originally posted in:The New Dojo
She pushed forward then, determined more than ever to find answers. Pulling her shotgun from her back, she pumped the lever, clambering a shell.
English
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[i]Whenever Rose would uncover the Tribune encampment, she would find the troops there to be more.. modernized, yet focused more on what looked like a mining operation. A massive hole was dug into the ground, while two miners, a male and female, spoke up.[/i] "Jera, you can't seriously leave now.." "And why not, Alex? There's nothing but dark sorcery here! Things that those Trayvens in the mountains found. Things that shouldn't be here." "This is why we fight. To establish peace! To find common ground between Trayve and ourselves.. and whatever these beings are." "Beings? You mean the woman?" "What? You're drinking too much again.."
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Beings.... Niki? She got as close as possible, her natural bandit sense kicking in, as she kept out of sight and light on her feet. Whatever was going on, she needed to see for herself.
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[i]The male would break away from his companion then, relaxing on his own. A source of information through an interrogation, perhaps.[/i] [i]Though moving into the mining shaft, or investigating the offices, would work well too.[/i]
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She growled, and crept forward then, sneaking into the shaft itself. Whatever was down there she was confident she could handle.
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[i]Rose could hear.. singing, then. Like the singing that she had heard when Niki was captured, but weaker yet. The Tribune soldiers had yet to notice her, instead focusing on what was below.[/i] [i]Finally, Rose found herself looking at a portal. A rift in time and space itself, really.[/i] [i]The Tribune soldiers studied the thing, as one of them, a mage, would step through. He would appear again, coughing and clutching his chest as his fellows ran to comfort him.[/i] "Saw them - it's ashy and awful there, but.. they're there. The princess and the lady.."
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Lady.... Who? She had to find a way through, somehow. But her mind was racing. How exactly would she? The soldiers weren't having any luck it seemed, which meant she wouldn't either.
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[i]After a few murmurs, as the few soldiers there and their captain spoke, they simultaneously nodded, before heading into the portal.[/i] [i]Perhaps heading into the portal was against their orders. Though it was certainly not against Rose's.[/i]
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She waited a few moments, then went in after them.
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[i]Rose's vision would shift. She was blinded by light. Drowned out by darkness. And in the end..[/i] [i]She found herself lying upon a solid ivory surface, within a lit hallway. Rose could hear the soldiers moving throughout the hall, as if discovering an exit.[/i]
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She coughed, forcing herself up then ask she picked up her rifle. Glancing around, she quickly started to follow the sounds of the soldiers, checking anything else as well.
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[i]Soon, Rose would appear in a marble courtyard in the open, of which she would find the Tribune troops as well. A few of them inspected the beauty of the place - high above, rocks floated in the clear air. Some soldiers appeared to be excavating, others scaling the castle that they were within.[/i] [i]None noticed Rose. Yet.[/i]
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Rose glanced about the second she arrived, taking cover immediately. What where they excavating, and why where they here? She pulled her lever action shotgun, peeking over again to watch.
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"There's.. runes. Songs." [i]One archivist muttered, as they studied the walls. One of the scholars began to press against the wall, before a gateway suddenly opened in front of him, swirling with incredible power.[/i] "I see them. Niki and.. and.." [i]He never finished, as a harpoon of light tore through his being and sent him flying into the opposite wall.[/i]
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She took the moment, shooting herself upright and firing at the nearest person, two 12g rounds tearing through any body armor and flesh. Then, she snapped to the next, discharging two more shells, and then ducking behind cover again. She yelled then, wanting to hear Niki's voice. "Niki! Niki!"
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"[i]ROSE[/i]!" [i]Niki.[/i] "[i]Rose, h-[/i]" [i]A scream suddenly interrupted, as the foundations of the location quivered and shook, the walls beginning to crack. The Tribune soldiers would then focus their attention onto Rose, yet some would split up, heading into the second gateway as the rest fired upon Rose's cover.[/i]
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She yelled, furious, as she was pinned down, unable to do much. Waiting for them to run out of ammunition, she slipped the shotgun back into the holster on her back, and pulled a pistol. Then, she swept her arm out, the armor she worse collecting into a riot shield on her left arm. Then, she stood, holding the shield upright as she returned fire.
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[i]The majority of the troops had fallen back into cover or ran off into the gateway, though one would be shot by Rose, the woman crying out in pain as she attempted to crawl away. She would go still after a few moments.[/i] "[i]Rose![/i]"
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"Niki!" She yelled out again, waiting for the others to pop back up so she could fire upon them, keeping the shield up.
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[i]Commands were shouted amongst the troops, before they had begun to fall back into the depths of the portal. One by one, they descended into the gateway's swirling depths, until it was Rose whom was left behind.[/i] "[i]Help! Rose, [b]help[/b]![/i] [i]Niki's voice escaped the portal, over and over.[/i] [i]There wouldn't be any turning back after this.[/i]
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She fired upon any that tried to escape, pushing forward as well. Hearing Niki was all she needed, as the woman was her driving force to keep going. She stepped forward, forcing herself to keep going, entering the portal.
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[i]And so, Rose would enter indeed.[/i] [spoiler]Fin, getting the next post up.[/spoiler]