Author's Note: The first character submission is now closed. Now, I know you don't want to listen to me talk right now, so I'll step aside and let you read the chapter.
A New Player
Maxwell Diovni sat hunched over his desk, shuffling through reports. Commanding the forces the size he did was trying. Doing it on almost every world that had been discovered was even harder. And keeping those worlds in need of his services was the hardest yet. He sighed and swiveled his chair around to the large window behind him. Clouds difted lazily by the floating fortress. Diovni brushed a button on his desk and the scene changed. The bright blue sky became brown dirt, the white clouds darkened to smoke. Explosions shattered the earth as soldiers rushed forward. A tank rolled onto the scene. Diovni brushed another button and the thunder of artillery and crack of gunfire echoed through his chambers. The view zoomed down, to a soldiers helmet. A man turned to him. "Get your ass moving buddy!" The camera lurched forward as the man ran forward. A rifle came into view and sighted down at an opponent. The barrel blazed as the rigger was pulled. Blood flew up into the air.
Diovni smiled and closed his eyes, listening to the chaos. He reached over to a computer and typed in a brief command. Artillery roared and the soldier's camera feed exploded. Screaming drowned out all other sounds. Another dirt and blood streaked face entered the screen. "Bryan!" He turned away. "Shit. Medic! Medic!" He turned back to the camera. "Don't worry buddy. We're gonna get you patched right up." Blood spurted from his chest, painting the camera red.
The door behind him opened. He knew who it was before anything was said. There is something that may interest you on satellite 23's video feed. Diovni opened his eyes as Raize changed the feed. DAP soldiers were rushing through broken down back alleys towards a lone figure. He stood alone in the middle of an intersection, head bowed, dressed all in black. Diovni narrowed his eyes and zoomed the camera in. An overcoat hung from his shoulders. Diovni's eyes traced the spiral pattern on his back. He started to turn slowly to Raize. Wait sir. Raize motioned to the screen. Look.
On screen the strange man suddenly spun, just as the first Diovni troops neared him. He thrust out his arms and three rods flew from their holsters on his thighs. As they raced towards his outsretched hands they combined into a single six foot long spear. He twirled his weapon and thrust it into the chest of an oncoming soldier. Another rushed him from behind, but he pinned that soldier to the wall with the point on the opposite end of his spear. He flipped to the side and spun the spear in a circle, decapitating three more men. More and more soldiers rushed him from all sides, and he beat each of them back. He stabbed, twirled, jumped. Diovni watched in fascination. "Who is he?" he asked, leaning back towards Raize, his eyes never leaving the onscreen combat.
We don't know sir. He might be a mercenary hired by a rebel faction.
Diovni nodded. "What units do we have in that area?"
Raize looked at him. There are five squads of the Claw in within a mile. He adjusted his pistols in their holsters.. Svanimii agent Jillian is also out with a squad testing Leek's Chaos Embryo project. I assume that is what you really were asking.
Diovni smiled. "Excellent." He rotated back to his computer. "Have three of your squads move to intercept. They are only to engage the target as necessary to keep him in place. The Svanimii squad will then come in and capture him." Raize nodded as Diovni waved him lazily away. Riaze warped away in a burst of pitch black flame.
He appeared down on the surface, overlooking the warrior. He stared down at him as he butchered oncoming DAP troops. Attention all Shadow's Claw units in the area. Raize broadcast his orders out to his troops. The three squads closest to my posistion are to report to me immediately. Engage no hostiles and await further orders. He felt a series of affirmative impulses from his squads in his mind. Five minutes later he was surrounded by twelve of the Claw. Raize motioned to the man below. Move to overwatch positions. Make sure he doesn't leave this area until Svanimii agents arrive. Then you are to fall back to your previous postitions.
One of his men stepped forward. "Sir." He began hesitantly. "Why are we doing this? It seems to me that we should just-" Raize cut him off with a stare.
