[quote]Chapter 5 part 1 The descent The Raiders pressed on; their hearts heavy with the loss of Raptor. They held on to the hope of the lifestone that Jade carried, the gilded lady had promised he would live again if they completed their quest. Time was against them as they descended through the tunnel staircase, its rough rock walls spiderwebbed with great swaths of exotic minerals and chunks of crystalline formations that spread in the dark like reaching teeth of razor-sharp tenacity. Ronin felt the edge of a particularly sharp stone and winced as the blood leaked slowly from his finger, before pressing on, his grim countenance lit only by the hope that his friend would be revived at the end of this journey. [/quote] [quote]Virus had continued to observe the curious rituals of his organic companions as they traversed the darkened staircase in the tunnels, winding this way and that. By his calculations, Nighthawk had burned up a total of five cigars on this trip, Virus had spied into his belongings when he had been preoccupied, he only had one left, and he seemed, begrudgingly determined, to save it. Warlock followed Ronin and Jade who walked purposefully ahead of the rest. they were followed by the mad scientist Acrocanthus. Following them was the Northstar Titan piloted by Wripperoni, and Nighthawks mech stalked behind them. Virus tailed the group, but with a renewed sense of purpose, if escape was truly impossible from this realm, he very much desired to see this expedition through to the bitter end. [/quote] [quote]As they walked the ceiling slowly became higher and the walls widened as the mouth of the tunnel opened into a wide and grand staircase spanning many meters in the directions before them, Deep in the cavern the dim form of a grand pyramid appeared before them, a majestic and behemouth structure set deep below them in the massive cavern, their lights barely piercing the veil of eternal night. The strange crystalline growths danced with color and exotic beauty as the orbs of light bathed them in fractal serenity as they descended into the depths of the grand cavern. They were quiet as they walked, noises echoed in the cavern around them, scurrying sounds of spine-tingling monstrosities, and unknown dangers… They drew their weapons fanning out to cover more ground as they approached the massive Pyramid. The mists had settled at the foot of the steps, and if they were to continue, they would need to brave it’s obscurity.[/quote] [quote]Without being told Nighthawk stepped into the mists, and flapped the wings of his bird mech, spreading the swirling fog; but the mists simply recollected as if willed to remain. “Looks like were going in blind” Nighthawk said loudly Ronin looked into the mists, a dim purple light in the shape of a doorway, cut through the fog to tempt them ahead. “Alright. Keep a tight formation, do not lose sight of one another in the fog.” The rest nodded agreement as the group huddled closer, entering the living fog… It was thicker than they expected, they formed a line as they followed one another making their way to the purple light on the other side.[/quote] [quote]A scream in the darkness and they stopped; drawing their weapons waiting in the eerie silence. Another scream this time closer, followed by yet more screams, all around them. Closing in… “Run! Run now!” The Raiders sprinted for the door as the bellowing and screams of thousands of Raptors bore down on the sound of their running feet, Virus looked back in his flight to see the pack following them and gaining, he sent his nanites to cloud the air before them causing the pursuers to pause at the impenetrable swirling swarm of tiny robots, ready to strip them of their dark flesh, still they came, rushing and squealing with bloodthirsty delight at the fresh meat that had wandered into their lair. The Raiders were hurrying in the direction of the ever-growing door, when without warning a Raptor leapt from the side trapping Warlock in its wicked jaws. And dragging him to the ground.[/quote] [quote]Wripperoni charged the Raptor on him tackling the beast and beating it senseless with the butt of his massive sniper rifle. Warlock rose to his feet limping towards the door as he struggled to catch up; the encroaching hoarde of Deep Raptors, fast-approaching. Wripperoni seized him by the waist with his massive titan hands and ran for the door. One by one they made it through the doorway, Acro began working on the controls, and Ronin guarded him as the rest hurried inside[/quote]. [quote]Slashing aside two charging Raptors, Ronin lifted a sparking hand with his Katana, Lightning danced across his eyes as he charged the his ultimate move, “Acro”, he whispered in a crackling and modulated voice. “Go, I will be right behind you…” The Raptors stopped before the arcing Samurai, as he raised his eyes to the ceiling of the cave, with his ancient powers he called the Storm, slowly the clouds formed, sparking and thundering with majestic power, the winds of the ancient world swirled the storm creating a twister of lightning and blinding wind… "you will know the wrath of the storm, speaker, for this terrible place"... using the power of his sorrow, Ronin felt the gasp of the deep as he glowed with arcing energized, raw power... the maelstrom reached hurricane proportions and Ronin stood still as a lightning Rod, his hair and cloak whipping about him; his feet firmly planted; bolts of electricity crashing from his katana.[/quote] [quote]The Deep Raptors were no match as bolt after bolt of lightning rained on them, Shards of ice eviscerated them and the swirling tumult carried them away. feeling the drain, of his power, he ducked inside and hit the control panel sliding the door shut. Ronin Collapses in exhaustion…[/quote]