- Location
- Hampden Park
Really? I always assumed that the GDI was descended from the old Soviet Army, with with the emphasis on heavy vehicles and the use of Mammoth Tanks.
GATE: Tiberium Eschaton (Self-Insert)
- Thread starter Gideon020
- Start date
- Crossover
ComissarPancakes
Pan-Galactic Motivational Officer
- Location
- The State of Golden Fires
Nah, GDI is UN (hence why in the GDI campaign they played a ruse of having their funding pulled for "atrocities" that Nod cooked up only to launch the final assault on the Sarajevo Temple). The Medium Tank is an M1 Abrams, they have humvees, M270 MLRSs, and A10s. As for the Mammoth Tanks, it's suspected that TD follows after the Allied Victory in Red Alert (Kane appears in the Soviet Victory of the same game). The secret campaign in RA is also thought of as evidence, since the Allies deploy Soviet Mammoth Tanks against the raging ant swarms.
Nod only has surplus Apaches (retired with the deployment of the Orca) and the M2 Bradley as their "light tank."
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- Location
- Hampden Park
No, I don't think TD follows the Allied Victory. RA2 does that, and the GDI lacks the chronosphere and prism weapons.
I consider it far more plausible that it follows the Soviet ending, in which they conquer Europe but promptly have their leadership assassinated. The Allies then eventually win due to the collapse of the Soviet command structure, but with Einstein dead and his base destroyed don't ever develop several signature technologies.
It could a ending that was not show in the games, a ending in with the USRR and the allied just pretty ended up getting a draw with most of the supertech (and the geniuses that make it possible) destroyed, or the US invaded the USRR from Siberia making the soviets having to fight in two fronts making it collapse before the supertech get much ground.
- Location
- Hampden Park
It is sort of relevant.
If the gate opens -and I think there was a quest somewhere on this site where it didn't because the gods found the party's action sufficiently interesting that they didn't bother- there are a couple of obvious options: Modern Earth, and Tiberium Earth. I can't think of a reason for the Empire to invade modern Earth. They'd actually have some knowledge of advanced weaponry and know that they might well just get slaughtered. And if the mutant cultist menace grows, they won't have the people available.
In the Tiberium timeline, Japan becomes a blue zone, and so would have a high GDI presence. Not sure that the SI needs reinforcements. Opening a gate to a red zone with a high Nod presence would present an alternate viewpoint for a nobility who would probably strongly distrust the golden army, but I think that Kane (as of 2018) is still in hiding in the run up to the Second Tiberium War. Not that I'd mind seeing Slavik get some love.
On the third hand, post Great War 3 Earth would present another world in danger of tiberium infestation.
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ComissarPancakes
Pan-Galactic Motivational Officer
- Location
- The State of Golden Fires
Except the Chronosphere had a 20% chance of creating a giant chronostorm that pretty much ripped anything it encountered appart (had that happen once to my main backline of large power plants...nearly cost me the match) so could easily be decided that the tech was way too hazardous to continue utilizing, especially since when they tried to transport people they just...vanished. As for RA2, point of divergence would have been some time before that (1980s I think) so Prism tech could have been ignored in favor of dealing with Nod and learning just how screwed they were when it came to the growing Tiberium infestation.. Plus Russia is GDI territory according to the TD global mission overview.
Returning to the story at hand, with how there were numerous allusions to the Warrior Bunnies being utterly screwed soon due to the rapid spread of the crystal, and with the size of the infestation (according to that map) after only a month I really wonder if Gideon should just switched tactics from quarantine to establishment of safe areas (especially with the now evident existence of corruption in the ocean).
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obssesednuker
Commander of 10 Million Men
- Location
- In the Kremlin, activating Perimtr.
I find it rather more likely that if the Gate gets used this time around, it'll be less as a mechanism of expansion and more as a means of evacuation. Try to flee a dying planet and shut it down behind them.
Gideon020
Really in the mood for ribs.
It's been nine months since the Seed hit, not one.
Chapter 4
Gideon020
Really in the mood for ribs.
Chapter 4:
The city was in a state of chaos, that was the only way that Princess Pina Co Lada could comprehend the way people were running down one street or fleeing through another, peasant families boarding boats under the eyes of nervous guards who clutched swords tightly in quivering hands, and more boats fleeing out into the open ocean even as some fell prey to the thundering tearing of cloth.
Those who weren't fleeing were hauling buckets of water towards buildings burning in the distance, before a screaming sound heralded a rain of what looked like burning spears that slammed into a distant portion of the city, rocking the ground with the shockwaves of deafening explosions rattling windows and teeth as Pina looked around, trying to get her bearings in the chaos before a local soldier ran up to her, "Are you here to help?"
Pina blinked, "What?"
"ARE YOU HERE TO HELP?" The soldier shouted, "We need every sword we can get! They're breaking past the Golden Army troops and getting into the streets! We think they're trying to capture the ships!" He turned as a mob of people clad in concealing rags suddenly appeared from a street, eliciting screams as soldiers ran to confront them, "Gods!" He turned back to Pina, "Get to the Market District, that's where we're holding them back! The rest of city is lost, don't try to head in unless you want the Golden Army to attack you as well, the crystal is taking root there!"
