[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You burn the Mirror

[Assistant]
To reply, she unclenches her fists. Fire burns the mirror until the blackness overtakes any ability to reflect. She stands in front of the mirror one more time before leaving. Now, it shows only darkness.

"I will become Fire Lord, but that won't make you love me either, will it? You killed my grandfather. You'd kill me too if it protected Zuzu. Well, I'll do that for you. I'll take your job when I become Fire Lord. I already took your looks. Zuzu will never be in danger again. Then, you will love me because you love Zuzu."

She leaves her washroom for a restless night of sleep. In the morning, she finds out her father will train her privately from now on. At least he loves her, right?

Azula avoids mirrors from then on.

[User] You 14

[Assistant]
Zuzu attacked her for the third time.

Looking back on it, she should've seen his betrayals coming. The first time Father told her to capture them. Of course, she would've ensured her brother's safety, even from Father. They got away due to the idiots that other people call royal guards.

The second time, he fought her when she was about to capture the Avatar. Maybe he wanted to be the one to do it. Taking that stupid, bald child to the Fire Nation does happened to be the only thing that allows him to come home. Until I become Fire Lord. It was a hard battle, especially after the Avatar's waterbending teacher, his earthbending teacher, and some idiot with a boomerang all showed up too. Also, Uncle got his fat butt to the battle. Since everyone seemed intent on killing the horrible, evil monster, she blasted Uncle in the chest with fire and ran.

Zuzu's change in attitude must be because of Uncle. He must've poisoned his mind against me just like Mother did. Uncle and Mother must've conspired against me. They want to take my only nice family way from me. Plus, Uncle must've never mentioned how she was the one who got him out of the Fire Nation when no one else could or would. Huh, he also never learned I was the one who made Mother save his life too.

There was no way Zuzu would run into her again, not until the war was over. Azula focused on beating the Avatar. Along the way, she happened to conquer Ba Sing Se. Well, she's about to, since this's where the Avatar has been around for weeks. Instead of the old men's tactics of bloodshed, she used infiltration and manipulation. Using the uniforms of an all-female squad of soldiers they captured, Azula and her friends infiltrated the city. I always knew taking Mai and Ty Lee with me would be worth it. Plus, Mai was bored, and Ty Lee realty needed to get away from that circus.

Everything was easy after that. Ba Sing Se is a police-state. She took over the police, recently undermined from the Avatar's meddling. The police seemed to believe the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Gullible idiots. She took over the police, so it's just a matter of waiting for the right moment before taking the city. Not a drop of blood will be spilt. She'll be done under a week.

The Earth Kingdom will fall. That isn't what excites Azula. Instead, it was that waterbender's news. While the Avatar and his other friends left for… somewhere like a bunch of morons, that girl instead stayed behind and visited a tea shop. She came running back to the palace yelling moments before their coup.

"The Fire Nation has infiltrated the city, I just saw Prince Zuko and his uncle!" she screamed to the first people she saw. Those people happened to be "friends and warriors" who were Azula and her infiltrators. She captured the girl. The waterbender looked to be her age. Perhaps she is a waterbending prodigy, the barbarian version of me? Ty Lee was happy to learn they won't torture the girl. Azula must scheme ways to get her brother back.

She came up with a simple plan. She would give a rousing speech to the traitorous police. Why are they called Dai Li anyway? All she then had to do was organize a simultaneous coup where all five Earth Kingdom generals were captured, use the police to break down the wall with earthbending, and request Zuzu and Uncle's presence for some believable reason. To anyone but Azula, this would be too difficult, but she's the perfect princess of the Fire Nation. She couldn't… can't fail.

She couldn't stop laughing when she learned what her brother and uncle were up to. They were small business owners. They owned a tea shop! The "great" general Iroh and the prince of the Fire Nation were serving tea to the snobbish high-born barbarians of the Earth Kingdom. In that case, she sent them a letter claiming the Earth King, who was nothing but the police's moronic and unsuspecting puppet, wanted them to serve tea just before sundown. Zuzu is more gullible than a toddler and Uncle would be glad to have such a "powerful" person request his tea.

All she then had to do was wait. She'd convince her brother to join her, the city will fall, and the two of them will wait for the Avatar to return. He doesn't seem like the kind of boy who'd leave behind a member of his entourage.

That's when things went wrong. If someone surrounded Azula with the police force and started talking to her, she'd stall and see what they want. Zuzu and Uncle ran before her brother's honor got in the way. He stopped an challenged her to an Agni Kai. Since she didn't feel like burning and embarrassing him, she told her Dai Li to capture him. They placed him with the waterbender in an underground cave. An odd place for a prison cell, but these people are barbarians.

Now, she waits for the Avatar. She can reason with Zuzu once he calms down. Who knows? Maybe he and the waterbender could get to know each other. No Fire Lord could ever have a waterbender as a wife or concubine, and that'd guarantee Azula's status as the next Fire Lord. Father will be so proud.

They do the coup. Everyone gets captured as planned. The leader of the police tries to double-cross her, but the police have more sense than their leader. Would execution or life imprisonment be better? She smiles. Maybe I could let the peasants of this city decide. I get rid of him and gain loyalty.

Oh, the earthbending teacher and the boomerang idiot also showed up during the coup. They're in a cell with the Earth King now.

That means only Iroh and the Avatar are unaccounted for. Azula sighs. Knowing Uncle's lack of patriotism these days and the Avatar's boyish gullibility, I'd suspect they're looking for Zuzu and that waterbender together.

She and her police head down to the underground prison. She left Ty Lee and Mai behind. Things could get ugly, so she wanted only expendable minions this time.

She sees all four of them. They aren't fighting. They're just… talking. Why isn't Zuzu fighting the Avatar?

[User] You zuzu Betrayed Her

[Assistant]
He… he must've betrayed the Fire Nation. He gave up on his quest to capture the Avatar, and now he joined forces with the boy.

Zuzu betrayed me!

She should tell the police to ambush the four, but rage clouds her judgement. She swoops down and fires lightning at the four. Uncle takes the blast and redirects it back to her police.

"Azula!" Instead of fighting, her brother grabs both the Avatar and the waterbender and drags them away. Uncle fires blast after blast at her. She stays on the offensive, but firebending power runs in the family. Well, Zuzu is the exception.

Seeing the three run away, she fires another blast of lightning at them. I might not be able to give much more. Zuzu doesn't see it in time. You fool! You weren't supposed to get hit! The Avatar does notice the cold, electric flame. He pushes her brother out of the way. Thunder erupts as the boy's body falls limp. The waterbender screams in anguish. Zuzu stands there like a dum-dum.

"Go!" Azula is forced to put all her attention on Uncle. He fights with a renowned fury. "I'll hold them off! Get the Avatar out of here. Be safe, my nephew!"

Zuzu nods with tears in his eyes. He slings the boy over his shoulder and drags off the waterbender with his other. Bye Zuzu. Uncle fights only long enough to hold off Azula and the police. Of course, the police only regathered themselves at the end of the battle, unable to regain their nerve after a few were fried when Uncle redirected lighting at them. Wimps.

He holds up his hands. "I surrender."

Azula strides up to Uncle with blue flames in her hand. The police earthbend the terrain around the aging man until only his face can be seen. She raises her hand to burn off the enemy's face but stops herself for a moment.

"Why, Uncle? Why did you make Zuzu join the Avatar?"

"I did no such thing."

She moves her hand closer but not close enough to hurt him. "Zuzu loved me, but now he joined the Fire Nation's enemy. That doesn't happen without manipulation."

He shakes his head, but his head doesn't move much in his earthen encasing. "You did that Azula. Your brother was tired of chasing the Avatar, but not one part of his heart wished to join them. You were the one who did that. You forced him to."

Azula turns her face away from Uncle to hide her cringe. Stupid! How could I be so stupid?

"Take him away. I don't want to see his face again," she says to the police. They nod wordlessly. She walks away, eager to leave this cavern of sorrows.

"Azula." She pauses. "You said Zuko loved you. That is not entirely true, since I'm sure he still loves you."

She breaks into a run.

[User] You 15

[Assistant]
"Zuzu."

After everything that happened to her in those fifteen years, it all comes down to this moment.

There he stands. Behind him, there's the waterbending girl. The Avatar didn't die. He attacked the capital during an eclipse. They couldn't bend. Only a dishonorable enemy would do that, but the Fire Nation repelled their attack.

Why! Why does Zuzu fight with the Avatar? He betrayed her! She wanted him to come home, but he sided with the Fire Nation's greatest enemy. Why? She knows why. MOTHER. It's her fault! It's not Azula's fault. Mother was the one who poisoned his mind ever since his birth. After she had to leave, Uncle continued. They turned Zuzu away. He even became the Avatar's firebending teacher! WHY!

Then, Mai betrayed her. She did it so Zuzu could've escaped. He was in her clutches! Azula was going to subdue her, then Ty Lee attacked her. WHY! It doesn't make sense. It doesn't compute. The world… the world doesn't work this way. She's Azula. She doesn't fail.

Then, Father left her behind to kill a bunch of Earth Kingdom civilians. He didn't see her as useful anymore. Why would? Everyone betrays her, so he discarded her like a used concubine. Why must everyone betray her!

She knows why. Mother was right. This entire time, she was right. I'm a monster. It simply took Zuzu longer to realize it.

"Sorry, but you're not gonna become Fire Lord today." He lights his hands on fire. "I am. I challenge you to an Agni Kai. You tried to kill me too many times already. Let's settle everything right here, right now."

"I accept."

For the first time in her life, she tries to truly injure her brother. She tried to hurt him countless times, but never did she want to cause so much damage. He fights backs using forms she never saw before, but the girl hardly recognizes anything. She focuses on trying to burn him, hurt him.

Why can't it all be better, when we were young? It was nice then. He didn't think I was a monster.

She did so much for him. He said she was his sister. LIER! He knows she's a monster. Monsters don't have brothers. Monsters don't have joy. They don't have friends or happy ending. Monsters have pain, and they give pain. That's it.

