Exodus: Guns & Gore

QJ stepped onto the glyph right behind Ra, the bright lights of the Dunjai Desert suddenly went dark. He stepped to one side, waiting for a moment while his night vision adjusted. He could see Ra standing directly in front of him. "Why is the city dark?"

"It is always dark in the City of Ancestors. Our meeting was rushed, there are a few things that I may have forgot to mention." Ra bowed apologetically.

"No worries. Let's figure a few things out quick. You said you aren't a warrior. Are you a cleric by chance?"

Ra nodded, "Yes, I am a healer."

"Can you handle any weapons." QJ gave her his leather armor from his inventory. It was actually very good armor, but Remmy had made him something better. "Wear this please."

She slipped the armor over her clothes, "I can use a staff if I need to defend myself."

*Sierra has cast Water of Life*

All Allies Hit Points are increased by thirty percent.

*Sierra has cast Desert Storm*

All Allies ATK has been increased by 300.

QJ smiled at the buffs, "I may have to bring you back to Maelstrom with me." QJ took a moment to examine their surrounding. They were in a courtyard, next to a dried-up fountain. There were no signs of any other factions. There was one rather large building directly North of them, red stone brick roads led in all other directions.

"The building to the North is called the Engineers Building. Each courtyard has a door that enters, no one has ever managed to open it. The City of Ancestors only opens once a generation, so our knowledge of it is limited."

QJ glanced at her, "really limited since it seems to be normal to kill your competition."

"When all the factions are equal, there is barely any bloodshed. The Burning Horse Clan has grown very strong, so there will be many deaths here. "

"If my dad was here, he would make short work of the Burning Horse Clan." QJ sighed, a winged assassin would own the City.

Ra watched his face, not sure if he was joking. "Is he formidable?"

QJ waved his hand in the air dismissively," I suppose in a 'primal dragon' sort of way." He kicked the ground in frustration and started toward the Building.

Ra's dark face showed her concern. "The courtyards are only safe for a few minutes, the other factions will send out scouts soon."

QJ stopped and faced her, "If something is referred to as the 'Engineers Building', then you can bet that I'm going inside."

"QJ, this door can't be opened. Do you think our scholars haven't tried in the past?"

QJ studied the door carefully. The door was divided into three problems. Dozens of dials with numbers and symbols adorned all three parts. "So interesting." Qj leaned closer, careful not to touch anything.

Ra kept her eyes on the many roads leading to their courtyard. "QJ, the first part is a very difficult problem that only the best mathematicians have figured out. The second part is an unsolvable equation. No one has any clue about the third part. "


"Well... the first part is really just simple math. Barely worth the trouble. The second section, of course, is Tromboli's equation. Any third-year engineer student would know that.

QJ rotated the dials on the upper part, and then on the middle section. He stared at the third problem for a moment. "Funny..." He moved the dials on the third part and stepped back. A moment later a grinding and clicking of gears could be heard. The door shook for a moment and slowly opened inward.

"...." Ra.

"Stay behind me please." QJ stepped inside the door, lights on the walls lit when he stepped in.

"QJ! No one has ever entered this building!" Ra looked at him nervously, he had taken only a few minutes to unravel the mysterious door. She turned back toward the door hoping to shut it, but it was jammed open.

"Won't budge?" QJ stepped beside and added his strength to hers, even together it wouldn't close. "Let's not waste time."

QJ broke into a trot, the short hallway led another set of hallways and stairs descending downward. "Which way?" He stopped for a moment to drink some water, then he passed her his canteen.

"Thank you." She took a long drink and handed it back. Her face glistened with sweat and her breathing was somewhat labored. "I'm not used to running and wearing armor."

QJ patted her on the shoulder, "doing pretty well. Let's head downward. Our pursuit will waste time trying to figure out which way we went."

The stairs were actually a series of three flights of stairs. They descended sharply, one slip would result in a painful fall. Half-way down the last flight, QJ found a round gear leaning against the wall. He picked it up and placed it in his inventory.

"Find something interesting?" The foreigner had aroused her interest. Initially, she had thought he was a fighter, but he had deciphered the door in a few minutes.

QJ nodded and continued downward, his voice echoing in the hallway. "A gear of some sort, looks like a ceramic alloy, very interesting."

Ra smiled at him in the darkness, "how does the son of a formidable warrior become so well educated?"

"My mom's an engineer. She'd turn the entire Dunjai Desert into an Oasis." The stairs ended abruptly in a door, QJ exited and found himself in a circular room.

Ra followed behind him, she bent slightly with her hands on her knees as she breathed heavily. "An hour has passed, thank you QJ."

QJ walked behind her and helped her take the armor off. "Have a quick rest, you can always put it back on. It's just an hour, no need to thank me yet."

Ra leaned against the wall and slowly slid down it until she was sitting on the floor. "It's an hour I didn't expect to have."

QJ examined the room, there were four exits counting the one they came through. He took a step towards the middle of the room and instantly more lights came on. A grinding noise could be heard as the floor beneath them vibrated. From the middle of the room, a platform rose up out of the floor.

