Black Begins (IC)

[deadpixel101]

A boy about 17 years old sat in his small home, it was new years eve and the clock was ticking down, he was reading a magazine with low interest, he looked up for a second to see the empty room, there were chairs and sofas pushed into the shape of a "U" and they were all pointed at a TV, the image on display was showing off a countdown in the center of New york city, he sighed and went back to reading, him and his sister had invited people of course, none of them came, his sister planned on being there of course, she wasn't. A bright flash of light interrupted his boredom and when he opened his eyes a single piece of paper was in his hands, he looked around the room to see who had done it but...no one was there, he swallowed back the lump in his throat and began reading the paper, an invitation? Black? Fate? who were all these people where was he going? he didn't care it sounded like an adventure, he looked down on his lap to see a cell phone and a calling card, he picked up the card and read over the number, he flipped it over to see more writing on the other side, "I invite you to my time, just call the number and we can begin" he read the words out loud to himself then sighed, My time? what could that mean? he decided he would call the number and see who was pulling his chain, as soon as he hit the first number another flash of light interrupted him, a file sat there on his floor, it was pitch black, he sighed and reached down to grab it, he was becoming a bit tired of bright flashes, he pulled out another letter and read it over, a different invite, by the man mentioned in the other letter, sorry buddy the other guy called first, he finished the sequence of numbers and put the phone to his ear, Hello, welcome to the Fate hotline, we find your call very important to us, please hold... the voice on the other side was female, but not the usual female voice you hear when someone puts you on hold, it felt like someone was actually saying it through the call, "Hello?" he finally asked, yes sorry you were probably the only one who would get the joke, anyways are you ready to go? this girl was obviously crazy, "sure" he replied in a mocking tone, he wanted to see what would happen, This will only tickle for a little! another flash of light and the boy was sitting in a large silver room, screens where everywhere, a girl was sitting in a chair typing on a keyboard, each screen was doing something different, she seemed to be controlling it all, Welcome, I am Fate, you are the first one here
she turned on her swivel chair to face him and shot him with some streamers, the boy looked blankly at the party toy she had in her hand and thought, "yup crazy"
she turned back in her chair and began typing, Others should be calling soon, I would mover over if i were you

[RavenOperative]

Ryan was currently sitting in his small windowless house in Runealar, reading a scroll full of hiring opportunities for veteran mercenaries. He had just finished a rather long escort mission, and despite taking a day to rest, he was already searching for more hiring opportunities. Magic books did not come cheap, and he needed all the knowledge he could get to further his skills. He browsed about half way down the list of requests before one caught his eye, and he began to read it.

"Hmm.. Courier contract... sensitive information,... highly dangerous... high pay. Yes this looks like something suited to my skills."

He took the scroll over to his desk and sat down in it, lighting some candles with a laser to give him the necessary light to work. Grabbing a quill from the ink reservoir, he circled the contract and made a few notes beside it, before setting the pen down to let the ink dry. It was at this moment that a bright flash suddenly occurred behind him, startling him immensely. He jumped out of his chair, nearly knocking over the candles, and drew his knife before looking around for the source of the flash. Before him, sitting on the floor, was a piece of paper with a note on it, that had evidently been written by someone called 'Fate'. Ryan paced back and fourth as he reread the note, both worried about this 'Black' person and wondering if this was some sort of trap. It certainly seemed hyperbolic, but what would happen if he ignored this and it turned out to be true? Ryan was about to bend over to pick up the 'cell phone', what ever that was, when another bright flash occurred. Having already been tense from the first flash, Ryan instinctively hurled one of his knives towards the source of it. When his vision recovered from the flash, he noticed that he had pinned a black folder to the wall with his knife. Removing the weapon, he opened it cautiously and started to read.

"Oh shit... oh shit oh shit oh shit.. That means the first letter is probably true! I just hope that the name Fate is only an alias..."

Ryan picked up the phone, and after fiddling with it for a few minutes (I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING!!!), managed to open it and type the correct sequence of numbers to call this 'Fate'. One bright flash later, he appeared in the silver room. He didn't know what to expect, but it certainly wasn't a teleportation spell. Ryan jumped to his feet, and sprang away from the girl and the other boy sitting in the room, holding his drawn knife ready for combat. He looked around, wondering exactly where he was, and what kind of magic the girl was performing. Something was happening on those strange boxes the girl was sitting in front of.

"What the hell!?! Who are you! Where am I?!?"

