Clinch River: Minutes Count (2024)

CLINCH RIVER

Clinch River Valley, South Side.

The winter chill of the Tennessee mountains was more than even the initial reconnaissance had noted, and snow blanketed the ground of the river valley as the Vandenreich's operators arrived on the scene, dispatched a good distance away and transported by way of quiet trucks. Primitive, certainly, but far less noticeable than spiritual exertion, particularly in this empty area of the world. Sometimes the mundane still had its applications.

Below, in the valley itself, sat overgrown land which seemed remarkably empty, only a few stray foundations and other concrete bits of rubble to leave any indication at all that the place might once have been inhabited. It might have been a beautiful place, tranquil even, were it not for the presence of paramilitary operators practically swarming the area. Barricades erected, clear protective efforts all focused around a single tunnel that seemed almost unceremoniously dug into the ground. Yet from that tunnel, even at such distance, those who had come could feel that same mysterious energy that the scouts had felt.

In some ways, it felt similar to that of a Hollow, yet for any similarities there were countless more ways in which it was wholly different. In fact, it was, frankly, completely incomparable to nearly anything. If anything, the closest thing one might say about it was that it resembled Mazda. Alien, abnormal, defying all typical spiritual conventions. But it certainly was not like his energy, either.

A mystery, to be certain.

END POST | LET IT STAY HERE

Liltotto Lamperd

Liltotto peered suspiciously upon the valley below, not just at the forces that walled around their way in, but even to the teeming of strange energy. Her trained senses hardly needed a whiff to tell her that, indeed, there was something amiss about it - just as the reports said. If anything, the feel of the energy gave her a similar skin crawling sensation that Mazda's had...

Here's hoping no mermaid-haired, god complexed twink's in that hole, she'd think with a twitched brow as she surveyed the situation. Sure, she wasn't in a role of authority, but someone had to be scheming some way in with the least hassle. She'd look between the valley and her companions with a thoughtful gaze, before finally speaking,

"Kay. So. Better for us to get in there ASAP - no doubt those other guys are in the area by now and are also trying to get in," She'd speak up to address everyone, arms folded behind her back, "Those guys down there don't seem super interested in conversation, so probably they'll be up to duke it the moment we approach. So, game plan..."

Two of the women here she knew, but Shirohime was a weird, clearly ill for combat outlier to her. For all she was concerned, priority was keeping the strange pale woman safe and mobile so she could do her own magic down below.

"Dunno what those guys down there are capable of, but likely chance they aren't too huge of a threat - either way I don't think it's a good idea for all of us to go down at the same time. Far as i'm aware, only ones out of us who can take any surprises without getting crippled or killed is me and Giselle, so we should probably go down there first. Natasha can stay hidden up here with Shirohime and keep her safe while we clear the valley of threats, and just wave you guys to come down when that's done."

She'd look across everyone for a moment, already having come up with a few ways to handle the mob of bastards below, "Well, we have a few options of actually handling them... I have a few tricks, Giselle has her own... And of course I have ways of making sure we don't get followed inside - don't want to give anyone else an easy in."

Casually, she'd pull out a granola bar after she was done talking, giving everyone a bit of a side glance as she started on that, "If there's no objections, let's get on with it."

END | Mission Time

NATASHA | HUMANITY'S STRONGEST SOLDIER

Curious azure eyes peered down at the Clinch River Valley, observing the barricaded area, littered head to toe with paramilitary operators, gazing towards the tunnel that housed an otherworldly energy. Even Natasha, who had experienced her fair share of supernatural phenomena, struggled to stifle the shivers that ran up her spine gazing at the tunnel and the anomalous energy emanating within.

Moving her gaze towards the others, Natasha listened on in silence as the golden-haired woman devised a plan of action. There didn't seem to be any particular flaw in her game plan, at least not one that seemed readily apparent at first glance. From an observer's point of view, Liltotto and Giselle were qualified for the task at hand, ideal even.

They both possessed aspects that would allow them to recover or regenerate from the unexpected, whereas Natasha, even with Blut, might not easily survive. Who knows what these women would find down there? As a true soldier, Natasha could respect a good strategy and commended Liltotto with a nod before turning her eyes towards Shirohime, the mysterious white-haired woman who could not properly stand on her own two feet and seemed almost as if on the verge of collapse. During the briefing, she seemed intent on following them along and securing the energy - with the Grandmaster giving her his stamp of approval.