***********

The dark ghost followed the trail of the Fire Sands scouts. Her only mission was to kill as many of the other faction members as she could. There had originally been seven of them, but they split up at the Sandhealer Courtyard.

She entered the courtyard completely at ease, ghosts like her were invisible to normal fighters. She froze in place when she noticed the opened door. Had the Sandhealer faction manage to open it? Then these Fire Sand fighters were guarding it while their friends went back to report.

The ghost sprinted out of the courtyard, at all cost that report must not get through. They had left five to guard the door, so that meant that two were making their way back. She changed her route to try and cut off her prey, it was risky because it would intercept them quite close to the Fire Sand Courtyard.

Five minutes later, two Fire Sand fighters turned a corner and nearly ran into her. She jumped to one side, looping her arm around the neck of the nearest in a clothesline maneuver. She stabbed him three times in succession at the base of the skull.

The scraping noise of a sword being drawn caused her to spring backward. "

"Burning Horse Ghost!" The man spit in disgust, another worthless slave." He stepped forward and slashed downward with his sword.

Instead of retreating she stepped in and blocked his wrist with her shoulder, their bodies pressed together while her blade looped around him and entered the back of his skull. He collapsed at her feet, instantly her instinct warned her and she dodged to one side just as a half dozen arrows whizzed passed her.

She fled instead of fighting, they were Bloody Spear archers and were not part of her new mission. She ran silently and after losing them, disappeared into the shadows.

One of the arrows had scored deep into her shoulder. She couldn't remove the arrow. It was barbed and left purposefully dull so that it would only penetrate a few inches. Sweat beaded on her brow as she used her dagger to slowly cut the arrow shaft close to her skin. A wave of dizziness told her that it was most likely poisoned also.

She stood motionless as she considered her options. As a slave, they wouldn't bother to heal her if she went back to the Main body. They would receive her report and either kill her or send her back out. She nodded to herself as if coming to a decision, moments later she had stealthed again and was heading back toward the open door.

**********

"It's a control room?" Ra watched as QJ started pulling off panels on the platform that had risen from the floor. "To what?"

"Not really sure yet, parts have been removed." QJ finished removing all the panels. "Eleven components have been removed."

"Does that include the gear you found?"

"No." He held up the gear, running his fingers over the splines and smelling the metal. "This is to a hydraulic mechanism, not sure what yet." He pointed back to the Control Panels. "The missing pieces are all electronic components."

Ra had noticed that all the doors could be barred from the inside. She had quickly done so and now gladly watched QJ as he worked. "They won't be able to force open these doors, as long as we wait it out, your mission will be completed."

QJ nodded, "if that's what you want."

Ra stared at him, after she had barred the doors, they both had removed their armor to combat the stifling heat of the control room. "Beware a handsome man."

QJ looked up, a smile on his face. "Is that another proverb?"

Ra shook her head, "just something my mom says to me. She thinks homely men are more reliable."

QJ laughed at her expression. "What does she say about beautiful women?"

She favored him with a slight smile, "that they are a blessing to their family."

QJ laughed at her, after a moment she joined him.

They sat there for a few minutes, enjoying the silence as the quest timer clicked away. "QJ?"

He looked over at her, he had been deep in thought, worrying about his plans. "Hmm?"

"Are you hiding something from me?"

QJ hid the scowl that threatened to slide onto his face. Damn women and their intuition. "Suppose so."

"Is it very important?'

QJ shrugged, "not as important as your life."

She moved closer to him and slid an arm through his. "First... I have to know. The third part of the Engineers' door, you seemed to have a very easy time with it. Was there a secret?"

"It was a simple Cipher. The numbers representing words. Eight words in the sentence, through elimination you would eventually get it once you understood that it was just a riddle."

"Couldn't it have been anything? Countless variables?" Ra was a smart woman, she understood that it should have taken much longer."

QJ shrugged, "Yes, I just happened to have guessed."

Ra leaned closer, a smile playing on her lips. "Tell me what it was."

QJ gave her a blank stare. "The Desert is harsh, yet the water remains."

Ra nodded as if that should have been expected. Okay... Now tell me what you are hiding, I will decide."

"I suspect that this building is some sort of Water Plant. That gear I found is probably from a hydraulic pump. See that huge pipeline going upward?"

"Water goes in there? From the ground?" Ra stumbled to her feet, "QJ! Is such a thing possible?"

"Hard to say. The components were purposefully removed, perhaps it was done with the intent of creating a desert." QJ did not move from his seat on the floor.

"So, if you were able to find all the parts and replace them?" Ra bent down and gripped his wrist, using all of her weight she pulled him to his feet.

"In theory, someone could do it if they could figure out the mechanics of it." He let her pull him up, his face expressionless. "Your survival is the most important thing."

"Please make an attempt QJ." Ra approached the control panel and rest her hand on the warm metal. "Perhaps if we can find some of the pieces and leave them here, someone will eventually start it up."

"You stay here, I won't even attempt it otherwise." QJ started putting his armor back on.

