Chapter 9 - Shelter

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[Terran Calendar - 08/30/1098]
[Time - 1415 - 2:15 PM]
[Weather - Cloudy]
[PDA Restoration Progress - 42%]
[POV - Desmond Arkadiy]

On the way to the co-ordinates the recording on my PDA showed us, the L.G.D had sent a recon drone earlier before we departed and reported back with a house made of metal sheets and improvised defenses, the surroundings were littered with several cars of unknown origin and skeletal remains that they estimate to be a week old.

Voltaic, team leader of the EORS, had finished briefing us on our mission.

Voltaic:"If you see something out of the blue report it back to me, understood?"

The team members said "Yes sir" in unison while i just nod, Eura just slept through the briefing without being noticed, the trip was long enough for me to admire the surroundings of where i am, truly the landscape here is beautiful, back in my world we couldn't spare any time admiring anything since death was always in every corner.

Finally, the helicopter lands and Voltaic opened up the side doors, i shook Eura awake but not before getting a slap.

"Ow."

Eura;"Wake me up when we get there..."

"We're already here you devil lookin ass."

...

Menacing aura emits from Eura.

Author:Desmond what the fuck did you do?! YOU PISSED OFF A BEAST!

"Wait, beast?"

A strange mist encroaches...

terraria boss 1 plays in the distance

[Eura, The Mist Beast has Awoken!]

"HOLY FU-"

Desmond was assimilated to the mist by Eura, The Mist Beast.

Mist Monster deleted Author from the book.

Reader questions for the Author's sanity was answered by Eura, The Mist Beast.

Eura, The Mist Beast:"The Author really likes making stupid things and references in the middle of a story so, please bear with i-"

Circuit [Caliya]:"Hey, newbies whats taking you s- WHAT THE FU-"

take 2

"We're already here."

Eura:"Oh."

She got off from her seat as i exit the helicopter, revealing a small clearing with a forest surrounding the area, the EORS team is already deploying some kind of land drone.

Voltaic:"Alright, Windrouser, Desmond, Seer, on me, Recruit, help Circuit with the Ground Drone."

We all said "Copy!" in unison like trained soldiers, well we litterally trained a day ago, that aside, we made our way towards the treeline and head north-east of our position where the place is supposed to be located.

A couple of minutes later...

We soon entered a clearing, and in the middle stands a house with a windmill, two garden beds, a well, and a broken garage which inside reveals an unassembled bicycle, the surroundings are littered with several cars and skeletons, wait... those cars...

I immeditaely went wide eyed when i recognized those cars and the symbols, oh fuck no, no no no. Even those Vulture Cannibals are here as well?!

Voltaic:"Desmond! Wake up!"

Voltaic shakes me which broke me out of my trance, he noticed my face which prompted him to ask him a question.

Voltaic:"You seem like you recognize these vehicles, care to explain?"

"...cannibals, the fucking CANNIBALS ARE HERE TOO?!"

I yelled out in anger, memories flash through my head seeing the gruesome shit i've encountered when clearing a vulture camp, those screams, those poor souls, they didn't deserve any of those! If only i had come sooner!

Circuit:"Calm down Desmond!"

"GET OFF ME!"

[Terran Calendar - 08/30/1098]
[Time - 1425 - 2:25 PM]
[Weather - Cloudy]
[Arts Assimilation Progress - Nominal]
[POV - Eura Ventus ("Windrouser")]

Desmond is lashing out, the EORS team is trying to calm him down to no avail, while they're distracted i approach the house while avoiding some traps i managed to spot, a metal fence stands in front of the house with some mini craters nearby, already broken, it has served its purpose of defending from... Whoever these people are Desmond calls cannibals.

I entered the front yard of the house, there i see a couple of garden patches with some potatoes growing, a well, a makeshift shower with a sink on its side and a broken crossbow turret.

"Huh? The handle is still intact."

I grabbed the fallen crossbow from the broken turret, its design did not look like any Raythean mass-produced crossbows, not to mention the arrow heads are tipped with something green, maybe poison?

