A single temple stands between a Warzone in a world void of life. Each side refuses to claim it or fire a single shot at one another. Both Union and the federation patiently wait as a single ship lands in between their camps. The ship seems heavy landing on the planet; its weight seems to buckle the landing gear. The ship’s bay door opens, showing a squad of legends.
Squad 912, a legendary team whose exploits have garnered the respect of the nations and one of the few squads who reach Nation rank. A rank equal to the entire strength of a nation’s army. Each leader of each army approaches the Squad. The Union army leader is a Pixie whose almost mechanical wearing her best formal uniform, littered with medals and awards. The federation army leader is a dragon who wears a ceremonial garb of his nation to show his respect.
The squad leader Colonel Break (Lur) an Orc known as an immortal soldier from his days in the Union Corp. He stands 8ft 2inches wearing his Union BDU (battle dress uniform) but the patches are X’d out except a single patch on his chest of the Cartographers crest.
“What’s the situation?”
The Federation commander is the first one to speak. A dragon of purple scales who smells of death. “It’s an honor to work beside a legendary team, but we have no information to give. We have sent recon teams, but no one has returned to or sent an update.”
The Union commander, a pixie whose body is mostly mechanical interject. “The opposite is correct. We have no information about the temple. Even a platoon alongside an elemental haven’t been able to confirm the situation inside.”
A voice cuts in, “Wow, even an Elemental couldn’t figure it out. Some serious stuff is happening inside. I recommend we blow it up.” A goblin who named himself Sarge after being forced into retirement by his commanding officers. He stands 5ft 5in, wearing his union uniform with his hat and goggles on as well. The uniform patches were like Break’s uniform. The smell of certain explosive chemicals emitted from him strongly.
“We have tried, but the building has a dense shield protecting it and the energy giving off is equal to a majestic class ship. Both sides have nothing of that size or power. It’ll take years to break it at our current strength, but the front door is open, as if it’s inviting us in.” Answered the Pixie commander.
“Sounds like a wonderful challenge! Let us go already!” The biggest and strongest of the team, Warrior Guls (pain). A manticore standing at 15ft wearing only his pants to flex his muscles, wings, and swings his spiked tail around at the thrill of battle. “An excellent death may come for me!”
“Per our agreement with the cartographers. We won’t be sending any troops to help as we shall be here to ensure nothing leaves, or until your return.”
“That’s a bummer, a cramped building, but it’s better than working with a dragon. I’ll be on the ship taking a nap. Wake me when we get someone more open.” Replied one of the laziest beings alive and the sniper of the group, Lake (bieso). She is a zephyr, a flying race of the galaxy, standing around 6ft. She wears a collar around her neck, allowing her to print dresses and armor. Lake is one of the best shots in the galaxy, able to shoot accurately while diving bombing over 400mph.
Lake tries to wake back into the ship, but another member of the squad grabs her, ensuring she doesn’t escape back to the ship. “Sorry about her, the long trip here made her very sleepy and she’ll wake up soon.” Responded Comet (anāu). A Male moon elf-cold blood hybrid. He has purple hair and skin with scales of cold blood on his parts of his body that are exposed.
“It doesn’t matter. I have read the accounts of the squad and I realize you all shall solve this dilemma with ease.” Expressed the Federation commander.
“Suit up!” The squad leaves so they can suit up. The army commanders return as well till they hear a childish voice coming beside them. “Hey don’t forget about me, I’m the mascot!” They turn to see a little elf girl standing beside them. She has pink eyes and a mixture of brown and pink hair. She can be no older than 8 or 9 years old and is probably a wood elf given to her brown skin.
“Hello! I’m Ink and I shall be live broadcasting our adventure in this temple of death! I have sent you both and everyone here a link to our live feed, so please like, share, and comment. Also, don’t forget to buy our merchandise! We have shirts, shoes, blankets, anything you can think of and best of all if you join our premium squad, your favorite member will send you a signed mech.”
Ink lifts her wrist, allowing her holographic connection code to appear with signed documents ready for them to sign and a virtual store. The federation commander, being a big fan, signed up immediately. He ordered a pair of signed shoes by Gul. The Union commander didn’t sign up but bought a pair of squad 912 gloves that look like Lake’s claws. The two were very pleased as they walked back to their camps.
“Ink, hustle!” Ordered Break as Ink comes running as she goes over the receipts and begins the live stream. She pulls out orbs from her pockets as she walks around the squad.
Ink live streams for the billions of viewers across the galaxy. “Hello viewers from across the galaxy! The squad is now preparing for their latest mission, the temple of death! Let us check out the squad for all those fresh and stale viewers. Let us start with the Leader of the squad Break.” announced Ink.
Break equips his changed Union tactical gear that covers most of his body, leaving only the joints exposed and his changed coil rifle, which shoots condensed energy in a concentrated beam or bursts rounds with metal projectiles. Alongside his trusty sidearm, a heavy custom made duke pistol. A gun able to fire 1 round per reload and enough power to knock someone like Gul on the ground. Break never acknowledges the cameras nor interacts with them, yet he has the biggest fanbase.
