Early in the morning, at around 12 am I arose out of my comatose state. My head felt like a decayed bar counter I looked around my apartment, no wait... this is NOT my apartment. It's not a bar either.... to make sure i don't wake any sleeping dogs, I most quietly took my stuff and sneaked my way through the fog out the door. Luckily sneaky is my first name! But I did not forget about the "trampling Brunhilde" bit and thus out of "Courtesy" fell down the stairs of that Motel I apparently went to, to take a slumber. I put on my coat and just bolt for Soulhunters inc. The way through these parts of the pride ring feel like taking a walk through Brooklyn. The dark alleys house more wretched souls than any prison ever would. Ironic, isn't it? Wasn't there a talk about lawless fields? In fact the creators of these hellish landscapes never ever made a rule for this place in any age. Every single coordinated district stems from a strong soul seizing control over it, either via diplomacy or force. Those leaders constantly beating each others' heads in for territory, politics, souls, or resources, they built the infrastructure from dust up, but also cause constant clinch between each others folks. Playing each other out.
On the other hand I'm actually quite proud of the area I secured way back when. If someone tries to find a place to hide, they run to New Frankfurt. Yes, I'll keep calling it that-
Noone of higher powers dares to search it. That doesn't mean lower scum can't do any harm either, but at least it's not a place for shady backalley deal-makers.
On the way to the company i recall the upper head saying in his utmost care to not get to the company. So it's actually a no-go to just use the job portals. These don't just play the role of a gateway, but also cover the clock-in and -out function for actual outside duties.
As my foggy head comes to that conclusion I raise one of my 50mm double barrel firing pieces. A yellow flame covers my left eye, also filling the upper barrel of my canon. aimed at a building i fire a yellow ball of energy, for it to splatter on it like a waterballon. This is a jittery portal,not fully concentrated, as i don't have a close area description via the soul contrancts, but it'll do. I can still use the global transportation methods on this modern world from there on out. After all I got time~.
"No fockin' wae I'll regret me choices now won't I-" I give myself as a sarcastic snarl.
Aaand in the next moment I find myself in mid-air high above what looks like a snowfilled mountainside. The wind skims over the rock giants like a blizzard, snowflakes as thick as ping pong balls cover nearly all sight, they do get less turbulent the further i fall down.
A flock of glimming lights cover the most distant parts of the mountain range, their flickering barely reaching my sight.
Are they signs of population, or just some will o' the wisps?
My thoughts are shoved aside as I begin to see the forest covered ground. I release thick, steelen chains out of my sleeves, stretching in pairs of fours over the woods, dampening my fall enough to not disturb surrounding villages by my arrival. The chains dissolve after I land. Whilst I enjoy being the trampling Brunhilde, I don't necessarily want to awaken anything unpredictable.
I strive through the coniferous woodland and thick snowfields for what feels like hours. I can't shake off that sense of unease, as if I'd be watched by something or someone, just barely evading my vision.
I dont have the time for this, I at least want the taste of a coffee or a tea by the end of the day, not some bland boiled snow water over a campfire.
Speaking of, at that point I can hear my stomach growling in protest to the last days, consistent of a mainly liquid bread and potatoes diet.
Maybe I should stop and look for a boar or an elk? These thoughts are shadowed by the nature itself whispering their stories in the wind. A lot of wind actually. I won't be able to prey on anything at this rate.
The snowdrift keeps getting more intense, as i make my way through the forest. They say when you follow a river, it'll always lead to civilisation. I did pass a rivulet, but i doubt it'll amount to any town or anything.
Especially since a soulful presence keeps fleeting by the corner of my eye. The snowdrifts hide anything otherwise visible though.
It can't be a deer though, since I'm walking in the direction of the wind. They would not even get close to me. Someone is watching me. But as long as they don't do anything stupid or offer themselves for a meal, I won't do anything rash.
What started as minutes quickly expanded to several hours of aimlessly wandering about. But no matter how lost i was, the watcher didn't leave me alone. Maybe it's one of those wills'o wisp that lost their way to my sight.
Nevertheless, as soon as i found the closing remnants of my footsteps in the snow, I knew that it's all for naught until these blasted winds recess.
So i set up camp. It's nothing more than a campfire, a tree trunk and a few leafs, but as soon as I'm able to make myself some mulled wine, I'll do just fine.
I should start making nursery rhimes....
It actually started to snow me in, only the fire reminding the surroundings that this spot is occupied. Which is actually the point! All this time I felt as if being watched. But no matter what I do, it seems to always just stay out of sight.
I lose a sense of time in this white blur, but a few drinks in, this monotonous snore gets interrupted by the distant whistle of jet engines. In this wind? It's either trickery or treason to physics, but I can't complain at all. Finally a way out of this shithole in white.
I run towards the sound, running along a small rivulet.
I won't comment on that.
But there it is! A massive steelen fortress, about the size of a medium tanker! Civilisation at last....
It is heavily guarded as personell in uniforms unload several crates in this nowhere.
"H-How long is t-t-t-this going to t-TAKE!? It'sss not like 4 Sscientists need that many resources- the he-he-heating g-g-c-core of this powers-s-suit needs recalibrating-"
That raspy gremlin-voice echoes through the woods, belonging to some fittingly short knight.....Knight? Or a dwarf! That fits certainly. It would fit to his modern hightech suit, making him look like some purple paint can. His facial features are mostly covered in his helmet, but way upfront he garnishes a set of razor sharp teeth. His eyes nearly glow yellow out of their hue alone, although huge bags form under them.
Next to him his secretary scribbles along to the unloading process. She barely looks at him before repositioning her glasses.
"We'll be ready to leave any minute now- didn't you scavenge the power cells for the remote?"
"..... Argh, Blasted! I d-did, didn't I?"
The purple gnome cusses on the way back inside the fort.
Except for it turns out rather quickly, that the fort is actually packed to the brim with propulsion systems, as the whistling hiss of its jets fill the area.
A fort as big as this rarely is capable of movement, even less flight! That's my ticket out! Most certainly! I might just sneak in with ease!
A fierce claim sounds from behind me.
"FREEZE!!!"
I turn my head to them , chuckling at their hilarious acclaim.
"Oh 'at I already did o-"
I don't even get that far before i have the the stock of a rifle charged into my dentals.