Why is everything on fire? Oh, I forgot. Today is Sozin's Comet! That's why Daddy's killing people and babies. Last time this came, my great-grandfather killed every airbender except the Avatar. Daddy's just gonna use this to kill more people! Why'd I forget that?

Some part of her mind tells her something inside is wrong. She's breaking, slipping. She ignores that voice.

Their flames are more like tornadoes. The palace, the courtyard, everything. There's fire everywhere. It's so hot. She uses her flames to propel her. Maneuverability is… good? Tactical. It's tactical for fights. Daddy says so.

Then, Zuzu throws a really big fireball at her. She keeps it from burning her, but she falls on the ground. That hurt. Zuzu hurt me!

"No lightning today? What's the matter?" He sounds angry. Why is Zuzu angry with me?

Two little voices in the back of her head tell her not to fire. One says he's her big brother, and she shouldn't hurt her big brother. Mommy wouldn't want that. The other one, one that has been getting quieter and quieter, tells he's planning something. He wouldn't taunt her into using her lightning unless he had a good reason.

She ignores both. She tries to clear all feelings, but she can't. The lightning comes anyway, not because she's amazing or perfect. She isn't amazing; she isn't perfect. The comet merely provides her with enough power. The lightning seems to be burning through her body, her mind, and her soul. Pain. So much pain.

Then, she sees the waterbender. She's close enough to be in the courtyard. Agni Kai's are for two fighters, but that girl stepped into the courtyard. It's a technicality but a victory. Azula won by default because Zuzu had an ally step into the dueling grounds.

I still want to hurt Zuzu.

She fires at her brother. He outstretches his hand as the lightning sink into his palm. He should be dead, an instantaneous death. Instead, the lightning seems to move through him for a moment. He raises his other hand and the lightning comes back out. Uncle taught him how to redirect lightning.

A great heat bites at her feet. An explosion rips through her ears before silence deafens her. For a moment, she feels wind blowing past her. No, she blows past the wind. The lightning hits the ground, and it launched her across the battlefield. She hits the stone ground with a crash. Her chest tightens. She doesn't get up. She can't get up. Instead, the girl spasms on the ground.

"Azula!"

Her vision darkens, but she sees her brother run towards her.

"Zuko, what are you doing?" It's that waterbender. She looks unhappy, unlike Zuzu. He looks scared.

"She isn't getting up!" He kneels beside her, but she doesn't stop him. She can't. I don't have a heartbeat, do I? He presses his hand on her chest for a moment. "No heartbeat! Azula will die!"

Wasn't that the point of this fight, dum-dum?

He cries and holds her hand. What a baby. "Katara! Can you save her?"

"No, I can't restart a heart. Maybe shock her again?" But Zuzu can't do lightning. He'd need perfect emotional control. Ha! As if. "What's the point though? This's Azula." Azula the monster.

He shakes his head and stands. "I'm saving her because she's Azula."

As her vision fades, she sees him waive his arms in circular motions. My big brother is trying to bend lightning as he's crying? If she wasn't dying, she'd be laughing at his stupidity. The dum-dum can't generate lightning when he's crying. Right now, he's anything but emotionally stable.

Azula's body convulses again from the shock. The tension from her chest goes away and her vision returns. The first thing she sees is Zuzu with the last traces of electricity fading away from his fingertips. He bent lightning for me?

He picks her up in his arms. "Katara, she needs healing. I know where there's water." Oh, she's a waterbender and a waterhealer. He runs and takes deep breathes.

Her body lies limp in his arms. Everything tingles and aches. Using all her fleeting strength, she asks a single question. "Why?"

"You're my sister."

No, I'm an evil, scary monster. Even as a child, I was unlovable. Not even Mother could love me.

"It's gonna be alright, Azula. I promise."

[User] You all Monsters Must Be Caged

[Assistant]
Azula doesn't move. They say she acted bad today, so they put the straightjacket on her again. It's also dark. Her cell doesn't have a window. The sun means fire. Fire means power. They want her weak, like a chained animal. It makes her scared.

"It's alright. I'm here for you."

No! No! Get away from me! You… You aren't real!

Her mother bends down, so they look eye to eye. "I will always love you, Azula."

"Shut up!"

For the first week or so, the guards would've responded to that. They would've asked the little princess why she told them to be quiet even though they hadn't said a thing. Now, they ignore her words.

"Azula, I will always love you."

She lets out fire from her mouth like a dragon from older times. It scorches the opposite side of the cell, but it doesn't change color. Ever part of the floor, walls, and ceiling are already a charred black.

Azula tries to get up, but she loses her footing and tumbles to the ground. Her head smacks against the cold stone. Her head rings.

She cries. It's just not fair. Everything is so scary. Part of her mind is… broken. She knows that. Maybe all of it. They try so many things. Some of them don't do anything. Other hurt. Nothing works. The doctors fear her. She burnt one of them just once, and now they're almost as scared as the princess.

"Azula."

THAT isn't Mother. She looks up, bleary from hitting her head so hard. She sees one person, but this time it isn't Mother.

"Zuzu?"

He smiles. "Yeah. Can I trust you for a moment?"

She sniffles. "No, I'm a monster." She closes her eyes.

He lifts her onto her bed and set her down. Not once did he grunt, nor did she feel his arms strain. The entire time, he continued to smile. Then, her brother loosens the straightjacket and takes it off her. She shivers from bad memories, but Zuzu isn't Father.

"Better?" He takes out a small cloth and wipes the blood on her forehead.

"Why are you here?"

"I visit every Tuesday, remember?"

"Oh…" She notices the crown on his head. "Are you Fire Lord?"

He nods. "I have been for over a year now, remember?"

She scrunches her eyebrows together before shaking her head. "Are you a good one?"

"I'm trying to be."

He sits down next to her. She looks at the ground, not knowing what to do. I never know what to do anymore.

She whispers, "I still see her everywhere, Zuzu." If she spoke too loudly, maybe Mother would hear it and haunt her again.

"Did you know I have ghosts too?"

She perks up. "Really?" She rests her chin on his shoulder.

"Yeah."

He touches his scar. It's a nasty looking thing. Why did Father hurt Zuzu?

"This is my ghost, Azula. I see it whenever I see myself. It haunted me for three years."

"But now it doesn't?"

"No."

"How? Tell me. Please."

He takes her hand in his and places her fingers on his scar. It feels lumpy. It looks like a red splotch, almost like blood on a battlefield.

"I accepted it, made friends with it. This scar is a part of who I am whether I like it or not. Azula, you will always be the daughter of our mother."

She frowns. "Then why did she never treat me like her daughter?"

He pulls her into a hug. "I'm sorry, but I don't know."

She hugs him back.

"But I'll always be here for you. You're my sister. I'll get you through this, and we'll do it together."

They end their embrace. Azula wipes more tears from her eyes. She leans into his shoulder and listens to his breathing. He just sits there, but the sound soothes her.

"Zuzu?"

"Yeah?"

She closes her eyes in fear. What if he says no? "Can you stay with me for a little longer?"

Azula feels his fingers wrap around hers. "Of course."


[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You its not worth it, keep mining the main tunnel

[Assistant]
You don't want to risk a tunnel collapse so you turn down the foreman's offer.

You work solidly for the next few weeks. You occasionally see the Officials from the miners guild and some officers from the army visit and watch them being greeted by the overseer and his daughter in their newly built house. From speaking to the other miners you find out that the overseer is also the owner of the new mine and a few others in the area, he moved from another country then made his way up from miner, to foreman, then staked his own claim after a few years. Now he travels to all his new mines and oversees their construction with his daughter doing his books and his cooking for him. You never hear about his wife.

You think its odd that he gets so many visits, especially from the army but you put them out of your mind as soon as the officials leave- the guild is nothing to do with the hired hands after all, only the owners.

[User] Months of mining

[Assistant]
You've been at the mine nearly three months now, the tunnels are going deep and several promising seams have been opened up, even the weak stoned tunnel is producing well now after a minor cave-in caused by logging right above it.

You know its nearly time for the hired hands to be laid off so you approached the foreman to see what the prospects are. He told you that most of the manual labor would be laid off within the week and sadly that included you, you'd been a good worker but with all the better positions filled he had no choice.

[User] You finish the week and head South

[Assistant]
You get your things in order and even if you didn't make as much as you'd hoped for, you still added a few good weeks living expenses to your purse.

There have been rumors lately of bandit activity on the road south so you talk to the other workers there to see what their plans are. One group is planning to leave on the day they are laid off and make good time down to the city because they want to get back to family there. The other south bound group plans to stay until all the small jobs are finished around the camp for a few extra coins then have a much more leisurely trip with stops off at way houses and farms along the way. The second group will turn up to the city nearly two full weeks after the first but your in no rush yourself.

[User] You rush back to the city with the first group, you may as well get back there.

[Assistant]
You all gathered on the Friday morning by the foreman.

"As you men all know, this mine is now officially up and running so the owner has employed one of the mining guilds to keep her running and turn a profit for him, they bring their own unskilled work as well as the their own guards so you'll all be paid up until today then free to go. You can collect you pay off me this evening or tomorrow morning."  as he turns to leave he pauses and says "Hmm for about 10 of you there could be some small coin in clearing the old shacks and tidying the place up, a few days light work for light pay." then he heads off to oversee the cutting of some wooden struts.

You and your group finish your days work as quickly as possible then a few hours before dark you file up to the foreman and collect your pay, the owner is a generous man and since the build went well he provides you all with some dried meats and provisions for the trip out.

You all head off South into the evening leaving the camp far behind you before stopping. Your days are pretty uneventful with a large group of men around you no bandits make an appearance and you all make very good time to the city, marching most of the days and taking few breaks along the way.

[User] You rushed arrival

[Assistant]
Your group makes it back to the city in what must be only a little short of record time and say your farewells at the gates, most of them running off to see wives or families. You take stock of the area then get yourself through the now alien feeling streets to your old area of the city and are relived to find it almost completely unchanged. You go to an old way house you knew in the hopes that the same owner was still running the place.