"WE NEED HELP HERE! THE FIRES'RE SPREADING!" Someone shouted off in the distance and the soldier winced.
"Look, just help kill the cultists! We can't let anyone infected get onto the boats, the Gold Albatross' are destroying too many as it is!" He turned and ran off, drawing his sword and striking at a rag-clad figure armed with a club embedded with glowing crystals, cutting open their throat to spray dark blood across the cobblestones.
"Princess, what are your orders?" Hamilton spoke up as the mob of rag-clad people was cut down by soldiers, moments before another, louder explosion drowned out the noise of people fleeing for their lives onto any boat that could take them. The other Rose Knights, resplendent in their white armor, kept a wary eye on the chaos as the ship captain organised for a stream of the fleeing peasants to board while his men jostled with other crews to loot the warehouses of food and water for a possible journey to another kingdom.
Biting her lower lip, Pina came to a decision, "We'll head to the Market District and lend our aid! Our mission can resume after we save this city! Rose Knights! To Arms!" She drew her sword and the other knights cheered as they drew their weapons and followed after the Princess into the chaos of a city in flames as more deafening explosions rocked the streets, the knights passing fleeing groups of peasants pointed them down streets to reveal mobs of rag-clad attackers, stabbing glowing green crystals into their victims while some had lashed the crystals to clubs, rusted swords and other makeshift weapons.
"Try and capture one alive for questioning!" Pina ordered as she charged, the rest of the knights smoothly shifting into formation to block the mob from passing them, the princess shouting, "I am Princess Pina Co Lada! In the name of the Empire, I demand your surrender!"
"Kill the heretics!" One of the rag-clad bandits screamed in a voice that sounded like they had been gargling mud, but their comrades charged forward as Pina scoffed and struck out, her longsword easily sliding through rags to pass through flesh and bone with a sickening crunch, the bandit's head flying in a spray of black blood as the body collapsed, Pina already advancing to engage more bandits as her knights started their own slaughter as the bandits started to be pushed back, clubs bashing against armor as crystals shattered, moments before sword blades cut through flesh, wood and cloth.
"Push them back!" Pina ordered as her sword plunged into the guts of another bandit, "Do not let any of these scum past you!"
"Heretics! You deny the Song! The Song brings salvation, it brings immortality! We are slaves to this world and its gods no longer! We shall ascend to become gods of distant skies!" The leader of the mob screamed, waving an axe as they pointed at Pina, "Vile! Vile! We must liberate you! There must be a liberation!" As Pina charged, the leader jumped, bounding into the air as if gravity no longer affected him to the Princess' stunned eyes, before landing on a rooftop and running off with his cry echoing behind him, "You shall see! You shall see the gifts that are waiting you when you accept the liberation of your soul!"
"Princess!" Pina Co Lada turned to see her knights along with Grey and Hamilton approaching her, their armour marked with black blood in places, roughly scrubbed away with cloaks, before Grey approached her, "What was that? Magic?"
Pina turned to where she had seen the mob leader leap away onto the rooftops, "That was no mage. Quickly, we have to reach the Market District and find out the extent of this madness for ourselves." She started marching down the street as the knights smoothly fell into line behind her as she continued speaking, "Hamilton, any injuries?"
"None, this was an easy fight." Hamilton replied as Grey checked his two-handed sword.
"Easy, but they've got numbers. Expect this to drag on if more mobs come to attack us with that leader at the head of it." The veteran soldier commented as he studied the streets, noting the smoke coming from numerous fires, but all of it was coming largely from the area of the city the Imperial party was approaching at a rapid clip, armor-clad boots clanking noisily against the stone pathways and roads, but steadily drowned out by the sounds of blades clashing, shouted orders, roars, screams and more explosions along with a strange mix of chattering and thumping sounds.
"What in the name of the Gods are those noises?" Pina heard Bozes say as the Knights, swords in hand, rounded the corner that would allow them to enter the Market District. And all sixteen knights stopped dead in their tracks, jaws dropping at the sight before them before Grey shouted a warning, "Move!" Training kicking in, the knights scattered as a massive boulder crashed behind them in the spot they were just standing.
"What was that?!" Pina shouted as she looked around, trying to spot the source of the boulder that had flown towards them, but to no avail in the smoke that covered the battlefield from the numerous smoldering and burning ruins of what used to be houses, expensive storefronts and other buildings whose purpose was now obscured by the ruins and smoke when groups of soldiers and rag-clad bandits...except now that Pina was able to witness the bandits in action, she could see that that these were not normal bandits, not normal by any consideration or measure.
Where there weren't rag-clad forms clashing against sword, shield and spear, hulking brutes seemingly made of muscle, crystal and bone grabbed rubble in meaty hands to hurl at shield walls, opening the way for dashing figures who slashed at the recovering soldiers with claws made of glowing crystals that carved flesh and armor.
