Dead Men of the Mountain
Hey guys EnriksD8 here! I am back with another fanfic for y'all to read. This time, it's a crossover between Unturned (by Nelson Sexton) and Kuroinu: Kedakaki Seijo wa Hakudaku ni Somaru (by Liquid) with possibly a few other H-Anime out there. This crossover will focus less on helping the supposed heroes and taking down the villains but will focus more on trying to stay neutral between the two sides before ultimately being drawn in into the conflict.
For now, this will be on the non-crossover section of the site for now.
I'll explain more by the end of this short chapter and, until then, ENJOY!
[Chapter 0: New World, Old Problems]
{Elysium Base/Russia/10:28:16 PM/August 7th 20XX}
Planet Terra, locally known as Earth to its inhabitants.
It was the fourth smallest planet out of the eight main planets of its Solar System, fifth if you count the micro planet Pluto. It was the only planet known to sustain life within that solar system, with blue oceans making up seventy percent (70%) of its surface while the rest was occupied by large masses of lands called continents. There were seven continents on the planet starting with Asia as the largest, followed by Africa, the North and South Americas, Antarctica, Europe, and lastly Australia as the smallest of the group. The planet used to have a population of around ten billion people.
You heard me right. Planet Terra used to have approximately ten billion people living in it. And you might wonder how and what exactly happened to those people. The answer was very simply.
A virus wiped out a majority of the planet's population (try around ninety percent of it), leaving those alive fighting for survival. It didn't matter whether or not the location was heavily populated or not, the virus took them down and the survivors are forced to kill and do anything at all to survive in these dark times. Now, let me explain how this virus even works.
This virus wasn't something that just caused death, oh no, it caused something more. Once a person has been infected, it immediately targets the brain of the afflicted. The virus then shuts down everything except for two things.
Aggression and hunger, which the virus then magnifies. The person afflicted then begins to spread this through a variety of ways. Due to their aggression, their main method of spreading it is through biting, saliva, or scratches. The virus acts differently from person to person, but the average time for them to turn is around five to ten minutes. That's for the ninety percent of ten billion people.
While more proper terms for these people are called The Infected (with subcategories such as Walkers, Lurkers, Sprinters, and Screamers as the four common types encountered), most people prefer to call them by a more famous term.
Zombies, after the black magic/voodoo mindless slaves of the same name.
As for the remaining ten or so percent of the human race that had stayed relatively normal, those from scientific and medical backgrounds were able to discover that they have a pseudo-immunity of sorts when it comes to the virus. This was considered as such as the virus happens to be transmitted towards them like those who aren't immune, but it lies dormant, never affecting any part of them until that person dies, where it immediately begins to kickstart the brain as a form of self-preservation.
If you've watched zombie movies or played zombie games, then you know which places where affected first and which ones were able to postpone it slightly. Highly populated countries such as the United States of America, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, the United Kingdom/Britain, the Russian Federation, and the People's Republic of China had fallen relatively quick while surrounding countries were infected next and the countries after them and so forth.
That was over twelve years ago, luckily for the world the virus was able to be contained for long periods of time (ranging from a few weeks at least to a whole year at most) in the major countries, saving (relatively) many lives.
But this was not a happy ending. With the slow collapse of society, many had found opportunities to further cripple the already uneasy government. This caused the survivors to start panicking and, not trusting the collapsing government, begin fleeing to parts all over the world with varying degrees of luck. Nowadays there are bandit groups and even international smuggling rings, avoiding the infected hordes to the best of their abilities.
If one were to visit Russia in these dark times, their best bet of safety and good shelter would be the base for the combined survivor group known as Elysium, known as Fortress Brave. Elysium was created when various survivor groups have banded together to survive against the infected threat that was far greater than one other.
The base itself was massive yet it didn't stand out as much from the rest of its surroundings as a majority of it was deep underground. It was octagonal in shape and it covers a wide area of around one hundred and sixty-three thousand acres, much like Fort Bragg in the United States. Its surface consisted of various hangars for aerial vehicles such as cargo planes, to large barracks to house the troops on guard duty/shift, and to fortified towers rising in its various corners. There are four gates, large enough for five tanks placed together side-to-side to pass through, on the North, South, East, and West areas of the base.
Its main source of interest would be the large compound at the center of the entire base. This compound housed the highest ranking officials currently onsite of Fortress Brave as well as their more valuable members of the scientific and medical fields. It sported heavy security, much more so than what the fortified towers and the rest of the base had to offer, as heavily geared soldiers holding machineguns such as Dragonfang MG249's and/or Nykorev P63's guarded the ground areas while bodysuit-clad soldiers with suppressed Scalar SMG9's and/or Peacemaker PDW90's patrolled from their elevated positions. There were even snipers on the rooftops with Grizzly AMR82's, Timberwolf SR14's, or Ekho SR200's to provide heavy yet precise stopping power support for those below them.
