Pax RP

The machine let the laughter wash over him. An attempt to intimidate no doubt, however intimidation was a reaction of the organic creatures it sought to destroy, an emotional and inefficient reaction. However this resistance was wasting time.

[INITIATE LINK WITH REAPER STAR GOD]
[...]
[...]
[FAILURE TO CONNECT, STASIS TOMB STILL ACTIVE]

This was a problem. The artificer lord was powerful, but it's master would have out the wolf in it's place. The stasis tombs were still active though, at least according to the machines data banks... This foot hold was more than important, it was vital.

"Dealing with you will be to my advantage, state your terms"

Caesar ran, looking behind him and gauging the beast's speed. When he thought he had it's speed down right, he stopped and fired an explosive bolt at the ground. Too fast, and it would run right over the bolt. Too slow, and the explosion would have cleared. But if he got it just right, the beast would have exploded.

He relaxed his jaw, so that the sudden shock wave wouldn't shatter his teeth, and hoped.

The hook headed lizard creature, an Infector, bounded ever closer to the two humans. Of course, it did not see nor know about Caesars exploding arrows, so intent it was on getting to at least one of the two living beings in front of it along with the convenient fact that it was blind. The creature took one more step past the bolt, when it exploded, sending chunks of ground and the things sickly grey flesh everywhere, along with the clear fluid that ran through it's body. It would seem the two were safe... for now, as the explosion attracted the attention of the ever spreading Monstrosities from the epicentre of where they had all been pulled in.

Teacher, lulled to sleep by the movement of the swaying red and grey trees was jarred awake by a very loud explosion, multifaceted green eyes opened wide... but not because of the explosion, oh no, because of something else. Not one, but two, of the major branches of the biggest tree in the out of place forest had withered, their bark becoming hard and brittle and the leaves falling off them to the floor. "NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!" she yelled, attracting the attention of Lushik and most of the smaller lifeforms in the forest with her loud cries of woe "Idiots! Fools! Now look what's happ-Lushik, did you damage the trees?" the large insectoid alien turned to the smaller canid one, who shrugged his shoulders with a confused look on his face "No, Teacher, I did not. I've been... dozing." "Hmmm..." she mumbled, then turned around, put her hand back on the biggest tree and began talking to it again.

Lushik shrugged, muttered somethng about the 'damn treehugger' and went to investigate the explosion-either the lifeforms here were a threat, or they had just attempted to dispatch one. No matter which way you looked at it, it was worth a peek.

Lykaios, the white wolf, stood as he was, regarding this 'Artificer' creature for many long seconds before he spoke. Despite this creatures devotion to it's 'gods', and it's belief that they would somehow force him to do things he didn't want to, this robot was oh so very wrong. The Underling had a unique secret that had been put in place originally not to protect him, but rather to keep him restrained. It was true the white wolf could be controlled, but only once you learned it's true name, however that very same thing had been deliberately wiped, forgotten and lost purposely to try and make sure it could not return. However, as evidenced by it's very presence here, it had found a way out that did not require it's name to be uttered.

Now, there was a more interesting and advantageous proposition going on here, and as with another it had once tried to deal with the terms would make it seem as though the second party was getting a better deal. Although, the first time, it hadn't gone according to plan, this one was apparently more willing to bargain. "Ah, it is most pleasant to find someone who sees the benefits here" he said, although probably more to himself than the Artificer, who did not appear to understand Lykaios at all. Well, that was fine by him "Artificer, the terms are simple, just keep doing what you are doing right now-but leave me alone" the white wolf told the other ancient being, it was no more than he'd asked of anyone else before, although some refused to accept "I can feel your energy is very low, I will provide you with some of my own lifeforce-and I will check in, from time to time, to help with your 'foothold' here. But you and your kin must never interfere with me"

Lykaios paused here, was there something he'd missed out? It felt like there was... oh yes, of course, just one more thing. "Listen carefully now, you know what I look like, so know me by these names-Wanderer, Trickster, Devourer, Lykaios. They will let you know when I am close by. Now, is it a deal?" the Underlings eyes looked at the robot intently, though bright yellow on the outside, inside they told of ancient ages lived through, witnessed by the immortal being that stood in front of the Artificer.

[SEARCHING DATA BANKS FOR LYKAIOS, WANDERER, TRICKSTER, DEVOURER]
[...]
[DATA SEARCH HAS FOUND INFORMATION ON ALL TERMS. LIST?]
[CONFIRM]

The machines mind was suddenly filled with various images and text. First accounts, myths and rumors, begin near the initiation of the great slumber. The only Artificer encounter with such a creature was a fleeting one, a blurred wolf amongst the destruction of the Dectoids of Krysih. A millennia into the great slumber and data indicates a creature of the same description, now named the trickster, starting war and chaos amongst many races, such trickery to rival even the star god of deception itself. More fragmented data, some accounts of a great war in which most, if not all, of the races involved perished. At this point the creature is named Devourer. Shortly after the war the creature appears to vanish, leaving only cults in it's wake. Last known contact appears when the wolf briefly passes through a tomb world, a moment which lasted mere seconds that caused to tomb to begin activating....

