Deadnaut

The Crucible - Winner Take All

A bitter old soldier acquires Soldier:76's mask and ult

I'm not even mad, this is amazing.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

Blackjack V The Drunken Warlock Round Three

"Finally! I've got the bloody drop on this asshole, and there's no way he's getting away this time."

Teller listened carefully, his armor's external speakers deactivated to prevent the sound of his breathing from giving him away. He could hear the elf moving about, though the demon's movement was silent, but that was alright. Teller cracked the dresser's door open just slightly and adjusted his head until he could see the elf. Thankfully for Teller, the delta didn't seem to stand between him and the warlock, so he could draw a good shot. Moving slowly to prevent himself from disturbing the air too much, he slowly grabbed the LE-21 from its holster and carefully lined it up with the elf's gut as best he could through the dresser. After a moment of checking the angle of the barrel as compared to the elf's position, Teller was satisfied he had the shot. He squeezed the trigger and, with a loud bang, the shot broke through the dresser door and embedded itself in the elf's sternum.

Teller burst through the dresser door in an open charge, bringing his pistol up and firing four more shots. The elf's demonic bodyguard threw out its arm, catching the bullets, but allowing Teller to throw himself into a low tackle into the elf. This time, he didn't hesitate, jamming his pistol into the ribs of the elf and emptying the magazine. Teller knew a thing or two about wounds, and though he didn't know anything specific about the elves, he knew he probably wasn't gonna live through that. Teller rolled off of him and leaned his back against the wall, watching the demon dissipate. The elf weakly drug himself against another wall and weakly lifted his flask to his lips, saying aloud "One more drink at least. How funny, a lifetime dealing with demons preparing to fight undead, and its a mere man that kills me." The elf chuckled, stopping as he choked on his own blood for a small moment. Then, imploringly, he looked to the Ranger and said "If one such as you has to be the one that kills me, could you at least then make my death meaningful?" Teller lifted his faceplate and turned to look at the elf, and based on the speed with which the color was leaving the elf he didn't have long. As the elf lay dying, he made his final request "Please, I know not what you wanted to spend the wish on, but instead please use it to heal my realm. Millions dead to the plague....please...save..." The elf trailed off as the strength left him, and Teller watched as the elf took his last breath. Now alone with a corpse, Teller said aloud "'Fraid not friend. I've got a war to end...my own war." Teller walked over and grabbed the elf's flask, clipping it to his chest rig, and striding out of the house.

Teller took a glance at the bar and closed his faceplate, frowning at the thought of the men in that bar. Some were dead no doubt, many more mangled, and by the look of the city he may've just cut its remaining population by a tenth. Banishing the thoughts, Teller moved on, crossing the bridge into the city. Collateral damage was just a fact of life when one fought deltas, the kind of weapons it took to fight them before the discovery of blessed ammo had been the kind only the air force could provide. Even afterwards, Deltas were so powerful the explosive principle of P for Plenty was often used, and heaven only knew how many civilians had been killed applying that principle. As he walked into the city, he triggered a hit from his pre-war playlist in honor of himself, and the broken dream of the drunken warlock.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

Blackjack V The Drunken Warlock Round Two

"Alright, this shit's on lock. There's no way that elf can just walk off-...oh come the fuck on, really?"

Teller couldn't believe what he was seeing, an elf, wounded but alive, staggering out of the bar. Bleeding from multiple cuts, shrapnel wounds no doubt, the elf staggered out. Teller didn't hesitate to raise his rifle, ready to pop a bullet into the elf...and then the elf raised his hands, seemingly in surrender. The elf chuckled, saying "It seems you...win..friend. Perhaps you'd like to come over and..strip my soul? All you need to do is plug your phylactery into mine."

Teller narrowed his eyes, suspicious, but had little choice but to slowly close the distance, rifle trained on the elf. However, as he drew nearer, his suit's devil warning light went off. Teller's instincts kicked in and he charged the elf in a low posture. Sure enough, a bolt of pure shadow it where Teller's chest would've been if he hadn't gone for a low charge. "Lucky me. Teller thought drily as he slammed into the Elf. A steel scepter slammed into his head, though it didn't even dent his faceplate as Teller slammed his fist into the elf's face, stunning the demonologist. Teller applied his arm to the elf's throat, pushing hard, aiming to crush the elf's throat. However, before he could finish, again a powerful force yanked him off the elf. Landing with an 'oof', James hefted his rifle to bring it on target, finding the bracer-demon again facing him.

James needed to stop trying to get into melee, as that seemed to be the trigger for this..thing appearing. And so, he fell back into a nearby house, this time having time to kick down the door as the demon pursued him. It seemed the demon had no form of long range combat, good, that gave Teller the edge he needed. Charging into the house, Teller soon found what he was looking for, a dresser in which he could hide and get an ambush off. Teller jumped into the dresser to wait and, sure enough, the demon swept in...the elf shortly behind. James couldn't win a fair fight it seemed, that demon was too durable, an ambush though...that would do just fine.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

@ProPro

Heavens above that is both the best and worst thing ever.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

@Lugubrious

Aye aye cap'n!

