[Fan Fiction] Permafrost
Fri, 09/21/2012 - 21:12
I'm just gonna say this. I'm not abandoning The Archipelago. I've just been busy lately, and when I finally got around to making a chapter I lost internet. I just need something New for a while.
This fan fiction is more of an alternate storyline of what would have happened if the Heart of Ice operation had failed. Also known as: The whole Clockworks and Haven have been put in a deep freeze. Deployed squads of Knights are suddenly trapped and bombarded by blizzards and hailstorms, and rescue teams are unable to leave Haven because of the perpetual ice storms. I'll be telling the story of a researcher working in a Lichenous Lair when the frost struck.
Enjoy. (Maybe)
P.S - If you look at this and there's no chapter 1, it means that I'm afraid I'll lose internet while making it and I've decided to wait until Saturday morning, when the internet will be more stable.
Sat, 09/22/2012 - 09:53
#2
[Chapter 2] Blizzard
Acessing database... ... ... ... ... section lichen.data open. Downloading entry.15... ... ... ... interference detected. Error. Attempting to download entry.15... ... ... ... ... Complete. Entry sent to fiend.memo database.
"What the hell.......?"
"What is it sir?" said Clarke, walking over to the computer.
"I just sent the fifteenth lichen research entry, as Feron told me to when he talked to me after the fourteenth entry..... but when I sent it, there was some sort of error, and now it says the file was sent to 'fiend.memo' instead of the Haven database.
"Fiends.....? Intercepting our communications?"
"Apparently.... thats what the computer is telling me. Or maybe it's just a display error, and the message did get sent to Spiral HQ."
"I sure hope so......."
It had been a week since I had sent in the message to Kora about our capture of a giant lichen colony. We had gained valuable data from studying the slime's cores. Today was the day we were to release it back into the wild, and then move on to beast research in a wolver den. The team was escorting the gigantic slime out of the camp. We had packed up the entire camp, and now the whole team was walking to the elevator, where we would release the lichen, and then take the elevator to the Clockworks Terminal, and then to a wolver den from there.
We were almost to the elevator when an icy wind blew through the depth.
"Huh? That's strange...... that hasn't happen bef-" I was cut off as a gigantic blast of wind and ice hit the Lichenous Lair, blinding us and knocking us all over. The whole sphere begn to shake, and by the time we regained our senses, everything was frozen and...... zombies?!
We were surrounded by a horde of Frozen Shamblers that had seemingly appeared out of thin air. I pulled my Combuster and charged the undead at full speed. The rest of the research team pulled swords or guns and began firing on the crowd of shamblers.
It was hopeless.... it just seemed like there were more and more coming out of nowhere! We had to flee from the zombies and the sudden blizzard, so we ran for a small cave entrance. We grabbed our backpacks and threw them down the tunnel so we could run faster. We slid into the cave, and the giant lichen colony, apparently just as terrified as we were, squeezed into the tunnel with us. Several Frozen Souls tried to follow us into the cave, but they couldn't get past the hulking lichen, and they exploded before getting close enough to do any real damage. The slime was unfazed, but the tunnel entrance caved in, leaving us in darkness.
We walked through the cave by the light of our flashlights. For some reason, despite the fact that it was completely free, the giant lichen colony chose to follow us, nor did it attack us. Sometimes we thought it had finally left, but an occasional squish or squelch told us otherwise. Strange..... very strange. As was the incident that occured outside. Eventuall we found oursleves in a large cavern. It was filled with Luminite deposits that lit the room. We stopped and unpacked our food and water supplies, as well as our sleeping bags.
"Alright," I said.
"We're going to have to stay in here for a while. The tunnel entrance is caved in, and even if we could get out, everything is frozen, and there are undead everywhere out there."
Clarke gasped.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Sir.... you know how the fiteenth research entry seemed to have been sent to some fiendish database instead of Spiral HQ?"
"Yeah....."
"Well, do you think that this is the work of fiends?"
"Perhaps..... maybe some sort of infernal experiment...."
