Ranger
Chapter 114: Devil
By Wanderer D
Rainbow Dash dropped them off at the top of a large, flat rock overlooking the facility. It was definitely bigger than any other they had been to so far, excluding, perhaps, the Assassin's base.
This one consisted of several buildings, with some sort of factory on the other side. Train tracks emerged from the forested area around them and went into the facility, where they could see several box cars were waiting processing.
So far, there had been no sightings of ADVENT personnel or even aliens, so Sunset took advantage of that to guide her team closer to the first building.
From the area they had arrived, the two-leveled building extended northward, then split in a 'T' shape further ahead. The whole area was surrounded by ADVENT's infamous short-walls, but unlike the other locations, this one had at least one security tower towards the East, raising almost three stories high, although Sunset knew they were too far away to be noticed yet.
She motioned for the others to follow her lead, then climbed up the side of the building, using one of the drainage pipes, and spread her team on the roof of the southmost side.
Up ahead, part of the building also rose to a third floor, where a large antenna had been set up. Probably the communications tower for the site.
"Angel, Annette, I want you both up there. You have the best range of sight out of all of us, let us know if you see any enemies. Jane, you and Elena head straight on the rooftop and set up an overwatch, Laetitia and I will cover the ground level from the East side, so if there are any nasties, we'll be counting on your covering fire."
"Understood," Elena said, bumping Jane's arm and taking off.
"I starting to think she likes me," Jane whispered with a grin. She saluted and ran after the Reaper.
"You don't think your blood vision would be useful?" Annette asked.
"I can't use it right now," Sunset replied, grimacing. "My reserves were severely depleted to keep me alive."
Angel hissed in acknowledgement, motioning with her head for Annette to go.
"Keep your eyes out, Sunset," Annette said, turning to follow after the viper. "Even if you're… as admirable as your counterpart, she used to take stupid risks. Don't follow that specific example."
"Are you ready?" Sunset asked Laetitia, who turned to her, tilting her head. Her helmet covered her whole head, but Sunset could imagine her smiling.
"You wouldn't expect me to be here otherwise, would you?"
Sunset grinned. "Of course not."
The pair made their way to the edge of the roof and slid down to ground floor. "Hiss!"
"Understood," Sunset, Annette and Jane returned through the comms.
"Translation?" Elena asked, a strange mixture of resignation and annoyance to her voice.
"Enemy patrol spotted walking around the West corner of the building," Annette said. "Angel says it's a captain and two lancers."
"Understood. This time."
"Hiss."
"We have sight on the box cars," Elena said. "We're at the far end of the first building. Seem to be containers of some sort, neon green. I see shadows within them."
"I see another security tower, East side, past the rails and box cars. We can see the factory itself straight ahead."
"Confirming the security tower," Annette added, "Angel and I can both see it. There is an automated turret on top of it. There could be more.
"Keep your eyes on the patrol," Sunset instructed, "We're almost to the end of the building over here and—crap."
Laetitia slid to a stop next to Sunset, who was carefully glancing around the corner. "What is it?"
"Avenger, are you seeing this?"
"That is, without a doubt, the last of the aliens modified by Dr. Vahlen," Tygan's voice echoed in the radio. "Subject Alpha, aka the Archon King."
"You know, as odd as that is, I think this is the first time Menace as a whole has faced down any Archons," Jane observed.
"Well now we have three, and one is damn durable." Sunset looked down at her new weapons. This would definitely be a good test for them.
"This is our chance to take down another of those things, Menace," Bradford said. "Be careful, but if you can kill it, we'll be done with it once and for all."
"Shen, I want your Engineers to scan all signals. If whoever is controlling them is paying attention to this battle, we might have a chance to triangulate their position."
"Yes, Commander, starting scans.
"Jane? Elena? Do you see it?" Sunset asked. She could feel hear heartbeat going faster; the adrenaline kicking in. "We'll rush it, you two make sure to eliminate the other Archons."
"Roger that."
Sunset held her arm up, keeping an eye on the Archon King. The moment it turned her back on her, she dashed out, sliding out the assassin's katana.