[Drethix]

6943 Walked through the street his autorifle at the ready, today they were doing a live fire training exercise in the SFO suits. The targets were all people who had offended The Exalted Leader. They must be proud to be able to server The Exalted One with their death, most do not get to serve Him in such a fashion. On both ends of the street there were empty hallowed out buildings. The training center was a mock 5km by 5km city, the mission was the hunt down and kill a bunch of targets who had been let loose in the training center.

6943 had chosen for the Collective to spread and and try to locate where the targets were hiding, each one of them was going down a different adjacent street, no one was going to escape the sweep. 6944 started speaking on the COM.

"around twenty targets in building C, block G-3."

On 6943's HUD a indicator showed that the building to his right contained the targets. 6943 turned and started firing his autorifle, it wasn't able to pierce through the concrete however anyone standing in the open window would be torn to shreds. 6944 also started opening fire from the opposite side of the building. After a good minute 6943 stopped firing, he could hear the high pitched sound of someone sobbing coming from the building.

"Entering C building block G-3, halt sweep. 6944 enter building from opposite side." 6943 advanced, reloading his autorifle as he got close to the door he squeezed the trigger. The door filled with holes, allowing 6943 to see inside. No one was on the other side of the door. 6943 walked up to and through the door, it had become so fragile he didn't even have to put any effort into breaking what remained of the door.

6943 entered into a narrow hallway, his suit projected a likely layout of the building allowing him to locate the opposite door where 6944 was entering the building.

"6944 advance up the stairs, I'll clear the ground floor."

6943 turned on thermal vision and surveyed the environment. A large group of people had walked through the entire building, the heat signals were growing faint however in one of the rooms there was still enough heat to indicate a survivor. 6943 walked down the hallway and broke down the door leading to the room, there were no bodies in the room, the bullets from his autorifle had not been able to get this far into the building. However against the opposite wall was a woman curled up in a ball holding her legs and sobbing, without thinking 6943 pulled the trigger only bothering to aim in her general direction. She didn't even have time to scream before her entire body was filled with the lead bullets.

"ground floor cleared, all hail the Exalted One."

Just as 6943 turned to leave a flash of light filled the room. 6943 looked back and saw a note along with a mysterious grey box with a hinge on one end. He knelt down and read the note, it was obviously a part of the training exercise. He read the note, it made no sense. He didn't even know what some of the words meant. Then in another flash of light another note appeared from a man called Black. It's a test of my trust in the Exalted One, I am supposed to pick one of these. 6943 opened the box and saw the number pad, it seemed to correlate in some way to the number on the note. I must be using this to pick one of the notes. He went back over the notes and then it dawned on him The note from the man named Black is to test if I am willing to put my own selfish greed over my faith in the Exalted One, thus I should pick the note from Fate as it is the Exalted One's fate to be the Leader!

6943 entered the number on Fate's note onto the box. Suddenly the entire room flashed white, and he found himself in a strange room filled with odd looking screens. There were a few oddly dressed people, they were so much shorter than he was so they had to be laborers yet they were not wearing a laborer's uniform and one of them was brandishing a metal stick like a weapon.This is the strangest test but I must not fail the Exalted One!. 6943 raised his autogun aiming it at the strange people.

"As a servant of the Exalted One you will answer my questions, if you fail to do so you will be retired in the name of the Exalted One."

[deadpixel101]

Adrian had pushed himself to a corner of the room, he was not expecting to meet anyone else, especially not people who wanted to kill him at first glance. He had his hand son his pistols, he was ready to go down shooting if need be, it just came to mind how odd these people looked, one of them looked to be from the past and one from the future..."my time" he remembered the card, where and when was he? when were these people from and who exactly was this odd girl? he had so many questions but he was to scared to ask everyone seemed to be on edge, except for the girl, she hadn't even turned to look at them when they appeared, what was she doing? Hello gentlemen I am Fate, it is nice to finally see you in person, I'm sure you all have questions so I will do my best to answer them she still hadn't turned or stopped typing, Adrian was about to speak when she interrupted him You are all in Alteria, I have brought you here to help me fight the man Black, who first appears in history on this day,she finally swiveled back around to face the three, New years eve 5026 she gave a small smile and turned back to keep typing

[RavenOperative]

Ryan looked around, still confused, but kept his knife ready. He was still uneasy about this situation. He had no idea what had gone on with that cellphone, but was going to stay alert in case anything happened.