As Pina watched the fighting, arrows peppered these new threats, archers forming up to deal with the clawed creatures, moments before several fell with cries, charging black creatures covered in glowing crystals that rippled with the flexing of powerful muscles.
A gust of wind went past Pina, the princess's eyes widening as her head turned to see a razor-sharp shard embedded firmly in a stone brick.
Grey instantly moved into action, "Someone pick up the Princess! Move in fours and shore up the holes in the line, we'll-"
Explosions engulfed the hordes, shockwaves knocking the defenders back as body parts and gore went flying as a chattering sound tore through the air, flashes appearing in the smoke along with the sounds of a harsh thumping and a guttural hissing that followed longer flares of light in the smoke.
"Reinforcements!" A soldier shouted, "It's the Golden Army! They've sealed the breach!" Just as the words ended, an ear-splitting shrieking sound ripped through Pina's ears as a bulky, golden shape blew away the smoke clouds, fire leaping from its nose like a dragon to tear through flesh, crystal and shoddy rags.
Behind the strange flying beast, Pina watched as a company of soldiers in golden armor, clutching strange two-handed wands that felled whatever they chattered at, steadily marched out of the smoke, strange boxes following after them that spat fire at the living and dead both.
Grey's hand on her shoulder finally brought Pina to her senses and she looked at her knights to see that while they too had been shaken by the unnatural battle happening before them, they recovered their composure quickly and were ready for action.
Pina cleared her throat, "Forward! There's still work to be done!"
Watching the reports flowing in, Gideon breathed a sigh of relief; even with civilian losses from destroying ships carrying cultist infiltrators, the evacuations that had been progressing for the last five months were finally complete.
"Alert. The Governor has requested to speak with you." Leaning back with a sigh, Gideon picked up a headset and tapped at a keyboard, displaying an audio window.
"This is the Commander."
"Commander! May the Gods bless you for your actions! Our people are out to sea, and hopefully will find new lives elsewhere. I cannot thank you enough."
"Governor, what I need most from you are your assurances that you will ensure that the news spreads." Gideon replied, "People must be warned; the cults have moved ahead of you, likely festering in the Empire and other kingdoms."
"Yes, of course." The Governor gushed, "I have connections within the Imperial Senate and in other kingdoms, I'll see to it that-"
"Now see here!" Gideon raised an eyebrow at the imperious female voice that had probably taken the handset off the Governor, "I am not going to be ignored a moment longer. Where is Sage Seyla La Merin?"
Gideon raised an eyebrow at the demand, "And just who the hell are you?"
"Princess Pina Co Lada of The Empire! If you know where Sage Merin is located then you are to inform me so that I can bring her before the Senate to be judged."
"For what crime?" Gideon inquired with a frown, noting through combat cameras on his Doll's helmets that the various soldiers and armed citizenry who had stayed to keep fighting had all reacted poorly to the statements made.
Turning the camera's owner to look at the fiery-haired princess, Gideon took note of the distinctly European full-plate that looked out of place in a mass of Byzantine-style scale and leather.
The swords were contemporary, same with the crossbows and bows, but otherwise everything was late Roman Empire, before Gideon shook his head.
"Denied." He replied bluntly, "Sage Merin is engaged in important research into a possible magical solution to the ongoing infestation. We have to get results before the summer, while the winter conditions slow the spread, which means I have no time to waste on Imperial arrogance."
Gideon heard muffled cheers and jeering, the combat cameras showing the locals in clear agreement with his words while the flustered princess was clearly not expecting to be so bluntly refused.
"Then, you are a collaborator?" Pina Co Lada speculated.
"I am the one who recruited her to fight the Crystal." Gideon coolly stated, "As the only Sage in the region who could even stand a prayer against the Crystal, Seyla La Merin has no time to cater to the Empire so long as she works for me."
More nods, hostile looks, and an increasingly flustered princess convinced Gideon to relent slightly, "However," He watched the girl look at the radio, "I am willing to let you meet with her and receive in writing any and all evidence you require. If you prove yourselves willing to fight for all peoples."
"What are you asking?" The princess asked suspiciously.
"Those who remain here, whether human or demihuman, are here because they are the only ones willing to continue the fight." Gideon explained, "They have agreed to be trained and equipped to take the fight directly into the heart of cult territory in order to prevent them from breeding out of control and spreading."
"Breeding?" Gideon grimly smiled at the confusion in Pina's voice.
"You'll see soon enough. If you are going to stay and fight, the extra swords will be appreciated. Otherwise, I'll arrange to transport you to Imperial territory beyond the Shroud."
Gideon smiled; now that he had confirmation, he had a lever. The Princess was a head-strong bleeding heart but she was also a realist, once she saw what would be coming, she'd bring back word that would be taken seriously.
"W-Wha?! How dare you! If you think-"
"Shut up!" Gideon snapped, "Don't think for a second that just because you have better-quality armour and weaponry that you'll be able to march into the land outside that city without a care."
