Abandoned Imperial Japanese Facility

Edgar sprung backwards, transforming his arms into cooling, soothing water as Catherine fell. Catching her in a bed of water, he levitated her up in a bubble, making sure she could get air, even while he reshaped, and neutralized the powerful stomach acid Himiko utilized, no doubt as a conscious torture method, rather than a bodily automatic function.

"Damn it Himiko. Catherine, you arn't ready yet...." Edgar surmised to himself in a low tone. He ejected the noxious sulfuric acid as a harmless steam from the surface of the water bubble, and began to levitate both his own water form and Catherine out through the hole in the roof. The last thing Edgar needed were the denizens of this hostile island to decend down upon them while he was distracted and she was down.

Floating through the opening, Ed decided to take Catherine back to Kilwood Village with him.

Edgar Holden wrote:

Random Mobs wrote:Deznik froze, as he watched his 'brother' fall from the poorly executed charge, and turned his reptilian gaze upon the tall, brooding giant. "It not fair!" the creature barked, trembling to keep its hold on the woman. "If not food, then what?! Deznik want its flesh. Deznik's home. Deznik's food!" he reiterated, shifting in place while Frol was picking himself off the floor, stumbling and with blood running down jaws. He turned to Dez, unable to speak, only wheeze.

Dez looking from Frol, back to the individual before him shook violently, his grip against the woman's neck was choking to the woman, and she was becoming limp as he held her that way for a few moments, backing up. After debating whether to break her in half or rip off her head, Deznik simply thrusts her forward, and leaped to the catwalk above. Looking down with its single good eye blinking, he snarled. "We be back..." He looked to Frolnik and motioned with his frilled head to 'follow', to which he did, unintelligibly screaming with his nubby tongue: "we hates it!! we hates it both! we return! we hates it forever!" before he vanished into the darkness as well.

DRAKE, free, but unable to stand due to her bound ankles, nor catch herself thanks to the bound wrists fell forward.

"SHE IS NOT FOOD!! SHE IS A HUMAN WOMAN, AND MY FRIEND!! And her name is CATHERINE!!" the tall man's voice exploded with rage in response to Deznik's ridiculous question. The roar cracked like thunder through the entire factory, shaking the structure to it's foundations.

The creatures retreated, swearing their return and vengeance. "If you, your clan, or any other monster decides to interfere with me or my friend, I promise you this - I won't just sink this island. I. Will Disintegrate. It." The demonic Edgar emphasized his intentions, by lancing the last words with power to make sure they got the message.

The way it spoke to Deznik had made him angry. It went deep underground, sounding the war drums and called for their 'God' which dwelled in the depths of the ocean around Shi no Shima.

Edgar Holden wrote:Edgar sprung backwards, transforming his arms into cooling, soothing water as Catherine fell. Catching her in a bed of water, he levitated her up in a bubble, making sure she could get air, even while he reshaped, and neutralized the powerful stomach acid Himiko utilized, no doubt as a conscious torture method, rather than a bodily automatic function.

"Damn it Himiko. Catherine, you arn't ready yet...." Edgar surmised to himself in a low tone. He ejected the noxious sulfuric acid as a harmless steam from the surface of the water bubble, and began to levitate both his own water form and Catherine out through the hole in the roof. The last thing Edgar needed were the denizens of this hostile island to decend down upon them while he was distracted and she was down.

Floating through the opening, Ed decided to take Catherine back to Kilwood Village with him.

As they were, several spears were being chucked at them from many of the more intelligent lizardmen. "Kill them! Crush them!" they cheered down below, each spear throw slowly becoming more accurate than the last...

Edgar Holden wrote:Edgar sprung backwards, transforming his arms into cooling, soothing water as Catherine fell. Catching her in a bed of water, he levitated her up in a bubble, making sure she could get air, even while he reshaped, and neutralized the powerful stomach acid Himiko utilized, no doubt as a conscious torture method, rather than a bodily automatic function.

"Damn it Himiko. Catherine, you arn't ready yet...." Edgar surmised to himself in a low tone. He ejected the noxious sulfuric acid as a harmless steam from the surface of the water bubble, and began to levitate both his own water form and Catherine out through the hole in the roof. The last thing Edgar needed were the denizens of this hostile island to decend down upon them while he was distracted and she was down.

Floating through the opening, Ed decided to take Catherine back to Kilwood Village with him.

Catherine kept blacking out, feeling her consciousness fade as her body continued to be put through the abuse of Himiko's second stomach despite no longer residing there. Thankfully, Ed was ridding of the noxious fluid via this water form. She slowly opened her eyes, eyes which were blinded from acid but slowly returning to their natural color peeked down as she was flying. "J..jealous..." she said, slowly. "...bitch..." she closed her eyes again, not even reacting to the spears which flew through the liquid barrier and zoomed past their faces.