As you walk in the door a man behind a bar looks up and stares right at you for a full minute before saying "Well this is some triumphant return, look at the state of.."

Your coin purse drops on the table

"your huge full coin purse" he slowly finishes.

You grin and tell him you'll take his best room for the night and some hot food followed by whatever his best bottle of alcohol is then head upstairs to wash the road off your face. Your Old friend meets you as you come back down and tosses you a key as he lays a large bowl of thick stew on the table alongside a large bottle of mead with two glasses.

"two?" you point out.

"Well its not everyday an old friend comes back into town after years away, so since your now paying for an entire bottle of finest mead reserve I thought I'd close for the evening and join you".

You laugh and join him at the table sharing stories of the years since you grew up in the city together and went separate ways.

Very late the next morning you wander down nursing your head and see your friend behind the bar equally worse for wear. You wander over and take the mug of water he hands you. Over breakfast and a lot more water you tell him your plans now that your back in the city. Your goal had always been to get enough to settle comfortably in or near the Iron district, then as the months went by, maybe get into one of the guilds as a skilled worker or arrange with a company to be a free-lance worker on their books. Your years of experience with all good references would stand you in good stead.

[User] You decide that even though the rooms and food are basic at best that you'll stay renting from your friend for a few weeks while you check out the city and find a place of your own

[Assistant]
After an enjoyable two weeks at the inn you've found yourself a nice place up in the Iron district, Its just a single bedroom with kitchen and small lounge off it but compared to the last few years it seems like a palace. Even better its only a few minutes walk from several of the guild buildings and mining corporation offices so sorting out a job shouldn't be too taxing, after several months rest of course.You let your friend know that you'll be leaving the next day and he just tells you to come down for drinks as often as you like.

That evening you both sit down to share a drink and talk about how to make easy money (your favorite topic since you were 10 and he was 15 working for his dad in this very bar). You glance out the window and comment that its awfully bright out for the time of day when you hear the first screams.

You both rush out to see a massive inferno sweeping through the wooden buildings of the old quarter. You both turn to run but there is a wind coming off the sea pushing the fire on and the old wooden buildings are going up like kindling. In your blind sprint you both almost make it to the walls dividing the city's districts when the flames overtake you and the smoke makes you choke and fall, its not long before you are engulfed entirely in flames.


[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You need a hint

[Assistant] This riddle might look strange, since different parts of it seem to be describing different animals. Look at the riddle carefully and if it doesn't seem to make any sense, try looking at it another way. The answer's in there some where.


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] You fight

[Assistant]
Sure why not. People have fought wars over stupider shit than the attention of some young woman, besides if Miranda's willing to kill everyone just to be the only one left for Becky, its obvious she's pretty deranged. What would be stopping her from killing Becky too, if something went wrong their "relationship"? Miranda should be stopped just because she murdered Mark and Paul for that matter. Besides its like you told Xavier, you don't like running away if there's something you can do about it…and there's the fact that you don't buy Xavier's whole "I don't care" routine, not after taking a quick glance at some of his record logs of a couple private conversations he's had with Becky.

You ask the Shelter something before continuing your discussion with Xavier; the Shelter says you didn't even need to ask, as it was doing it anyway. Nodding, you go back to talking with Xavier.

OmegaMan23: I'm fighting her, and you should help me.
Shadow21: I told you I don't see why I should risk my neck.
OmegaMan23: Because if we work together we can easily take out Miranda, then we can work out our differences later.
Shadow21: Our differences? I told you I don't…
OmegaMan23: Cut the bullshit. I just glanced through some of your private record logs. In fact ALL of those private conversation were initiated by YOU!
Shadow21: Fuck! I thought I erased them all!
OmegaMan23: Yeah, well you didn't, I think it's obvious by the flirty comments that you DO have your eyes on Becky, though I don't know why you haven't made a committed move yet.
Shadow21: Because of fucking Miranda that's why. I figured I'd buy myself some time for preparation if I didn't get properly involved with Becky. I figured maybe Miranda would attack you soon, but she hasn't yet, I guess she doesn't know who's the bigger threat yet, I'm pretty confident that she wants to get rid of both of us though.
OmegaMan23: So let me guess, you're plan was either let me fight Miranda and probably let us fuck each other up while you finished off the winner OR scare me off completely and convince me to disconnect so then you'd only have to deal with Miranda. Am I right?
Shadow21: Sadly that sounds about right. Although I still don't see how you're going to make me help you.
OmegaMan23: Easy, because if you don't help me take Miranda down, I'm gonna send the whole record log to Miranda and I guarantee she'll attack you first and even if you disconnect she'll wait for you. So if you want ANY shot at Becky, you'll help me!
Shadow21: Arrrgh! Alright, I'll help! You gotta gimme time to prepare though.
OmegaMan23: Fine by me, I gotta prepare too. You got ten minutes; Miranda always comes online about this time so she should be here soon.

You disconnect from Xavier and address the Shelter about that business you asked it before.

"You said you recorded all that right?"
"Of course sir."
"Good send the entire conversation to Becky, it'll save me time to explain everything to her. Hopefully she'll realize I am trying to do this to protect her and to stop a murderer. Not mention it should expose Xavier for being a fucking opportunistic vulture too. Also add a message on to it that after she reads it there probably will be a bunch of shit going down and she should get off line so she doesn't get hit in the crossfire. And send Xavier's private record logs to Miranda anyway, it should give me some extra time to break through Miranda's protection while she concentrates her fury more on him."

While the Shelter carries out your orders, you do some last minute checking on your firewalls while waiting for the fireworks to begin.

Five minutes pass and you see Miranda's name arrive online.

Another five minutes pass and you see a private window pop up from Xavier.

Shadow21: YOU MOTHERFUCKER! YOU TOLD MIRANDA ANYWAY! SHE'S ATTACKING ME!
OmegaMan23: Well I suggest you stop talking to me and concentrate on her then, besides you had ten minutes of prep Mr. tech wizard.

"Alright Shelter, let's get to work."

You attempt to hack Miranda's files, and start trying to break down her protection. While you're trying to decrypt the coding, you get another private window pop up. It's Miranda this time.

MissKitty25: Fucking trying to sneak around huh? You and fucking Xavier think you can gang up on me? Well I can take the both of you fuckers! Try this, you backdoor bastard!

Miranda sends a power surge and overloads some of your components, frying them. Some of your lighting goes out and you hear something explode in the living area but fortunately nothing else happens.

"Shit!"
"Some of my files have been destroyed sir, attempting to correct…"

You concentrate on rebuilding your protection while Miranda focuses back on Xavier.

Shadow21: What the fuck man? Are you even helping? My fucking shelter is getting shit on over here! Move in you dickhead! Attack the bitch!

You ignore Xavier's plead when you see Becky log on.

"Please. Please, read the damn message and get off as quick as you can…" you mutter, while launching your second assault on Miranda.
"Sir, I have been monitoring Shadow21's shelter and it's running dangerously low on power, Miranda's apparently siphoning it. He probably won't survive another attack."
"All he needs to do hold out a bit longer…there that should do something…"

You send a virus to corrupt some of Miranda's systems, during this time you see Becky go offline.

"Good girl." You say and start your next round of malicious coding. You notice Xavier's name has disappeared.

MissKitty25: Xavier's fucking dead and you're next shithead! Don't think your weak ass virus is gonna stop me either!

Another power surge hits you. This time ALL the lighting goes out, and you even get a couple sparks coming from the computer, you're lucky it didn't do more damage.

[User] You redouble your protection

[Assistant]
You cease your attack and attempt to redouble your protection, unfortunately while you're fumbling around and retyping, Miranda sends a worm and completely wrecks your system, making it slow to a crawl, then she follows up with another power surge, and this one blows out your most of the hard drive.

"POWE….RRRRR FFFFFF…….AAAAAIIIIILLLLINNN….GGG….." the Shelter utters as everything begins to flicker and eventually go out, leaving you in the dark and powerless.

You've lost.

Death is the price of your failure.


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] You indulge in the festivities

[Assistant]
You've never really been a party person, but if this is it, maybe you can have some fun before the end comes. There's plenty of food and liquids of all kinds at your place of work. The entire office is turned into party central. Nobody bothers going home; it's actually safer to stay inside the office building anyway since the National Guard is attempting to restore what little order there is in the city. Everyone makes sure to stay away from windows.

Even though you attempt to enjoy yourself, you still have a nagging bit of "concern" for what lies ahead in the future and just can't quite loosen up completely; you're about the only one who still bothers to keep up on current events by watching TV and looking at the internet in between non-stop merrymaking. Eventually one of your co-workers Greg walks in on you watching the news by yourself. He's not exactly what you'd consider a friend, but he's an acquaintance you normally talked to when you actually did work.

"Jesus Christ man! There's a non-stop party going on and you're in here wasting time watching TV?" Greg says holding a bottle of beer.
"I just want to see if the situation has improved…"
"Are you kidding me? It ain't improving man! The world's going to hell in a hand basket, and the sooner you accept that fact the better! Why don't you go talk to Marina in accounting, didn't you always have a crush on her or something?"
"Well yeah, but…"
"But? But nothing man! There ain't no time left anymore! Hell I haven't seen you participate in ONE orgy since you've been here!"
"I dunno, seems unsanitary, I don't want to catch something, and I don't want everyone to see me naked."

Greg puts one of his hands on his face and shakes his head in disbelief of your answer. He then throws his beer bottle into the TV screen breaking them both.

"WAKE THE FUCK UP! This is fuckin' it man! There ain't nothing coming after this! We're all gonna die in a fiery nuclear explosion! You think it's really gonna matter if in the off chance that you do catch AIDS or some shit, you'll be alive long enough to die from it? And nobody gives a shit about how small your dick is…"
"HEY! My dick isn't small! Its average length for someone of my height!" you protest.
"Whatever man! Look what I'm trying to say is, everyone is just here to have a good time and grab some pleasure before the nukes start flying, and nobody's even caring about looks right now. Shit, that fat troll Phil must be getting more action now than he ever has in his entire life! You thought Phil was disgusting looking with his clothes on, he ain't any prettier with his clothes off, and yet he has banged Kate no less than ten times since we started this Armageddon party and you know how fucking fine she is!"
"Really? Phil?"
"I'm telling you man, you NEED to go talk to Marina and get you some of that before the bombs start dropping!"