"Either way, get a camp set up here, I'm gonna see if I can get a connection and send a message to Spiral HQ, and despite the sticky situation we're in, I think I'm going to make a sixteenth entry on the stragely 'friendly' behavior of our giant lichen colony here.
I typed up a message to Spiral HQ:
"This is Research Team Echo, stationed in a D22 Lichenous Lair. We were exiting the area, when we were suddenly hit by a freak blizzard. Afterwards, large amounts of undead appeared in the area. We are currently tapped within a cave in the Lichenous Lair. Though we have ample supplies, we could use some sort of help. There have been no casualties and we are safe for now. I will also be sending a sixteenth research entry if possible.
Research Team Echo Leader,
~Orokis
Sun, 09/23/2012 - 10:09
#3
[Chapter 3] The Cave
Acessing computer... ... ... Opening section lichen.data... ... ... ... opening new document... ... ... Complete.
-Lichen Research Entry #16-
Ever since the strange blizzard and the sudden attack by the undead, the giant lichen colony that we were studying has begun following our research team. When the Frozen Shamblers attacked, it followed us into a cave. At first I was sure it was going to exact its revenge for capturing it and taking its cores. But rather, it just followed us like a loyal dog. It seemed to be just as terrified of the ice and the undead as we were. It still remains with us, feeding on our Jelly Gems and absorbing energy from the crystal deposits around the cave. But, my point is that if we could find some way to train these slimes, it would be beneficial to our survival. We will observe the behavior of our 'pet' further.
Research Team Echo Leader,
~Orokis
Acessing database... ... ... ... section lichen.data open. Dowloading entry.16... ... ... ... Complete. Sent to amu.sol.database.
"What.....? Again?"
"Message transmission error again?" asked Clarke.
"Yeah...... it's definently devilites...... Amu Sol is a fiend city not too far from here in an icy area." I responded.
"Hmmm...... situated in an icy area eh..... near here too..... you thinking what I'm thinking?" inquired Clarke.
"That that blizzard came from the fiends in Amu Sol?"
"Yeah..... we should tell the rest of the team."
"Agreed."
I called for everyone to assemble in the center of the cavernous room, and Clarke walked up to a ledge and used it as a makeshift stage.
"Alright Research Team Echo....... me and Orokis think we've gotten to the bottom of the blizzard inicident."
"Huh....? What is it then?" mumbled a recruit.
"We have reason to believe that that supernatural blizzard and the undead that came with it originated from a nearby Devilite city, Amu Sol."
I stepped up to the ledge.
"They have also been intercepting our transmissions to Spiral HQ, as well as my last few lichen research entries. That is all. Everyone pack up the supplies and get ready for a long walk. We're going deeper into the cave in hopes that it will eventually lead outside again. The worst of the blizzard has probably passed, but there might be some lingering undead. If we do find an exit, have you weapons at the ready.
I saw some recruits struggling with heaby crates and backpacks. One of the stopped and said something to the others. They grabbed several ropes. Now what were they doing.....? They began attaching the ropes to the lichen's horns, and they hefted the heavy supplies and tied them to the lichen's back. The lichen squirmed a bit, but didn't seem to mind the extra load too much.
"Wow..... good thinking recruits." I said.
"I figured since we have this huge lichen following us around, we might as well put it to good use." said one of them.
"Yes, I suppose so..."
They grabbed a large tarp and put it on top of all the boxes to hold them down better. We were all set to leave. We moved the temporary barricade we had used to block the passageway leading out the other side of the cavern, and switched on our flashlights. We began walking into the darkness...
Fri, 11/16/2012 - 22:34
#4
[Chapter 4] Cave Exodus
After a long, tiring, and in general very unpleasent walk, we were near the exit. We could tell as the snow and ice cover got more dense as we moved further on. The only amusement we had was when a recruit or an absentminded scientist would slip on the ice and fall. It was funny the first few times, but it lost its humor after a while...... especially after a recruit slipped off into a ravine. I covered my eyes when it happened, but that didn't keep out the sound of his legs snapping like toothpicks, nor did any amound of ear-covering keep out the agonized moaning...... or the sound of prowling shamblers down in the ravine. Hey, it was a slow, painful death, bu it would have been much slower and much more painful if he han't been torn limb-from-limb by those zombies. Rather ironic, isn't it? Being thankful that you're about to slaughtered mercilessly. I hope it doesn't come to that point for those of us who are left.