Fourth Claw Julius. It is a little early in your career to start that kind of thinking. He turned back to the man below. The Svanimii will be here in a few minutes. Go, set up your positions. The Claws nodded and disappeared over the edge of the building with rappeling equipment. Others leapt to nearby buildings. Soon, Raize was all alone again. Attention all Diovni Arms and Protections mercenaries. He broadcast his voice out to all the soldiers within range. This is Warlord Raize, commander of the Shadow's Claw corps. You are called to cease and dissist attack of the unknown combatant. All units report back to the nearest base for further orders. Svanimii agents are inbound to take the combatant.
Below the soldiers quickly pulled back from the attack. The lone warrior was left alone in the middle of the streets, panting, leaning on his spear. He hung his head, beads of sweat dripping from his bangs. Suddenly he snapped his head up and dove to the side just as two Svanimii agents, clothed in their full body suits, buried their clawed hydrolic powered legs into the ground where he had been standing. Two more rushed him from behind, knives drawn. He blocked their strikes and jumped away, twirling his spear and readying himself for another attack. However, instead of assaulting him, the four sheathed their knives in leg sheaths. Backing away they stood in a line as a fifth figure advanced.
Jillian walked past her squad, her mask pulled up over her face. She stopped, her hands on her hips. "Warrior of unknown affiliation, I am Svanimii agent Jillian. You are hereby called upon to lay down your weapons and submit to our custody. Any further attempts to resist will result in us utilizing extreme force to take you in."
The man sneered at her, "Bring it bitch." and hurled his spear. The Svanimii all lept away, the claws on their suits' legs anchoring them to the surfaces of various buildings.
"Very well, we will bring you in by force." Agent Jillian looked about to her squad. "Svanimii, ready the CEs." Each of the Svanimii raised their left arm, pulling a syringe from it's case below the wrist. A small valve popped up from under each of their left elbow pits. Inserting the needle of the syringe into the valve, they injected the silvery substance in the syringes into their arms, shuddering as the power washed through them. "I give you one last chance to turn yourself in peacefully." Jillian shouted down to the stranger. He just strode forward casually and tore his spear from the ground they had been standing upon. He adjusted his grip and got into a ready stance. The chains from his waist, left arm and right leg clinked. "Svanimii, brace!" Jillian called out. "Iniating Protomateria." Blue light eminated from her chest. "Empowering Chaos Embryos." Silvery light surrounded the other Svanimii. "Remember," Jillian called through gritted teeth. "Subject is to be taken alive and without any permanent damage." The blue light around her exploded outward, washing over the other Svanimii.
One by one they fell to the ground and lay there motionless. Jillian slid down the wall and fell to her knees groaning. The strange man smirked. "Was that supposed to impress me?" He began to stride forward, spear at his side, when a monstorous roar echoed from behind him. He turned just in time to be slammed to the ground. One of the Svanimii stood over him, her foot digging it's climbing claws into his chest. She attached a gauntlet with two blades coming from it to her right hand. Electricity arced between the gauntlet blades. She roared again, raising the weapon over her head for the death blow. The man turned his head to the right, thrusting out his hand. His attacker was knocked from him by a large peice of rubble. He lept to his feet, bring his spear to his outstretched hand just in time to block the attacks of two more Svanimii armed with the electro-claws. He stumbled back, clutching at the wound in his shoulder from the first one's feet claws.
By now, all five Svanimii were up and advancing towards him. Their suits were torn, and black plates spiked out from their shoulders and elbows. Through the goggles on their masks, their eyes glowed golden. They all roared in unison, and jumped at the man. He spun, blocking and dogding, twisting his body to avoid their strikes, but it wasn't much use. He cried out as a blade was embedded in his thigh, sending electricity arcing through is body, then another claw stabbed him in the gut. He fell back, his spear dropping from his fingers. Blood dripped onto the ground before him. The Svanimii snarled at him, readying for another assault. He glanced around, looking for something to help him. Stretching out his arms, he concentrated with all his might. The pillars, holding the building behind him up began to shake, dust falling from them. Then, they cracked. With a wild cry, he brought his arms in, destroying the pillars and bringing the building down towards him.