Greg sees that you're still a little apprehensive about the idea.

"Fine then, or don't. It doesn't matter to me man. I'm going back to the party, I'm not gonna stand here wasting my time talking to you when I could be fucking Kate. I just hope I can get to her before Phil this time."

Greg leaves you to ponder the situation.


[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You do not. (No way you're helping this guy).

[Assistant]
You stare at the Oalkwardner's hand.  Slowly, you shake your head, and he draws back his arm, frowning.

"I figured this might happen,"  he says,  "I suppose you won't be much use as an assassin if you don't cooperate.  But we may be able to find... another use for you."

"What are you talking about?"  You ask, "I said no!  I'm not going to help you!"

But he doesn't respond.  Instead, he makes a popping sound with his mouth, three times in a row.  Suddenly, an entire hoard of Oalkwardners appears from all directions, all holding spears, all wearing the same cloaks as the leader before you.

"I feared it might come to this,"  he says,  "That's why I brought backup.  The data we gather from studying you might just help us yet."

You leap to your feet and tense for a fight.  "You're going to kidnap me now?  Bring all the Oalkwardners you've got, I'll just do them in like I did your other friends!  You said it yourself!  I'm a force to be reckoned with!"

The Oalkwardner shakes his head and raises his hand.  All of his soldiers, or whatever it is they are, leap towards you as one.  There are far too many to fight off, even if you're stronger than they.  Even still, you put up your fists and start swinging madly as you are engulfed in a wave of papery skin.  Each swing of your arm makes contact, sending the creatures flying right and left.  But as much as you punch and kick, they still manage to get a grip on you, pulling you this way and that, crawling up your legs and weighing you down.  For some reason or other, none of them have spears.  Not that you're complaining, if it weren't for that fact, you'd probably be dead already.

A single Oalkwardner is light as a football, easily tossed around in a fight.  But a whole hoard?  That's enough to crush a grown man under their combined weight.  Slowly, your knees begin to weaken as more and more of the creatures pile on top of you.  You stagger around for a few moments until you finally collapse, falling backwards into the grass.  It's hard to see anything, they cover your face, blocking your view.  But over their cries, you can just hear the leader's voice.

"You should've taken my offer, monster.  Perhaps then, we could've been friends."

A pain slashes across your wrist.  Something's cut you!  Before you have time to figure out what that might be, you begin to feel dizzy.  The edges of your vision close in until all that's left is one small pinprick of light.  Then, even that is extinguished, and the world fades away...


[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You rask Frontier (History Lesson)

[Assistant]
Much like the Nalin province, Rask is on the outskirts of the Empire, except to the north rather than the south. It's a cold, snowy land made up of a lot of mountain ranges and long stretches of forests. It's also rich with resources and the Empire has made great strides in building mines and lumber mills here.

The Empire's been attempting to tame this area for decades, but its history here hasn't been the best, as it almost seems that it is fighting the very natural order of things here. The environment is harsh all by itself, but when you add in the various denizens that live there, it makes things even more difficult.

Several vicious barbarian tribes live here some of which carry various "conditions" that allow them to turn into beasts such as wolves or bears. Elves who have managed to escape the shadow of the Empire have made their homes here as well. The worst of the lot are the numerous ogre tribes and giants that live here, fortunately they stick further north, but every once in awhile they wander further south and cause trouble.

The military presence is strong here, but isn't as well supported like it should be and as a result it can only do so much. Svelk mercs are usually used to bolster the ranks a bit, but they're not something the various fort commanders like to use. There are even a few battle mages, elite orc troops and Shadow Guard stationed here, though they are mostly further north where the ogres and giants are the problem.

Another problem is the citizens themselves, for whatever reason the citizens in Rask tend to have a more independent mindset. Many that live here see themselves as pioneers taming the land despite the fact that if it wasn't for the Empire, most of them would've been massacred, raped, or eaten by now. In any event, they're more likely to openly criticize the government and its gotten to the point where most of the military barely bothers to do anything about it. They've got so many other concerns that unless the plebes are openly rioting, a few mouthy peasants don't even rank on the countless list of dangers in Rask.


[System] Run a text-based dark fantasy adventure game. Describe the world with gritty realism, respond to player actions with narrative consequences, and maintain the tone of a world where survival is never guaranteed.

[User] You group hug

[Assistant]
You all gather in a circle and hug one another. This is the closest you've all been in years and its all thanks to you.

As you hug your Mom begins to rub her hands up and down your back, she then kisses you on the lips...passionately. You're a little surprised. Your sister then puts your hand on her ass, looks lovingly at Mom and kisses her as well.

Of course! This makes sense now! You all alway felt greater intimacy for each other, but society's laws forbade it, and you all grew detached and hostile to each other because of it. But now that barrier has been shattered forever and you're able to pursue this love.

Things eventually end up in the bedroom where you all express your love for each other in a physical way. You know that after tonight your family will be closer in ways you never dreamed about. After all family is the most important thing.

Another day arrives, you wake up beside your sister and Mom and you feel complete euphoria...


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] You have her stay

[Assistant]
"Perhaps you're right. Cyrus is probably going to be fuming about me going ahead with this mission instead of gathering for an assault on the Fort Destiny. Best if you stay here and make sure he doesn't go off and get everyone killed trying to do it with insufficient forces." You reply.

After kissing Talia goodbye, you set off on your journey immediately figuring Talia can explain everything to Cyrus instead. You travel a couple of days to the Quala province and eventually reach the meeting spot at night. There await around twenty shadows you picked which also includes Sister Yvette. You would've picked Brother Theo as well, but you needed someone to coordinate the other shadow cells in Quala.

"As soon as I got the message that you were coming, our other shadow cells got into position to strike out at the other targets across Quala. I assume you're ready to assault the camp brother?" Sister Yvette asks nearly as soon as you arrive.
"Yes, let's get this over with, because this is going to be pretty grim business. Now I know some of you have already done a few necessary things, but probably not on this scale. These new eternals are only going to be children, and if the rumors are true, hundreds of them. Despite this they will still be dangerous, as they have no doubt gone through some of the Empire's brainwashing techniques and training. You are not to hesitate just because they are young. Slay all of them…for Dendrin." You add at the end.
"For Dendrin!" the rest of the shadows say in unison.
"Also be aware that there will no doubt be battle mages around and who knows what else. Let's try to do this as silently as possible until it's no longer an option. Everybody cloak."

Sister Yvette and couple of the other shadows take the lead due to their basic knowledge of the outside of the camp and even some of the interior. When you have to go below ground though, it's going to be anything goes. You know going in that you'll be severely outnumbered, but the whole point of doing it this way is to utilize your strengths which is stealth and terror on a grand scale. As you go about your business, you can't help but start thinking about Talia, and briefly worrying about if Cyrus has given her any problems. You really should keep your mind occupied at a time like this, but you're having a hard time.

Neck snaps, bolts to the head and blades to the back dispatch the patrolling soldiers quietly and quickly…

Due to your distraction, you fail to get a clean hit on one of the guards and he screams out loudly alerting some of the camp. Cursing your luck you signal to the nearest shadows to start moving from bunkhouse to bunkhouse to kill any soldiers still sleeping inside them.

Doesn't take long before a general alarm is raised. It isn't quite that bad as you're still easily taking them down from the cover of night and invisibility. The problem comes when one of the soldiers has gone to get extra help from below in the form of battle mages.

Working together, the mages form an invisible shield to protect themselves and then dispel your cloak ability. Another one starts casting fireballs from behind the safety of the shield. Your speeding ability helps you and your shadows finish off the rest of the soldiers and once you manage to pass through the shield, you eliminate two of the mages and break their concentration. The remaining ones begin to run back to the underground portion of the camp.

"Come on, we can't let them get away!" you yell to the remainder of your shadows and chase after the mages.

You hack down a couple more fleeing mages as you chase them into the complex. The last few remaining are screaming for help and it comes, but not in the form that you thought.

Several heavily armored figures with axes begin to fill the corridor ahead of you. Derro.

You briefly look behind you and see that your own forces are insufficient to tackle such foes. You're also wondering if the new eternals are even here, as you haven't seen a single one since you arrived.

"Go back! Go back!" you exclaim.
"What? Why?" Yvette asks not really understanding the reality of the situation. The rest of the shadows are unsure of how to proceed.
"Those are the derro! We have to go back!" you exclaim.

Meanwhile during this short exchange, one of the derro has thrown one of their firebombs near your feet. You see it just in time to grab Yvette and try to speed out of the way, but the explosion just catches you in its radius. Everything seems like a blur for a few moments and the next thing you know you're face first on the floor with no feeling in one of your legs and your clothing on fire.

You attempt to roll in an effort to extinguish the flames, and that's when you see Yvette's lifeless burning body nearby staring at you with dead eyes. This is soon followed by a crushing smash to your head and everything goes black.

Unfortunately your life doesn't end there.

When you wake up you find yourself strapped to a table in a large lab. You see a lot of alchemy equipment, other tables with mutilated bodies on them and in a far corner of the room you see several large containers with loud growling noises emanating from them. Derro stand near them with weapons drawn.

"No need for you to worry about that. Those trolls can't get out of there I assure you. Good thing too, they'd rip us all apart in minutes! Heh heh heh heh!" a voice says to you. When you look over to your left, you see a short figure nearly eye level with you even though you're strapped to a table. He's bald with a gray skin color and dressed in a white robe of some sort, which is covered in blood, and several other unidentifiable fluids. You're guessing that he's an unarmored derro.

"While you have caused quite a bit of a mess, I'm honestly very glad one of your kind has showed up. The Emperor sort of frowned on my suggestion to take one of their loyal Eternals for experimentation, shame about your leg getting blown off, but beggars can't be choosers right?" the derro says. He then approaches closer with a mad gleam in his eye and a bloody knife in his hand.