He huffed as he checked over a report that a platoon of five Mammoth Tanks were now besieging a cultist fort, "You. Will. Die. That is not a threat, it is blunt certainty. If you agree to stay, you will never be safe, not even while you sleep. The enemy is one that is linked to a demonic twisting and warping of the world, and even the bravest and strongest will lose something in facing this."
"The Rose Knights are not so craven as to run from the strange." Gideon noted that Pina had recovered her composure, "Our mission stands and it is an affront to our duty and honor to abandon it!"
Gideon sighed lightly, "I hope you understand what you're saying."
"We are not leaving until we get answers to present to the Imperial Senate."
"Fine." Gideon replied, "Governor, run the Imperials through the protective gear provided and be ready to leave the city once my forces are finished sweeping for holdouts, any civilians that missed the evacuation and secure what untainted supplies remain."
With that, Gideon closed the channel and switched to a new channel and a new camera view, watching as through the cameras, a set of rabbit ears appeared from the long grass and rose to reveal one of the infamous Warrior Bunnies of Falmart.
"I trust that Queen Tyuule has a response to my proposal?"
Pina Co Lada knew that she had stepped into a steaming pile of horseshit thanks to her temper, and one look at the uneasy expressions of her knights tood her their opinions.
It had been five days since the Rose Knight Order had arrived in the North-East and thanks to her anger at the brusque, insolent even, tone of the one that was only known as 'The Commander' she was now marching through an increasingly-twisted landscape alongside the soldiers of a motley coalition that had joined them when they crossed the border into the Messen Kingdom.
"It's as if we stepped through the Gate," Hamilton said, the heavy mask that had been given to everyone in the ruins of the port city of Altin by the soldiers clad in yellow armor who moved ahead in a loose formation.
"That was my thought as well," Pina grimaced at hearing Grey speaking up on her other side, "Though I hope we reach this transportation that was promised. Not all here are trained to endure long marches."
The two turned to Pina as Hamilton spoke up, "What do you think Princess?"
"...breathe."
The two glanced at each other as Pina shook before she suddenly shouted, "How can anyone breath in this! Is this a mask or a muzzle!"
"Shut the fuck up back there!" A yellow-clad soldier yelled from the front formation, causing the others in the rag-tag group to snicker as Pina flushed.
Undaunted, she sped up to approach the yellow-clad soldier, "Who are you to speak-"
A crack like a whip sounded as something zipped past Pina's head to strike flesh with a pained shriek as something with leathery wings hit the ground in front of Pina before another soldier drew his sword and plunged it into the creature as it flapped and screeched.
"Wyvern flock!" One of the yellow-clad soldiers shouted, "Eyes on the sky! No-one speak unless its critical!"
"ETA?" Another yelled as swords were drawn and bows strung, as those not wielding the strange two-handed wands or wearing yellow armor looked around and up in the air as the already dim light of the late afternoon started to become a deeper gloom.
"We've been bumped up the priority list! Charlies inbound in three minutes!"
As the yellow-clad soldiers moved into new positions, Pina immediately sprung into action, "Defensive positions! Shields in support of archers and long spears! We only have to hold them off!"
As she gave the word, Pina heard a sound on the wind as a breeze kicked swirling clouds of glowing green dust.
The sound of many, many wings, followed by the bone-chilling shrillness of ear-piercing shrieks as a black cloud loomed, flashing green from long, wicked claws in the deepening gloom like miniature lightning bolts.
As she prepared herself and shouted orders, Princess Pina Co Lada had an idle thought pass through her mind.
'These look nothing like wyverns.'
And then the swarm was upon them.
The city was in a state of chaos, that was the only way that Princess Pina Co Lada could comprehend the way people were running down one street or fleeing through another, peasant families boarding boats under the eyes of nervous guards who clutched swords tightly in quivering hands, and more boats fleeing out into the open ocean even as some fell prey to the thundering tearing of cloth.
Those who weren't fleeing were hauling buckets of water towards buildings burning in the distance, before a screaming sound heralded a rain of what looked like burning spears that slammed into a distant portion of the city, rocking the ground with the shockwaves of deafening explosions rattling windows and teeth as Pina looked around, trying to get her bearings in the chaos before a local soldier ran up to her, "Are you here to help?"
Pina blinked, "What?"
"ARE YOU HERE TO HELP?" The soldier shouted, "We need every sword we can get! They're breaking past the Golden Army troops and getting into the streets! We think they're trying to capture the ships!" He turned as a mob of people clad in concealing rags suddenly appeared from a street, eliciting screams as soldiers ran to confront them, "Gods!" He turned back to Pina, "Get to the Market District, that's where we're holding them back! The rest of city is lost, don't try to head in unless you want the Golden Army to attack you as well, the crystal is taking root there!"
"WE NEED HELP HERE! THE FIRES'RE SPREADING!" Someone shouted off in the distance and the soldier winced.
"Look, just help kill the cultists! We can't let anyone infected get onto the boats, the Gold Albatross' are destroying too many as it is!" He turned and ran off, drawing his sword and striking at a rag-clad figure armed with a club embedded with glowing crystals, cutting open their throat to spray dark blood across the cobblestones.