He jumped forward, rolling past the berserked Svanimii. Summoning his spear to him with his mind he ran as fast as he could. Behind him he heard the beast like cries of his attackers as the rubble fell down on them. He stumbled into an alley way. Above he saw the flash of binoculars as the Claws trained in on him, but he disappeared from view. "Lord Raize." One of the Claws said into his radio. "Target has vanished. Probably some kind of cloaking technology. Request thermal scan from a satellite."
Negative. Came the reply in his mind. Report back to your previous position. Lord Duke will hunt him down.
"Yes sir." The Claw stood and gathered up his supplies, motioning for his squad to follow.
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Duke sat hunched over a drink at the bar. His greasy blond hair was falling over his eyes. Taking a final swig from his shot glass, he motioned for the bartender. The portly man swaggered over, wiping his hands on his apron. "With all to respect Lord Duke, maybe you should slow down on the drinks."
Duke looked up at him sullenly. "Just pour the drink." The bartender shrugged and poured a purplish substance from a jug into the shot glass. He gulped it down and motioned for another.
The soundproofed door behind him let in the gunfire and artillery crashes as Laurel entered. She took a seat next to Duke. "Why do you drink that shit? It makes your breath rancid." Duke looked at her angrily and gulped down another shot. She shrugged and motioned to the bartender. "Get me the usual Jem. You know, the one I showed you how to make in private?" She winked at him as he sighed and turned to the cabnit behind him to get her drink. Laurel turned back to her fellow general, flipping a lock of hair away from her breasts. Duke shot a look at her, eyeing the large amount of cleavage showing above her combat vest, then turned back to the row of drinks lined up before him.
"Whaddya want?" He growled, throwing back his head as he took another shot.
Laurel adjusted her legs, turning towards him. "Raize found a mercenary."
"Big wupdee fuckin doo." He took another shot. "Does that surprise you?"
She rolled her eyes. "He killed quite a few of our guys. Then managed to escape from the Svanimii involved in the Chaos Embryos experiments." Duke lowered his head into his hands. "Master Diovni wants you to go after him."
He rubbed his eyes with his palms. "Why can't Raize do it?"
Laurel laughed. "Did I mention that the Master wants this guy alive?" Duke grunted.
"Fine." He stood up. "Keep lining up the drinks Jem, I'll be back." He turned to leave when Laurel grapped his elbow.
"Wait up tiger, you ain't goin like this." She jammed a syringe into his thigh. Squeezing his leg she smiled. "Aw, you been working out for me." He gave her a poisonous look and shuddered as the drug purged the alcohol from his body. Then he swept out of the bar. Laurel turned back and picked up her drink, taking a long gulp.
Jem smiled. "Mistress Laurel, you really shouldn't give Lord Duke a hard time for drinking as he does when you drink that."
She licked her lips and smiled back at him. "But Jem, you know how it makes me looser. I lose all my inhibitions. And, I'm so much more flexible."
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The mysterious mercenary hunched over a fire, examining the puncture wound in his shoulder. Butchered soldiers littered the ground around him. He grimaced as he bound the cut with gauze from one of his victims' packs. He reached down and picked up his spear, spinning it behind him. There was a soft thunk as a sharp metal card embedded itself in the spear shaft. He turned to see Duke standing behind him, arm outstretched. "Not bad." He drawled in his Australian accent, twisting his left hand and pulling out a handful of cards. "But let's see just what you can really do." He ignited the cards and loosed them at his opponent.
