[Present]
Kraven's eyes were fixed on the road ahead as he led his contingent of Etherwalkers back to the wasteland checkpoint, their vehicles kicking up dust as they raced across the barren landscape.
Suddenly, he heard a low rumble in the distance, and his hand instinctively reached for the weapon at his side.
"Etherling," he growled, his voice urgent. "Everyone, prepare for attack!"
His men responded quickly, their vehicles transforming in the blink of an eye, their wheels morphing into powerful limbs that allowed them to leap into the sky, all the better to engage their enemy. As they soared high above the wasteland, Kraven caught sight of the Etherling below. It was a massive, hulking creature, its skin rippling and shifting like liquid metal.
"Open fire!" Kraven roared, his eyes blazing with battle-lust.
In response, his men unleashed a barrage of laser fire, their weapons humming with deadly power. The Etherling let out a monstrous roar as it swatted at the projectiles, its claws leaving trails of energy in their wake.
Kraven grinned, his heart racing with adrenaline. "A Rocksteel!" Kraven barked as the creature came into view. "Concentrate your fire on its hide. It's thick, but we can wear it down if we focus our efforts."
A Rank C Rocksteel Etherling , a massive creature with armor as tough as its name suggested, let out a deafening roar as it barreled towards the Etherwalkers. Its flesh rippled with the same red hue that infected many of Rustenburg City's inhabitants, a testament to the corruption that had spread across the Rustenburg plains. The Rocksteel's roar was answered by a chorus of screeches and hisses, as a horde of Rank D Etherlings emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with a feral hunger.
"For Lord Corbin!" Kraven roared, his voice echoing across the wasteland. "For the Messiah!"
And with those words, the battle began in earnest, the Etherwalkers' laser fire cutting through the darkness like blades of light, each strike finding its mark, each victory bringing them closer to their ultimate goal: the fall of the Rocksteel and its horde. In the midst of the carnage, Kraven stood tall, his blade a blur as he cut through the Etherlings like a force of nature. Each swing was a testament to his prowess, each kill a testament to his skill.
But the Rocksteel, unfazed by the onslaught, charged towards him, its massive bulk shaking the earth beneath its feet.
Kraven sidestepped the beast's lumbering attack, his eyes narrowing with cold calculation. He struck, his blade slicing through the creature's tough hide, the scent of its blood filling the air. Seeing the creature's stumble, Kraven seized his opportunity. With a burst of energy, his blade ignited with a fierce inferno, the flames licking at his armor as he unleashed his Infernus power.
The Rocksteel, sensing the shift in power, retreated, its thick hide already smoldering from the heat of Kraven's blade. But Kraven was relentless, his fury fueled by his dedication to Corbin's cause.
"Burn!" he roared, his voice raw with the power of the ether. The flames erupted from Kraven's blade, swirling around him in a maelstrom of heat and destruction. The Rocksteel let out an agonized cry as the fire consumed it, its hide blackening and peeling away in chunks.
As the creature fell, its carcass a smoking ruin, Kraven turned his attention to the remaining Etherlings. His eyes narrowed, his expression deadly.
"This is for Corbin," he growled, his voice low and dangerous." With a thunderous roar, Kraven unleashed his power, the flames swirling around him in a deadly vortex. The Etherlings shrieked as they were caught in the inferno, their bodies burning like kindling in a firestorm.
The wasteland became a landscape of ash and smoke, the screams of the dying ringing in Kraven's ears. Yet he did not falter, his resolve unbreakable, his dedication to Corbin unwavering. As the last of the Etherlings fell to Kraven's blade, a dark silence descended upon the wasteland. The battle was won, the odds overcome. Yet Kraven knew that this was only the beginning.
He turned his gaze to the north, towards Rustenburg City, a silent promise made in the depths of his heart. "For Corbin," he whispered, his voice low and fervent. "I will make you a kingdom in this new world. A kingdom built on the ashes of the old."
As the convoy of Etherwalker vehicles rumbled across the desolate landscape, the silence was broken by a few hushed conversations among the survivors.
"Did you see the way Kraven took out that Rocksteel? Man's a beast," one Etherwalker said, his voice filled with awe.
Another shook his head, "He's a killer, that's for sure. But he's no Etherkin. He's just a man, like the rest of us."
"A man with a mission," the first replied, his voice growing serious. "Corbin chose him for a reason. A gruff voice cut in from the back of the vehicle, its tone laced with contempt. "You boys aren't showing proper respect," he growled. "It's Lord Corbin to you. Don't forget your place."
The other two exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of surprise and annoyance.
"You heard what Kraven said," the first said, his voice growing hard. "We follow Corbin because he's strong. We respect him, but we don't have to worship the ground he walks on." The gruff Etherwalker shook his head, his jaw set in a stubborn line. "Respect without reverence is just empty words. You'll learn that soon enough."
The second Etherwalker scoffed. "Maybe you're content to follow him like a lapdog, but some of us have a brain between our ears. You can bet that if Corbin ever slips up, Kraven's gonna be the first one to put a blade through his heart."
The first Etherwalker shot him a warning look, but the damage was done. The gruff Etherwalker's eyes flashed with anger. "You watch your mouth, boy," he snarled. "Lord Corbin is our leader, and he's the only thing standing between us and the monsters that would tear this world apart. You'd do well to remember that."
The second Etherwalker's hand twitched towards the handle of his blade, but the first shook his head, his eyes pleading for peace.