"Princess, what are your orders?" Hamilton spoke up as the mob of rag-clad people was cut down by soldiers, moments before another, louder explosion drowned out the noise of people fleeing for their lives onto any boat that could take them. The other Rose Knights, resplendent in their white armor, kept a wary eye on the chaos as the ship captain organised for a stream of the fleeing peasants to board while his men jostled with other crews to loot the warehouses of food and water for a possible journey to another kingdom.
Biting her lower lip, Pina came to a decision, "We'll head to the Market District and lend our aid! Our mission can resume after we save this city! Rose Knights! To Arms!" She drew her sword and the other knights cheered as they drew their weapons and followed after the Princess into the chaos of a city in flames as more deafening explosions rocked the streets, the knights passing fleeing groups of peasants pointed them down streets to reveal mobs of rag-clad attackers, stabbing glowing green crystals into their victims while some had lashed the crystals to clubs, rusted swords and other makeshift weapons.
"Try and capture one alive for questioning!" Pina ordered as she charged, the rest of the knights smoothly shifting into formation to block the mob from passing them, the princess shouting, "I am Princess Pina Co Lada! In the name of the Empire, I demand your surrender!"
"Kill the heretics!" One of the rag-clad bandits screamed in a voice that sounded like they had been gargling mud, but their comrades charged forward as Pina scoffed and struck out, her longsword easily sliding through rags to pass through flesh and bone with a sickening crunch, the bandit's head flying in a spray of black blood as the body collapsed, Pina already advancing to engage more bandits as her knights started their own slaughter as the bandits started to be pushed back, clubs bashing against armor as crystals shattered, moments before sword blades cut through flesh, wood and cloth.
"Push them back!" Pina ordered as her sword plunged into the guts of another bandit, "Do not let any of these scum past you!"
"Heretics! You deny the Song! The Song brings salvation, it brings immortality! We are slaves to this world and its gods no longer! We shall ascend to become gods of distant skies!" The leader of the mob screamed, waving an axe as they pointed at Pina, "Vile! Vile! We must liberate you! There must be a liberation!" As Pina charged, the leader jumped, bounding into the air as if gravity no longer affected him to the Princess' stunned eyes, before landing on a rooftop and running off with his cry echoing behind him, "You shall see! You shall see the gifts that are waiting you when you accept the liberation of your soul!"
"Princess!" Pina Co Lada turned to see her knights along with Grey and Hamilton approaching her, their armour marked with black blood in places, roughly scrubbed away with cloaks, before Grey approached her, "What was that? Magic?"
Pina turned to where she had seen the mob leader leap away onto the rooftops, "That was no mage. Quickly, we have to reach the Market District and find out the extent of this madness for ourselves." She started marching down the street as the knights smoothly fell into line behind her as she continued speaking, "Hamilton, any injuries?"
"None, this was an easy fight." Hamilton replied as Grey checked his two-handed sword.
"Easy, but they've got numbers. Expect this to drag on if more mobs come to attack us with that leader at the head of it." The veteran soldier commented as he studied the streets, noting the smoke coming from numerous fires, but all of it was coming largely from the area of the city the Imperial party was approaching at a rapid clip, armor-clad boots clanking noisily against the stone pathways and roads, but steadily drowned out by the sounds of blades clashing, shouted orders, roars, screams and more explosions along with a strange mix of chattering and thumping sounds.
"What in the name of the Gods are those noises?" Pina heard Bozes say as the Knights, swords in hand, rounded the corner that would allow them to enter the Market District. And all sixteen knights stopped dead in their tracks, jaws dropping at the sight before them before Grey shouted a warning, "Move!" Training kicking in, the knights scattered as a massive boulder crashed behind them in the spot they were just standing.
"What was that?!" Pina shouted as she looked around, trying to spot the source of the boulder that had flown towards them, but to no avail in the smoke that covered the battlefield from the numerous smoldering and burning ruins of what used to be houses, expensive storefronts and other buildings whose purpose was now obscured by the ruins and smoke when groups of soldiers and rag-clad bandits...except now that Pina was able to witness the bandits in action, she could see that that these were not normal bandits, not normal by any consideration or measure.
Where there weren't rag-clad forms clashing against sword, shield and spear, hulking brutes seemingly made of muscle, crystal and bone grabbed rubble in meaty hands to hurl at shield walls, opening the way for dashing figures who slashed at the recovering soldiers with claws made of glowing crystals that carved flesh and armor.
As Pina watched the fighting, arrows peppered these new threats, archers forming up to deal with the clawed creatures, moments before several fell with cries, charging black creatures covered in glowing crystals that rippled with the flexing of powerful muscles.
A gust of wind went past Pina, the princess's eyes widening as her head turned to see a razor-sharp shard embedded firmly in a stone brick.
