The warriors of Hod, including Phidias, an rising star pupil and squire, enter the laboratory, SO9, brandishing their gun blades. The laboratory creaked and moaned, with loose rock falling from the ceiling. The Seneschal gestured for the other temple knights to spread out, for something - something large - could be heard behind the large steel airlock door to their left. They took up positions and waited. If there was some horror waiting to erupt forth from the darkness then they would have the first shot.
In the dank gloom of the laboratory depths Ambrosius waited, tinkering with the lock to the chamber he had been locked in. He could hear echoing outside the moans and growls of the unholy creatures that stalked the dark.
From the shadows a small, clawed, fiend raced forward and gnashed and tore at one of the knights. He let out a cry of shock and kicked the creature back and fought back.
The seneschal knew they had to take the initiative, any advantage they had was now lost given that they had now been attacked. A knight ran forward and open the large airlock door. It slid back - steel grinding on steel - and revealed waiting the enormous form of a Aberration. The titanic beast, made of bone, muscle and metal, dripped viscous saliva from its lipless maw. The knight and seneschal fired. The barrage of gun fire briefly painted abstract shadows across the walls of the laboratory. Each shot hit home, puncturing flesh and membranes. Ichor spattered onto the rusting floor.
The beast roared, barrelling forward, dragging wicked looking steel talons. Medical tables and equipment was sent flying in all directions. It slashed out at the knight, sending the man backwards like a rag doll.
The commotion had alerted more than the foul creatures of Dirz. From the drainage pipes burst forth a horde of rats that swept through the laboratory tunnels and out into the day light of the back desert above.
The Aberration bellowed and crashed forward again, and in a single rending swipe, parted torso from legs, leaving one of the knights a bloody mess. Phidias raised his multi-barrelled pistol, and fired. Each shot cracking into the skull of the foul monstrosity, and finally ending the beasts rampage.
The seneschal aided his knight and brought his gun-blade down on the grotesque tiny creature, and split it in two. Almost as if in response, another of the vile, little, creatures sprang forth from the shadows at the seneschal. The scrabbling creature tore at the seneschal's face and throat. Throwing the creature off the remaining knight returned his captain's favour, and impaled the beast.
The laboratory was once more silent, save from the drip-drip of blood from the remains of the hulking beast. Somewhere Ambrosius was still trapped, and the more time they wasted the more likely their master would die.
In the stillness and inky darkness, cold green eyes flared to life, as spindly fingers worked a sphere of ectoplasm. The Neuromancer reached out with his mind and touched the thoughts of each of the Hybrid warriors. <<STALK. AMBUSH. DECAPITATE.>>
Ambrosius finally opened the door to his cell, and gingerly crept out. He still had his rifle. But without the warriors of his temple, he was unable to use to his full potential the auras - his holy powers. There, sprinting towards him, was the man-machine Hybrids of Dirz. The blank metal faces smeared in bodily fluids. However, this one was different. Even the mask could not hide the maddening frenzy the being was in. It hacked and slashed forward, with Ambrosius barely able to survive. The creature was strange still. Face to face, Ambrosius could see metal plates shifting and locking into place. The monster was almost in full plate armour.
Phidias and the remaining knight had decided to follow one corridor, while the seneschal proceeded down the other. poison dart crossbow bolts fired from the gloom, and Phidias returned fire. The Neuromancer's alchemically attuned mind reached out and forced the wound shut on the injured Hybrid.
The seneschal approached the embattled Ambrosius. Taking aim he fired, but found his shot were deflected by the thick armour on the Hybrid. In reply a crossbow bolt whizzed over his head.
The knight accompanying Phidias, rounded the corner and took aim at the infernal glowing eyes of the Neuromancer, but the shots were not true. The Neuromancer then, almost as if smirking behind its blank metal mask, shut the large steel doors.
Cutoff from the others, the seneschal fought back. The Neuromancer lashed out with his thoughts, causing the seneschal to buckle over. The psychic seeing his chance charged forward and sliced at the warrior. The seneschal tried to fight back, his gun-blades biting into the arm of his opponent. Ambrosius stepped back and took aim, his rifle injuring the Hybrid. But the creature was possessed. It howled from behind the mask and leapt forward, and hacked down the old man.
Phidias and the knight raced through the laboratory to the aid of their captain, and together they laid low the psychic and the Hybrids. But Ambrosius was dead.
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