"Let's not start a fight amongst ourselves," he said, his voice tight with tension. "The enemies are out there, not in here." The second Etherwalker's gaze shifted away from the gruff Etherwalker, a grudging acknowledgment of the wisdom in the first's words.
"You're right," he said, his voice grudging. "We're on the same side here." He turned to the gruff Etherwalker, his expression softening slightly. "I apologize for my words. Lord Corbin has been good to us, and I shouldn't have disrespected him."
The gruff Etherwalker nodded, his eyes still narrowed with suspicion. "You'd best remember that," he said, his tone cold. The first Etherwalker let out a sigh of relief, the tension easing as the two men calmed down. He exchanged a glance with the second, the unspoken message clear.
"Let's just get back to the checkpoint," he said, his voice neutral. "Corbin will have our asses if we're late."
The gruff Etherwalker snorted. "Yeah, well, maybe you two should be more worried about Kraven's blade than Corbin's wrath."
"We're all worried about Kraven's blade," the second Etherwalker muttered, his eyes flicking to the darkening sky. The convoy of Etherwalker vehicles pulled up to the wasteland checkpoint, its gates standing open like a yawning mouth. As they stepped out into the dusk-darkened air, the tension among the three Etherwalkers faded, their attention shifting to their surroundings.
Kraven moved purposefully towards the group of Etherwalkers guarding the checkpoint, his eyes scanning the shadows for threats.
"So, the deal went through?" he asked, his voice a low growl.
One of the checkpoint Etherwalkers nodded. "Yup. Corbin and Norgaard have agreed on terms."
"Norgaard seems to be playing ball for now, but don't trust him," the checkpoint Etherwalker added, his tone grave. "The guy's a snake. If he thinks he can wriggle out of this, he'll take the chance."
Kraven's eyes narrowed. "Well, he better not try it with me," he muttered, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. "I'll skin him alive if he double-crosses us."
The checkpoint Etherwalker shrugged. "Your call, boss. But be careful." "Alright, boys, you heard the boss," one of the checkpoint Etherwalkers barked, her voice echoing across the dimly lit wasteland. "Let's get the first shipment of food loaded into the trucks. And be careful, we want it in one piece."
The others nodded, their hands moving with practiced efficiency as they began unpacking the boxes and crates that lined the checkpoint's storeroom.
"Any word on the rest of the shipments?" one of them asked, his eyes never leaving his work. "They should be coming through over the next few days," the Etherwalker at the checkpoint replied, her tone clipped. "Corbin was pretty clear about the timeline. He wants the food secured and transported to the city as soon as possible."
As the Etherwalkers worked, their conversation drifted to other topics, their words peppered with dark humor and inside jokes. But beneath their banter, a thread of unease could be sensed, a knowing that this deal with Norgaard was walking a thin line between success and disaster. "You know, I still don't get why Corbin's doing this," one of the Etherwalkers muttered, his face creasing into a frown. "I mean, it's not like he cares about the people of Rustenburg. He's never been a humanitarian."
Another Etherwalker chuckled darkly. "Well, that's the thing, isn't it? Corbin doesn't care about the people. But he does care about his people and power, and if he can control the food supply, he's going to have a whole lot of leverage over Norgaard and the other authorities."
The checkpoint Etherwalker snorted. "Yeah, his people. That's what I mean. Corbin doesn't give a damn about the regular folks of Rustenburg. They're just pawns in his game. But the Etherwalkers? We're loyal, we're powerful, and we're his. That's all that matters to him."
As he spoke, a sudden realization seemed to strike him, his eyes widening. "You know, that's probably why he chose Kraven for this mission. He knows Kraven's loyalty is to the Etherwalkers first and foremost. The others fell silent, the implications of this revelation sinking in.
"That means he trusts Kraven more than any of us," one of them finally said, his voice low and thoughtful. "And that means he doesn't trust us."
The words hung heavy in the air, the echo of their conversation fading into a weighted silence.
"Doesn't matter," another of the Etherwalkers said, his voice resolute. "We serve Lord Corbin, we serve him, and that means we do this mission, no matter what."
"That's right," the second Etherwalker continued, his gaze fierce. "Kraven didn't get where he is by playing nice. He fought his way to the top, and he earned his place right next to Lord Corbin."
"Yeah," a third chimed in, his hands still working to load the food into the trucks. "And if we want to prove ourselves to Lord Corbin as his soildiers and Etherwalkers, we need to do the same. We need to show that we're not just pawns. We're soldiers. We're the ones that get the job done, no matter what."
As the last crate was loaded into the trucks, a hush fell over the group of Etherwalkers, their thoughts turning inward.
"This isn't just about power," the first Etherwalker said, his voice quiet, almost to himself. "It's about survival. Corbin's right. The city is changing with growing population. And if we're going to survive, we need to adapt. We need to become something...more." The Etherwalkers turned to face their leader, their eyes alight with a newfound fire.
"Let's show them what we're made of," one said, his voice low and fierce.
Kraven's gaze moved from one to the next, taking in their fierce determination. "Good," he said, his voice thick with approval. "We're going to need that fire if we're going to conquer Rustenburg once Faren shows his fangs and betrays them.
And as they moved out into the darkening wasteland, Kraven's thoughts turned back to Corbin and his plan, his lips twisting into a grim, knowing smile.
Kraven appeared at the door of the storeroom, his eyes glinting in the half-light. "You heard the man," he growled.