"What made you think exploring ahead of us is a good idea?" A voice calls out to me from behind, i turn to see Seer, the sniper of the EORS.

"Well, curiousity can get the better of me, just like that one time..."

Seer:"What one time?"

"Well..."

Cue flashback of Eura getting smacked unconscious by Desmond.

"Yeah... And whats going on over there?"

Seer:"Oh, we had to sedate him since he couldn't control himself and somehow overpowered Voltaic, right now Recruit and Circuit are taking him back to the LZ while Voltaic checks out the bodies, wait, what the hell is that crossbow?"

Seer takes a look at the crossbow i'm holding, observing it before taking one of the arrows.

"Careful, don't know what's tipped on the head."

Seer observes the arrow, before plunging it to the broken metal fence, the area where it impacted started to melt as Seer leaves it there.

Seer:"Acid tipped arrows, the arrowheads are not made of normal metals but rather a special type of metal yet to be discovered."

"Does this... Have to do with other reports from other countries of aggressive attacks with chemical use from weird looking people that belong to cults of sorts, like the Decayers?"

Seer:"Good question Shorelock Halms."

"Hey!"

Seer:"But in relation to the reports coming from Victoria, the reports said about some people with clothing and face paint resembling that of a skeleton attacking local villages with chemical weapons, said chemical weapons are melee weapons, crossbows and strange looking guns painted with acid, does this ring some bells?"

Wait, now that i piece these together...

"Hold on, this might be a base of sorts for those skeleton cultists."

Seer:"Exactly what i'm thinking, but the footage from Desmond's... PDA shows us someone that don't have similar marks to those skeleton guys, telling him to go here, that may rule out the possibilty of this being a cult base, whatever it is, we must investigate."

"Man, all those talking really confused my brain."

Seer walks up to the front door and tests the knob, open and ready to go.

Seer:"Eura, on me, when i say go, cover my left and i'll cover your right."

"Got it."

I gripped my knife as get on the right side of the door, Seer on the left."

Seer:"Go."

Seer kicks the door open and goes in first, i follow behind to assist him, nothing but silence greets us and its dark.

"No enemies, and really dark, oh hey a switch."

Seer:"Flick the switch."

I do as what Seer said, suddenly lights flood the house and what greeted my eyes was a small living room in rusty conditions with some boxes with labels on them, a note is seen on the coffee table of the living room which Seer picks up.

"What does it say?"

Seer:"It says behind where the raw planks are processed..."

"Huh...?"

Seer:"Probably referring to a sawmill or anything similar, look for a worktable."

Seer walks into another room while i head into a hallway, two doors are seen, remaininf motionless and dusty, i entered the first door which made a large creeking sound, the room was filled with tables of sorts with equipment strewn around, this looks like a workshop, i look around the tables, an anvil, a furnace that is probably used to smelt, a loom of sorts, a table with some red cross markings which is probably a medical table, and a table with a saw and a couple of planks, this must be it.

I walk over to the sawmill and pushed it aside, behind it was a crate hidden with a note that reads.

'The day the Conflagration started.'

Weird, i look back at the crate to notice a padlock which requires a passcode, i look back at the note and now i think this note is a hint, i turned on the radio and called over Seer, soon he arrives at where i am.

Seer:"What did you find?"

"A padlocked crate, it needs a passcode and this note is a hint."

Seer:"Conflagration...? As far as i know, there was no conflagration that occured, this is getting strange- wait, what was that sound?"

Seer stops speaking and focuses on his surroundings, and i followed, hearing the wind and something... Something forming outside the house before Seer's radio blasted to life.

Circuit [Radio]:"THIS IS CIRCUIT, WE'RE UNDER ATTACK BY SOME YELLOW CULTISTS AND DESMOND IS WOUNDED! WE NEED HELP ASAP!"

Seer:"OH SHIT, LETS GET A MOVE ON!"

Me and both Seer dash outside the house while Voltaic who was inspectig the bodies follow suit, avoiding the traps and heading towards the treeline, i hope we make it in time...