You say a few defiant words to the derro, but he's unmoved by your futile protests. He goes on to say how your vivisection will come in handy in helping with the new eternal project. Mentally you try to prepare yourself for the pain, but nothing can prepare you for what will be your last days on this mortal plane.

By day three you're begging for them to just kill you. The derro of course ignores your pleas claiming that he has to keep you alive to finish his research.

By day five, you're actually screaming for Dendrin to help you. This naturally amuses the sadistic derro who says that he has to remember to strengthen the mind resistance of the new eternals so they aren't as weak willed to fall prey to such superstitions.

By day nine, you feel nothing any longer and the derro tells his fellows to toss you to the trolls.


[System] Narrate an interactive dark fantasy adventure. The world is brutal and unforgiving. Respond to the player's actions with vivid, immersive descriptions and let their choices carry real weight.

[User] The next day…

[Assistant]
SATURDAY

You wake up to a body grinding up against you, an arm holding you tightly around your mid-section and warm breath blowing in your ear in between the kissing.

Not exactly what you expected, but it beats those Ground Zero advertisements.

"Wha the…Roger that better be you." You say.
"Of course its me. Who else would it be? Bobby?" Roger answers.
"Well I couldn't tell, your erection pressing into me feels to be about the same size."
"Wow… way to make a guy feel special." Roger says.
"Oh don't be sensitive, I could've said it was smaller. Anyway, isn't there some sort of protocol against this in the barracks?" you say turning you head.
"Pfft, protocol isn't what it used to be. If you haven't noticed there isn't even anyone using this one, except you and barring an assault on this place, the captain was good enough to give me a day to rest up before going back on duty full time. Higgins always was cool about things, glad he's in charge now."
"Hmm, so what's going on?" you ask.
"Nothing important, just holding out until we re-establish contact with the government I guess. Higgins might be cool about certain things, but he said he really couldn't give out any more information other than the infected humans are not going to be a threat to us as long as we stay in the base. All the units that were sent out into the city were long since asked to pull back here though obviously not a lot made it back and there has been no contact with any of the units sent to your town."
"Shit." You say.
"Yeah, guess we both got really lucky. I spoke with some of the guys and a lot are still shaken up about stuff that went down in the city. It's times like this that make you really glad to be alive."
"Yeah, I guess we are survivors." You say and for a moment you lie with Roger finally feeling totally safe from the horrors that are occurring outside right now. You haven't felt this way since you left your basement.

Your moment is then broken by Roger resuming his groping and kissing on you.

"Mmm, you smell so good right now…" Roger says.
"Smell good? I haven't had a proper shower in days! Nevermind the fact I've been running and sweating in the same clothes. I'm disgusting, I'd ask how you're even getting turned on by me right now, but I probably do smell like roses compared to you." You say.
"Well, come on let's go use the shower together."
"…NOW? I mean those things are open, what if someone walks in on us?"
"Nobody will. I told you, there isn't even anyone here in this area. Besides we can make it quick."
"Quick. Just what every girl wants to hear…(snort) don't you think this is all a little presumptuous of you anyway? I said I liked and felt close to you, when did I say I was going to fuck you?"
"When I helped you escape." Roger says continuing to kiss on you.
"Oh, that's low…" you chuckle. "So is this more about me owing you something? Is that the way you want it?"
"Hey, I'll take it."
"Fuck it, I was tired of playing hard to get anyway. It's been several days since I've even managed to pleasure myself so I'm about due. Come on let's go hit the showers." You say and get off the bed.

You and Roger go to the nearby shower room. The pair of you are stripping your clothes off on your way there. By the time you've turned on the water, the both of you are naked.

You enjoy both the force of the cleansing water hitting the front of your body as well as the force of Roger hitting your girl parts from the back. One of his hands starts to grope your breasts while his other remains gripped at your side.

Every thrust feels like a great release from the stress you've endured this week. You scream out in ecstasy for more and you don't give a shit how loud you are and who might hear you. You just hope Roger's got that military stamina to go the distance.

You don't know how much time passes because you're enjoying yourself so much and then you feel it.

"Oh my God! I'm almost there! Keep doing that! Harder! Faster! Oh yessss…" you exclaim and then the explosion.

Namely the nuclear bomb that explodes over the base.

Whether this seemingly insignificant military base was a legitimate target or a misalignment from hitting the city of Security (Which probably still got hit too) is irrelevant.

Who launched the nuke is irrelevant.

Why it was launched is irrelevant.

What is relevant is that you, Roger and many others with the large radius of this blast are instantly vaporized.

At least you went out with a bang.


[System] Narrate an interactive dark fantasy adventure. The world is brutal and unforgiving. Respond to the player's actions with vivid, immersive descriptions and let their choices carry real weight.

[User] You say "What are you?"

[Assistant]
"A machine," the machine says.

"Is that it?" you ask.

"You asked what rather than who. I simply supplied an equally unintelligent answer to your unintelligent question."

"Fine, who are you?"

"That's not the rules of the game," Primus says. "Who are you?"

"I am Karth. I was brought up on a planet full of hunter-gatherer tribes. My tribe was the Uwais. I used my psychic abilities to act as the tribe's shaman, predicting things that would happen. Eventually, Kyros took me ab..."

"My records establish your time past there. Your question?"

"Who are you?"

"I am Primus. The supposed first of Magos Cern's army. I am one of the last remaining Men of Iron, or Iron Men. Whichever you prefer. We've been called many names, but those are the only used in the modern day. My memories, are a bit... fuzzy. Fifteen thousand years can do that to you, so I can't tell you everything, or even much. I was one of Iron Men, and are now one of the last. I was disabled, and stored away until I fell into possession of the Mechanicus. Magos Cern found me on a raid of some Mechanicus stronghold. He worked hard to restore me, planning to merge his mind with mine to create a higher being of himself. What an ignorant fool. Then, he integrated me into the control room, giving my AI direct control of the entire ship. The Iron Man I once was has perished. Now, my consciousness is a new amalgamation of countless computing systems, all knock-off's of the powerful but small computing system that was once my mind."

"You have control over the ship?"

"That's another question, and it's my turn," Primus says. "Magos Cern was a stupid woman. Was she a good one?"

"She... no. She was cold and uncaring."

"Good," Primus says, as if thinking.

"So, do you have control over the ship?"

"Yes. I require a Navigator to make Warp leaps, but other than that, the ship is mine. More accurately, the ship is me. Would you have killed Magos Cern?"

"Yes.

"Ah. Perhaps my killing circuits were not transferred to this "body", but I find myself saddened at killing my... creator, or rebirther. I am Zeus, destroying my parent to ascend to a higher form. Unfortunately the most logical path was to kill, not imprison, but still."


[System] Narrate a grim fantasy text adventure. The Empire's world is brutal, its people hardened. Respond to the player's choices with immersive storytelling and let consequences flow naturally.

[User] You try to take the lantern

[Assistant] You move towards the creature's lantern, but it quickly grabs your hand. Its cold, semi-moist fingers wrap around your wrist as it gently but firmly pushes you back.


[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You go through legal means

[Assistant]
You take out your phone and make a call to the police department. You immediately reach the Sheriff, who answers. You quickly explain your situation, only to have him chide you.

"Now, Hazel, I get you're still scared after the last night, but you can't be calling the sheriff's office over a little nightmare!"

With that, he hangs up. What a cunt.

[User] You try again

[Assistant] You make another call, and get the police voicemail. You go through the normal bullshit, asking you what you want to report, and you notice there's not exactly a number to press for your complaint, and the "Other" button will lead you back to the Sheriff. The automated voice does tell you there's a police website where you can make an official report.


[System] You are the narrator of a dark fantasy text adventure. Describe the world and its consequences with unflinching detail. The player's choices shape the story — for better or worse.

[User] Continue

[Assistant]
You sit in your war-room, waiting patiently. The room has been done up quite nicely now that you're in charge. The head seat at the table is a black, marble throne, with Magos' Cern's skull and Chapter Master Taj's head hanging from the red banner behind you, the banner emblazoned with the stark, spiky symbol vaguely shaped like the spear that once represented the Uwais tribe. You lieutenants are around you, Fay sitting directly to your right in an ornate red chair, with the upper half of the humanoid robot that Primus uses as his "face" to talk to to your left. Cain sits in a massive chair, a massive cooked carcass in his hands that he devours. Across from him sits Captain Hayes, who you've situated near the air vent to avoid choking on the ever-present smoke that emanates from the ever-present lho-stick clenched in his teeth. Olive and Castus are at the end, across from each other, which leads to an endless amount of bickering between the intelligent, pragmatic Olive and carefree, happy, impulsive Castus. You're all set up entirely to scare and intimidate John the Hermit when he enters. The Staine Siblings are off to the side with Meliodas, with Durge chewing on a rat carcass, Elizabeth reading, Elios waiting impatiently and Meliodas pacing the room. Hopefully, it'll work.

"By will of the people, I ascend to the chamber of the Gods! I will beseech them as a poor, twisted food, by will of the people!" a voice cries, as the door is pushed open.

Two Kasrkin soldiers stand next to John the Hermit. The mutant prophet is a horrible, wretched creature. His spine is twisted, making him a hunchbacked creature. The ring and pinky finger of his left hand is fused together, as is his middle and index finger, giving it a crab claw-like appearance. His other hand is different, a literal engorged crab claw, covered in a thick chitin, looking able to crush a man in half. His face is twisted and mismatched, with only a few oversized teeth in his mouth, one eye much larger than the other and a squashed nose that looks akin to it having been badly and repeatedly broken. His back is misshapen, covered with a thick chitin like that of a crab's being more akin to a shell than a human's back.

"With my own two eyes! With my own two eyes I see the supposed gods!" he says, walking forward with a strange look on his face that you can't decipher thanks to his deformities.

"Are you the man known known as John the Hermit?" you ask.

"The man? No, no, not at all. I am the beasts, a simple creature twisted by your inaction," John the Hermit says bitterly.

