"Another ghost town," as the Lieutenant guided his squad through the empty buildings, he couldn't help but feel tension in the air, "The buildings look unharmed, which would mean there wasn't a fight, but where is everyone?"
The town was considered quite small, with a mere population of two thousand, but it wasn't the first to face such dilemmas. Ever since that spacequake twenty years ago, such strange happenings were occuring all over the world.
The entire town looked untouched as they moved slowly towards the centre of town they didn't come across a single person.
"Sir, look up there!" Pointing at the centre they could see a lone figure standing on top of a light post, the figure appeared to be a female, "Could it really be a survivor?" This was news to them all, in the three previous incidents not a single survivor was found, maybe now they could find the truth.
"You there, are you hurt?" The figure turned to face them, in its right hand it held an orb, an orb of pure darkness. "Do you know what happened here? What caused this?"
"I don't know," she was crying, she really seemed to be crying, "I was just here a few days ago, but I found the town like this, this shouldn't be happening, they should all be here, asleep."
She turned towards them, her eyes suddenly hostile, "You must have taken them, they were such nice people too." Raising her orb the entire ground around them turned dark, screaming as they were pulled into the blackness, the Lieutenant could only watch as they were dragged in, "You will pay for this, your lives will feed my angel."
(eight year later)
"Welcome to the squad, your name is?" the person appeared the same age as her, her welcome attitude could mean something more sinister, mutiny?
"Tobiichi Origami." she continued to walk down the hall, for some reason she continued to tail her.
"Are you new to the AST as well, I just joined as well, I was hoping maybe we could be friends?" the girl in question had brown hair, though it was a bit longer than hers, it was tied at the top with two yellow ribbons.
"Oh I almost forgot, my name is Mikie Okamine, how old are you Tobiichi, wow that's about the age as I am, is your hair naturally that white, do your parents know you work here."
"My parents are dead." Mikie seemed taken aback at this, she backed a little her head tipped downwards.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know," she looked quite ashamed, deciding it would be best not to create hostile relations with her fellow squadmates, Tobiichi decided to comfort her.
"It's fine, there was no way you could've known" Mikie seemd a little happier, stepping a little closer they continued their conversation, although she seemed a lot more careful with her questions.
"So Tobiichi, have you ever seen spirits before?" as the squad moved on her first spirit interception, Tobbichi kept herself as calm as possible, though her hands itched to tear their target to shreds. "Tobiichi? You there?"
"No." As they took a sharp right to follow the air currents to save fuel, their target began to appear over the horizon. The town they were targeting was one that had been hit by a spirit called Exodus, it was said to be her first appearance in 8 years.
Tobiichi watched closely, the spirit seemed to have cast a spell on the entire town, the scanners said spirit energy was being focused to one point, in the centre of town. "All units, fire missile barrage at target, releasing the barrage, Tobbichi followed one of the other members as they spread into two man teams to surround the target.
"No flames, probably isn't that one..." as their missiles impacted the target, they were all stopped by the shields the target had cast. As the darkness over the town started to fade the spirit rose into the air.
"Engage the target now," firing off in short bursts the target seemed to screech in annoyance, drawing out two weapons she began returning fire at them. "Squad keep your territories up, don't let those bullets hit you."
Close by she could see one of them hadn't set up a territory, focusing instead on firing entire barrages onto the enemy, the spirit seemed to notice it as well, focusing both weapons on her, she released a swift barrage aimed at her Wiring Suit.
Seeing an explosion at her back, she watched as she tumbled through the air towards the ground, diving straight for her Tobiichi deactivated her own territory to put more power to flight. "What the hell are you doing, keep your territories up."
Out of the corner of her eye she could see the spirit take aim at her, she would have to swerve to dodge, continuing stright forward she braced herself. Then the spirit turned away, choosing instead to focus the barrage onto other members, had she decided she couldn't hit her? No, not likely.
Focusing back on her goal she drove herself even further, blocking out all other factors she dived straight for the plummeting squad mate, catching her well off the ground. Surprised to find that it was Mikie who she had just saved.
"The spirit, it's getting away." Tobiichi turned to see the spirit move away from the town, using a quick dive, she broke through a hole created by her barrage and disappeared into the hills. Several members flew after her, lowering their territories when another barrage came from the spirits direction. Stopping to protect themselves their scanners lost track of the spirit.