The Archons accompanying the Archon King noticed her, roaring a warning that didn't match their angelic-like design. The aliens had made them appealing to the sight, referencing the divine helpers of old, with chiseled torsos and golden wings and armor, they would have been perfect for some of the old churches she had seen in pictures.
The Archon King, however, was bigger, bulkier and its flesh was deep red, with a black tattoo of some sort. If the others looked like angels, the Archon King looked like a devil, with several yellow glowing eyes looking out of its Mitre-like helm. Its armor was a metallic grey and black, and his arms ended in deadly clawed gloves.
It turned around in an instant, raising its staff-lance for battle, but it wasn't fast enough to stop Sunset's vicious slash.
The katana left a long, bleeding cut behind it, all but ignoring the armor it had. The Archon King staggered back, what was visible of his face clearly surprised by the damage, but it immediately reacted, swinging its staff and missing Sunset by inches.
Laetitia wasn't far behind, but with Sunset in the way, and the King aware of their attack, she switched targets, slicing her psionic blades across the chest of another archon. She wasn't as lucky as Sunset, however, as this archon's slash hit her right in the chest and sliced a deep cut in her arm.
Shots rang and the injured archon fell, just as the other took to the air, high above the building where Elena and Jane were, missing being hit by another shot due to its incredible speed.
The archon spread its wings and several small missiles flew out of them, arching up into the air before falling down towards the building.
"Dodge!" Jane shouted, jumping over the rail with Elena at her heels. They dashed away from the building just as the area was engulfed in explosions which collapsed most of the roof. They would have taken serious damage, had they not reacted.
The flying archon, however, wasn't as lucky after its attack, as it was completely exposed to shots from Angel and Annette. It was down before it had a chance to attack anew. The distraction had cost them, however, as the patrol took covered positions, and Angel cringed behind cover when the turret blasted the wall she was hiding behind.
"Sunset!" Laetitia shouted as she rounded the Archon King, using her gun to take potshots at it.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Sunset tried to slice her enemy again, but it had been anticipating her attack, and quickly dodged. She barely had a moment to blink before he had her by the throat.
With a burst of energy, both of them flew up, high in the air, where the King held her up, snarling in anger.
It was then that she heard the voice on the radio. "Well well well, if it isn't the bitch that killed Subject Gamma!" The oddly familiar voice said, contempt clear through the comms. "I have been waiting for a chance to get rid of you, witch!" The voice turned smug. "And now I get my chance."
Sunset gasped, her hands scratching at the armored forearms of the Archon King. She couldn't breathe…
"I'll make sure to save a copy of your empty eyes when I turn you into a stain on the floor!"
The Archon King moved its arm back, and Sunset understood right then what was about to happen.
And then she was falling.
o.0.o End Chapter 114 o.0.o
Devil? Meh, Sunset has been worse.
"in the chest and slicing a deep cut in her arm"
"in the chest and sliced a deep cut in her arm"?
8976697
Actually I'd argue that this one is fine.
Huh? Is dat Vahlen?
8976699
Hm, howso?
(The full sentence is "She wasn't as lucky as Sunset, however, as this archon's slash hit her right in the chest and slicing a deep cut in her arm.".)
"Im a teenager with a shotgun. This cant possibly go wrong."
My first impression when looking at the cover image.
Yeah, I can see her going full demon just to survive this. Not because of the pain, but because of the clear life or death situation she knows she can use the Siren Gem (if she has it) to possibly survive. Or draw from the element.
One way or another, she's not getting out of this without becoming something else. Or Laetia sacrificing herself, whichever is more dramatic.
8976711
No Vhalen would mistake Sunset for Sunny 1.
Current theori is that it is Sci-Twi/Midnight.
I starting to think she likes me
1. I'm.
8974912
*plays longwar*
okay.
8975264 Yes, he's the one that initially gave Chrysalis the mission for the Blacksite.
Evil SciTwi is evil.
Ouch, that grab. It's been a while since I've been hit by it but God does it hurt. Sunny is going to be in and way if they don't shoot it down. But with the hp that thing has and no plasma weapons I don't see that happening.