Because of how late it is at night, not many regular civilians are seen anywhere outside of the designated areas (which resemble small cities that are well maintained to keep up morale for everyone in the group), leaving the more capable personnel such as soldiers to do their routine patrols in case of any forms of infiltrations from well-organized bandit groups.
Our story starts in one of the main laboratories of the compound, more specifically in one of the larger laboratories.
"So what exactly did you want me to see here, doc?" a gruff voice asked. The speaker was a large man, seven feet and four inches tall, with the appropriate muscular build to back it up.
He was currently wearing a navy blue uniform shirt with the symbol of Major on both upper parts of the sleeves and the white symbol of a peace sign with two wreathe leaves below it on the upper left breast area. His pants consisted of light gray combat pants with metal plates designed for high degrees of protection while retaining the same range of movement with regular combat pants. His gloves were also light gray in color, with pieces of metal covering it much like the metal gloves of a knight. His pants were secured with a brown belt while another secured the ammunition pouches for his magnum handguns. His arms and shoulders were also covered in armor, and his torso was protected with a dark gray combat/tactical vest with their pockets meant for his combat shotgun, all providing high degrees of armor and good ranges of movement. His dark gray hiking boots were reinforced with steel plating, ensuring protection even in his feet.
Wrapped around his neck was a desert scarf navy blue in color. His face was covered by a light gray gasmask and his head was protected by a navy blue Stahlhelm, with parts of the gasmask being modified to be worn in conjunction with night vision goggles. Judging from the slightly exposed neck thanks to the small gap of the desert scarf and the gasmask, he sported medium brown skin.
On his legs, currently housed in their holsters, are two Desert Falcon Mk19 magnum handguns extensively modified with extended fourteen-round magazines of 12.7x33mm/.50 AE, ten-inch-long barrels, and thin, 8x (Eight-Power) Zoom scopes. Slung over his back and kept there with a sturdy and thick sling was an Iblis SG15 combat shotgun modified with a twenty-two-inch long bull barrel, an angled foregrip, a modified choke (muzzle attachments designed to improve the accuracy and extend the effective range of shotguns), a holographic sight, and a thirty-two-round top-fed horizontally aligned magazine of 12G-76mm (12 Gauge, 76mm/3-inch length Magnum cartridges). Sheathed on his hips were two machetes whose blades were reinforced and were around thirty-six inches long with the handles were modified with knuckleduster grips.
This man is Enrique Vasquez, a veteran member of The Coalition, an international paramilitary organization and one of the main contributors to Elysium's firepower and manpower, and over all a highly skilled survivor and ex-mercenary. He is currently fifty-four years old yet still moves as if he were half his actual age.
His arms were currently crossed as he was talking to the person seating comfortably across from him.
This person was female, at thirty years of age, with average build and height of around five feet and eight inches. She sported light-colored skin, in contrast to Enrique's own medium brown skin, with eyes the color of light blue and, oddly enough, light pinkish-purple hair tied up into a ponytail that reached to her middle-back. She wore the standard medic outfit of Elysium, plain white uniform shirt and bottoms with two dots just above the left breast pocket and the symbol of a red cross on her left shoulder to signify her status. What wasn't part of standard medic uniform, however, were the pieces of jewelry she was wearing on her person currently. Around her neck was a necklace holding a locket while there are two earrings on her left ear.
This is Doctor Emily Swanson, one of the medical personnel of Elysium and formerly a nurse-in-training prior to the virus outbreak that had occurred so long ago.
Doc Swanson simply gestured to the paper clutched in her left hand. "It would be this, Enrique," she said calmly as she handed him the papers.
"The research teams were able to finish a working, and relatively safe, prototype for warp technology. They're looking for some brave… candidates," she spoke.
"You were going to say test subject, weren't you, Swanson?" The medic in question simply shrugged
"I try to break the news lightly to people. You know me, Enrique, I don't like worrying my patients," she explained as the large man simply nodded as he read the papers.
"I take it that this warp platform's like the one in the Berlin sewers?" He asked while remembering what had happened during one of their Berlin scavenging runs. Never again will he disregard history.
Doc Swanson nodded and elaborated.
"The eggheads at Scorpion-7 are currently doing their best to keep this platform as quiet and as stable as possible." Scorpion-7, one of the leading companies in the scientific community, known by many to be highly versatile, S7 has branches meant for different fields of science and even has a few branches in the military aspect of civilization, what with their Shadowstalker experimental railguns being tested by various military organizations prior to the virus.
"You mean to tell me that there were malfunctions before this test?"