[Terran Calendar - ■■■■]
[Time - ■■■■]
[Weather - ■■■■]
[PDA Restoration Progress - ■■■■]
[POV - Desmond Arkadiy]

Darkness.

Thats what all i could see, before blacking out from a syringe directed to my neck, soon a piercing pain erupts from my chest, i tried to scream, but to no avail as i look down, a wound has formed itself.

I feel my body fades away, like dust being scattered in the wind, am i dead...?

No, it feels like i'm dead, but at the same time i'm not, talk about being Schrödinger's cat, soon a glow emits from below my feet, dust particles surround me and promptly placed itself in where i felt the pain, sealing the wound, and a voice rings out...

"Damn, so many good Striders gone over the years."

I recognize this voice, it was Klim, but before i can process what he said, more voices rang out...

"Wake up."
"Wake up."

"Wake up, Desmond."
"Desmond! Stay Determined!"

Why did that last voice feel familiar?

Regardless, it doesn't matter if i chose to wake up or not, i have been through this state multiple times, a blessing and a curse of a Reverse. Even if i try to resist, it will prove futile, a white light now soon engulfs me.

Here we go again...

...
I open my eyes and look around, my vision is greeted by a broken metal fence, a couple of garden patches, a makeshift shower and a well, why does this all feel familiar...

No, this can't be, is this my shelter from the Territories?

I got up from the ground and looked around, yes, its all in the same place, this is exactly my shelter, i walked to the front door to see its been kicked open by someone, i walk inside the shelter i call home, greeted by the sight of the old living room and a note on the table which i grabbed.

"Behind where the raw planks are processed... Must be referring to the woodworking table."

I head towards a hallway and entered another room which is the workshop of my shelter, i head towards the woodworking table to see it already pushed aside, revealing a padlocked crate and another note.

"Conflagration..."

I look at the note and back at the padlocked crate, i put the note inside and inputted the code which was 8012, the crate is now unlocked and i open it, revealing a set of armor which i know very much...

[Dark Zone Exterminator Set]
(ignore the vss)

This set is a must for Striders venturing into the Dark zone, an alternate reality of my old world where basically everything tries to kill you, i don't know why is it here but i figure its the mystery person who gave me this, i look around to notice a weapon, a weapon that i thought was long gone...

[Berretas-A "Inferno"]

The Berretas-A Inferno, it used be my main weapon until it broke thanks to a Claw bastard, these seriously can inflict life long burns, which means death, my observation was cut short as shouts are heard outside along with metal clashing with eachother, arrow fire and gunshots.

???:"CIRCUIT COVER OUR LEFT!"

???:"WHEN DID THESE YELLOW CULTISTS APPEAR OUT OF NOWWHERE?!"

Crap, they're in trouble and i need to act, i donned on the Exterminator set and grabbed the Berretas, now prepared, i check my PDA for anything else.

[Auxillary Assist PDA - 1.3]
[Time - 1434]
-[Calendar]
-[Contacts]
-[Status]
-[Crafting]
-[Radio]
-[Skills]
-[Daily Supplies]
-[Storage]
{NOTIFICATIONS}
No new notifications

Nothing new, i already checked and invested onto some skills which made me feel a bit powerful, i put the PDA down and turn back at the crate, seeing something hidden at the bottom, i pick it up to see a spear, no this isn't a ordinary spear...

[Triad Electrospear]

This is a Triad weapon, but what is it doing here? Doesn't matter, i need to help those Guard Department folks and Eura, i dash outside the house with the spear in hand.

"THE CALVARY HAS ARRIVED."

I yelled out as i charge at the yellow cultists known as the Decayers, stabbing an Adept in the head with the spear and slashing it at another whilst blocking a hit from a Keeper Decayer.

Eura:"WHO THE HELL?"

Voltaic:"NO TIME FOR CONFUSION, HELP THE STRANGER!"

As expected, they didn't know it was me due to the mask and helmet covering my face, a bolt thrusts through the Keeper's head i was blocking which i took advantage of by grabbing the body of the Keeper and threw it at some approaching cultists, a Decayer was lucky enough to approach and stab me in the back, but it didn't do anything thanks to the Exterminator Set.