Grey instantly moved into action, "Someone pick up the Princess! Move in fours and shore up the holes in the line, we'll-"
Explosions engulfed the hordes, shockwaves knocking the defenders back as body parts and gore went flying as a chattering sound tore through the air, flashes appearing in the smoke along with the sounds of a harsh thumping and a guttural hissing that followed longer flares of light in the smoke.
"Reinforcements!" A soldier shouted, "It's the Golden Army! They've sealed the breach!" Just as the words ended, an ear-splitting shrieking sound ripped through Pina's ears as a bulky, golden shape blew away the smoke clouds, fire leaping from its nose like a dragon to tear through flesh, crystal and shoddy rags.
Behind the strange flying beast, Pina watched as a company of soldiers in golden armor, clutching strange two-handed wands that felled whatever they chattered at, steadily marched out of the smoke, strange boxes following after them that spat fire at the living and dead both.
Grey's hand on her shoulder finally brought Pina to her senses and she looked at her knights to see that while they too had been shaken by the unnatural battle happening before them, they recovered their composure quickly and were ready for action.
Pina cleared her throat, "Forward! There's still work to be done!"
******
Watching the reports flowing in, Gideon breathed a sigh of relief; even with civilian losses from destroying ships carrying cultist infiltrators, the evacuations that had been progressing for the last five months were finally complete.
"Alert. The Governor has requested to speak with you." Leaning back with a sigh, Gideon picked up a headset and tapped at a keyboard, displaying an audio window.
"This is the Commander."
"Commander! May the Gods bless you for your actions! Our people are out to sea, and hopefully will find new lives elsewhere. I cannot thank you enough."
"Governor, what I need most from you are your assurances that you will ensure that the news spreads." Gideon replied, "People must be warned; the cults have moved ahead of you, likely festering in the Empire and other kingdoms."
"Yes, of course." The Governor gushed, "I have connections within the Imperial Senate and in other kingdoms, I'll see to it that-"
"Now see here!" Gideon raised an eyebrow at the imperious female voice that had probably taken the handset off the Governor, "I am not going to be ignored a moment longer. Where is Sage Seyla La Merin?"
Gideon raised an eyebrow at the demand, "And just who the hell are you?"
"Princess Pina Co Lada of The Empire! If you know where Sage Merin is located then you are to inform me so that I can bring her before the Senate to be judged."
"For what crime?" Gideon inquired with a frown, noting through combat cameras on his Doll's helmets that the various soldiers and armed citizenry who had stayed to keep fighting had all reacted poorly to the statements made.
Turning the camera's owner to look at the fiery-haired princess, Gideon took note of the distinctly European full-plate that looked out of place in a mass of Byzantine-style scale and leather.
The swords were contemporary, same with the crossbows and bows, but otherwise everything was late Roman Empire, before Gideon shook his head.
"Denied." He replied bluntly, "Sage Merin is engaged in important research into a possible magical solution to the ongoing infestation. We have to get results before the summer, while the winter conditions slow the spread, which means I have no time to waste on Imperial arrogance."
Gideon heard muffled cheers and jeering, the combat cameras showing the locals in clear agreement with his words while the flustered princess was clearly not expecting to be so bluntly refused.
"Then, you are a collaborator?" Pina Co Lada speculated.
"I am the one who recruited her to fight the Crystal." Gideon coolly stated, "As the only Sage in the region who could even stand a prayer against the Crystal, Seyla La Merin has no time to cater to the Empire so long as she works for me."
More nods, hostile looks, and an increasingly flustered princess convinced Gideon to relent slightly, "However," He watched the girl look at the radio, "I am willing to let you meet with her and receive in writing any and all evidence you require. If you prove yourselves willing to fight for all peoples."
"What are you asking?" The princess asked suspiciously.
"Those who remain here, whether human or demihuman, are here because they are the only ones willing to continue the fight." Gideon explained, "They have agreed to be trained and equipped to take the fight directly into the heart of cult territory in order to prevent them from breeding out of control and spreading."
"Breeding?" Gideon grimly smiled at the confusion in Pina's voice.
"You'll see soon enough. If you are going to stay and fight, the extra swords will be appreciated. Otherwise, I'll arrange to transport you to Imperial territory beyond the Shroud."
Gideon smiled; now that he had confirmation, he had a lever. The Princess was a head-strong bleeding heart but she was also a realist, once she saw what would be coming, she'd bring back word that would be taken seriously.
"W-Wha?! How dare you! If you think-"
"Shut up!" Gideon snapped, "Don't think for a second that just because you have better-quality armour and weaponry that you'll be able to march into the land outside that city without a care."
He huffed as he checked over a report that a platoon of five Mammoth Tanks were now besieging a cultist fort, "You. Will. Die. That is not a threat, it is blunt certainty. If you agree to stay, you will never be safe, not even while you sleep. The enemy is one that is linked to a demonic twisting and warping of the world, and even the bravest and strongest will lose something in facing this."
"The Rose Knights are not so craven as to run from the strange." Gideon noted that Pina had recovered her composure, "Our mission stands and it is an affront to our duty and honor to abandon it!"
Gideon sighed lightly, "I hope you understand what you're saying."