"What'd you expect? This is science, not magic, old man," Doc Swanson answered as she did a little stretch. Enrique simply palmed his face with his free hand and dragged it downwards. This day just gets better and better, he thought as he continued reading the document Doc Swanson handed to him.
"Where're we testing this?"
"In this very compound, tomorrow," her answer made him pause before looking at her in surprise.
"And why wasn't I informed of this sooner?" Swanson sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Taking a few deep breaths, she then answered his question.
"Because it was all rushed to be written. The guys at Scorpion-7 got caught up in their experiments, they forgot to inform just about everyone else," she explained as Enrique handed back the document.
"Christ… so that means the Council doesn't know either?" The Council, Elysium's governmental body for retaining order within the group and their locations as well as their allies. Currently, the Council has ten members, each of them experienced and high ranked amongst their groups.
"Actually, they do, but they were just busy with other things such as finding Aegis and stopping them," Swanson said as she lazily spun in her rotating chair. Enrique simply kept silent before looking at the document again.
"I'm guessing we're testing this sometime in the late afternoon tomorrow like how we always do?" Swanson shook her head before replying.
"We'll be conducting this test just before lunch," Enrique glanced at her.
"You're serious? You do realize there will be a lot of civilians by that time and there are chances that they'll be hurt when things go south," Swanson simply raised her hand.
"Hey! We've got this covered, alright?" She grabbed the documents to prove her point as she continued to lazily spin in her rotating chair.
"The test will be done in one of our more secure labs so no one gets hurt."
"There're still the candidates you wanted."
"Let me rephrase that. Nobody important will get hurt. Better?" Enrique sighed as she gave a cheeky smile.
"Why do I even bother?" With nothing else keeping him here, he leaves the room he and Doc Swanson were just conversing in.
As he cleared the sliding doors, the mercenary-slash-veteran survivor was greeted by someone he had once considered an enemy but now he considers that someone as a good friend.
This person was six feet and five inches tall, with the build akin to an adept swimmer or runner. He wore a white short-sleeved shirt underneath some Kevlar body armor. His leggings consisted of blue jeans and his footwear were a pair of sneakers that had seen better days. He had a fair face, a surprising thing to see in a dying world although one can always chalk it up to the person simply grooming himself clean as a preference, with blood red eyes and raven black hair that was done in a way that the main bang was somewhat covering his left eye. Around his neck was a black cloth mask with some goggles designed for harsh blizzards or sandstorms or any similar natural phenomenon. On his right wrist was a tattoo depicting interlacing stems of two roses, while his left wrist had a watch that was nondescript at best.
This was Nikolai Prozodnikov, a member of The Syndicate, formerly a rival faction to the Coalition and one of the largest bandit groups in this dying world as well as the main force of Elysium that does scavenging runs of the high risk variety, and one of the more skilled fighters amongst Elysium's younger group. He is currently at twenty four years old.
"Lemme guess, old man," Nikolai faked a thinking pose, "Doc Swanson asked you to be one of the candidates." Enrique simply deadpanned from behind his gasmask/NVG combo before shrugging.
"I don't really believe that shit could be possible."
"Come on! What about Berlin?"
"That was different. There, it just threw us inside of Castle Neuschwanstein. This?" Enrique shakes his head in disbelief, "I don't think there's a more appropriate thing to call 'Bullshit' on."
The two walked down the halls of the lab, conversing on the way out of the main research facility.
"Still though, gramps, could you just think of the possibilities? To finally be able to escape this hell that we dug ourselves in," Nikolai spoke with a light tone.
"Optimistic as your thought may be, kid, I'm still skeptical about all of this," Enrique said as the two walked out of the doors of the main research facility.
"It's too ambitious."
"Still would be nice, though. To be in a place not infested with zombies, it just gives me some good goose bumps thinking about it," the young Russian man said, rubbing one arm absentmindedly.
"Look," Enrique spoke, facing Nikolai as they approached one of the working elevators/lifts to take them down to the lower levels of Fortress Brave, "we'll talk about this in the morning. I had a really bad run tonight."
Keeping silent, the Russian scavenger nodded as he and the Filipino ex-mercenary began to descend into the lower levels of the massive complex.
This will continue in the morning.
[The next day/10:58:23 AM/Fortress Brave Testing Grounds]
Nikolai stifled a yawn as he looked at the other candidates that were handpicked for this experiment. He looks over to the side to see multiple scientists, many formerly of Scorpion-7 and others working for various medical companies and whatnot, on their computer terminals inputting the commands to the large structure Nikolai and the other candidates were on.
It was a perfectly circular platform with two structures that resembled two thin rings which could rotate similar to a gyro (vertically and horizontally), with the larger one passing on certain frequencies to the smaller one each time they would perfectly align with one another vertically and horizontally. Multiple grooves run along them with secured wires bare for all to see.