DRAKE wrote:Catherine kept blacking out, feeling her consciousness fade as her body continued to be put through the abuse of Himiko's second stomach despite no longer residing there. Thankfully, Ed was ridding of the noxious fluid via this water form. She slowly opened her eyes, eyes which were blinded from acid but slowly returning to their natural color peeked down as she was flying. "J..jealous..." she said, slowly. "...bitch..." she closed her eyes again, not even reacting to the spears which flew through the liquid barrier and zoomed past their faces.

Random Mobs wrote:The way it spoke to Deznik had made him angry. It went deep underground, sounding the war drums and called for their 'God' which dwelled in the depths of the ocean around Shi no Shima.

As they were, several spears were being chucked at them from many of the more intelligent lizardmen. "Kill them! Crush them!" they cheered down below, each spear throw slowly becoming more accurate than the last...

Catherine may not have reacted, but Edgar did. He hardened the outer shell of the water's density to protect against the spears, before emerging from beneath the bubble, levitating it with his mind, as he gazed down at the island. Filled with these primitive reptilian people, and he growled out deeply.

"I warned you, Deznik. I warned you but you did not listen. Now you, your people, and your lands will reap your folly. Behold!" Edgar's form began to change once again. He grew, fast. His horns elongated as a tail and wings burst from his back. His armor disappeared in a flourish of energy as his aura exploded around his expanding form. Edgar's skin darkened, and hardened to black obsidian crystal like scales that peaked and spired all over.

Within mere moments, the growing enormity of Edgar's bulk slammed into the shallow waters off the coast of the island. The immense dragonlike being towered to it's full height...



The creatures blazing red eyes contrasted sharply with the sheer jet blackness of it's features as it gazed upon the inhabitants of Shi No Shima with scorn and contempt. "I will not sink or disintegrate your island this day, as not all of your people are guilty of your crimes Deznik, but.... A reckoning was promised." The great head turned toward the factory they had just occupied, apparent territory of Deznik's particular clan, and with a great heave of his chest, Edgar unleashed the fury of Hellfire upon the former Japanese factory. Reducing it to ash dust, and it's foundations and the ground it was built upon was melted down into slag and lava, destroying it completely.

Deznik and the others hissed and cried out as they watched their home melt away. Frolnik, screamed as the earth opened beneath him, and jets of flame quickly spewed up, charring him as he fell beneath the magma!

Deznik backed away, nervously, almost sheepishly. "R-RETREAT!" He exclaimed, the war drums silencing as each being ran for their own safety away from the flames and fire spreading. Deznik himself quickly sprinted ahead of his clan, damning them to their fate, for at least he would survive! The sounds of chaos echoing as flames engulfed other lizard-men or trapped their escape.

Cat's eyes slipped open again, her vision a blur. Flames... she saw many flames and the terrifying dragon of her nightmares months prior to meeting Ed and Damian proper. She closed her eyes again, floating there and falling unconscious once more as Edgar made the fires of Hell rain onto the Island of Death.

Edgar's fire storm breath ceased, and he surveyed the damage while extinguishing the flames. Deznik's tribe was in full panicked retreat into the woodlands surrounding the bubbling crater he had just made.

With nothing else left to do or say, the colossal dragon turned towards the sea, and took off back towards Scardia along the Beijio coastline, his body shedding the Dragon form as quickly as he had summoned it. He hoped and prayed that none of the advanced civilizations had seen his dragon form. it would take years to explain that, assuming the authorities like the ADN would even give him a chance talk before simply trying to gun him down.

It was a day or so after Edgar's explosive exit from Shi no Shima... and the lava caked facility and the jungle around it was still burning. Clearly visible from sea, most people would mind their own business, or hope the rest of the cursed 'Isle of Death' would burn to the ground...

HRUMMM HRUMMM HRUMMM HRUMMMM....!

The rhythmic loud humming of a massive gunship, camouflaged with a jungle/woodland paint flew from a nearby Cargo Ship flying merchant flags...



It was a massive helicopter gunship, an Izheveskian IZ-93 "Whale Shark"- a multipurpose helicopter capable of holding 33 fully equipped military personnel, twelve laser guided missiles, storing 9 aerial bombs, and had a pivoting, four barreled, minigun chambered in the massive .50 BMG (12.7×99mm) cartridge. From tanks to dragonhide, the minigun can take care of nearly ALL problems with its antimaterial loadout! The helicopter is also fitted with serious, heavy duty plating keeping it protected from most forms of projectiles, including the aforementioned .50 BMG.