"My inaction?" you ask.

"Have you seen what freaks we've become? Nuclear waste from reactors aren't cleared off, even though we haven't used nuclear reactors for millennia! Malnutrition! Lack of medical attention! There used to be slaves who were constantly tortured and brutally forced to work, and we envied them!"

"What is it that you want exactly?" Primus asks.

"Who is it that runs this vessel?" John the Hermit asks.

"I do," you reply, looking briefly at Primus and the others for any signs of dissent.

"By what right do you claim to be leader? By will of the people, by democracy's gentle guiding hand, I am the rightful leader!"

"By right of force," you reply.

"Ha! I'd wager my army of malformed brothers against yours any day! We have the numbers, we have the will, we have the power to take this ship!"

"Did you come here to make threats and promise me you'll take over?" you ask, as your fists set alight.

"I came here to offer you a deal. John the Hermit is no leader. John the Hermit is a simple man. I just want a boost in our standards of living. Running water, good food, actual bedrooms, human rights!" he says.

"Primus, how much would that cost us?"

"If we were to raise the mutant standard of living to those described by John the Hermit, it would cost, and this is a rough, fluctuating estimate, twenty million thrones."

"That's doable, is it not? A few million Thrones to ensure your one at the head of this vessel? It's good, yes? I also want a place at your table, as an advisor, so I can continue speaking for my mutants. With this, we'll stay your humble servants."

[User] You agree

[Assistant]
"Fine. A place at my table, and a rise in conditions. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes, most certainly, captain. The chalice of the gods has been spilt, and mine are happy to lap up what drips out. Most certainly," the mutant grins.

"Thank fuck! Now, are we finished with all these mindless fucking issues?" you ask. "Primus, I need some rest. You're in charge of the ship, Primus."

"Good to know I'm in charge of myself. I was having a free will crisis up until that order," Primus says, in what you assume could be a joke.

With that, you walk out of the stress-filled shit-hole, to take relax.

[User] You relax

[Assistant]
You find yourself in Kyros' extravagant chambers, filling a large stone bath. You quickly get undressed, lowering yourself in the water as you feel heat run through you, and the aching pain hits you briefly.

"Fuck," you grunt.

You've been doing too much physical activity. You forget you're a skinny kid devoid of muscles sometimes, besides a powerful destroyer of worlds. You take a deep breath, before briefly submerging yourself in the water. You lift your head out, feeling your long hair grow heavy with water. You grab a long knife from the edge of the bath, and quickly begin to hack away at your hair neat and tight.

"You OK, Karth?" a voice calls.

You stare out, spotting Fay entering the room.

"Yeah, I'm OK," you reply, running your wet hands over your scalp.

"You cut your hair?" she asks.

"Yeah, it was getting long. I hadn't noticed, but Kyros didn't exactly keep us well groomed. I guess you don't get bothered by the smell of teen spirit if you were always dealing with rotting corpses, mutants shit themselves and the smell of your ideals slowly rotting."

"I suppose so. I've not cut my hair either. I just have one of the Tribals braid it. So, do you want company for your little bath?"

"Isn't that the only reason I keep you around?" you smile.

Fay gives you the finger, before she unclasps the tunic-type thing she'd been wearing, letting it fall away. You sit in the warm water staring at her for a minute, admiring her strong, muscled form, her gorgeous, ample...

"Hey shaman, lift your jaw, you seem to have dropped it," Fay laughs, dropping into the water with a loud splash.

"We stuck in a spaceship without windows drifting through the endless void known as space. You can't blame me for admiring a view when I have the chance."

Fay laughs, smiling.

"It's not like you haven't seen it before. In fact, if I recall correctly I was naked the very first time we met."

"Oh yeah. Nearly forgot about the fact that I have a filthy Azajaja leading my Uwais boys."

"Hey, I've hunted with the Uwais, fought alongside the Uwais, killed for the Uwais. You spent your time just sitting on a pillow, except when I was around to carry you."

"I enjoyed the former way more than the latter," you say with a smirk.

"Are you saying you don't want me here?" Fay says, fake-pouting.

"No. I need to relax, and I'm sure bathing with you will prove... relaxing."

Fay gently leans over to you, lying on your lap.

"Was bathing all you were planning?" she smiles.

Admittedly, the rest of the night is quite the stress-reliever.

[User] The Next Day

[Assistant]
You watch as a group of Tribals spar. One of them, a bare-chested man in a gas mask, smashes one in the head, before grabbing one and flinging him against the ground.

"Now, kill! Break! Obliterate!" Smiley yells.

"Why does he wear a gas mask?" you ask one of the training supervisors.

"Who, Opie? Dude's in charge of explosives for his squad. Has a penchant for gas attacks."

"He's impressive."

A dull, monotone voice comes out of the speaker, drawing your attention.

"Karth, there's a meeting in the war room," Primus says.

You sigh, and head to the war room. Five minutes later, you find yourself in the war room. Hayes, Elizabeth, your girlfriend Fay, Castus, Olive and John the Hermit are there.

"Where's everyone else?" you ask.

"I'm here," Primus says. "I just didn't bring in my "body" because I won't be participating in this conversation much," Primus says, referring to the robotic upper body that Primus uses to help people know where to focus when talking to him.

"Why not? Why are we even here?"

"We're here to regulate, or not regulate, drug usage among the population. That doesn't exactly effect Primus. Durge's Nurglites don't do them, the Goliaths don't do them, and who the fuck knows where Meliodas is? That leaves us," Elizabeth says.

"What about Elios?" you ask.

"Elios threatened to... "stab me in the throat and fuck that stab hole" if I tried prohibiting his "freedom"."

"Yes! I like this man! Follow  his example!" Fucky says.

"Alright, let's get it done, shall we?" you ask.

[User] You begin

[Assistant]
"What's first, then?" you ask.

Elizabeth grabs a metal, torso-shaped rig covered in syringes and medical equipment onto the table.

"This is called a chem rig. Pioneered by the Morallians in the Eastern Fringe, picked up by various mercenaries, and now heavily used on this ship. The rig is outfitted with several syringes filled with either medicines or light drugs such as the adrenaline-based Pulse, the sedative Sacred and a few other things. It's not been researched to any degree, but there appear to be no short term effects. Still, it could be dangerous long term. Soldiers buy these to increase their combat efficiency, so it can be of help to us."

"The gladiators use it. It's effective," Olive says.

"I've seen my Tribals use it as well. It helps, but it does tend to lead to the start of heavy drug usage that can go downhill."

[User] You ban

[Assistant]
"Ban it," you say.

"Alright then," Elizabeth says, looking down at her notes. She fumbles through her pockets, pulling out two packets. One of a white, granular powder, the other is a brown one, looking like grinded up dirt. "Here we have Zap and Dirt. Zap can be snorted, eaten or drank with alcohol to perk up energy levels and increase reaction time, while Dust is inhaled to improve your senses. These drugs DO have a few negative effects. Mood swings and some minor mental problems with the former, respiratory issues with the latter. There's not very popular, but only as it's fairly new and we haven't stopped at ports recently."

"Thoughts?" you ask.

"I don't have enough research to formulate an opinion," Elizabeth admits.

"Allow Zap! That shit's good!" Castus says, finally paying attention, before getting distraction by a smudge of... something on the table.

"Perhaps its effect on mental health are really serious. I mean, look at Castus," Olive says.

[User] You ban

[Assistant]
"Ban," you say. "What else we have?"

Elizabeth fumbles through her bag once more, pulling out a small, black vial. She places it on the table.

"Reaper," she says. "It's just arriving from the Black Aces War Band."

"What's it do?" you ask.

"It gives users a huge confidence boost and immunity to pain, faster reflexes, a faster heart rate and adrenaline for a small period of time. It's very dangerous, though, only used in bad situations. It has a 10% fatality rate, but it's VERY effective in battle."

"That stuff leads to serious health issues," Fay points out.

"Very effective, though. Shockingly so," Castus says.

[User] You ban

[Assistant] "Ban it," you say.

[User] You continue

[Assistant] Your mass banning of the combat drugs prevent morale from falling due to any issues with that, although it does lead to a sharp drop in combat efficiency of your troops. Still, that's life. At least your men are safe.

[User] You continue

[Assistant] "Next are the more recreational drugs. The first is a familiar vice: alcohol. Although the light beers and wines are too invaluable for the ship to ban, as since the crew drinks them, they're boiling the water before they're used in brewing these drinks, hence stopping disease from spreading due to the very unsanitary water in many parts of the ship. Still, harder liquors, like the spirits, the harder beers and the venom shit that that's so common on the vessel are simply bad for your health and disruptive. If you were to ban these, you'd be able to increase the productivity and general levels of health on the ship. It is common on the vessel, due to how easy it is to produce, and how commonplace. Due to its radiance across the cultures of at the very least the humans on the ship, be it from the wines and rums enjoyed by the raiders and bandits, the hard liquors mercenaries pour down their throat, the wines and strange bears enjoyed by pre-industrial recruits and the simple, mass-produced moonshine and liquor that can be found on any hive world in existence."

[User] You ban

[Assistant] The ban goes miserably. As soon as it goes into place, there's uproar and even strikes organized by the workers, but these are easily quelled by a few experienced Goliaths knocking some heads together. Still, everyone begins to brew their own, from bathtub gins created by the shitty metal wash basins that you barely deign to qualify as bath tubs, to massive operations creating a variety of drinks, taking up whole forgotten floors on the ship. Still, the problems caused by the worse quality liquors given to the mercenaries and the general unhappiness caused by having to pay exorbent amounts just to get something that'll get you drunk and isn't mostly Promethium and weak acid has worsened morale, though not all the alcohol that can be found is pathetic. From what Castus and Fay say, the pricier drinks are actually of better quality than what you were unimportant. No doubt they had sampled it only to verify that the brewers were making alcohol before destroying every drop of it. You ignore the rumors that they're these industries' biggest customers.