Beneath each candidate were lit up circular platforms, wide enough for someone holding a large bag of supplies to fit should there be glass encasing them.
One of the speakers started up, the voice that of an old Scottish man with a good amount of strength left in him.
"Alright then, we're going to start up the machine. Now nobody move any limb outside of your designated circles otherwise we may encounter some slightly new variables that could cause this all to blow up."
Enrique gave a light grunt. "Ever straight to the point, Doc," he said with arms readying to grab at his Desert Falcons or his two machetes.
The other candidates looked at one another with unease, not exactly liking what could possibly happen should one put a hand or a foot outside of their circle.
"Alrighty, then," the voice said, with the sound of a few switches being activated, "commencing platform startup now."
As he said that, the two rings began to rotate, starting slowly before coming up to a high speed a minute or so later. As they did, multiple sparks shot out, always hitting the rings each time they would perfectly align with one another, resulting in it going faster and faster until it became a big blur to everyone either on the massive circular platform or outside of said platform. The candidates ranged from afraid to nonchalant about the whole ordeal as this all happened around them.
Luckily, the circles they were standing on were wide enough to fit five people at most, although for the sake of testing and for obvious safety reasons, only one person was one each circle. Nikolai used the wide space provided to draw one of his Lawgiver R1873's and begins to twirl it with one hand, the other currently unclenching and clenching rhythmically to the humming of the blurring and rotating rings.
In all honesty, Nikolai was nervous about this despite how he seems on the outside. There was a massive chance that this test would end up killing them all, causing morale to drop and many to start doubting Elysium's capabilities. Many would start to leave and form their own groups or, even worse, join them and leak whatever information they've got.
And yet he and the candidates were still standing here on their circles on this massive platform, none of them even making an attempt to bolt. Why, he would wonder. Why even knowing the big risk they are all taking, everyone on this very platform still stayed?
Then it hit him.
Despite the evident fear that lurks within them all, there lies hope. A hope that, if possible, there truly is a place free from the undead hold. A place where they and their families can roam free without fear or hate running through each of them. A place that truly lives up to Elysium's vision and meaning.
Paradise.
With that in mind, Nikolai smirked and pulled up his black mask, covering his mouth and entire lower face. As the rings were reaching full capacity of power, Nikolai saw some of his companions giving of an air of hope, with some readying their tools and gear and weapons and whatnot.
Giving a final twirl with his Lawgiver revolver, he holsters it just as the rings aligned one more time, making something happen.
"Reaching ninety four point seventy five percent and counting!"
As the rings continued to rotated and align with one another, a field of energy started to appear, creating a dome-like structure that began to glow a bright neon blue color, making many shield their eyes (including those who have protective eyewear to begin with).
Nikolai looked at Enrique, who was busy sharpening his two machetes via grinding their blades against one another. The large and aged survivor looked at him in return, both locking eyes and nodding at one another.
"It's at one hundred percent! Brace yourselves now, lads!" The old doctor's voice instructed through the speaker.
As soon as he stopped speaking, the glowing dome-like field of energy shifted from bright neon blue to a bright silvery white color. The candidates knew this was the point of no return for them. But still, they stood strong, those who hid their fear well readying themselves for whatever happens next.
Enrique twirled his machetes once before sheathing them, readying himself into a hunched position.
"Coordinates locked on and engaged… Teleportation in five…"
Nikolai cracks together his knuckles.
"Four…"
A pair of volunteer combat engineers readies their tools such as blowtorches and wrenches.
"Three…"
A female sniper checks the chamber of her Lockdown SR25, satisfied to see a 7.62x51mm Hollow-Point round locked and loaded.
"Two…"
A heavily armored soldier and a vehicular crew readies themselves, the heavy soldier spooling up his Hell's Fury P134 and the crew revving up the engine of their Vodnik armored personnel carrier.
"One…"
White. That was all he and anyone else could see for the next five seconds before things went on a more… colorful route.
The first few came as flashes of red, the came orange, yellow and green. Then appeared blue and indigo, and violet came last before they all seem to blend in together, creating a epilepsy-inducing effect on anyone that lacked proper eye protection or had not shielded their eyes from the spectacle, although the latter did still catch or feel a few glimpses of the flashing colors due to the thin barrier the eyelids have when it comes to covering the eyes.
Then, everything went black.
…
…
…
…
"Experiment… a complete success… Receiving coordinates now…"
{Feoh/Eostia/Dusk/Year 556 Golden Age}
It had been a few months since the Kuro Inu had started their rebellion against the Seven Shields Alliance, attack many villages and towns in the North that were too far away for any swift action to be taken. Many had fallen and many had been taken as prisoners or even worse by their former heroes and their Orc allies. Many were caught off guard by the sudden rebellion, and thus were unable to properly prepare or ready themselves from future attacks looming over the horizon.