Ink broadcasts Sarge. “Alright, now let’s check out our second in command, the explosive Sarge!” Sarge grins and waves at the camera and even does a few poses as he places his living metal gas mask, which allows him to survive almost anywhere, also powers his goggles, allowing better sight and energy readings. His weapon of choice is his multipurpose grenade launcher. It can shoot party favors for small nuclear warheads able to blow up a city block. Finally, his charged vibration blade can cut through most metal by forcefully melting them.
“Now onto the triple threat package. The muscles, the brains, and the good looks of the group, Gul!”
Gul looks at the cameras with his flowing golden mane making the livestream filled with hearts. He flexes a bit before donning his armor. A gift from the giant race. A race made up of warrior knights making Gul combat prowess in close range combat soar. Leaving only his wings exposed to remain able to fly. Guls wields many melee weapons, but has dedicated himself to wielding a war hammer of almost his height. He never uses guns as in Guls, his own words “it’ll be too simple.” He also has a nasty surprise with his spike tail. It is strong enough to break through armed soldiers and release a deadly toxin upon impact.
“Now before the livestream crashes, let’s head towards the bombshell with the hips and aim to shoot a bug moving at light-speed, Lake!”
They filled the comments with marriage requests and other things that are quickly banned by mods. Lake places a metal box on her back. The box opens up, showing three different guns on mechanical arms. Her sniper is a custom made 55mm elemental rifle which was given to her by a dragon lord. It can shoot various elementals from acid to radiation at different levels of power, alongside kinetic projectiles imbued with elemental properties. The other two rifles are rivet federation rifles. They have two fire modes: a powerful slow shooting main or a shotgun secondary, each mode has its uses. Last, are her stake drivers, which are connected to her legs. If she ever jumps on someone or needs to swoop in for a stealth kill, those drivers will pierce through most armors ensuring a quick kill. Many hotels, spas, and resorts requests flood in as lake yawns as they comment they have wonderful rooms to rest in.
“Alright everyone, it’s his first time on stream, so let’s give him a Squad 912 welcome. He takes the role of protector and is the second elf, but the first elf hybrid to be on the squad, so Let’s give it up for Comet!” Comet waves at the camera and gives a heartfelt smile. The screen fills up with love letters which annoy Guls a little.
The Empire fans go wild seeing an elf but a male moon elf, since they are rare in their race. Comet is the medic of the team but also the defense. He has a copy cube filled with his own hospital equipment and more than enough medical supplies to supply an army of 100,000,000. Comet comes with his father’s weapon and armor, a sundial, an 8 barrel Minigun before it became a wrist cannon gun in the modern Jade Empire army. It is heavier, slower, but more powerful with three modes: turret, rapid fire, and burst fire. The sundial can charge itself using sunlight and can keep up intense fire for days without issue. His father’s armor is an older style of Jade Empire military armor, able to punch harder, but it’s heavier. Last but not least, His secondary is a gun of his own design called a bubble gun. A gun able to shoot various bubbles to capture, burn, stun, poison, etc his target. Finally, his twin daggers, which were his mother’s.
“Alright everyone, that’s all the squad members, and they have readied themselves, so now the cameras are switching to their chest cams and remember you can switch between cameras to follow your favorite member.”
Ink returns to the ship after ensuring the cams work. They then placed the ship on autopilot and it’ll orbit the planet with defenses activated to ensure no one will try to capture their mascot. Ink cameras also work as mics, sensors, radios and have different viewing modes to allow the audience to be more immense. Also, while on the ship unbeknownst to the squad, Ink allows the best way to keep them immense and that by gambling. “Alright, our lovely viewers, place your bets on what will squad 912 find in this temple of death. User sniff_my_butt has placed 10,000 union credits on the undead. Who wants some action?!”
The squad stopped at the entrance of the temple. Break began giving orders. “Alright, Gul, you up front, I’ll take second, sarge last, lake third, and comet fourth.” Everyone took formation as Gul ran in his head first. Comet, being new, wanted to say something. Everyone started running, so Comet ran as well.
Gul arrives yelling at a large but empty room Gul quiet downs as nothing occurs. “Well, this is boring.” as he leaned on his war hammer, waiting for the others. The remaining squad appears, seeing a Gul just relaxing on his weapon. “Hey everyone, nothing here and it’s a big room with nothing except a split in the path. Who is going where?”
Break walks over to Sarge as he scans the room. “Sarge, have you learned anything?”
Sarge’s mask lights up, scanning the room for any clues. “Plants? Possibly underground spring with a bunch of moss? The smell of plants is not unusual.”
Guls looks around, seeing familiar designs around the room. “It is older than the war of survival. It has an elf’s design with a dwarf’s craftsmanship. The place was probably a culture exchange between the two nations before the war.”
Ink on her live stream is currently placing bets on who is going where. She offers cuts of Gul’s hair for the prize of whoever wins as Break gives orders.
“Comet goes with Sarge and Lake. Take the left path. Me and Gul, we’ll go right. Keep comms silent till needed and if being overrun, retreat here and hold.”
They agree and split up.