While its load out was still the same, this helicopter only had 17 on board, as the entire clandestine operation was funded by the Izhevesk government and joint military department effort:

With 8 members from the Izheveskian Navy, led by Sgt. Rita Valentina Jancyte:





8 from the Izheveskian Ground Forces who were trained 'White Wolves', and the second in command of the operation, White Wolf Officer, Captain Sergei Grigorievich:





and a single Agent from the Ministry of Intelligence and Espionage (MIE), leading the operation, known as "Bandit":



The helicopter soared across the azure blue ocean, making a b-line for the tower of smoke. Everyone on board were loaded and ready for combat, they didn't know what to expect after all...

Officially, the unit was on a training exercise to test 'prospective White Wolf members' in southern Scardia and already got approval by the Allied Defense Network to do so. Thats what the documents will say, anyhow. No one was sure if the island was truly safe to enter now. Though, the rumors of strange creatures swimming and flying away from the island has made many world leaders and prospective adventures... very curious. Their mission was nearly 90 years in the making, however... hence the whole clandestine affair.

Only Bandit knew the truth of the operation, the others given only 'part' of the mission's parameters, and didn't know the entire scope. Granted, no one was sure they'll be able to leave the island, let alone land there safely. Should they crash or their helicopter destroyed, there would be no rescue, especially if they couldn't raise radio awareness. They would all be listed as 'killed in training exercise' with the reasons being 'pilot error', 'faulty maintenance' and 'bad winds'. Should they fail, some poor schmuck working in the Mechanical Division was going to lose a job, and be haunted by something he or she never did for the rest of their lives. As for them? They'll be dead either way. The other sixteen individuals knew this much. They also believed their mission was to 'observe and research' the local geology, fauna, flora, which were part of Bandit's skillset as well. She'd have to play 'scientist' for them.

"Heh, sending an old man on the 'Isle of Death', bah! I see what they did there." Sergei chuckled, knocking back some liquid courage he then passed to his men. "You keep staring at that thing, 'Bandit' if that truly your name." The bearded man addressed, as a few of the soldiers turned to her:



What they didn't know... was that 90 years ago, the Tzar, the Prime Minister, and the Director of the MIE sent over 15,000 Izheveskian's to 'settle' the island. This was known in the MIE as 'Operation Ark'. The 15,000 that were sent were workers, scientists, soldiers, mercenaries, farmers, what have you. People who could set up a large facility, and live on the island indefinitely. It was not easy, slipping 15,000 people under the watchful eyes of Tenik Inc, who were always looking for an excuse to go to War with the Far North. The TIRS in particular were hard to avoid... but somehow they were able to pull it off. Either that or the Tenik of 90 years ago knew and didn't care as Shi no Shima was an island no one returned from upon stepping into its 'zone'. He probably laughed at the idea, and let them slip through.

"I told you, Captain, it's an all purpose scanner. I'm testing the levels of radiation, aether, lifestream, what have you. You're lucky it isn't glowing red, or we'd be in serious trouble." She half lied.

The device was a multi-purpose scanner, but it also was scanning for the facility that was supposedly created. It was unclear how many died building it, or if the entire 15,000 made it without a scratch, but the facility was established. Their purpose was to not simply colonize, but to develop bio organic weapons, test dark magics, and the like. Bandit listened to the old tape recording, the static was terrible, but there was only one radio call from the Island:

"We have built it. We have found the true 'God'."

Izhevesk's government lost touch with over 15,000 people. 15,000 recorded as having died in reactor explosion the MIE set up in a small town in the far north. One could say, over 16,000 people were killed that year to keep this facility a complete secret.

"Eh, if it gives me tits, I'll be mad, but I can call it a win! HAH HAH!" He laughed back at her.

Bandit's lidded gaze blinked as sweat rolled down her snow white flesh, her crimson glare then returned to the scanner. Not even close to landing on the island and he's found his way into his liquor rations and already crocked... I suppose, everyone's on edge. We may all die and be forgotten today. The raven haired woman thought to herself.

Her mission, was to locate the facility, collect the data, find out what they meant by 'true God', and if there were somehow survivors or descendants of the original 15,000... dispose of them. She'd have to tell the soldiers they were infected with a disease, some bogus backstory she wasn't going to be proud of. Her final objective was to destroy the facility. She supposed that if there were, miraculously, individuals from the original colony still alive she could destroy them with the facility. She hoped the place was a ruin, it be less of a hassle.

She glanced up at the second in command and third, then checked her White Wolves' survival knife:



Live as a pack; Fight as a pack; Die with your fangs bared. Attack swiftly, strike silently, kill efficiently. These are the ways of a White Wolf. I'd rather not have to kill my own pack... Bandit thought, glancing back to the crew.