The private order of skilled female warriors, known by many as the Princess Knights, were able to keep up the morale and even hold off some of the attacks that were a little too close to home. These females are the pinnacle of their respective trade, with many saying they need only look at their foe to slay them swiftly.
Of course, they are exaggerations of their true capabilities. Each of them was highly skilled, yes, but they all had their shortcomings. One such, at least for one of their members, was patience or the lack of such virtue.
A female groan accompanied by the sound of arms sliding against the wooden table brings us to one of the Princess Knights themselves.
If standing, she would be around five feet and nine inches give or take, with healthy white skin to compliment her slim frame. She sported armor on her arms and legs (from the knees down), pearly white with golden trims, these pieces of armor slim enough to look like gloves or stockings from a distance and with a few letters inscribed on them. Underneath her gauntlets are brown gloves that reached all the way until just above her elbows.
Her torso's clothing consisted of a blue short dress with a rather short dual skirt that didn't cover her front that much, which was thankfully covered by a white piece of cloth with golden trims, the dual skirt sporting an azure blue for the upper skirt and a pearly white for the lower skirt, with her upper chest and her stomach exposed through their respective openings. Her lowers were covered with brown stockings, and the rest below the knees are covered by her slim greaves that blend neatly into her heeled white shoes. Adorning her forehead, with two bangs going over it, is a rather ornate metal headband with two low-lying oval domes on the sides. Her neckwear consisted of a brown collar with golden trims, accentuated by a short red scarf.
Her facial features weren't anything to shy from, either. She had purplish blue eyes that held a certain kind of fierceness behind them, with the bangs of her platinum-gold hair framing her heart-shaped face. Her platinum-gold hair was long and wavy, reaching down to her rear end but as she was sitting it currently reached her ankles.
This is Alicia Arcturus, heir to the throne of the kingdom of Feoh, one of the Shield Capitals of the Seven Shields Alliance. She was well known as a girl with a temper hot as her blade was sharp should someone irk her mood, as well as a beauty by the common folk. She is currently eighteen years old.
Currently, she was dealing with the pile of paperwork that had accumulated from either neglect or reports of Kuro Inu attacks. She shouldn't be here, writing back replies to all this paperwork. She had her servants and retainers to do just that! She was supposed to be out on the frontlines, battling the traitorous mercenary company and their demon allies, spreading hope to all under the protection of the Seven Shields Alliance.
Just as she had finished with what appeared to be the last of the paperwork, her retainer (technically, he was her family's retainer, but still!) had placed one more report, causing the heir to the Arcturus throne to groan in annoyance.
"Amel, I was just finished!" The retainer simply ignored her cry of annoyance and spoke.
"Lady Alicia, this one report just recently reached our men. Surely one more wouldn't hurt for today?" He smiled, one not exactly genuine but one done to hopefully avoid the young princess's wrath. Said princess simply sighed before grabbing at her quill and ink bottle.
"I can't believe I'm stuck here doing all of this. Shouldn't this be Beasley's job?"
"Unfortunately, Lady Alicia, Lord Beasley has some 'family troubles' as he had put it, so he is, as for now, unavailable to read the reports you are currently working on," Alicia groaned upon hearing her family's retainer's words. With no other choice (other than obviously abandoning the paperwork, but she doesn't want to upset her little cousin Prim), Alicia begins to read the report.
As her eyes trailed the words, she dropped her quill as she grabbed the report with both hands. Reading it one, twice, before finally stopping at number three, Alicia couldn't help but look at disbelief.
"What kind of trickery is this?! Who in their right mind would occupy The Goddess' Peak?!" Alicia screamed in her mind.
The Goddess' Peak is a well-known mountain range in the continent of Eostia. It's called The Goddess' Peak as it was here, many, many years ago (about an entire millennium as an approximate), that the leader of the Seven Shields Alliance, Celestine Lucullus, had been born as the result of the reincarnation of a Goddess that had fallen in battle so many centuries prior.
As such, many on all sides have revered it as sacred ground that only those on Celestine's level could thread on without inciting the wrath of the Gods. At least, so the legends and religious groups say.
For an unknown group to dare occupy The Goddess's Peak… Alicia's eyes narrowed. No doubt the others will be enraged at this.
Finishing up the report, Alicia stood up from her chair and began towards the door.
"Mi-Milady! What of the letter?"
"I'll deal with it later, Amel. For now," she walks out into the halls of her family's castle, passing the servants as she heads down towards the stables.
"I've got a mountain to climb."