"Sir! I see the exit!" yelled Clarke enthusiastically.
"The exit is a welcome sight Clarke...... but if I were you I wouldn't be so damn happy about it..."
"Why?" he inquired, confused.
"Have you been down here so long that you've forgotten that we're facing a crisis? The entire Lichenous Lair is frozen over.... and filled with zombies for that matter. You did hear that recruit scream, didn't you? Don't let it happen to you," I said, annoyed.
"Well..... I know the terrain well......" He gestured to the giant lichen trailing not too far behind us. ".......and I'm sure that thing knows its way around even better...... it's just a matter of making it point us towards the lift."
"Hmmm..... lets see, we'll just follow a magical sparkly slime through an endless winter wonderland to the lift.... like lemmings off a CLIFF!! Damnit Clarke! Do you have ANY sense?! My god....... we're lucky you're not leading us, or we'd be rolling around on the ground making snow angels while the zombies disembowl us! Great plan you got there!" I shouted, delirious and enraged.
Clarke just glared at me and slid to the back of the line.
I saw a white and blue light at the end of the frozen passageway.
"And here we are......... squad, ready your weapons!" I yelled, already hearing unearthly moans coming from outside.
An unnerving sizzling filled the tunnel as I pulled out a belt of nitronomes, followed by a dim orange glow as I unsheathed my Combuster from it's heatproof case. The zombies would have detected us much earlier if I hadn;\'t used the sheath. It concealed heat from thermal vision goggles or detectors, and of course, concealed it from sensitive creatures. With a fierce cry, I ran out of the tunnel, research team following suit.
I emerged to a sight that froze me solid, literally and figuratively.
Everything frozen. The gears of the clockworks lay broken and unmoving, frozen solid. The lamps that gave the clockworks light were shattered, pelted by chunks of ice and merciless blizzards.
Darkness and ice.
Darkness.......... and ice.....
Fri, 11/16/2012 - 23:14
#5
[Chapter 5] Dawn of the Endless Winter
I stood, paralyzed, in full view of a few dozen Frozen Shamblers. At this point, I really didn't care...... it..... it seemed like the world had ended. But we were still here, weren't we? Maybe we were the only ones left. Maybe the cave had saved us from the wrath of Amu Sol, like a bunker would from a nuclear bomb. Or maybe everyone was sitting in Haven laughing like nothing had ever happened while we toiled in this wasteland. Perhaps this was an isolated incident. Maybe the fiends were doing some sort of test on what they designated as an unihabited area, and we just happened to be in the way. But, as I said...... I couldn't believe my eyes..... maybe I had been in that cave too long.
However, I was quickly forced back to reality as the rest of the research team came charging out of the tunnel, swords gleaming. I ignited my Combuster and clumsily swung at the hungry shamblers encircling us. I was knocked over by a blast of air as the giant lichen flew into the fray with a quick dash. In all my years of research, I never fully understood how they reach such ludicrous speeds. But as much as I just wanted to sit down and write in my research log, this was not a time for idle thoughts. This was a time for battle! I swung with renewed vitality, striking harder with each consecutive hit.
I noticed something as we began to pick off the shamblers directly surrounding us. The shamblers behind them were...... different. They look very much like possessed and icy Knights, taken by some horrible curse. I soon discovered I was correct. These shamblers were knights! Some half rotted, and some almost bare skeletons, with their armor clanking on bare bones. The worst however, were those that were almost or completely intact, and looked normal exept for their glazed over eyes. (/derp command lol) As much as I tried to convince myself that they were exactly the same as the other more...... deteriorated shamblers, I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was killing friends. I knew none of these Knights, but I had a constant fear that I would see Feron or Kora or Kozma within the possessed ranks.