"So wait, this is the future? It certainly isn't how I imagined it..."

He stepped away from the rather imposing man who had just appeared brandishing... something, before looking back at 'Fate'. The man made him nervous and certainly looked like he would have no trouble killing everyone in the room.

"Umm.. Ms. Fate. Who is this 'Black', and who are you? Could you please elaborate?"

[Drethix]

The Exalted One had discovered time travel! This person "Fate" as she was called must be some high ranking officer in order to be allowed control of time.

Reflecting on what Fate had said 6943 lowered his autorifle,She must have brought the others here in order to help serve The Exalted One.

6943 heard the man with the metal stick speak, his tone was odd unlike anything he had ever heard before.

"Sir, requesting briefing on questions, Sir!"

[deadpixel101]

Fate smiled faintly to herself and turned back, Black is a man with much mystery around him, I have looked into what would happen if I did nothing to stop him, he will make his appearance for the first time ever today, no one knows him by his true name, he only goes by the alias of "Black" he will succeed in planetary domination then move on to start galactic conquest, it seems he is destined to rule over everything, but I cannot allow that be, he is a tyrant and a horrible person...please help me stop him... Adrian noticed she hadn't said a single word about herself, "alright that's...bad, but you still haven't answered another important question...who are you?" she smiled again in reply, for the first time Adrian noticed how she looked, she had darkness under eyes, she slouched a bit and she was rather thin, over all she didn't look to...healthy, I am...I won't lie I have no idea who I am...I grew up alone here on this compound, a program has taught me all I know and I have survived off of basic meals that where left here, I have no family or friends, I just know I am supposed to control this computer, the fate matrix Adrian felt a bit sad but overall more confused, More should be coming soon, but you three are here already, I was going to wait to explain all this but I supposed I will have to explain it again she smiled again and turned to keep typing, she yawned and stretched, she said nothing more, leaving more questions to be answered

[Drethix]

Fate didn't work for the Exalted One! This was starting to make less and less sense, I couldn't have picked the wrong answer on the test but this "Black" man resembles the Exalted One for he is destined to rule the world.

6943's head started to hurt, he didn't know what to think. He had no one to guide him through this test, it looked like it was going to be a very difficult test.

But, if he played along for now he could betray Fate and give glory to the Exalted One.

"Sir, I still request briefing on 'questions', Sir!" 6943 went over everyone in the room, none of them seemed to be a threat but until he knew the full extent of their weaponry he was not going to take them all on.

[RavenOperative]

This threw Ryan for a loop.

"Someone who can see the future just as well as the past? And what was this fate matrix... wait,... fate. Does that mean she could control fate? With her name being Fate, and claiming to control something called the Fate Matrix, I bet she can..."

This revelation both scared and angered Ryan. One of his biggest fears and hatreds were situations where he could not act of his own free will. The existence of fate meant that his actions were probably already set out for him. This possibility annoyed him to no end. She didn't seem like a bad person, though,... wait! If she had this kind of power, and was potentially at risk, would she not try to appear vulnerable, pitiable, or weak? Who knows what she is really like. Still, pressing this issue could possibly anger her, and trying to fight fate would be a bad idea. Ryan decided to drop the topic for now, and waited for the tall guy to get his questions answered.

[deadpixel101]

Fate sighed and turned around again, she was obviously feeling a bit guilty about something, I know this all very confusing, I wish I could show you everything I have seen but we don't have the time,I suppose you are all feeling a bit skeptical about me and what I can do she looked up to her monitors then back to the three, I am sorry for throwing all this information at you like this, I can't begin to imagine how infuriating it must be...I am the only living being that can use this computer, this computer is called the fate matrix, it lets me see into different points of time and slightly effect things that happen, I cannot control anybody so simply making Black stop is out of the question, I can however bring people to when ever I am, I can also move them short distances away, I need people like you to help me beat Black she bit her lip and gripped her seat, I am useless otherwise, all I can do is receive help and guide you along the way... Adrian looked at her questioningly then over to the others, "I don't know whats true but some of it makes sense...kinda" he scratched his head and put his weapon back at his side, "Why can't you sabotage him through this..."Fate maker" or whatever its called" she frowned and straightened her back, I cannot look into certain parts of time, they seem to be locked to me, this computer has some level of a consciousness, I cannot take the risk of failing, so I invited a few individuals I have shown interest in throughout time, you three...I need you