"We are not leaving until we get answers to present to the Imperial Senate."
"Fine." Gideon replied, "Governor, run the Imperials through the protective gear provided and be ready to leave the city once my forces are finished sweeping for holdouts, any civilians that missed the evacuation and secure what untainted supplies remain."
With that, Gideon closed the channel and switched to a new channel and a new camera view, watching as through the cameras, a set of rabbit ears appeared from the long grass and rose to reveal one of the infamous Warrior Bunnies of Falmart.
"I trust that Queen Tyuule has a response to my proposal?"
******
Pina Co Lada knew that she had stepped into a steaming pile of horseshit thanks to her temper, and one look at the uneasy expressions of her knights tood her their opinions.
It had been five days since the Rose Knight Order had arrived in the North-East and thanks to her anger at the brusque, insolent even, tone of the one that was only known as 'The Commander' she was now marching through an increasingly-twisted landscape alongside the soldiers of a motley coalition that had joined them when they crossed the border into the Messen Kingdom.
"It's as if we stepped through the Gate," Hamilton said, the heavy mask that had been given to everyone in the ruins of the port city of Altin by the soldiers clad in yellow armor who moved ahead in a loose formation.
"That was my thought as well," Pina grimaced at hearing Grey speaking up on her other side, "Though I hope we reach this transportation that was promised. Not all here are trained to endure long marches."
The two turned to Pina as Hamilton spoke up, "What do you think Princess?"
"...breathe."
The two glanced at each other as Pina shook before she suddenly shouted, "How can anyone breath in this! Is this a mask or a muzzle!"
"Shut the fuck up back there!" A yellow-clad soldier yelled from the front formation, causing the others in the rag-tag group to snicker as Pina flushed.
Undaunted, she sped up to approach the yellow-clad soldier, "Who are you to speak-"
A crack like a whip sounded as something zipped past Pina's head to strike flesh with a pained shriek as something with leathery wings hit the ground in front of Pina before another soldier drew his sword and plunged it into the creature as it flapped and screeched.
"Wyvern flock!" One of the yellow-clad soldiers shouted, "Eyes on the sky! No-one speak unless its critical!"
"ETA?" Another yelled as swords were drawn and bows strung, as those not wielding the strange two-handed wands or wearing yellow armor looked around and up in the air as the already dim light of the late afternoon started to become a deeper gloom.
"We've been bumped up the priority list! Charlies inbound in three minutes!"
As the yellow-clad soldiers moved into new positions, Pina immediately sprung into action, "Defensive positions! Shields in support of archers and long spears! We only have to hold them off!"
As she gave the word, Pina heard a sound on the wind as a breeze kicked swirling clouds of glowing green dust.
The sound of many, many wings, followed by the bone-chilling shrillness of ear-piercing shrieks as a black cloud loomed, flashing green from long, wicked claws in the deepening gloom like miniature lightning bolts.
As she prepared herself and shouted orders, Princess Pina Co Lada had an idle thought pass through her mind.
'These look nothing like wyverns.'
And then the swarm was upon them.
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Killer Hamster
Feed me.
Is this an enhanced variant of Tiberium? I don't remember Tiberium mutations to be that aggressive unless it is deliberate in the case of Nod's induced mutations.
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- Location
- Hampden Park
Fiends were that aggressive, and vein hole monsters would destroy any building in their grasp.
Battleship_Fusou
(The Itty-Bitty Pretty Battleship Kitty)
- Location
- Surigao Strait
And so it begins~ I had a whole lot of fun helping to create Pina's storyline, I hope you all continue to enjoy it.
ComissarPancakes
Pan-Galactic Motivational Officer
- Location
- The State of Golden Fires
Ah, makes a lot more sense then.
I suspect that they're drawing the twisted hellscape more from Tiberian Insurrection, which was a lot more...detailed in its portraile of Red and Yellow zones in terms of tib infestation and mutations of wildlife.
Vein holes also would kill any unit not infantry (and...maybe Wolverines).
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Might be the magic and 'quantum' nature of a fantasy planet affecting the crystals strangely? There's also the simple fact that even modern third-worlders would be better educated and aware of how Tiberium and mutation is generally not a good thing, even if their still twisted in the process. Peasents and serfs have no such background, and no infrastructure for organized fanaticism like NOD, and so might just be going with the flow in the crystals urge to spread, interpreted through a religious lense.
And once a religion gets going, especially one in a world where belief has power, it doesn't necessarily even need the crystal to have a push to expand. The mutation and warping just acts as a catalyst.
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ComissarPancakes
Pan-Galactic Motivational Officer
- Location
- The State of Golden Fires
That and they (the Shiners) were all aware that the stuff was actively killing them slowly.
Not sure if intended, there's no answer from the Princess?
Gideon020
Really in the mood for ribs.
Huh. Was a mistake, but the lack of response works nicely as SI is now ignoring the actual words said in favour of their own thoughts.
ericshaofangwang
Retainer of the Court of Azathoth
- Location
- Australia
What's your view on reader-written omakes/sidestories? Is it alright if I post one here?