I wish the Soldiers wouldn't miss so often when trying to save a grabbed comrade
Hmm that looks like a sticky situation. I wonder if Laetitia is going to Exchange with Sunset as she's falling?
Also wondering when Elena's going to kick the bucket, the way things are going for these faction troops...
Can't wait to see more tomorrow! 😁
What would be cool is of sunny taps the siren gem to go demon shimmer then decapitate the archon king.
Am I the only one who finds the Archon King much worse than any of the Chosen? The guy is just too OP by far, as Sunset has just discovered.
And he hasn't even used his pinions yet.
Wings! Where are those darn wings!
Do you .... Have a choking fetish? Or one for leaving Sunset in violent clifhangers? Both show up with disturbing regularity.
That grab move from the Archon King sure seems to be a pain to deal with.
In fact Archon are just a pain to deal with and that's astonishing when you know they were originally the Floaters.
its/his
Now would be a great time to express some demon or phoenix wings, Sunset.
The Archon King is, by far, one of, if not THE, hardest enemies in the game......
So imagine my pleasure when rnjesus smiled on me in one of my campaigns and let me instakill it on my second ever attack on it due to having an advance repeater equipped.
8977213
it is a yummy feeling hu?~
8977213
I found it rather easy to destroy personally. But maybe that's because i always have special munitions loaded. fire, acid, that kinda thing. also frost grenade really screws it over.
But doesn't the Archon King usually SLAM his victim into the ground from about four stories up instead of merely dropping them?
8977555 Yes! Yes he does! But remember who gave the order?
Oh hey a Ruler put up a fight. Sort of.
Didn't think it would be done.
8976894
The Assassin is the biggest bitch in the game. An Overwatch trap will send the Rulers running first chance they get if you don't kill them outright, Assassin outright needs a specific set of counters unless you want her to get several free hits.
Ah yes, and then there's THIS asshole.
In my last game, it spent the entirety of our first encounter, just moving back and fourth on the wall of an ADVENT facility, taking potshots at my people whenever they got into range... sent the entire team into sickbay.
I swear he thinks up a new way to troll me every time I play the game, and WOTC has only made him worse.
8976744
Wait just look.
The voice i familliar to Sunset and it called her a witch. Sci Twi has the voice but she dosen't know about Sunset being a blood witch. Plus Sunset knows the Twilight voice too well.
But then who could it be? It's someone Sunset has heard before, but haven't talked that much with them and knows about Sunsets bloodwitch status. Who you may ask.
Adagio thats who!
8977650
Helps if you burn him, he'll waste actions trying to grab your people, immediately drop them without damage.
8977438
I can deal fairly well with all threats in the game at this point......each new enemy just requires a learning curve to figure out how to deal. And then have triple backup plans in place in case things go fubar.
The Archon King was just a.....steeper learning curve then most. And, after giving me such hell when I first had to deal, to see him go down like that was......satisfying. The fact that his armor is the best in the game is just the cherry on top.
8977779
I usually do, or get some acid on him if I have it, but this time I didn't get to do that until turn two of the encounter.
Until then, he spent his turn(and reactions) strafing left and right, taking potshots at my team(that hit without fail btw), he didn't even bother to use Devastate or try to slam my people like he's supposed to.
When I finally got some fire rounds on him, during my 2nd turn, it was enough to drive him away, but I've never seen him act like that before.
8977832 I see... sometimes I get similar AI behaviour. Dunno if it's just bad code or some mod interference ... I once had an encounter with the berserker queen where I could spot her with a reaper and just take pot shots with my sniper. Didn't trigger combat, so I could just whittle down her health over like 20 turns without her moving once. Combat music didn't even play.
8979581
in may playthroughs he twice died from specialist with instakill chance shot done as a reaction when he tried yo close in. Figures...
Instakill mods are cheat.
And there is the third Ruler ...
awaiting
Vahlen sure lost it... We never got her in the campaign... Perhaps we see her in X-Com Chimera squad add on or a later game?
So the Beserker Queen is still kicking, probably still in recovery from surface burns and equipment damage.
Sunset us in a weakened state, a boss fight is kess than ideal.