The stranger jumped over the cards, raising his weapon above his head. Duke leaped to the side as the spear came crashing down, rolled and threw another two cards that embedded themselves in the stranger's leg. The mysterious warrior spun and jabbed his spear at Duke's abdomen. Duke caught it in his hand, stopping it before it could go very far into his flesh. He grunted and pulled it out of his gut. "Not bad." He tossed it to the side. "But I've seen better."
The stranger smiled. "Better than this?" He spun and struck with the other end of his spear. Duke lept back, landing on a building, throwing several grenades. They exploded around the warrior, sending debris through the air. It all froze in midair around the man. Rotating the rubble with his mind he hurled it at Duke. Whirling away, Duke tossed a handful of grenades. They struck the debris and exploded, massive balls of fire and smoke suspended in the air.
The haze of dust and smoke settled to the ground and the two combatants looked at each other. "Not bad. Not bad at all." Duke shouted down to his quarry. "I can see why Master Diovni wants you." He pulled his hand away from the wound in his gut. It was stained red. "What's your name?"
The young man took a step back. "What's it matter to you? You won't live long enough to remember it." He spun his spear and hurled it at Duke. Sidestepping, Duke wrapped his gloved hand around the shaft, just below the spearhead.
Stabbing it into the ground, he leaned on it like a staff. "Don't try and pull anything with me, kid. What's your name?"
The stranger glared up at Duke. "Ichirou. Ichirou Trace." Jumping back, he thrust his arm out. Three more rods out from his coat, forming a double headed spear identical to the one that Duke had taken. Taking a running start, he lept up at Duke. Duke smiled, and sidestepped again, driving the spear into Ichirou's back, knocking him to the ground, unconscious.
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Ichirou regained consciousness a few hours later. Moaning, he dragged himself to his knees, pushing his black bangs out of his ember eyes. Looking around, the room was entirely dark. No light to pierce the shadows. "Ichirou, good, you're awake." Ichirou jumped to his feet, reaching for his spear rods. They weren't there. "Your weapons are being held for now. Not because you are of any danger to me, but because they could be a danger to you." The oily voice continued, echoing around the room.
"Who are you?" Ichirou called out. "Show yourself!"
Harsh laughter filled his ears. "But can't you see me? I'm right here." Ichirou wirled around, searching for his taunter. "Hm, perhaps a less surreal form." In front of Ichirou the shadows quivered, tightening into the shape of a man, defining into Diovni's tall, dark suited form. Ichirou glared at him. "I'll be frank with you Ichirou." Diovni smiled coldly. "I am in the business of war. I need to have the best at my disposal. And, given the proper training, you could be one of the best." He walked slowly up to Ichirou, seeming to grow larger as he did. "I want you to join my organization as a Warlord. Not many have that honor, but I feel that you could be one of my most useful. So," he dissapeared just as he was about to walk into Ichirou. "What do you say?" He reappeared behind Ichirou.
"And why should I have to work for you?" Ichirou spun, thrusting out his arm, sending a ripple of psychic energy at Diovni. The shadows barely moved, and suddenly Ichirou was blinded by pain, held in the air by shadowy tentacles. Beneath him was the plummet to the ground.
Diovni shimmered into reality before him. "Do not play with me, Ichirou. Had Duke not been charged with capturing you alive, you would not have lasted long, nor against the Svanimii. I give you a chance to become as powerful as you can be. Do not waste it." He threw Ichirou back into the shadow room, which was now lit slightly by the broken window. "Will you swear allegieance to me?"
Ichirou struggled into a kneeling position and bowed his head. "I swear fealty to you, Master Diovni." Deep, dark, cold laughter echoed from the dark room.
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Author's Note: And the winner is... Eden R. C. with his entry of Ichirou Trace. I won't lie, the number of entries was kinda low, but they were all quite well thought out. In the end, it was very close between Ichirou and another exemplerary submission. Anyway, as a special treat I'm updating a second chapter today, mainly as an apology for it taking so long. I had both ready to publish Sunday, but they hadn't been approved yet, and my internet connection has been pretty spotty since.