Gideon020
Really in the mood for ribs.
Go for your life.
[Canon] Carrier
ericshaofangwang
Retainer of the Court of Azathoth
- Location
- Australia
(After the last chapter about the cultists running ahead of the refugees, I was inspired to write a piece for it. I used OCs for this bit since the port cities (like Proptor) aren't elaborated upon in the main Gate canon and there aren't any characters from the original canon from the port city. Hope you enjoy!)
Carrier
Scratch
Scratch
The quill of a pen danced across the paper.
Scratch-
Snap
The tip of the quill snapped.
Octavian sighed. He stood up from his chair and stretched. Thick limbs creaked as he stood, and he ran his hand down his brown hair, rough as it was from many a sleepless night.
The room he stood in was bare, and musky. Dust marked the floor where furniture once stood, having been sold as his business began to fail.
Octavian paced in thought.
His business as a jeweller was not going well. Proptor was a prosperous and busy port city, and by all rights he should be doing well. It was a prominent one in the Empire, a city filled with traders and all manner of wares, but the nobles and wealthy merchants had been scrambling for a single commodity, the new green gems that recently popped up.
If only he could get access to these gems. Countless hours spent trying to sell his wares to uninterested customers and unwilling buyers had left him ragged; he was losing possessions and profits by the day. Things needed to be done about-
"Papa!"
Octavian shook his head as he was brought out of his thoughts. His daughter ran up to him with a cheerful expression on her face.
"Papa, Uncle Ambrosius has come home!"
"Alright Adria, I'll be coming down shortly!"
Adria stood in hall of the family's home, smiling cheerfully. She stood on tiptoes, a thin arm waving to him over a table. Her expression was cheerful and hearty, standing out from her thin frame. A smile was exchanged, and Adria followed her father.
Octavian walked over to his front door, the wood creaking open in protest.
A wiry man faced Octavian. Octavian's smiling expression dropped, and he noticed the unnatural pallor of his brother's skin.
"Ambrosius, you have been well, I hope?"
Octavian inquired, concern tinging his voice.
"Brother, I've had never felt better!"
"You are quite pale, Ambrosius, what happened?"
"Just working a tad more than normal, brother. And my work has borne fruit! A wandering merchant has sold me prime wares, so we can get your business back in order again!"
Ambrosius moved with seeming vigour, gesturing to a cart piled with wooden crates. He strode towards the cart, Octavian following along. Ambrosius pointed to a small crate, and both brothers heaved the box onto the ground. Adria tilted her head curiously before scurrying to the box.
Octavian lifted the lid from the crate, and he smiled.
Adria peeked into the box, her eyes captured by the treasure within.
A pile of green crystals greeted their eyes, and the brothers rubbed their hands together.
Carrier
Scratch
Scratch
The quill of a pen danced across the paper.
Scratch-
Snap
The tip of the quill snapped.
Octavian sighed. He stood up from his chair and stretched. Thick limbs creaked as he stood, and he ran his hand down his brown hair, rough as it was from many a sleepless night.
The room he stood in was bare, and musky. Dust marked the floor where furniture once stood, having been sold as his business began to fail.
Octavian paced in thought.
His business as a jeweller was not going well. Proptor was a prosperous and busy port city, and by all rights he should be doing well. It was a prominent one in the Empire, a city filled with traders and all manner of wares, but the nobles and wealthy merchants had been scrambling for a single commodity, the new green gems that recently popped up.
If only he could get access to these gems. Countless hours spent trying to sell his wares to uninterested customers and unwilling buyers had left him ragged; he was losing possessions and profits by the day. Things needed to be done about-
"Papa!"
Octavian shook his head as he was brought out of his thoughts. His daughter ran up to him with a cheerful expression on her face.
"Papa, Uncle Ambrosius has come home!"
"Alright Adria, I'll be coming down shortly!"
Adria stood in hall of the family's home, smiling cheerfully. She stood on tiptoes, a thin arm waving to him over a table. Her expression was cheerful and hearty, standing out from her thin frame. A smile was exchanged, and Adria followed her father.
Octavian walked over to his front door, the wood creaking open in protest.
A wiry man faced Octavian. Octavian's smiling expression dropped, and he noticed the unnatural pallor of his brother's skin.
"Ambrosius, you have been well, I hope?"
Octavian inquired, concern tinging his voice.
"Brother, I've had never felt better!"
"You are quite pale, Ambrosius, what happened?"
"Just working a tad more than normal, brother. And my work has borne fruit! A wandering merchant has sold me prime wares, so we can get your business back in order again!"
Ambrosius moved with seeming vigour, gesturing to a cart piled with wooden crates. He strode towards the cart, Octavian following along. Ambrosius pointed to a small crate, and both brothers heaved the box onto the ground. Adria tilted her head curiously before scurrying to the box.
Octavian lifted the lid from the crate, and he smiled.
Adria peeked into the box, her eyes captured by the treasure within.
A pile of green crystals greeted their eyes, and the brothers rubbed their hands together.
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