Lord Valtre Babbington IV, or ‘Vance’ as he was known to his mother, watched with menacing intent as the gang entered the walkway.
“Ned, dear boy, you’ve brought new friends with you! You’re such a popular fiend lately” Valtre said, eyes wide and grin widening as he stared at the pict feed. “...and more to follow you I see hm”
“More entertainment for the masses Valtre, that should keep your minions happy for a while. Be forewarned, these aren’t your usual unfortunate lost things, these are House Gangers. They’re well equipped.”
“Ah, nothing we can’t deal with. We haven’t had a the tri-fector operate as a team in so long. IF the labyrinth doesn’t kill them, the Winged Avenger, Human Tank, or the Gunslinger will finish the job - won’t you?”
At the back of the room were three figures. A squat barrel of a man in green armour smoked a fat cigar around a table playing cards with two other figures. One, a hawkish slender young man of obvious noble birth, another’s eyes were obscured but his weathered tanned skin spoke of the experience of a survivor of desert steps. He definitely had the most chips, and the muscled man in green didn’t seem happy about it. The drink and displeasure of his luck at cards can account for most of what happened next. His low IQ the rest. “What’s the matter Ned, they chase you down here? Couldn’t handle them yourself? I thought you were the biggest and strongest there is.”
Ned sneered. “Silence your toy, Valtre, before I break him.”
With a crash the man in green shot to his feet and bared down on Ned. He was a huge hulking thing, a match even for Troug; but Grout just put a steadying hand on his brothers should and smiled. Ned would handle this. The Human Tank got one good swing in, Ned allowed him that much, and it hit harder than he expected. He dodged the rest of the blows with nimble movements difficult to track before dodging away allowing his opponent to crash into the wall behind him head first.
The Tank spun, shaking his hazed slightly, a dent in the wall the evidence of the impact.
Ned backhanded the man to the floor but caught him with a knee to the stomach. The Tank fell to his knee, coughing.
“You’re strong, Tank. You even have potential. But you are a fool, and I don’t tolerate fools gladly. Be gone.” Ned turned and waved the man away like a bad smell.
Enraged at the disrespect in front of his peers, The Tank jumped to his feet and pulled a hand cannon from a compartment in his armour. He pulled the trigger and a loud BOOM filled the small space. An ordinance the size of a man’s fist flew at Ned’s head. Somehow Ned had sensed even this blind assault. He lurched to the right, quicker than anyone could see and drew his archiotech sword and bisected the Tank from the thighs down. Thus, The Tank would become ‘the mostly human’ Tank.
An eruption of blood poured to the floor and The Tank screamed in fear more than pain.
“Fix him” Valtre ordered. A flurry of activity saw Valtre’s henchmen spirit The Tank away.
“I wish you wouldn’t make such a mess Ned, we have guests to prepare for afterall.” Valtre quipped.
“For your troubles and the entertainment.” Ned threw a cred-card at Valtre and began to head for the door. “Stall them, I have business to attend too. I’ve dallied too long already. Till next time, Lord”. Ned said the last word with obvious indignation, but he respected the man for what he had built. With that, he left.
The heel of Longtail's boot slipped on the pungent viscera surrounding the rotting carcass of the gigantic beast, feet flung high, head swung low and the inevitable thump as her backside met the ground. The satchel draped over her shoulder almost splitting open as it joined her tumble.
Pardus burst out laughing "You have got to be the clumsiest Escher I have ever seen! Better not lose any of that Spook or boss lady will have you scrubbing up this mess!"
Before she can catch it, Longtail's worn out complaint escapes her mouth "Why do we have to wear these damned heels anyway! Surely we'd be better fighters without 'em!"
"In or out of heels you still have the grace of a stimmed up Goliath!" came the, now customary, response as Pardus helped her up. "Let's get out of here, this place stinks!"
Longtail glanced over at the torrent of sewage spewing from the busted pipes, burst where The Beast had clawed its way up from the depths. The collapsed walkways and girders looked ready for another clanging cacophony. Sprouting from the gore, the bright yellow mounds from spook spores, feasting on the remains of The Beast.
"I've never seen so much spook in once place!" exclaimed Longtail, "Do you think there could be more wherever that thing came from?"
"What!? Down that sewage pipe! You must've cracked your skull, if you think I'm going down there!" said Pardus. "We've got more than enough to get some nice new toys and a few bottles of 'shine, let's quit while we are ahead and leave that pipe for anyone dumb enough to search it."
Before long all the spook had been harvested, the more intrepid gangs, dressed in skin tight rubber diving suits, ventured into the reeking sewage flow seeking their fortune. Little did they know, this sewage flow would lead them to the labyrinth surrounding the secret hideout of Nefarious Ned and his band of troublesome rejects.
YOU ARRIVE WITH A SPLOSH>
“*AHEM* is this thing on? What? Well why didn't you say so! Ingrate”
<BLAM>
“Sorry about that. Now then, where was I? Ah yes! Welcome! Welcome! ahha... indeed we haven't had guests down here in quite some time. You may encounter a few a long your way. They may want a hand if you can spare the effort. They haven't eaten in a while you see.
So. Choices choices. Your soggy selves must choose a path.... but tread carefully friends. There's plenty of surprises along the way!
Needless to say, being soaked through won't be your top concern for very long...hahah…”
<YOU HEAR A ROAR IN THE DISTANCE SOMEWAY BEHIND YOU FROM THE WAY YOU CAME>
Ah, Franklin wants to play! Well I guess you could always wait around and greet our pet. He does so love a game or two, but his toys do tend to fall to pieces rather quickly - up to you... Come on Franklin! New Toys! Good boy!”
The line goes dead after a hiss of static and laughter leaving you with few choices. get to the end of this insane labyrinth or wait around for Franklin. you see pictfeed casts dotted around and realise this is being broadcast. by who to who? That can wait for now. Best get going.