In the half a second that this thought came to mind, I was overrun. A flurry of rotted hands reached for me and grabbed at me. The rest of our team was similarly overrun. The zombies paused momentarily and there was a pinkish-purple flash. A Trojan surrounded by a ring of Layofer (Ice Devilites) Overtimers suddenly appeared. A rain of bidents thrown by the enraged Overtimers landed all around us. Several Shamblers were impaled in the process. I shield-bashed my way out of the horde to try to take out the Devilites in an effort to save my otherwise doomed research team.
But..... I forgot about one last thing.
The last thing I saw was a Trojan's greatsword flying at my head.
Sat, 11/17/2012 - 16:42
#6
[Chapter 5] The Dream
I stood alone in a dark room. Was this death? Was that Trojan the end of me? At this point..... death would be welcome. Suddenly a horribble, echoing, voice said
"Come, Knight...... embrace me..... embrace the darkness...... bring me your power!"
All I could manage was a pitiful-
"W-wh-who are y-you?"
"Who I am does not concern you, you pitiful insect!" said the voice.
"What is this place?
"SILENCE!" the voice yelled, clearly annoyed. "..... or I will leave you to rot with the shamblers!"
"I think I could take a bunch of half rotted morons. Whoever you are, you are even stupider than Clarke, and that's saying something."
"HAHA! That fool lies dead, along with the rest of your squad....."
"Shut up, Maulos!" I yelled, thinking I knew who it was.
"Maulos it but a pawn in my plan..... as soon as he has served his purpose, I will crush him like I will crush you if you can muster enough courage to get in my way. Either way..... I tire of this. You are not like the others..... you possess a power unlike your foolish brethren. I WILL have it...... but for now...."
I began to say-
"What is this po-
"BE GONE!"
My mind went as dark as the room around me.
I heard voices.
Not again!
I realized that these were familiar voices, friendly voices.
"What hap....... lets try t..... ake ..... im ..... may..e ...... e's ali-e."
They were only fragments, but I could tell they were saying 'What happened? Let's try to wake him up, or something else of the sort.
A felt a sudden surge of cold liquid rush across my face.
I opened my eyes.
I was alive.
Two Knights stood in front of me. I was lying on a crude wolver-hide matress. We were in some sort of small canyon.
"He's awake!!"
"Who are you?" I said, feeling too much like this was that strange dream all over again.
As my eyes began to adjust, I saw two familiar faces.
Giovanni and Philip, two of the scientist from the research team and good friends of mine.
"Oh" I said, happy to see a face without those terrible glazed over eyes.
"About time you got to your senses....." said Giovanni
"Hmm..... I think you have a bit of explaining to do."
"What?"
Fri, 02/01/2013 - 23:11
#7
Bump.
Bump! Might be making a chapter Saturday if I have time.
Sat, 02/02/2013 - 02:03
#8
Tasty :P
Really nice, especially when you're comboing up consecutive chapters of goody goodness.
The lichen carrying stuff reminds of Incoherrant's lichen :P
Sat, 02/02/2013 - 06:18
#9
you shouldve named the GLC
I think Slimy
Sat, 02/02/2013 - 09:50
#10
.....my story had the
.....my story had the character name permafrost...and it's a slime too.. ._.
Sat, 02/02/2013 - 12:11
#11
Wow.... really?
I didn't know.... I never saw it.... also, you posted when I was writing chapter 6 and it made me go back a page and I lost it all >_<
Sat, 02/02/2013 - 20:34
#12
Hehe sorry.
Well the Main idea of my story was a character/slime female who can transform into knights by freezing and turning her insides and skin to different shapes and form.
Tue, 02/05/2013 - 12:46
#13
[Chapter 6] Awakening
"So what the hell happened back there?" I asked, confused.
"You got knocked off a cliff by that Trojan, and we got overrun shortly afterwards," said Giovanni.
"Overrun...?" I asked. "Is everyone else.... dead?"
"I'm afraid so," responded Giovanni.
"Damn...... we lost a lot of good men today," I said.
