AN: Warning - following chapter involves events that may jump the shark. To all readers on FFN: please refrain from mentioning these events in the reviews section on the version of this story. If you do not like them, then you are free to leave, but don't spoil them in the reviews - I am fine with people leaving my story because it does not match with their personal tastes, but I want them to judge it for themselves, not based on spoilers. Thank you for reading this.
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Shaking within the dropship's seat, I mulled over what I did and did not know regarding this portal. Wordlessly, I seethed over just how much of this portal was an unknown to me - what was causing it? What was coming through it? Was magic involved? Or was it super science? ARGH?! WHY DID I HAVE TO BE A COMMANDER WHO DIDN'T GET EASY SAILING?!
"You gonna keep raging impotently over there or are you going to try and study this portal?"
Thank you, Vivian.
"You're welcome. So, is there anything you know about the area we're going into, since the portal is an enigma?"
...Well, actually, there was one thing I knew about it - the portal seemed to be generating radio interference at 87.6FM, but while I remembered that being important from somewhere, where exactly that came from was currently beyond me.
"Eh, good enough for me. So, any reports of Faro machines in the area?"
"Not particularly many, though the tribes say this place is guarded by something called the Dread Shadow-"
"WARNING: INCOMING PROJECTILE! TAKING EVASIVE-"
The automated voice was cut off by an explosion shaking the aircraft, at which point we started spiraling out of the sky. Without warning, Viv grabbed me and jumped out of the falling vehicle, a jetpack materializing behind her. With minimal difficulty, she found a clearing for us to land in. Moments after we touched the ground, the aircraft crashed, producing a noticeable explosion.
Before I could compliment Vivian, a shadow loomed over us. Looking up, I found myself staring at a peculiar looking Faro machine - while the basic shape was one of the chariot line, it lacked legs, instead having four rotors that allowed it to hover in the air. It reminded me of a Quadrotor from the second Call of Duty: Black Ops, but significantly bulkier.
"You got any idea what that thing is?"
'No, but Coeus did finally give me a database on Faro robots he fought against, so let me look through it...Also, I can't believe that thing hasn't seen us yet.'
"It's still looking over the crash site for survivors."
'Touché...ah, found it!'
"And it is?"
"FAS Kite - an aerial version of the Scarab. It's designed mostly as a resource acquisition system, though unlike the Corruptors, it was also intended as a harassment unit. Really, though, its meant to be a general purpose aerial unit - scout, fighter, engineer, you name it, the Kite can do it."
"I see. So, how do we kill it?"
"Honestly? I'm just gonna drop a laser on its face...right now."
A pillar of light shot down and - where the fuck did that shield come from?!
...Oh crap, its staring at us.
The two of us just barely leapt to cover as the machine fired a set of mortar equivalents in our direction, obliterating the ground we had been standing on.
"Where the hell did it get a shield from?"
Like I know, Viv!
"I believe it cam from their Eclipse's mysterious benefactors, boss."
Wait, Synais? Why are you the one talking?
"Because Fide and Kathikon are trying to figure out that shield's weakness. And to explain my previous statement, the shield seems to match up with the technology form that robot that tried to suicide bomb you...well, at least from the samples and pictures we have of it."
I see. So, any advice on how to kill it?
"At the moment, I'd just suggest shooting at it and seeing if anything works."
Before I could grouse at how vague that plan was, Vivian materialized a rifle and shot at the machine...and amazingly, managed to hit it, if the sparking was any indication.
"Interesting. Could you ask Viv to shoot it with something that goes boom?"
"Um, you know I can here you."
"Yeah, I just like hearing the sound of my own voice."
Rolling her eyes, Vivian materialized and fired a rocket and a lightning bolt at the machine. Both were intercepted by its shield.
"Hmm. It seems that the shield is designed to protect against extreme threats, but not minor ones. Looks like you'll have to whittle it down the hard way, boss."
Eh, wouldn't expect any less. But why would the Eclipse give the machine a wimpy shield like that?
"Odds are its just so they can observe how you fight - they probably have cameras all around trying to search your fighting style for any weaknesses.
...Fuck.
"Yeah. Now go and turn that toaster into scrap."
Easier said than done, but I like challenges.
"Then go crazy."
With pleasure, Viv.
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Darting out of cover, we fire at the machine, focusing on trying to damage its rotors. Caught off guard, the machine ended up having one of its rotors reduced to a sparking mess, though it was still able to keep itself airborne. Before we could get in anymore hits, though, it released some kind of pulse, causing a trio of corruptors to emerge form the ground. Glancing at Viv, we merely shrugged at the new annoyance and turned out guns to the ground based robot, deciding to hand warning each other about aerial attacks to Synais.