"For your first time facing this spirit the AST has performed extraordinarily, chasing the spirit out of the zone with zero casualties. Mikie smiled at her, Tobiichi nodded back and faced the front again. "The spirt you engaged is an A-class spirit, we wouldn't expect a newly formed special force to be able to engage such a target yet, so chasing it away is already quite impressive." The other seated guests applauded, though Tobiichi didn't agree, the spirit was still alive, they had failed.
"Now as seeing it may return, we have decided to brief you on what intel we have on it so far." The spirit appeared on the screen, dressed in a black dress, the rest of her body seem bare and exposed. "From reports it says she wields an orb of some sort in her right hand, though it seems she may have changed to a dual pistol style of combat."
"Though as you have reported a barrage type attack system this may suggest a low magazine sized high fire rate pistol, though such model exists it may a custom made weapon infused with her powers to give her magazines automatic refill as well as increased velocity and power."
Footage was broadcast of town in the same situation as she had seen, "These are satellite images, as you can see the entire town seems to be under some kind of spell, probably based on her powers. We suspect it may have something to do with the manipulation of shadows."
"Exodus is a highly dangerous spirit, highly capable in long range combat with strong shields and her dual pistol combo, but what makes her a real threat is her ablility to wipe out the population of entire towns."
Three four images came up on screen, each of ghost town. "Four sites hit, with total casualties at five thousand." Tobiichi gritted her teeth, it was just like what happened to her, an entire town's population mercilessly killed with no clear motive. "In the last site, Exodus engaged with millitary forces that went on search and rescue, not a single member survived."
Turning off the screen flooded the room into darkness, as the lights faded on another spacequake alert was broadcast. "It seems like we're just in time, you better get going, it seems like another attack by Exodus."
The second time around Exodus was far closer, when they arrived they found themselves in another town, the population had evacuated and it looked like Exodus was preparing to leave. "So she attacks nearby cities, areas that haven't been evacuated."
Exodus drew out both of her pistols, aiming straight for the squad released a barrage before backing away. Spreading out to evade the squad split into two teams and pursued.
"Fire missiles," releasing the barrage in synchrony they used the missiles as physical shields, tailing them towards their target, as Exodus fired upon the missiles destroying each one, they charged straight through the smoke to release a burst of bullets at the target.
Fixing her shield up Exodus was unable to destroy about five missiles, impacting at almost the same time, her shield seemed to waver for a second. Tobiichi drew her energy sword and charged straight ahead at her.
Breaking through the shield, she made a quick slash at her neck. Parrying it with one of pistols, Tobbichi quickly switched targets to the second one, knocking it out of the way before she could fire, though it grazed her leg she continued to thrust forward, forcing Exodus out to the right.
Supporting fire from the other members of the squad once again forced Exodus to raise up her shield, giving Tobiichi another strike at her. This time swinging with both hands she knocked the right pistol out, as it tumbled downwards, Exodus released three rounds aimed at her head, injured leg and Wiring Suit right wing.
Raising her territory to block all three Tobiichi slashed forward, Exodus backed off releasing another three rounds. Seeing a chance, Tobiichi repeated her previous movement, as she expect Exodus backed off, releasing her blade it spun through the air towards her setting up her shield to block the airborne blade.
Flying forward Tobiichi released a swift missile barrage aimed at her back, switching focus backwards Exodus blocked the blow, Tobiichi grabbed the blade out of the air slashing it across her chest. As it tore straight through her flesh, Exodus tumbled to the ground, seemingly unconscious.
"Alright, prepare a missile barrage at the target's estimated location." Tobiichi ignoring orders dived straight down, landing among the empty streets there was no sign of her. Then she could feel herself sinking into the ground, setting up her territory as an anchor, she struggled to stay above ground.
"I'm really sorry about this." Exodus fired two shots at her right arm, as Tobiichi could feel it tear bone apart forcing her to drop her blade. Then out from the right a third person fired two shots, knocking the pistol out of Exodus's hand.
Backing off, another figure emerged into the clearing, in its right hand it held a pistol, but its left arm up to the elbow was a singular blade. Exodus, still injured from Tobiichi disappeared into the shadows, leaving Tobiichi alone with the figure.
"Are you still alive?" She nodded, the figure approached and helped her stand, "My name is Robert Bailey, 2nd lieutenant of DEM industries." The figure appeared to be male, somehow he had a wiring suit, which shouldn't have been possible. "I'll be staying around this area for the next few days."