Before i can sucker punch the Decayer, Eura suddenly comes in and stabs the Decayer and cutting off a arm of another approaching Decayer.

"You cover my back, i cover yours."

Eura:"Sure big guy."

4 Decayers approach, all holding knives while one holds a spear, i withdrew my Berretas-A Inferno and let it rip, 2 went down and out of commission as i swap back to my Electrospear, one Decayer slashes at my torso which the Exterminator Armor blocked, i grabbed the hand of the Decayer and threw them at another Decayer who was fighting the Recruit, knocking them both down as i impale another in the neck, i look over to Eura who was doing some hack-n-slash moves, mowing down one Decayer after another.

I turn my attention to a large Decayer with a powered sledgehammer, an elite known as a Chaplain Decayer leading the strike, i approach the Chaplain Decayer while slashing some unfortunate Decayers that were stupid enough to stand in my way, the Chaplain Decayer took notice of me and slammed their sledgehammer on the ground which prompted me to stop.

Chaplain Decayer:"YOU MUST BE PURIFIED!"

"YOU CALL THIS PURIFICATION? YOU SICK FUCKS!"

I dashed to the side of the Chaplain and attempted to strike their hips, only to be blocked by the sledgehammer reinforced handle as it swings towards me, i stepped back to avoid the swing and they hit a Decayer caught in the range.

I strike again this time from the front, i landed a hit on their armor which barely affected the Chaplain, but the electricity from my Electrospear reacted with the metal armor which shocked the Chaplain.

Chaplain Decayer:"ARRRGH!"

While the Chaplain is stunned, i raised my Electrospear over my head and struck the Chaplain Decayer in the head, splitting it open as brain matter and blood gushes out, the electricity also gave the cleaving a small explosive effect which scattered some blood across the green grass, all of the remaining Decayers stopped attacking to look at their leader, dead and head split in half, this immediately demoralized the attack force as some of them yell out to retreat.

Voltaic:"Seer! Fire a tracking device on them!"

Seer:"Aye sir!"

I look over at the EORS team as Seer fires a tracking device on the retreating Decayers, the atmosphere was still tense as Voltaic along with Circuit/Caliya approaches me, their weapons drawn.

Voltaic:"Identify yourself, stranger!"

"You guys really failed to prevent my death huh?"

Circuit:"No time for jokes, you are in a L.G.D Area of Operations, identify yourself immediately!"

"Alright, calm down."

I stabbed the Electrospear on the ground as i reach to take off my helmet and balacava, finally revealing myself to the team, all of their faces are painted with shock, confusion and fear.

"What, you guys saw a ghost?"

Eura:"HOW IN THE SEVEN SINS OF HELL ARE YOU ALIVE?!"

Before i can answer, Eura immediately lunges at me to give me a... Hug? This generally confuses me knowing me and Eura aren't even friends- OW! TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT!

Author:hm yes out of context

"AUTHOR NO-"

Eura:"AUTHOR YES!"

"WHAT THE HELL EURA-"

take 3

After what litterally felt like a hour getting hugged tightly by Eura, she lets go and grips my collar.

Eura:"NEXT TIME, DON'T PLAY DEAD OKAY! YOU GAVE ME A SCARE!"

"Okay okay! Just let me go!"

She finally lets go as Circuit and Voltaic approach me, still confused.

Circuit:"How the heck are you alive? Both me and Recruit litterally saw you get stabbed to death...?"

Voltaic:"And by the time we got there to help Circuit and Recruit, your body was mutiliated beyond recognition."

Shit, now they're asking the big questions, they continue to pester me with more questions, i look back at the other EORS members and Eura who are now exploring my shelter, taking this moment of oppurtunity i've decided to break the truth...

"Alright, you promise you won't tell this to the others?"

Circuit:"We won't! Right cap...?"

Voltaic:"If its to explain how your alive, then we won't tell."

"Good... This information will probably confuse

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