As the first corruptor fell to the ground, reduced to a sparking mess, I couldn't help but smile at how effective bluescreen rounds were. While they were only somewhat useful against the Dread Shadow, likely because it had been upgraded by Eclipse's mysterious benefactors, a quarter of a magazine of these bullets was enough to permanently knock a corruptor offline. Soon, the two of us had reduced the machines to sparking scraps, unable to continue a fighting. Without missing a beat, we turned out attention toward the Dread Shadow and fire again, blowing out another of its rotors.
Once again, it summoned forth more corruptors from the ground, which we easily reduced to scrap. A third hail of bullets knocked out one more rotor, sending the machine hurtling to the ground. Oh, how anticlimactic-why is the grounds shaking?
Out of nowhere a corrupted behemoth leapt through the air and landed beside the crashed Dread Shadow. Revealing tendrils much like those of the Corruptor and Metal Devil the Shadow heaved itself onto the behemoth's back, before turning its attention to us.
Sighing, we leapt out of the way of its charge and began firing at the behemoth's belly, trying to detach the cargo container. Unfortunately, as soon as that was gone, the Behemoth promptly activated its lifter modules and lifted us into the air, before chucking us away. A normal human would probably have broken a few bones from the impact, but Vivian and I? Just a little whiplash.
Getting up, I noticed that we were now within sight of the portal, which looked slightly different from the other ones I'd seen so far - this one occasionally seemed to produce what looked like floating glass shards. Somehow, I knew these shards were familiar, but I couldn't peg where exactly they came from. And any further musing would have to wait until the machines were defeated.
Speaking of the machines, the behemoth hurtled over a nearby hill, once again readying to charge us. Waiting until the right opportunity to dodge, we rolled to safety and blew out the freeze cannister and power cells, tipping the machine over and damaging the Dread Shadow.
It's response was to open up some compartments on the side and start dropping odd looking orbs, which the behemoth caught in its lift field and started hurling at us. We made to evade just before the explosions started - it turned out the orbs were bombs.
Instantly, an idea came to me. When the next set of orbs was released, I fired upon them. As expected, several detonated, further damaging both machines. Turning to Viv, I found myself surprised to see her channeling lightning once again. This time, though, she fired it at the airship crash sight...which was now right next to the behemoth, who was preparing to fire off another volley of bombs. And apparently, the shield didn't register this as an attack.
As the behemoth and its passenger struggled to stay upright, I turned my attention to Synais. "Is that shield still active?"
"...Doesn't look like it."
"Then let the heavens burn this thing!"
Once again, a pillar of light fell. But this time, there was nothing to block it.
Amazingly, when the dust settled, the Dread Shadow was still only, though my scans of it confirmed the machine was rapidly fading.
Vivian promptly took the opportunity to make a demeaning gesture at its face.
The machine responded by, somehow, starting up its last rotor and flipping itself upside down, at which point its underside opened up and oh god that is a lot of bombs.
The hail of bombs started embedding themselves in the ground around us, but none exploded. A quick scan revealed them to be delayed action explosives, similar to grenades.
Thinking only of survival, I grabbed Vivian and leapt into the portal.
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As soon as we hit the earth, I rolled off of Vivian and started looking around.
...Oh great, we're in one of those worlds where the dinosaurs survived on some island with tribal natives. Were we in King Kong's world?
Also, what are the modern people doing here.
What is that thing the rex is eating-Wait.
Nude body, eyeless face, three holes in the face?
...That's a future predator from Primeval.
Just who are these people?
Hearing someone whistling, I turned to face a man who looked to be about my age.
Without thinking, I spoke. "Who are you?'
"...I'm Tristan Saurus."
"...Seriously?"
"Yeah, I get that alot. Now, who are you?"
...I did not think about that.
"...Call me Phil."
...Yeah, he knew that was a lie.
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AN: So, yeah. For those of you wondering why I was focusing on updating Prehistoric Park: Returned From Extinction at the expense of this story for so long, this is it. I am crossing them over.
Really, I've been planning on doing this for a while - as in, more than two years. However, it was originally planned to take place significantly further into both stories. Then someone named Zuikaku on Space Battles suggested that I have the Prehistoric Park cast meet the creatures from Monster Hunter World, and since that's where I was for this story, well...
Also, just for the record, of all my currently posted and consistently updated stories, only the ones in the Prehistoric Park: Returned From Extinction mythos are crossing over with Conquest. Ten Zero, Phantoms of the Bay, and Lelouch of the XCOM are in separate multiverses.
Apologies if this is a deal breaker for your interest in the story. To those who still enjoy it, you support is appreciated.
Read and Review! This is Flameal15k, signing off!