Board Thread:Role Plays/@comment-25389303-20180831104140/@comment-25389303-20190103120929

A burst of burning embers fills the air as the director plummets to the burning ground below, followed by the sickening crunch of breaking bones. He barely has time to register the pain of his broken leg before the growing inferno begins to consume him - his clothes quickly catching alight as the scorching phosphorus gas begins to make its way into the man's lungs. He manages to hold his breath for a brief moment before a blood-curdling scream escapes his lips, audible to even the farthest mercenary. It was sharp and disjointed, and filled with unimaginable agony. And yet, even through the crackling flames and unspeakable pain, the nightmarish sound of sporadic, howling laughter could be heard, even when the director drew his final poison-filled breath and collapsed into the hellish flames.

Tragoedia, meanwhile, was so focussed on slowly crushing his opponent that he almost didn't detect Titania's advancing figure until it was too late. At the last moment he releases his prey, turning his body in time to meet the new challenger. The collision causes the robot to stumble several steps, but rather than resume his attack he instead withdraws to a safer distance.

"You have disobeyed direct orders from your commanding officer," Tragoedia's curious A.I. observes, commanding its vessel to slowly circle the reunited contractors in a crescent shape. ''"This is intriguing. I will have to review this encounter in greater detail once you have been terminated." ''

The machine's artificial thoughts are interrupted as Tragoedia is rocked by a sudden explosion, powerful enough to send it staggering backwards a step. Turning in the direction of the projectile's source, his thermal vision detects a new force of mercenaries emerging from the treeline - most likely the ones stationed at the facility that were forced to pursue their targets on foot. Amongst the usual rifles his keen vision detects numerous handleheld grenade launchers and other fearsome weaponry.

"Heavy ordnance indentified," Trago rumbles, attention momentarily returning to Titania and Farran. "You are no longer a primary objective. Pursuit of this unit will nonetheless result in your extermination. You have been warned."

Perhaps reluctantly, the lizard-like machine turns and retreats back into the fog, redirecting his focus on the slowly encroaching soldiers. He manages to reach Alexander and Blanc's motionless form precious seconds before the fresh wave of enemies arrive - no doubt furious at having been denied their hard-earned payday.

"Operative Claymoore's vital signs are failing,"  Tragoedia reveals, needing little evidence besides the large pool of blood now surrounding her. ''"We will not reach a hospital in time, Doctor Nobel. It is time to leave, before we are once again surrounded." ''

The A.I.'s self-preservation protocols were beginning to override the mission's secondary objectives, and returning with his target's corpse was not among them. Turning away, Tragoedia began his withdrawal back into the darkness of the woods, all thought of Blanc already gone from his shackled mind.