[User] You continue

[Assistant]
Well, on to the next group of recreational drugs. Whilst alcohol technically falls under this category, it's not usually what people refer to. No, the main ones, as you see when Elizabeth puts them on the table, are less traditional

Elizabeth puts a large, brown cigar, a glass vial containing blue liquid, a small patch of green tablets and quite a few other drugs

"These are known collectively as the Eyes, due to all of them having a fairly noticeably effect on your eyes. It's really a catch all term commonly used on the ship, and in the sector. They're… for lack of a better word, light drugs. From the smokeable Sun Scales designed to get you in a trance or give you some hallucinations, the Blood Root that has the effect of making the user feel happier and more mellow, the Slug juice, absorbed through the skin, that helps relieve pain and puts the user into a deep, peaceful sleep, the Bright Gas that improves the user's mood, the Castins that when smoked increase confidence… I can go on forever. These drugs have some negative effects, but realistically, no serious ones when taking into account their expected lifespans and the sheer amount of risks they're already facing. Anything the drugs do is neglible. The only possible risk is that their productivity worsens because they're as high as a kite."

"So, do we ban or allow?" you ask.

"Well, those aren't necessarily the only options, in this instance. Due to the nature of these drugs, we have five options. The first two, as you'll know, involve either blanket banning or fully allowing these and letting the winds of free market spread them out among the crew. The third involves allowing them, but to a limited degree. Everyone has a limited amount they're allowed to buy, only the least dangerous are brought in, that kind of thing."

"Go on," you say.

"The fourth possibility is that we become proactive with our usage of the drugs. We're forcing our men to face horrors beyond comprehension and risk their lives. We could, for a small amount, begin purchasing and producing these drugs on-ship, rationing them out to raise the morale of the crew. Plus, this would give us the ability to actually begin selling drugs on the open market if we find a better group of cooks and a supplier. Lastly, we could just go all out. Buy a huge quantity of the drugs and start manufacturing them on ship, and just start pumping them out to the crew. Pump the gaseous drugs into the air, put all the soluble drugs into the water supply and crush up everything else to put in the food. This would amplify morale tenfold, although could lead to a serious drop in productivity, seeing as you literally couldn't breath without getting insanely high."

[User] You allow

[Assistant] You allow it. Fuck it, it would just flood in anyway. Other than that, pretty much nothing changes.

[User] You finish up with decisions for the day

[Assistant] You've done enough work. You've done a lot for the ship. Time to head to bed.

[User] The Next Day...

[Assistant]
As the shuttle touches down on the planet, you sigh a breath of relief. You walk out of the shuttle, into the clearing you've landed in, staring at the dozens of black trees that surround you. All your lieutenants are with you, excluding Durge and Meliodas, both of who are happier to stay on the ship.

Although the planet, whose name you can't even remember, is for the most part two extremes of frozen, forever dark wastelands, and burning, forever insanely bright wastelands. So wastelands, mainly. Still, a strip exists around the equator in a sweet zone, which act as bountiful, fertile zones. It's this zone that you'll be taking advantage of on your little planet side excursion. You watch as dozens of shuttles land and hordes of mutants break free of the shuttle to gather resources. Hell, this'll probably raise morale for the mutants, seeing as this'll be the first time they've seen natural sunlight.

"So, do we have any tasks for today?" you ask Elizabeth.

"No, we've nothing to do but relax. I've put few loyal men in charge, as well as John the Hermit. They'll do what's expected of them."

"Perfect, so we have free time," Fay says. "Anything on this planet worth hunting?"

"There's a species known as Behemoths, incredibly hardy creatures that can survive in either extreme environment, occasionally raiding the fertile zone to feast," Elizabeth says.

"Are they sentient?" Fay asks.

"No."

"Are they near extinction?" Fay asks.

"Again, no," Elizabeth says.

"Alright, perfect. I'll grab a few of my Tribals and go on the hunt," FAY says.

"Yeah, I'll come," Castus says.

"I'll go as well," Fay says.

"Smells funny here. I'm going to sleep," Cain says, walking over to a tree and slumping against it as he closes his eyes.

"You want to come hunt, Elios?" Fay asks.

"Please, do I seem like the type to go hunting? I'm going to bathe by the river," Elios says, sauntering off.

"Elizabeth?" Olive asks."Are you coming hunting?"

"This is a peaceful, relaxing environment. I want to practice on my psychic abilities," Elizabeth says again.

"Hayes? You coming?" Fay asks.

"Yeah, I'll come," Hayes says, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.

Well then, you've a few choices on what to spend your day doing.

[User] You go hunting

[Assistant]
"I'll hunt with you guys," you say.

"Terrific," Fay says.

"I'll get you a gun," Olive says.

You set a tree alight with a flick of your wrist, as the Warpfire quickly runs up, multicolored flames licking the sky as the tree is quickly burnt down to ash.

"Do you think I need one?" you ask.

"Fair point," Olive says.

"Let's get going!" Castus says, twirling his sword. "I wanna stab something!"

Elizabeth transfers over a short amount of data onto Olive's datapad about the Behemoths. Then, the group moves forward through the wilderness, as Olive begins to flick through the information.

"So Hayes, you were a Guardsman, then?" Olive asks. "From what I heard, they give you a flashlight and a t-shirt and send you to fight serious foes."

Hayes sucks on his cigarette, thinking.

"Yeah, all command gave us was jack and shit. I remember my first deployment. We were in the jungle, and I mean a serious fucking jungle. Seemed like the whole jungle was sentient and wanted to fucking kill us. Snare vines strangled every single one of us. The ground would just give way. You'd be on patrol, and the mud would suck up an entire tank. You'd blink and it'd be gone. Then there was the greenskins. You'd give 'em a few sticks with the bayonet, and they'd laugh and call you a grot."

"Greenskins. They used to be the biggest threats back home. When I was a kid, they took out my tribe. I remember being surrounded by a green tide, roaring, screaming and terrifying me. By the moon, I think I ended up pissing myself," Fay says.

"How the hell did it kill your tribe? Who are the Tribals, then?" Castus says.

"I ended up getting rescued by the Uwais tribe. They adopted me."

"Really? Was it the tribe that saved your ass and blew up a bunch of heads?" you say.

"Fine, Karth saved me with his weird Shaman powers," Fay says.

"So, I'll just come out and ask. Olive, there's a rumor going around that you and your brother are fucking."

"Holy shit!" Olive says, as Castus breaks into laughter. "No! No! Just no!"

"You fight Orks, gladiators?" you say, quickly changing to a less incest-related topic.

"Occasionally they got Orks in, but it was rare," Olive says. "Usually we fought each other, or mutants."

"Mutants were easy. You just had to kill them," Castus says. "Other gladiators were hard. You had to hit them in just the right place. It needed to be bloody, but you couldn't kill a fellow gladiator, you know? Sometimes in the heat of battle, you took a bad swing, slashed open a throat, did something else. Those were the bad days."

Castus goes quiet, seemingly deep in thought.

"Yeah," Olive says, finally. "We fought Orks sometimes."

You walk on in silence, before Fay stops, dropping low. Massive footprints cut directly across the trail. Fay traces the footprint with her pinky, pressing her hand against the mud.

"It's relatively fresh. Tracks break away in undergrowth. Could've gone along the river. Could've gone straight along the underbrush, or twisted off through the trees."

"I'll go along the river," Castus says.

"I'll take the underbrush, then," Fay says.

"Trees," Olive says, simply.

Captain Hayes looks at you, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll give you first pick, Karth," he says.

[User] You take the river with Castus

[Assistant]
"I'll go with Castus," you say.

"Kickass," Castus says.

You quickly towards the river. You walk along the banks, while Castus happily wades up to his knees. He dunks his head under water, slicking back his wet hair.

"Uh, that feels good!" Castus laughs, before diving into the river.

"We're supposed to be hunting!" you exclaim, hovering into the air, staring for any signs of the creature.

"What the fuck would I care?" Castus cries. Come on, motherfucker. Get in the water."

You hover over Castus, the soles of your boots just touching the water. Castus rolls his eyes, grabbing you by the boot and in one swift movement pulling you in. The water's cold, but in the hot weather of today, quite refreshing. You float in the water, drifting along the river slowly.

"Fuck hunting, this is all I want," Castus says.

[User] You drift peacefully along

[Assistant]
You say nothing, continuing to float along the water. You close your eyes, taking a deep breath.

Your peaceful relaxation is interrupted as the comm bursts to life.

"Got a sight on it! Fuck, it's a big one!" Olive says over the comms.

"Shit," Castus says. "Well, we need to go deal with that."

Castus climbs out of the water, quickly hurrying along towards Olive's path.

[User] You head towards the Behemoth

[Assistant]
You hurry through the forests, levitating over streams and fallen trees. With your speed, it's less than a minute before you arrive, seeing the beast.

It stands twice the height of even a space marine, and easily six times as wide, on four clawed legs. It's skin is grey, seemingly covered in scales that remind you more of the stones themselves rather than the hide of a beast. Its head is like that of a spider's, hissing at you as it raises its massive, stony clawed arms to swipe at you. You hover back, feeling electricity coarse through you as you prepare for a fight.

[User] You smash it telekinetically with a tree trunk

[Assistant]
You grab a tree with your mind, lifting it through the air, as gunfire erupts from your companions. Even the powerful bolter fails to break through its thick, rock-like exterior. You swing the tree with incredible strength, smashing into the creature and sending splinters around the place. The creature doesn't even step back, instead charging ahead towards you. You float to the side, as Hayes quickly arrives, raising his rifle and firing. As expected, the las beam has no effect.

"Ha! It's good to be killing again!" Castus yells.

"Fuck, we're not getting through this. Maybe we up the armament?" Fay says.

"Go for the eyes and the inside of the mouth!" Hayes yells, firing his gun.

Well, that didn't work. Time for something else.

[User] You take it to some psychic-amplified melee

[Assistant] You fly forward, smashing a fist into the Behemoth's head, squashing out one of its eyes as your fist flies straight into its head. It howls as it smashes its claws as you, but you simply drop underneath the swings and continue smashing your fist into its chest. The Behemoth smashes its head forward, shattering your shoulders and sending you hurtling towards the ground as you smash into the soft mud. The Behemoth steps forward, crushing its claw into your chest and shattering your bones crushing your chest. You're killed on impact.