'Prime Minister's Orders: Should the team not comply with your orders- should they impede your objectives, should they appear unwilling or uncooperative, should they discover the purpose of Operation Ark, or should they defect... eliminate them. All non-MIE personnel you encounter are nonessential, and disposable. Should you be unable to return to the Iron Tortoise within 30 days, you will be presumed dead. Should you exfiltrate past the 30 days, you are to reach one of the MIE safehouses in the nearest continent and report in. Should you be unable to escape Shi no Shima, you are expected to do the patriotic duty of destroying all evidence collected during the investigation and self terminate in any manner personally deemed favorable. No one outside the M.I.E. are allowed to know of Operation Ark.' That was my direct order from the Prime Minister herself. For everyone's sake, I hope Operation Ark was a failure, and only a radio beacon was made and the survivors only went mad and spouted nonsense in the hopes someone would be sent out to save them. Poor bastards... She thought, sighing to herself as the helicopter shook with turbulence!

---

Sgt. Rita gasped, but Captain Sergei patted her beret. "Just turbulence! Ha ha!" Bandit remained quiet, sliding her knife emblazoned with the logo of the 'White Wolves' back into the polymer sheath. She pulled fringe out of her eyes and glanced back to her scanner... she could see a distant dot, blinking. She closed her eyes. The beacon was still active... after 90 years. I hope the T.I.R.S. aren't involved... we don't need those bastards interfering. As it is... She reopened her garnet gaze, looking out the port window and down at the burning valley below. I am hoping it is all in ruin.

---

The heli landed upon the cooled sheet of magma, propellers still live. The Captain was asking why she wanted them to land, but she ignored him as she dropped down onto the tar like earth. The Captain with his LMG dropped down, as did three White Wolves with their AK57's, the four sweeping the impromptu landing zone as she walked up to the remains of what appeared to be a fortress... but only barely looked like it, jutting from the lava. It was modern construction materials, concrete, rebar... but wasn't in the methods similar to the Izhevesk. Seems we weren't the only ones with the same idea. Shit, I bet Tenik sent someone out here too back in the day. Who knows what else we'll find out here... She thought, kneeling down with her scanner while the captain yelled at her from behind.



"CONTACT!" One of the soldier's cried out, causing Bandit to casually turn to the burning lizard like creature wading through the lava flow, a flag held in its scaleless hands like a spear as it charged her!



Bandit turned, unflinching, as she drew her GG66 from her cowboy holster with her left hand, flicking off the safety as she swung her left arm across her chest and pulled the trigger:



Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three shots, was all it took to down the creature. Its scales exploding off its forehead as the large .357 SIG shells tore through the burnt flesh and severed the creature's spine as they bloomed and tumbled through the poor creature's flesh like a pinball!

The creature made an odd shriek, before falling into the magma, its 'spear' clattering beside Bandit.

The captain and the other soldiers rushed up to her as the woman simply redirected her interest and examined the corpse and his odd weapon. One of the soldiers kicked the corpse, and trained his weapon on it in case... but it was dead.

"Never seen a lizardman like this..." one of the soldiers state to his buddies, while the Captain and Bandit were more focused on the creature's weapon...

"Whose flag is that?" Captain Sergei asked softly. Bandit simply shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine..."



Bandit stood up, ignoring the singed flag of red and white, turning to the Captain. "This magma flow isn't volcanic, it was weaponized. We could return here in a few days, and investigate these troubling ruins." Bandit suggests. This isn't the facility I'm looking for... scanner says its more inland, near that big mountain. She mentally noted.

"What the hell would weaponize a volcano?" The grizzled Captain asked. Bandit didn't answer immediately, turning to the lava river to her left, then back to the Captain, before 'thumbing' to the treeline behind her. "Something big." She replied, before heading back to the 'copter. "We need to find a better place to land, I just had to inspect this site. Pack'em in, Captain." She ordered, as she pulled herself into the helicopter ahead of the other four.

The Captain, blinked. He didn't understand what Bandit meant at first, but with a gentle wipe of his eyes he could see now, from the soft blackened earth, and the manner the trees had been flattened- footprints. Massive footprints. Those made by a dragon of terrifying proportions!

"By the Twelve... what are we dealing with here?" He asked himself, before blinking again, turning to Bandit, already gone, stunned by her nonchalant nature to killing a screaming freak on fire with a spear and then ignore the implications of footprints that would take 3 battalions or the tank division to completely fill in! She's not normal... She was a White Wolf? Seems the MIE have her deep in their grip... He thought, before glancing to his soldiers, still playing with the dead animal roasting in the magma river. "BBQ is over. Return to the chopper! Double time!" He barked. Soon the four were back on the helicopter, the hatch sliding closed once more before taking off, to another part of the island that would be more suitable for establishing a LZ... and closer to Bandit's target...