Well, that was rather short now, wasn't it? Well, this is meant to be a sneak peak of sorts for what I'm planning with this fanfic compared to my other Kuroinu crossover, DOOM: Puer Infernalis. Yeah, this chapter has 4k words (not counting the AN's) compared to that story's beginning chapter's 9k or so words. Not exactly my best moment here.
Now, you can tell this takes a bit of inspiration from the anime/light novel GATE with the occupation of what is considered to be a holy place (Alnus/Arnus Hill for GATE, and The Goddess' Peak for this one) and the arrival of an army technologically superior in every way.
Time to tackle the terminology I've had in this [Note: Will only use the terms on Earth's side of things]:
*[Elysium]: A massive group of survivors from various factions built many years after the end of stable civilization on Earth or Planet Terra as it was referred in the beginning. Elysium's name derives from the Latin word Elisium (which means Paradise), with many of its soldiers and staff dedicated to finding or creating a paradise for the survivors from the undead virus that now plagues it.
In terms of fire power, Elysium has more than enough guns, vehicles, ammunition, resources, et cetera to last many years (at least a decade, by their current activities). They also have access to some of the more complicated technology left behind in the wake of the apocalypse, although they are focusing on medical and scientific methods of the humane kind rather than those of the inhumane kind.
*[Fortress Brave]: The largest stronghold constructed by Elysium, Fortress Brave is a massive complex that's more massive than it appears as most of its floors are below the ground. Octagonal in shape, each point sports guard towers (heavily armored to protect from high explosives such as 160mm tank rounds) outfitted with medical supplies and communication equipment in addition to their weapon caches.
*[The Coalition]: A paramilitary organization that quietly begun during the unstable collapse of the United Nations, The Coalition aims to aid survivors and provide safezones for them away from the undead threat. Out of all the survivor factions (both independent and united with Elysium), the Coalition has more firepower and experience when it comes to various forms of combat.
It functions like a mix between a nation's own army, navy, and air force all rolled in together, evident by how the ranks of their staff are all from those three military areas. Their extensive knowledge of UN bunkers has allowed them access to more weaponry and vehicles in comparison to other factions, being the bulk of Elysium's military power.
*[The Syndicate]: One of the more noble bandit groups in post-apocalyptic Earth, The Syndicate is a group that had originated in Germany, starting out as meager raiders that attack in territorial dispute with any rival factions. They were originally rivals of the Coalition, with both groups attacking one another on sight and invading their bases scattered throughout Europe.
In a sense, they are the opposite of the Coalition in many ways. Where the Coalition is more uniform in appearances and strategic locations, the Syndicate is more feral and unpredictable in their methods. Their ruthlessness despite their more noble standing compared to other bandit groups allows them to take more supplies, being the primary supplier to Elysium's resources as well as their spy network.
*[Scorpion-7]: A government research organization armed with experimental weapons and vehicles and gear for the government to use. They also are one of the leading groups in the medical fields of science and in the scientific community overall, with various notables under their belt such as being able to quickly and safely do heart transplants and even curing cancer cells as two prime examples. They are also, however, responsible for the undead epidemic/outbreak/apocalypse Earth is currently in the middle of, albeit accidentally.
Now, they (at least, those who have survived so far) are tasked with finding a cure for the virus in addition to providing top-notch medical gear for Elysium to use.
*[The Council]: The ones behind the activities of Elysium, not much is known about these high-ranking individuals other than they are some of the best in their fields. Their word is the law around Elysium, making few uneasy being under their watch.
*[Aegis]: A mysterious organization that seems hell-bent on controlling the virus (and thus the infected) as well as annihilating those that oppose them, Aegis was originally perceived as government-funded research group (much like Scorpion-7). However, during the start of the outbreak on the islands of Hawaii, they are revealed to be much more than what many credit them for. Suspected with causing said outbreak (and perhaps many more), Aegis currently sits on top of Elysium's hit-list, with their soldiers and allies given orders to kill-on-sight or capture-if-possible. Compared to other survivor groups, who prefer to save as much or kill as much as they can, Aegis seems content with staying in the shadows and abducting vulnerable individuals or groups to experiment on according to the findings of the Coalition and the Unyielding on Hawaii.
*[The Infected]: Informally referred to as Zombies by many fans of various medium (games, comics, movies, et cetera), these are the creatures that have assured dominance on Earth, making up to over 90% of the population. Transmitted through a virus that had been discovered recently, the Infected can quickly turn an entire population of a large city into one of their own.
These creatures aren't intimidating at first glance; it is only when you fight them head on that you see the true terror they can invoke on you and your allies and foes alike.
Noted by generally all to be fast, the Infected can pursuit their prey (humans, animals, even other infected) at speeds of over 60 kilometers per hour, they only stop once they lose sight of their prey. These former humans shamble once in a while when unprovoked or stay still for hours on end, making navigation through an infested city particularly dangerous.