The Crucible - Winner Take All

Alright, quick preview of how Teller will typically fight is now up. Dirty, but he's so used to fighting foes stronger than him that he gets cocky too easy if he thinks you're weaker.

Also, already Teller uses up one of his few grenades, sadly he doesn't know this is an NPC fight...but c'mon, tight space like a bar against an enemy who summons mobs, thats like frag grenade heaven!

The Crucible - Winner Take All

Round One: Blackjack V Drunken Warlock

"So it'll be this kinda game huh? Good lord I need to shut that announcer guy up."

In a flash, Teller's strategy changed. At the audible clacking of the drone's pincers, Teller flung himself at the elf in a tackle. The two were bowled over onto the floor and the elf seemed surprised as Teller grabbed the knife from where it sat on his chest, slamming it into the elf's shoulder. Feeling confident, and without his helmet's perimeter sensors, Teller failed to notice however the Elf's own gambit. Just as he was opening his mouth to bid his opponent goodbye, he suddenly felt himself flung back and through a table, crashing to the ground. With a grunt, Teller shook his head to clear the daze of impact as he triggered the return of his face plate with a tap onto his wrist pad. Awaiting him was a being of living shadow with a pair of bracers standing over the elf, who was getting up and dusting himself off. However, as the helmet slid into place, Teller's face paled when he saw the demonic warning light pulsing in the corner of his HUD.

"What? That thing is a fucking delta? Shit, this is gonna be hard."

Teller chuckled and sheathed his knife, but was reminded again that he could play games with this opponent as..a storm of small fireballs appeared. Cursing and ducking into a roll, he felt a great heat as his armor absorbed a hit, but the damage seemed superficial, scorch marks and nothing more. In the background, beyond his attention, the suit's system detected battle had been joined and triggered an entry from Teller's own combat playlist. Hastily drawing his rifle, knowing he could take no chances, Teller began to apply pressure and aggressively moved forward, firing a burst from his rifle, sending the elf clumsily behind his bodyguard seeking shelter.

Teller had the initiative now, but his armor pinged new alerts all around him. Glancing to his left and right, he saw tiny..creatures, cackling with glee as they hurled what seemed to be small fireballs at him. Teller quickly moved to dodge with another roll, cursing again as this again took the initiative from him. He had little choice, in here without room to maneuver these things would have him beat. Turning towards the door, Teller charged at full tilt, fireballs licking at his feet as he ran. Extending his shoulder and leaning into the charge, Teller burst through the door, stumbling as the sudden resistance briefly threw him off but recovering before the foes behind him could exploit it. The enemy now had to file through a narrow corridor to reach him, but Teller had no intention of letting them. Grabbing a frag grenade from his armor's chest, he pulled the pin and hurled it into the bar, waiting for the boom.

Falling Skies: 7th Mobile Armor Suit Team

@Whoami

Well now I'm all sad 'n shit T_T.

Princess and I are working on a collab, so soon enough Ari and the AI shall also grace the floor.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

Alright, got a post up, not great but..I couldn't miss the chance to have a bar-room gunfight to the sound of Toby Keith.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

"I'm about sick and tired of weird mists depositing me in god knows where."

Teller's thoughts were derailed and military instinct kicked in. He brought his weapon up and swept the area, his R41 and eyes sweeping the area for hostiles. He briefly considered going door to door and clearing the buildings on the immediate other side of the street, but decided against it. That was when his eyes settled on the village, and the lit structure contained within. It didn't take much thought to decide that was where he was headed, and as he approached the sign that promised alcohol quickly lured in the Captain, who hadn't had a drink since he was on base, what felt like years ago. He slung his rifle, not wanting to appear an immediate threat to anyone that may be inside, but seated his hand near the holster of his LE-21, affectionately nicknamed "Lena", as he walked in. With a few blinks, the faceplate folded and retreated into the armor, leaving the Captain's head bare as he walked in and took a seat at the bar.

Within a minute, a glass of beer was in front of the Captain, but he knew he wouldn't get to enjoy it. The Elf had stuck out as soon as Teller walked in, as obviously different from the other patrons as he was. That meant he was a fellow competitor, which meant he was likely the Captain's first enemy. However, James decided that so long as the elf didn't start the fight neither would he. Taking a swig, James fumbled with the earbuds that came from within his suit, ostensibly to allow him to listen to COM traffic without the full "helmet" engaged but mostly just used to listen to music by bored troops, himself no exception. Looking down at the screen on his armor's wrist, he selected a song from his own playlist that seemed to fit this place. As he took another swig of beer, he looked over to his probable foe and asked "Don't s'pose you're willin to surrender, let me do whatever it is I need to do to take your...soul...without a fight?"

The elf released a chuckle at Teller's admittedly ridiculous statement, and Teller couldn't help but share the chuckle as the elf replied "Surrender to you? Why would I do that when I can win instead?"

Teller nodded as he finished the cup, saying "Oh I understand. Shame I'll have to kill you, you'd have made a good drinking buddy." As he spoke, the Captain's hand slowly inched towards the pistol holstered on his left thigh, preparing to end the fight in one quick draw. He finished by gesturing to the drone with his free-hand, saying "Now, let's let our friend here count us down, eh? Only seems right I play my first match by the book, at least."