...It also destabilised the planet, weak as it was. The tomb was destroyed, save for a scant few Artificers that were jettisoned into space. It would appear that this Artificer was one of the few.

[ENDING DATA SEARCH]

The Artificer considered the proposition for quite a while. 3.45632 seconds to be exact. It considered various outcomes of this situation, what could go wrong and what was to gain. The deal was worth it so long as the wolf was, as many of the mortals would say, kept sweet. But perhaps a warning was in order, just to be sure.

[ACTIVATING HOLO-PROJECTOR]
[LOADING HISTORICAL ARCHIVES OF ARTIFICER EMPIRE]

A sickly green hologram faded into existence, projected from a lens in the machines chest. Many many images came and went, as fast as the Artificer estimated the wolf could take it all in. A galactic map mapping out the territory of the empire, the skeletal footsoldiers of the empire, and terrible black guns firing green lightning and flaying it's victims alive, layer by layer, right down to an atomic level. Machines similar to the footsoldiers stalking out prey, but instead of guns they totted scythe like fingers, and skinned their victims alive, their screams filling the air. Floating platforms with more heavily armed torsos of the soldiers floated by, firing heavy cannon like weapons mounted to their arms, ripping apart buildings and soldiers alike. Giant Pyramid like structures floated across a ghostly battlefield, towering over everything and firing gargantuan bolts of lighting into the enemy, leaving only craters in it's wake. Worse still were the seeming countless waves of soldiers marching forth from a large portal on the front of the pyramids. And in the middle of it all, standing on a rock in the middle of the chaos and proving a handy vantage point above the battle, a long Artificer stood, surveying the battle. It's robes fluttered in the wind, flecked with blood and starting to get tattered with battle. It pushed the troops forward, towards a gleaming city in the mountains, ripe for harvesting. The Men, the women, the children, all ripe for harvesting.

The lord deactivated it's holo-projector, and fixed it's gaze to the wolf once more, just staring.
"Raw materials are required. We will return to the crash site and gather the materials there. We require a stronghold and footsoldiers. Then construction spiders can be created for the rest of the building."

Without waiting for a response the Lord stood up and headed for the crash site, battle scythe in hand to cut down anything getting in it's way.

Serah Squeeked as the Hook Lizerd Exploded, Fluffy woken up with a shocked Cheep

"EWWW! Alien Lizerd slime!" She Said in a descusted tone of voice as the clear liquid was on her

Fluffy did an annoyed Cheep

Serah Sighed "Well My name is Serah and I'm just guessing your not called 'lot of pain'?" She said to Caesar

Serah looked at the tree that was on fire

"Poor thing..." Serah sighed as she looked at the tree, Fluffy did a sad cheep too

"The 'poor thing' was serving as some sort of home for those beasts. If I had more napalm, I'd make sure this forest didn't make it out alive. My name is Caesar." He said, pronouncing it like 'Kai-zar'. "Pleased to meet you, Serah.

((Tav and Jodie- where are you two headed? I'm assuming you're still on the edge of the red forest atm. If not, I guess I'll have to edit))

Lushik, the little black canid alien burst out of the trees after running on all fours towards the noise... and nearly skidded on the goop the 'alien lizard' had left behind. "Eww, gross" he said, shaking the stuff off the hand unfortunate enough to have dipped into it "Hey, you two!" he yelled, waving both arms at them-one complete with his gun. Then stopped, stared at the translator around Serahs chest, and pointed the weapon at her instead "That's our Coms Officer's Translator!" he said, sounding nearly hysterical "he's never been without it. Where'd you get it from?"

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lykaios watched the sickly green hologram of the other ancient creature with great interest, even his ears were up and facing forwards alertly. A sharing of information was always a good start and the white wolf only wished he had been allowed to watch this during his previous... incarceration. Maybe the Artificer meant it as a warning, that he'd be on the recieving end of this magnificent destruction-either way it was meant, Lykaios approved.

So, apparently, did the Artificer, as the hologram disappeared far too soon for the Underling and the robot spoke as though expecting him to follow. It had apparently decided the deal was acceptable and dashed off towards it's crashed ship-on a direct course to where Teacher had been standing in front of the large tree, the white wolf noted, dark amusement glittering in his bright yellow eyes. Lykaios did not walk after the blade wielding creature so much as he floated after him, sitting in a relaxed position as the ethereal substance carried him mere inches off the floor. This should be a lot of fun-especially as their exit point out of the strange forest put them close to where he'd left Serah and the drug addled man before.