Defending the White Princess seemed easy enough, although Natasha would certainly keep her eyes peeled, to avoid being attacked at unawares.

"Play the role of bodyguard for the White Princess. Got it. I'm cool with this plan of action. You two be careful'. " Moving directly beside Shirohime, Natasha utilized her spellcraft to form Casanova - an azure desert eagle with an intricate design, while her other hand formed Roxanne, a Beretta M9 with a unique them of it's own, scouting the area for any mishaps.

END POST | ALL IS WELL, SAFELY REST

SHIROHIME | WHITE PRINCESS

With her assessment complete the ghostly woman's eyes flickered back towards the group, Liltotto's thoughts were logical but Shirohime looked back at Natasha in thought.

"We'll move as a group. Separating us only allows them to attempt to split off and make us deal with them on two fronts. It also wastes precious time for you to clear the pathway and for us to come after. Our priority is to secure this source. Understood?"

Her will towards that goal was almost palpatble and rightfully so, in this very instant her entire being was dedicated to the completition of that goal and move plans forward. How this mystery would contribute towards it was up for debate. Even if they were surrounded, they could deal with it easier as a group of four rather than just two could deal with being surrounded far easier.

"Do you all have any arguments?"

The tone of the question didn't exactly welcome debate, rather it was rhetorical.

THE ENEMY OF BLACK | END POST

CLINCH RIVER

Before the Vandenreich had even had time to enact their plan, however, it seemed the situation had already changed in the valley below. The open arrival of a powerful figure had clearly put the paramilitary forces into high alert, and said figure was one not unfamiliar to anyone who paid attention to the Vandenreich's intelligence.

Hannah Chiza, Lux Orior operative, was currently speaking with the forces surrounding the area, though it did not exactly appear that she was welcome. In turn, the rest of the men had tightened up, the perimeter surrounding the area closing in that much closer and creating a more secure area that would have been far harder to simply slip through. Obviously, whether or not the men were as spiritually adept as the Vandenreich, they were highly trained, professionals who knew how to keep an area secure in only a moment.

The valley remained open, of course. But now the primary entry point was far more well-defended.

END POST | LET IT STAY HERE

Liltotto Lamperd

She hardly needed to whiff to know who was down below, making their job harder, her presence stinking up the valley below. Liltotto swore, one day... One day will be her's...

"Okay," a breath of frustration came loose, "Loud and proud with all of us together it is..."

She'd nod and follow Giselle to the front of the truck, surprisingly forming a rapier - a weapon that even Giselle wouldn't have been familiar with her having in the past. Sitting in the passenger seat, she held the weapon out and ready as she'd watch Giselle seem to look for a radio, "Dunno if we'd get any signal out here, even if we had one."

Though she went on to stating her intent, "I'll use this if we have any difficulty getting through. Should at least help get us farther in before the truck's useless."

END | Mission Time

NATASHA | HUMANITY'S STRONGEST SOLDIER

Casanova and Roxanne in hand, Natasha could only listen to the women as she whistled softly, gazing between the three of them as they came to a consensus on how they would move along in their operation. Natasha, much like them, gazed down at the woman who had caused the military below to go into full-on lockdown mode.

Well, there goes that plan, huh? Natasha clicked her tongue casually as it became clear the only way in would indeed be in a group and to operate carefully from there. Natasha turned to Shirohime and bowed respectfully before walking towards the truck, sitting in the backseat behind the two women, waiting for the white haired princess to hop in and move on towards securing this source of energy and completing their mission.

END POST | ALL IS WELL, SAFELY REST

SHIROHIME | WHITE PRINCESS

This group was indeed just the peculiar bunch, she was not ignorant of that the whole group seemed to be full of dysfunctional individuals except maybe Natasha and she wondered just what kind of organisation Cyrus was running. Ultimately, it didn't matter when they functioned and got the objective done. So she followed along, naturally last by her own generally fatigued state making it take more work than the others to conjure up the stamina.

While they bickered about insignificant things like the radio she looked at Natasha. Already guns out, she supposed that she ought to bring out her own tool of destruction as much as she hated to use it for vile purposes but those things were pushed back away from the forefront of her mind. She had no time nor freedom to be concerned about her archaic morals.

"Switch On: Seiren."

She muttered, the five floating orbs manifesting around her and flying around idly next to her. Ready to utilise it as much as she needed.

THE ENEMY OF BLACK | END POST