As the virus is centered at the brain, any blow elsewhere to their body only alerts them at worst or daze them at best. This makes aiming of your attacks key to surviving another day.
They also have subspecies of sorts, the four commonly encountered are as follows: Walkers, referred to as such due to their upright posture; Crawlers, named for their inability to move from the waist down thus making them resort to using their hands and/or arms for movement; Sprinters, named as such as they are at most 50% faster than Walkers, and; Screamers, notorious for their massive growths on their throats that allow them to release a scream that can blanket an entire city and alert the rest of the horde.
*[Dragonfang MG249]: A Belgian-made machinegun created in 1974 as an answer to the NATO's need for a lightweight, belt-fed machinegun chambered for their standard 5.56x45mm NATO/.223-Intermediate round. The Dragonfang is notable modular, being able to attach different types of grips, sights, stocks, and other attachments at a time compared to other machineguns in this role in addition to being lightweight, coming in at just 15.1 lbs., as well as providing rapid responses with its 800 rounds per minute fire rate. It is highly popular with militaristic and well-equipped survivors out there. {Real Life Counterpart: Fabrique Nationale Herstal Minimi/M249 Squad Automatic Weapon with Stoner 63 influences}
*[Nykorev P63]: A Russian general purpose machinegun created during 1963 as an upgrade to earlier Soviet machinegun/pulemyot designs. Firing the 7.62x54mmR Easter Bloc cartridge/round, the Nykorev is a powerful machinegun suited for various purposes from mounted use to handheld use. While not as modular as other, more modern machineguns, this Soviet weapon is more durable and stable during lengthy periods of firing thanks to its weight of 16.53 lbs. and its fire rate of 600 rounds per minute. It is utilized by guerilla fighters who either prefer more rugged and proven designs over modern ones or for those who cannot find themselves a lighter alternative for heavy firepower. {Real Life Counterpart: Pulemyot Kalashnikova/PK Machinegun or Pulemyot Kalashnikova Modernizirovanny/PKM Machine Gun with Ruchnoy Pulemyot Degtyaryova/RPD Machinegun influences}
*[Scalar SMG9]: A recent development prior to the outbreak, this US American-designed sub-machinegun is a highly modular and compact weapon found in the hands of various special forces operators around the world. Firing a multitude of cartridges (from the rather mediocre .22 Sportshot/5.6x15mm round to the hard-hitting, slow-moving 11.43x23mm Oakbear/.45 AOP), the Scalar has more customization options compared to other guns in its category. Its high rate of fire, just around 1200 rounds per minute, fully adjustable with the mechanism, allows it to provide rapid takedowns of hostiles ranging from humans to animals to zombies. Its mechanism slides downwards, on an angled position, rather than backwards, effectively translating to astonishingly low amounts of recoil to even novice shooters. Its main downside is that its many parts are fragile, thus making it a specialized weapon only, rarely being seen outside of such groups of individuals. {Real Life Counterpart: TDI/KRISS USA Kriss Vector}
*[Peacemaker PDW90]: An oddly sci-fi-esque firearm from Belgium hailing from the late 1980's to early 1990's, the Peacemaker is an interesting design amongst civilians and non-civilians alike. Its compact, ergonomic design allows the weapon to be concealed and drawn at a moment's notice. It fires the armor-piercing 5.7x28mm round specifically designed for this weapon and its pistol counterpart. Used by various elite guards and soldiers around the world, this Belgian wonder can fire rounds upon rounds without end in addition to the modularity it has. {Real Life Counter Part: FNH Project 90/P90}
*[Grizzly AMR82]: A US American-made anti-materiel rifle chambered in 12.7x99mm NATO/.50 BMG; the Grizzly is a powerhouse of a long range rifle. Famed in terms of iconic design, sheer stopping power, and for appearances in various forms of media over the years, the Grizzly was adopted by the US military as a specialized rifle since the late 1980's with the purpose in mind to penetrate heavy armor. Its low recoil can be attributed to either or both the massive muzzle brake on the business end of the gun to the heavy weight of the rifle itself. It is also responsible for one of the longest kill ranges in all time at around 2092 meters in Iraq. {Real Life Counterpart: Barrett Model 82 Rifle}
*[Timberwolf SR14]: A Canadian sniper rifle chambered in the 8.58x70mm cartridge/.338 Lapua Magnum and in service since 2005, the Timberwolf is a simple and reliable bolt-action rifle. Due to this, it is lightweight compared to other sniper rifles in its category. Currently it is used by sniper units of the Coalition and Elysium, outfitted with rangefinders and a variety of scopes. {Real Life Counterpart: C14 Timberwolf Medium Range Sniper Weapons System/MRSWS}
