The pike’s engine groaned as its rider pushed the limits of the Fallen tech, fire shooting out from nearly all of its exhaust pipes. The flat plans of Marduk’s territory made the trip seem longer than it was, the constant hum and hard vibrations of the pike hardly helped. Behind him, to both his left and his right, followed two men, armed with some faceless auto-rifle, made sure never to overtake the King on their long trip. The trio were headed towards a tiny village, barely larger than a few hundred acres, a village Marduk has no memory of conquering. He hopes the spreading rumors to be just that, rumors, false pieces of information that spread out amongst the population. A sigh passes his lips, the air is heavy.
They round a bend, the Pike’s coughing loud enough to echo inside the valley. Once the village is within eyesight the three disembark their pikes. “You,” Marduk grabs at one of the two guards at his back and pulls him forward, “Get a sniper, go up to the ridge,” he motions towards the right, “On foot, be quite. You, the same, your next is to the left,” he motions again.
“You’ll go alone?” One ask, even as the sniper rifle materialized in her hands, “I thought the best way to handle insurrectionists like this is numbers?”
“Maybe for any other Warlord,” Another spat, heavily rolling the ‘R’s, “But not for our King.” Marduk laughed and gave both Guardians a hard slap to the shoulder and then they were off, vanished into the underbrush and foliage that covered the mountainsides.
Marduk began the march towards the town in silence, some spotted him as he made his advent, shouts rang out towards him, pleads for forgiveness, while others urged on the three figures that stood at the mouth of the small town. He opened “Oh, Lady —”
“— Kamet.” She finished, brandishing her shield and firearm. “You might have one last time, but not again.”
Marduk laughed loudly and jerked his head to the side, “Out of my way.”
“We’re taking this town, Marduk, you have no power here.” Lady Kamet spat back, distilled hate flowed from her tongue.
The Warlord snarled before raising his hand and summoning his Rain-Flood in one smooth motion, a trigger pull let loose a bark and a flooded, Arc-coated bullet collided against Kamet’s shield, the Iron Lords rallied together, and then Marduk slammed his fist down hard on the shield, Arc-energy erupted, one shield vanished into ash and the other two were left burnt and slagging. Suddenly a shot rang out, the report was the unique thunder of an Ice Breaker, the round flew high over the Warlords head. It landed somewhere deep in the town, a small explosion followed, and then only the sobs of parents. The Iron Lords gasped, one turned and Marduk slammed his heavy boot down hard on one of the two other, lesser Lords, throwing the smaller Hunter back into the dirt.
“Landor!” Lady Kamet bellowed as she fired at Marduk, the bullet went wide, buried itself in the dirt. Marduk rammed his fist against the Iron Lady’s helm, sending her deeper into the town with a burst of Arc energy. The last Iron Lord threw his shield down and ran towards Marduk, the Striker King laughed and with speed heretofore hidden burst forward, his fingers reached around the man’s helm and he slammed down the man’s head with enough force to crack the hardened rock. He whistled and another of his guard fired into the town, twice, the Ghost spawned in brilliant light and Marduk snatched it from the air. “Sorry, Lord, your story ends.” He slammed his Arc-charged first down on the Iron Lord once again, serving him his final death and destroying his Ghost completely.
The other, lesser Lord screamed, he ran forward but Marduk was ready, his body vanished into tendrils of Arc Light, the tendrils penetrated the Iron Lord’s body, sending volts through his body, before coalescing back into Marduk’s form. He grabbed the Iron Lord’s head, one hand at the base of his skull and the other on the helm’s chin “Petty Lord, don’t attempt to deny me what’s mine!” As the body fell he pointed at it and whistled again — a signal to watch for the Ghost, destroy it and rend the Ghost inoperable.
Then he turned back towards the raging queen of Iron and Solar. She stood and rolled her shoulders, Marduk only laughed and clenched his firsts. “Kamet,” he stepped forward as Arc energy built up in his left hand, with his right he pointed to the ground at his feet, “Kneel.” Another sniper’s report, another Ghost erupted, another Iron Lord dead.
Sobbing she charged, Marduk slammed the fist of lightning into her breast and her entire body shuddered before slumping and dying. “I gave you a choice.” Marduk whispered coldly as he dropped her body. “Sil, Darma, head back, I’m going to reduce this village and all within it to ash,” he shouted this loud enough for the town to hear, screams broke out and he was suddenly flooded with pleads for forgiveness, “You will be rewarded for your valor, my guards.” They offered the formal thank you, offered their worship, and began the trek back.
The town vanished. Two Iron Lords died. Kamet’s pride was nonexistent and she only longed for death again. Or revenge.