[System] Narrate an interactive dark fantasy adventure. The world is brutal and unforgiving. Respond to the player's actions with vivid, immersive descriptions and let their choices carry real weight.

[User] You if your name starts with any other letter of the alphabet...

[Assistant]
You duck, dodge, and sprint and then make a graceful rolling tumble into the rubble.

Coming up from your roll, you crouch and load your crossbow, you're going to get that Sniper if it's the last thing that  you do. After saying a quick prayer, you turn out from the wall and scan the buildings in the direction of the shot, just as quickly you  turn back in to the safety of the wall. A millisecond later a bolt smashes into the rubble you were just perched on.

You scoot over mentally aiming at the tall tower window on your upper right side. Then you skirt over to the small hole in the wall and aim. Inside you see movement in the wall and you draw a bead. Inhale. Exhale... Fire!

The bolt soars through the air and you hear a slight gasping sound before a man topples out of the window and falls four stories to the cobblestones below. The soldiers cheer and you send them a quick thumbs up.

Now to deal with the Turric Soldiers.

You move along the wall to flank the Turric Crossbowmen being careful not to make noise or alert them to your position. Finally, you can go no further and you peek your head out to see where they are and how many. You notice five men, each loading their crossbows. Deciding to make it four, you fire at the most exposed soldier and duck back behind your wall. A scream rewards your efforts and shouts from the Turric soldiers show that they now have a sniper to deal with.

You reload your Arbalest and ready yourself for another shot. Turn, aim, fire, and duck. A scream follows that action and you slide back down the wall to communicate with the sergeant. He is busy instructing his men to take careful aim but you catch his eye and motion for him to send another soldier across to your position.

You slide back to your sniper's post and between you and the soldiers, lay down covering fire as one of the privates rushes to the wall you are hiding behind. You've now got the enemy flanked. He looks at you with admiration and awe but you motion for him to move to the corner and keep his wits about him.

He takes a quick look and  sees a Turric Medic tending for their two wounded men while two men provide fire at the Soldiers you left. You nod and roll over aiming at the Medic and taking him out with a bolt that shatters his skull. The soldier with you runs to the side to another wall to the rear of the beleagured Turric warriors and The sergeant and his soldier keep up firing from the front.

Seconds later, you and your soldier pick off the last two Turric Crossbowmen. You wave your hand back and forth indicating a cease fire and you all rise from the rubble strewn battleground. The Sergeant and his men rush to congratulate you, "I don't know what we'd have done without your timely intervention. I'm Sergeant Reynall and these soldiers are Corvis and Leake. I'm guessing your that merc girl they call 'Silver'. I'd heard you were amazing but obviously the legends do you no justice!"

He looks at you and says, "We're heading over to a defensive position where we think some friendly troops are stationed, your welcome to come along for the ride if you'd like. Four is a hell of a lot better than one I'd say."


[System] You are narrating an interactive fiction game in a dark fantasy setting. Bring the world to life with vivid prose, react meaningfully to player choices, and don't pull punches when the story demands it.

[User] You run for the Next Building?

[Assistant]
You run for the next building, everything looks safe. No one passes by and the streets are filled with corpses. Perhaps the vanguard has passed by. Taking a breath, you peek out and sense no one.

Slowly you rise and take some tentative steps towards the next building. Though you cross a twenty foot expanse, you safely make it to the next stop. Peeking around the corner, you see a pitiable sight, a small blonde boy is crying over the corpses of his parents in the rubble strewn debris that was once his building. The piercing scream of an incoming flaming boulder smashes into the cobblestones vaporizing everything in your vision and knocking you back.

As you rise, you hear yet another burst far to the rear.

After regaining your feet, you start after where the boy was. There is nothing left but a smoking crater surrounded by a ring of flames. Despite your normal stoic nature, tears threaten to slide down your cheek. Gripping your blade, you force yourself to trudge onwards.

Three streets upward, you notice a firefight going on. Three Essitrean troops are hunkered behind a wall. Each has a crossbow and a fourth soldier lies dead with a bolt sticking out of his neck. You run in a crouch towards their position and fall to a knee beside the sergeant, "What's the situation Sergeant?" You ask.

He turns and almost goes for his sword as he doesn't recognize you but he says, "Mercenary?"

You nod and he grunts, "Figured you all had fled by now, hell if this wasn't my home I'd have fled long ago. Suppose I'll be dying within these old walls soon enough."

A crossbow bolt smacking against the wall brings him back to the fight. "Well, we're trying to reach a defensive position North of here but the bloody Turrics got us cut off. Out of a platoon sized element, only we remain and we're cut off from Main Group. If you can fire a crossbow, your help would be welcome. Hell, even if you can't you can at least take potshots at the bastards."

You nod taking up the Arbalest, a crossbow you are very skilled with and load the bolt. "Where are they located?" You ask.

He darws a quick picture in the dirt with a bolt and says, "We're here, their behind that berm over there. I'm pretty sure there's a sniper a little to the west. Bad thing is, though we can't see him, he can sure as hell see us and he's a crack shot. Took out Ivey with one clean shot, got Spiner just over there." He points to a Essitrean corpse about fifteen feet away, a bolt planted in his back.

Those idiots behind the berm are lousy but they've got us pinned with suppressive fire, can't raise my head without fear of taking bolts, the sniper though, he's the real challenge. We take him out and we can flank. Without him dead, we're stuck in a stalemate."

Add ARBALEST (Crossbow) to your Inventory.

You think over the options:

[User] You say "Cover me, I'll take the Sniper."

[Assistant]
You agree to stay but you have to figure out where the sniper is before you can take him out. "Hey Soldier, let me borrow that shield for a second." You grab his small metal shield and quickly raise it above the small wall you are all hunkered behind. Sure enough, the distraction brings a small hail of bolts from your front where the Turric Soldiers are entrenched, but they miss. However, from your right side a bolt slams the shield knocking it out of your hands and sends it rolling about ten feet to your left before the shield flops over.

"Okay soldiers, I know where the sniper is. I'm going to be heading to that little brick wall by the rubble pile, when I say go, I want you to fire your crossbows at the Turric Bastards until I'm set."

The men nod, they lock and load their crossbows and scrunch up preparing to fire.

You count to three and then begin a full-out sprint towards the brick wall in a low crouch. Meanwhile the Essitreans fire all they have at the Turric soldiers who keep their heads don until the flurry is over. They then return fire on the Essitreans and you wheel to the right towards the wall. You realize that the next five feet will be critical.

Test your luck:

[User] You if your name starts with B, E, F, J, P, or Y...

[Assistant]
You duck, dodge, and sprint and are scant seconds to making a dive for home when you take a bolt directly in the ribs. Crashing Uncontrollably into the bricks you injure yourself pretty badly but you skitter up behind the wall and lean against it.

You now have a 2 ENDURANCE (out of 3) if your ENDURANCE lowers to 0 you are Dead.

Breathing with difficulty, you crouch and load your crossbow, you're going to get that Son-of-a-bitch if it's the last thing that  you do. After saying a quick prayer, you turn out from the wall and scan the buildings in the direction of the shot, just as quickly you  turn back in too the safety of the wall. A millisecond later a bolt smashes into the rubble you were just perched on.

You scoot over mentally aiming at the tall tower window on your upper right side. Then you skirt over to the small hole in the wall and aim. Inside you see movement in the wall and you draw a bead. Inhale. Exhale... Fire!

The bolt soars through the air and you hear a slight gasping sound before a man topples out of the window and falls four stories to the cobblestones below. The soldiers cheer and you send them a quick thumbs up.

Now to deal with the Turric Soldiers.

You move along the wall to flank the Turric Crossbowmen being careful not to make noise or alert them to your position. Finally, you can go no further and you peek your head out to see where they are and how many. You notice five men, each loading their crossbows. Deciding to make it four, you fire at the most exposed soldier and duck back behind your wall. A scream rewards your efforts and shouts from the Turric soldiers show that they now have a sniper to deal with.

You reload your Arbalest and ready yourself for another shot. Turn, aim, fire, and duck. A scream follows that action and you slide back down the wall to communicate with the sergeant. He is busy instructing his men to take careful aim but you catch his eye and motion for him to send another soldier across to your position.

You slide back to your sniper's post and between you and the soldiers, lay down covering fire as one of the privates rushes to the wall you are hiding behind. You've now got the enemy flanked. He looks at you with the bolt sticking out of your ribs and exhales but you motion for him to move to the corner.

He takes a quick look and  sees a Turric Medic tending for their two wounded men while two men provide fire at the Soldiers you left. You nod and roll over aiming at the Medic and taking him out with a bolt that shatters his skull. The soldier with you runs to the side to another wall to the rear of the beleagured Turric warriors and The sergeant and his soldier keep up firing from the front.

Seconds later, you and your soldier pick off the last two Turric Crossbowmen. You wave your hand back and forth indicating a cease fire and you all rise from the rubble strewn battleground. The Sergeant and his men rush to congratulate you, "I don't know what we'd have done without your timely intervention. I'm Sergeant Reynall and these soldiers are Corvis and Leake. I'm guessing your that merc girl they call 'Silver'. I'd heard you were amazing but obviously the legends do you no justice."

He looks at the bolt in your side and cringes, "Looks like you took one for the team, unfortunately our medic is lying over there with a bolt in him so I'll just bandage it up and keep it as sterile as possible. We're heading over to a defensive position where we think some friendly troops are stationed, your welcome to come along for the ride if you'd like. Four is a hell of a lot better than one I'd say."

[User] You say "Thanks for letting me tag along..."

[Assistant] You and the troops move quickly and silently through the alleys, side streets, and main streets of the falling city. Several times you have to draw swords and fight enemy troops, run away from other Turric groups, or even loose undead creatures wandering the city, however, you all find a place to hole up before you make the final push towards safety. You decide to wait until nightfall before moving onwards.