"Indeed," said Giovanni.
"Wait a second...." I began, "....how did I live and everyone else die?"
"I'm wondering that myself, sir.... especially considering you were knocked off a cliff," said Giovanni, confused.
Phillip walked over to the bed. I guess he had finished whatever he had been doing.
"Well," he said, "I saw that lichen dive off the cliff after you.... maybe it got to the bottom in time and you landed on the slime like a safety net."
"Wow..... never would I have thought I would owe my life to a jelly...." I said, amazed. "Speaking of which, where is it now?"
"Scouting the gorge," said Giovanni. "We should catch up to it and get moving. We need to find a way out.
*incomplete, will finish later today*
Acessing database... ... ... ... section lichen.data open. Downloading entry.14... ... ... ... Complete. Research entry sent to Haven database.
I typed in my latest report on the behavior and biology of the lichens that I was studying. I was the leader of a research team studying lichens near the core. We were at depth level 22. The next test that we were moving on to would require capture of a living slime, and we were going to cut it open, mostly for the purpose of studying the slimes' 'nucleus'. But night was approaching in the slime-filled biome-sphere, and I was up on guard duty, so trapping a slime would have to wait for tommorow.
I put on my Volcanic Demo armor, and reached for my stranger hat and binocular visor. I loaded an energy cell into my Valiance handgun. I opened the team's Arsenal Chest and grabbed my Nitronomes. I grabbed a belt with a flare gun, two emergency rock salt containers, and a heavy duty flashlight. I grabbed a cylinder containing a Ionized Salt Bomb and put it on my belt. Finally, I grabbed my Combuster. I walked over to the guard's post and used a set of night vision goggles to scan the area. Nothing.
It seemed like it was days I sat there, waiting for something to happen. Sometimes a tiny, overzealous lichen would charge at the camp, and inevitably meet it fate at the wall of rock salt dust. Sometimes I would see a lichen colony or two. In general, nothing at all out of the ordinary happened. Which, I suppose was a good thing, but this research is boring work, and it's not like you can just go on a nice stroll outside the camp.
Another team member relieved me of my post, and I walked into my personal tent, and fell over on my sleeping bag, too tired to even take my armor off.
I woke to the sound of howling wind and the other team members yelling. I looked round my tent, confused. What were they doing....?
I stumbled outisde to see ten knights with heavy duty ropes, herding a giant lichen colony into the camp. More knights stood guard, as the rock salt had to be cleared to get the gargantuan slime inside. It panicked, but it was unable to dash or fire off spikes as the were all bound by ropes. I walked over and marveled at the impressive sight.
"Good work. How'd you managed to capture THAT?"
"We ambushed it", said Clarke, the team's Recon Knight.
"How so?" I asked.
"The slimes just love these Jelly Gems that we found while we were operating in the Royal Jelly Palace. We ended up finding a whole lots of lichens all flocking to the little gelatinous coins, and we thought we hit the jackpot...... but then they all formed together, and we had this thing bearing down on us. We hit it with a little rock salt, and it was weakened, so we roped it, and..... here we are."
"Alright..... relieve it one one of it's numerous cores, and keep it tied up in the research enclosure. Give it more Jelly Gems each time we take another core, and don't take too many at once. We'll release it back out into the wild after the research is over, since we'll be moving on to beast research after my fifteenth research entry."
"Yes sir."
A knight walked up with a heavy rubber glove with a bit of rock salt on it. He put his hand in the jelly and reached for a core. The huge jelly squirmed as he pulled it out. He dropped it on the ground and me and Clarke carried the gigantic nucleus over to a table. The other Knights herded the giant lichen colony into the enclosure and rewarded it's cooperation with a few more Jelly Gems. It was a job well done. We froze the core solid and put it in the sample refrigerator. We would begin work tommorow, but for now, I had to report the resounding sucess to Spiral HQ in Haven via Uplink. I went to a computer terminal and began typing, though I was sure that Feron would like to talk to me as well. I pressed 'Send', and the message was sent to Kora's database.
Now all I had to do was wait for a response.