Behind them, the tree that had been drained of it's essence creaked under it's own weight until it finally gave way, spewing forth brittle grey woodchips and the bodies of the hooked beasts that had been living inside of it.

The Artificer proceeded to wade though the battle consuming the crash site. These pests would need to be dealt with. The machine proceeded to cut down swathes of creatures, alive and dead, in a series of swift and violent swipes.

Just more energy for the harvest.

Serah Froze as the strange canid alien pointed a gun at her

"Th..this thing?" she stutterd looking at the Translater

She then said "A Bird Lizerd Alien gave it me before... before", Serah burst into tears

"A GIANT ROBOT CHOPPED HIS HEAD OFF!" She cryed falling to her knees "I just want to go home..." she cryed

Fluffy did a growl like cheep at the canid alien then did a sad cheep at Serah

Lushik hadn't really expected, what looked to him to be a strange, pink and soft yet hairless alien to break down and start balling on the floor. Maybe his military training had hardened him up a bit too much-he'd expected shock, confusion-perhaps even defiance if they had stolen it or killed the Coms Officer for it. Nor had he expected the outburst, or the fact that there were giant robots wandering around. The canids mouth had dropped at her sentence, and he lowered the gun before he rushed over to Serah. "Oh, I'm so sorry! You have no idea the kind of level I empathise with you there. I'm Lushik" he said, gracing her with a wide smile for the briefest of moments "I'm just really jumpy, because, well because-" Lushik paused, then looked over his shoulder "because of them!"

He brought up his gun, pointed outwards at the way they'd come and the grotesque figures lurking in the darkness, slowly coming closer-they must not yet know of their presence, for none of the fast bird lizard Monstrosities came at them, nor did the Swarms make their presence known. The canid retreated back into the trees, motioning with a muscular arm for them to follow him, not saying a word.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Lykaios floated above the melee, his ethereal substance now wrapped around the white wolf in a see through bubble so the creatures could not get to him despite their trying. After a while, thanks to the Artificers consistent hacking there was noone alive at all nearby, and both Monstrosities and Swarms slunk away from the crash site-even they knew this wasn't getting them anywhere, though the robot was being ignored trying to get to the being up in the sky had occupied them until they realised they were losing more numbers than gaining here.

Serah looked and saw the shadows looked then back at Lushik and got up and followed trying not to make a sound

Fluffy was waching the shadows doing quiet growl like chirps

Lushik didn't say a word until he was sure of two things-first, that the girl with the translator and her pet insect were following him-which they were, so that wasn't a problem. And second, that he was fairly sure the creatures couldn't hear them.

"Well, Miss, you've certainly picked up a fine place to show up in" he said almost conversationally as they moved deeper into the red forest "Teacher says we're safe from those things in here, unless you damage one of the trees-though I have no idea why" the furry alien with floppy ears paused to ponder something of his own, then continued "I'll take you to her now, maybe she'll be more willing to explain what she knows to you than to me. Anyway, could you fill me in on the giant robot situation on the way. Oh, and do you have a name?"

Serah giggled "My names Serah, and well I have no Idea about the Robot's and I onley seen one, all I know is the robot looks like a Skelton, has a scythe that Glows green and the Robots eyes glow Green too"

She then shiverd then said "and there is a strange Glowing energey draining wolf too" She then got a little angry and said "next time I see that wander I will Give it my energey all right like I gave it to that stupid Robot"

She then looked at the trees then said as she calmed down "Well when I saw a brantch fell off one of the trees These strange Alien Lizerd's with hook like Heads came out of the tree"

Fluffy did a confused Chirp

Seah then rememberd about what the Coman's Officer said

"I remember the Coman's Officer said to me to find someone called teacher" She then sighed with relife "Well atleast I know she isn't one of those Zombie things..."

Fluffy Chirped happily to Serah and playfully pulled on her hair

Serah giggled, Then saw Fluffys injuerd wing and sighed "If onley that wolf didn't drain my energey..."

"Hmm. Well, I don't know anything about a glowing 'wolf'... Wait" Lushik paused, startled, and whirled around. He was just about to come upon the largest red tree, but "did you say those things came out of these trees? Are you serious? Please tell me you're not" Lushik frowned, thinking about something, then jerked a hand behind him "Teacher's through there, talking to one of those plants like a regular nutter. You go through, I'll come in behind you... She can't hide things from me forever"

Serah was a little confused and Said "I'm Serious, I think those trees are Hollow from the Look of the Hole of where the Brantch was"

She then walked through and saw the largest red tree,

"Wow" She gasped in amazement at how big the tree was

Fluffy chirped a confused chirp as it saw a strange insectoid creature (Teacher)

Serah was amazed by the tree and whisperd to herself nerviusley "I wonder how many Lizerds are in that tree..."

Serah then saw the insectoid Alien then Said "Um are you teacher? My names Saerah and this Furry little thing on my shoulder is Fluffy"

Fluffy Chirped Happily