"It's true that I am not formidable. Everything that has occurred until now, has convinced me that my destiny is at hand." Ra's dark eyes pleaded with him. "Would you share your path with me?"

QJ sighed heavily, "very well. Join me if that is your wish. You must listen to me at all times!"

*Fade*

You have faded from view.

Her dark eyes widened slightly, "I should have known. You are a ghost."

QJ unbarred the Western door and moved up the stairs slowly. He advanced carefully, calling for Ra to follow at different intervals. He exited the stairs and peeked into the long hall. Halfway down the hall, there was a person crouched against the wall, dagger held out low in front of him.

"Wait," he whispered softly.

QJ stepped into the hallway, deliberately showing himself. There was no response from the knife-wielder. He moved slowly past him and then quickly spun and slammed his fist into the man's neck.

Puriha has been stunned.

QJ leaped on to the man's back and wrapped him up in a rear-naked choke. He locked his legs around the man's arms to keep him from defending. They collapsed onto the floor after a few seconds. QJ leaned back and used the added pressure to apply extra leverage, he gritted his teeth while he strained to use all his strength.

Puriha has been slain.

QJ rolled from under him and stood up. He called to Ra in a low voice, "It's clear." He picked up the man's dagger and did a quick search.

"QJ... this man was a ghost." Ra pointed to the long scar along the man's neck.

"You used that term before, I assumed it was a stealth specialist." QJ grinned suddenly and held up an object. "Looks like they are collecting them too." He stowed the component in his inventory, "let's keep going."

"Ghosts are slaves trained to fight from birth, that scar on his neck is where they removed his ability to speak." Ra's face showed how distaste she found the practice.

"Barbaric... Same as before Ra, follow at a distance."

*Fade*

You have faded from view.

QJ moved quickly down the hall, he stopped when it came to a 'T'. "Wait," he whispered and headed right. There was a small room with lots of shelves, it was empty but he did spot something that looked like a solenoid, he stowed it and returned to the intersection.

"Nothing that way?" Ra was waiting for him, she was crouched low against the wall.

"Another part, follow please." The hallway curved slightly and then ended abruptly in an open area. There were two people guarding a door. QJ returned to Ra. "I'll pull one at a time."

"Okay QJ."

*Lasso*

A Burning Horse Scout has been roped and is closing in on your position.

*Kneecap*

A Burning Horse Scout has been slowed by forty percent.

*Aimed Shot*

[Head-Shot Bonus x Critical hit]

QJ has hit Target for 33,565

*Sierra has cast Oasis*

All Allies heal Eight thousand HP over the next three minutes.

QJ pulled his shotgun and pumped three rounds into the face of the scout.

*Point Blank*

QJ has hit Target for 12,888

*Point Blank*

QJ has hit Target for 12,350

*Point Blank*

QJ has hit Target for 11,228

A Burning Horse Scout has been slain.

"Follow please." QJ moved quietly back to the room and stopped in the entryway.

*Kneecap*

A Burning Horse Archer has been slowed by forty percent.

"Shit, archer... stay out of his sight."

*Aimed Shot*

[Head-Shot Bonus]

QJ has hit Target for 22,500

*Aimed Shot*

[Head-Shot Bonus]

QJ has hit Target for 18,666

*Aimed Shot*

[Head-Shot Bonus]

QJ has hit Target for 17,585

A Burning Horse Archer has been slain.

"Can you search the room and the bodies while I scout the next room?"

Ra nodded, "times running out. We should hurry."

*Fade*

You have faded from view.

QJ pushed the door open, immediately a dagger was thrust at him. He jumped backward and kicked the door fully open.

*Quick Draw*

QJ had hit Target for 3,255 damage.

The dagger flashed at him again forcing QJ to step inside and slam his knee into his assailant's groin.

A Burning Horse Ghost has been stunned.

Gripping the Ghost's wrist tightly, he hip tossed him against the wall.

*Kneecap*

A Burning Horse Ghost has been slowed by forty percent.

QJ stepped back to create space and pulled his shotgun.

*Point Blank*

QJ has hit Target for 10,500

*Point Blank*

QJ has hit Target for 11,150

A Burning Horse Ghost has been stunned.

*Point Blank*

QJ has hit Target for 13220

A Burning Horse Ghost has been Slain.

QJ quickly searched the ghost and then the small room he was guarding. There were six components stacked neatly on the shelf. He grabbed then quickly. "Looks like we aren't the only ones gathering these."

Ra joined him in the doorway. "Nothing in here. Makes sense I suppose. This building has never been explored, everything in here will have a high priority."

"What about the hidden object?" QJ led her back toward the stairs.

"They are probably splitting their forces." She followed QJ back down the stairs and into the Control Room. She barred the door while he started installing the components.

"Half an hour left QJ." She had watched him as he deftly installed the components. "How do you know where everything goes?"

QJ gave her a boyish grin, his face turning red. "Well... it's mostly guess-work. We could very well blow-up."

She stared at him for a moment. "My mother was right," she muttered under her breath.

QJ stood up and walked toward the only unexplored door. "Hopefully the other four components are through here."

Ra nodded, "right behind you QJ."