies, and the clear massive one. They all just didn't know what they were seeing, and of course he would soon stared at.

Amanda, snow, trix and the captian would see also.

The captian would look at him, and it was clear now he would be getting question.

He was expecting to be bombarded with questions.

He stood there, a bit anxious for once as he just couldn't not handle this attention. But, he wasn't surprised. Although he clearly would have liked to have kept this achievement secret. Then again, if he just said the hive was taken care of. The cpatian would have sent a team to verify. Regardless, he was just gonna have accept this.

"What... happened proxy." Snow asked.

"I just did what I told my team I'd do... take care of the hive..." he just said explaining nothing.

"Right." The captain stepped over in front of him. "Head back... your gonna have a talk with me later."

"Sure..." he reluctantly agreed.

Snow would grab his hand and take him away. Amanda walked beside him as well.

Trix would look at the hole and then at Proxy. "What in the world is going on." She was afraid. Of what exactly he was.

In fact. Everyone was.

In the history they knew, in this life they were born in, after many centuries of this God forsaken life. No one, had ever achieved what he just did.

The idea of hive alpha's or bosses weren't exactly foreign. Many have been seen, but hardly ever dealt with. And this man, who came to them only 5 years ago, just made sudden steps, bound to shake up the world.

"Not gonna suger coat it Michele... this is bad." Amanda said. As seemingly knew more about him as much as Snow didn't.

'Can you tell me about yourself now?' The woman in his mind asked.

'Not now...' he thought and told her. 'Besides, if your mind, can't you already see my past.' He said.

"You listening brother...?" Snow said to him.

"Sorry, what was it?" He asked her.

"I asked you. Are we gonna leave again?" She said.

"I'm sure I'll be asked about stuff too, so I'll leave with you this time." Amanda said.

"It's cause you walked away with me. But, I guess I understand... and we'll have to see. I'd rather not... we don't knownmany other settlements, at least that's what we've been let to believe." Michele would explain and think about his needs and what would be necessary for his future and theirs. "Amanda... I'm gonna need my gun... you still have it safely kept?"

"You can't use it remember, but sure... you wouldn't ask about it, if you didn't think needing it. But, may I ask, what you plan to do with that cursed gun?" Amanda said and wondered.

"For one... I might be able to use it now... and two... I might be able to change this world... and I will need that gun. The gun that kill that titan. The undead machine in the desert... I need it. To put this world back in order." He proclaimed.

"Manifest destiny." Snow said.

Which the woman chuckled. 'That's right. This is your destiny isn't it. Let's see you change this world.' She grinned.

"Are you sure this is the right course brother? I will follow you, but..."

"You don't gotta... you can stay right here." He told her.

"I'm coming with you." Amanda said. "Your gonna need a Smith to adjust that gun. And life here has been stale until you came along. It new course might as well a sign to really make use of this gift of mine." Amanda agreed and chuckled.

"Hey bro, does that mean, your target... is DEATH?" Snow asked the ultimate question.

"Yeah..." he would be then next titan in this world killed.

"Mechanical Reever. That's the titan killed back in our home land... back in that desert... and it costs our entire settlement and then some... I think you remember don't you... the pit left behind." Amanda said to him.

"I do. I also Remember... being the one to kill it. Then again... you people forced me into that pit... I crawled tooth and nail out.. and had to eat parts of it to stay alive for an entire month... I remember. The sheer pain my body went though, as I saw what it did... I remember being forced into a caravan and that same caravan being attacked. I remember it all. How I was changed. What I killed today was no more than some mutated alpha bigger than its species. My aim, to kill Death, will be far more different." His body. Was forever altered. After consuming a titan, his magic affinities were evolved. His physical abilities were that inhuman.

It wasn't like consuming the mutated and death, was uncommon. Some tried and died. But, he consumed a Titan. Monsters who where the size of buildings. Skyscrapers and who's powers rivaled natural disasters.

His prey, was nicknamed Death. Nothing is know, except for the fact it kills whatever it gazes its eyes on. For its dangerous power. They luckily never worried. It never moved as it stayed where it was, standing still holding its machine scythe, as everything around it was devoid of life. It took up residence within a park, far from any other settlement.

However the unexpected had then happened. It began to move. He slowly moved its leg, taking one step. And a single step that day. The death of a greater undead would trigger this unknow.

There were lots unanswered, and it seemed time for the mystery as to why this world ended like it did to finally be uncovered.

"Now... let's get to work... into rebuilding my beautiful world." The overlord spoke to herself as she gazed from her reality into the planet. He once peaceful and flourishing home was now a disaster. The ocean while still blue, there was less of it. Many of the natural lakes and forests were turned to deserts. Hardly anything left of the arctic ice. There was so many destoyed countries and civilization no one knew who was left on the other side of the world. It was months or days from the next. The eruptions of volcanoes and quakes causes new continental shifts and breaks. Life she remembered was nothing like before.