*[Ekho SR200]: A Ukrainian copy of a US American prototype design, this sniper rifle is chambered for the 10.36x77mm cartridge/.408 Ekho and is designed for extreme ranges over nearly 3000 meters. It utilizes a diagonally-aligned magazine to the left of the weapon, making it stand out compared to other rifles of the category. Its body's design is odd compared to other rifles, making it appear otherworldly to those who don't know any better. It is currently the heavy-hitting sniper rifle in Elysium's armory. {Real Life Counterpart: CheyTac Intervention Sniper Rifle}
*[Desert Falcon Mk19]: An Israeli handgun chambered for a variety of Magnum cartridges (such as the 9x33mmR/.357 Magnum to the 11.5x35mm/.454 Casull) and some Wildcat cartridges (such as the 10.4x22mm/.41 Action Express to the 12.7x33mm/.50 Action Express), the Desert Falcon is an unconventional sidearm to see, let alone carry on-duty, around differing parts of the world. Few special forces of certain countries use the weapon, but most find it highly impractical due to its massive size. It shines, however, in the wake of the infected outbreak, being one of the few weapons able to blow open the bodies of the zombies, making it a choice of heavy firepower in a compact package for many experience survivors, especially those who prefer to travel lightly. {Real Life Counterpart: Israeli Weapons Industries/IWI/Israelis Military Industries/IMI Desert Eagle Mk. 19 Handgun}
*[Iblis SG15]: A Turkish bullpup dual-mode combat shotgun designed in 2006 and in service since 2008, the Iblis is a peculiar looking shotgun. Featuring a top-mounted, horizontally-aligned magazine, the shotgun is more compact compared to other high end shotguns that exist. Chambered for a variety of shotgun gauges (ranging from the easy-to-handle 20 Gauge to the ubiquitous 12 Gauge, from lengths of 2 ¾ inch to 3 inch shells), the shotgun provides for a variety of situations ranging from hunting to general and even specialized combat. There are a few issues such as earlier variants malfunctioning to others being unwieldy for smaller people, although the later models created during the apocalypse remedy these and other such issues. Highly modular, it is issued to specialized soldiers, who are known to regularly do maintenance on their equipment, guns included. {Real Life Counterpart: UTAS UTS-15 Shotgun with Monolith Arms P12 Shotgun influences}
*[Lawgiver R1873]: An old fashioned revolver from the good old days of the Wild Western frontiers, this handcannon is a hardy veteran of different types of conflicts ranging from duels to shootouts to full out wars, even. This particular model is chambered for the 11.43x33mmR/.45 Oakbear Magnum, allowing for powerful shots to be fired from this revolver. Thanks to some customizations, it can properly cycle through a variety of modern gunpowder loads although black powder loads can cause fouling on the gun. A favorite amongst old fashioned gunslingers and collectors of firearms. {Real Life Counterpart: Colt Walker with Colt Single Action Army cylinder and loading gate}
*[Lockdown SR25]: A British-designed marksman rifle chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO/.308 Lynchpin cartridge, it is a modular weapons system that can be customized for various situations. Originally used by police marksmen prior to and during the outbreak, the Lockdown is considered to be well-rounded in various categories, making it a jack-of-all-trades type of rifle. {Real Life Counterpart: SR25/Mk. 11 Mod. 0/M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System/SASS}
*[Hell's Fury P134]: A Yugoslavian minigun (called as such as it is essentially a miniature version of a 30mm Vulcan) firing the 7.62x54mmR Eastern Bloc cartridge from a massive ammunition drum loaded from the bottom of the gun, the Hell's Fury is a handheld, portable multi-barreled machinegun designed to be used in situations regarding sheer volumes of suppressive fire. It is heavy, at over 45 lbs. not counting the ammunition drum or its power source (inserted beside the drum and connected to a specialized backpack), making it unwieldy for many aside from those used to carrying large and heavy objects. Firing at over 6000 rounds per minute, it is the ultimate weapon for sheer firepower thanks to the variety of ammunition it can utilized. {Real Life Counterpart: Model 134 Minigun}
*[Vodnik Armored Personnel Carrier]: A Russian made armored car designed to carry 10 passengers (including the driver), the Vodnik is a durable vehicle and one utilized by Elysium and its sub-branches in roles of rapid response teams and raiding groups. Its armor can withstand a variety of pistol calibers to battle-rifle calibers, but specialized rounds can still penetrate, making it dangerous for the crew of the vehicle in areas of heavy conflict. {Real Life Counterpart: GAZ-3937 Vodnik}
Well, that's done and done. Lemme know what you guys think of the this beginning chapter and tell me (through reviews or PM's) whether this should be a crossover or not.