[11] Android 17

[Android 17]

The cybernetic warrior had been taking his time slowly descending the mountainside when he heard the first rumblings. He could easily ignore the faint tremors higher up the mountain, but the lower he climbed, the more they intensified. Seventeen suddenly lost his footing and started to slip down the mountain, flailing wildly as he struggled to reacquire his grip on the chilled stone. The android suddenly remembered that he could fly?for some reason he keep forgetting that helpful bit of knowledge when the going got rough. Kicking off the nearly-vertical surface, the machine-hybrid intended to rocket into the sky seconds later, but in his downward scamper, he had overlooked a wide ledge a few feet beneath him. After letting out a groan following his face first landing on the plateau, the android scolded himself for acting like such a moron, but seconds later, his attention was stolen from reprimanding his idiocy due to the sudden outburst that tore through the night air.

?Our time is now!? the raspy scream immediately captured the android?s interest, but even when Seventeen got to his feet to examine the plateau, he saw nothing, ?we will crush them!? The machine-hybrid darted forward; the voice was so close to him??It is time to come out of hiding! It is time to face our destiny! Hell will live on, here!" Seconds following the unknown being?s outcry, a deafening, damned chorus of demons screamed their approval. The cybernetic warrior covered his ears for protection against the overwhelming screams. He dropped to one knee as he tried to block out the deep, gravelly roaring, but when he looked down, what he was saw was far worse then any screaming.

Android Seventeen?s eyes grew wide at the scene playing out in the caves underneath him. Crouching down, the cybernetic warrior peered through the crack in the cavern?s ceiling. Now with a closer view, Seventeen gasped at the horrific sight. Demons stood in long lines, their exact numbers were undecipherable because of the android?s bad angle of sight, and the shadows that blanketed the back of the cave did not help his view. Still, the machine-hybrid could make out some details of the demons. For example, each of the warriors was identical to one another. Their entire bodies? were garbed in tight black fabric, and even their faces were obscured by masks. Black gloves and boots complemented their dark color scheme, only adding to their already immense veil of mystery. Still, the army of faceless warriors paled to their leader when it came to how intimidating they were. Up and down the motionless line of warriors, a much larger demon was pacing. Unlike his followers, he flaunted his grotesque appearance, perhaps his lack of shrouds may have something to do with rank, but the android knew nothing of the demonic hierarchy.

This hellish fiend?s skin was red like the titan the android had slain higher up the mountains, but the last demon?s skin was nearly flawlessly compared to the warty, carbuncle-infested flesh of this new monstrosity. Dense, ebony armor had been modeled over the creature?s chest and legs, and it feet were encased in obsidian greaves. In one of its clawed fists, it tightly gripped a massive sword?the likes of which the android had never seen. The final distinguishing feature of this demon was his metallic lower jaw. Reflecting the faint flicker of moonlight that was spilling into the cave, the prosthetic underbite greatly confused the android. Were the inhabitants of Hell actually intelligent enough to perform the type of procedure necessary for grafting artificial limbs and body parts? Then again, Seventeen had performed similar surgery when he lost his arm, and he had done that with only a manual, drugs, and some tools.

What was the android to do? These monsters were not going to just to sit around a cave all day and have a picnic. They meant business, but the army of angels was miles away. In the time it would take for the machine-hybrid to get back to the watchtower to inform Gabriel there was a strong possibility these demons would be long gone. Paige and Leo were the other two options, but were the whitelighters even close enough to hear Seventeen?s call? Before the cybernetic warrior could decide on a course of action, the demonic general in the cavern beneath him raised his sword high above his head and addressed his men once again.

?The day is ours! The denizens of this asteroid will be the first to fall to Satan?s Elite Brotherhood!? Having been silent for the last few moments, the lines of demons threw their fists into the air, roaring their approval. The android yelped at the loud cries and threw his hands back to his ears, but the battle cries of the demons were the least of his worries. Unknowingly beneath his knees, the ground was starting to crack, until a few seconds later, when it crumbled underneath the cringing machine-hybrid. Seventeen fell down a few yards and landed on his hands and knees. A small shower of rock scraped his back and served to only add insult to an already idiotic injury.

The android stood up rather quickly and brushed the dirt from his already tattered, stained shirt and jeans. When he looked up, he could see the countless sea of faceless demons. Their masked faces sent shivers down Seventeen?s cybernetic spine, but still, it was their leader that proved the most threatening out of all of them. He was not quite as gigantic as the last demon the android had fought, but the demonic general was still nearly two feet taller then the android. Apparently, he also was not the least bit pleased with his new guest. Several of the masked demons moved forward to attack, but their leader swiftly swung his sword to the side?an immediate sign for his forces to halt their movement.

?Only five of you remain, I want the rest of you to depart without delay, and prepare for the attack on the bulk of Heaven?s forces,? from a few feet away, the machine-hybrid could clearly hear how distorted and wheezy the demon sounded. Chances were the monstrosity?s imprecise voice was a setback due to the application of his synthetic lower jaw. In an odd display of their eerie skill, the ocean of demons vanished into the shadows of the cave. Seventeen, taken aback by a large group of warriors just disappearing like that, shook his head in disbelief and moved to face the six remaining hell spawn. The general, his fiery red eyes glaring at his intruder, pointed his heavy sword forward. His five masked mercenaries, all standing in a line, broke off into separate directions. The cybernetic warrior tried to follow all the bodies, but when the first strike came and nearly knocked the android off his feet, he quickly realized he was not going to have any advantage fighting these demon ninjas in the ill light cave.

Taking another hit to the side of the head, Seventeen let himself fall forward. The android rolled out of the grotto?s mouth, making it to a standing position just as next demonic warrior was moving to attack him. Reacting quickly, the machine-hybrid ducked underneath the gloved fist, and then dropped his hands, a shimmer of ki rapidly formed between his fingers. Closing his fist, there was a flash of sapphire energy elongating as the android pushed of his feet and swung upward. Stepping forward, Android Seventeen, now back to a standing position, glanced over his shoulder to watch the hell ninja separate at the stomach. No fluids escaped the layers of fused tissue, and that was something the android was glad of. He had been tired of all the bloodshed, and using the energy swords made the job a lot less messy.

Turning to face the mouth of the cavern, the cybernetic warrior prepped for the emergence of the four remaining soldiers. A sharp pain reminded the android that he was not battling any normal warriors. With a loud cry, Seventeen spun around and swung at the ninja who had just attacked him. The skilled assassin may have been adept at meticulously planning his fights, but the unorthodox outburst by the machine-hybrid threw a giant wrench in the demon?s battle workings. The cerulean saber cleaved halfway through the chest of the retreating demon. He fell backwards, and as he did, the android darted forward to deal the final blow. Sending the length of the sword through the ninja?s skull, Seventeen quickly prepared to engage the trio of demonic henchmen that were stalking him from the shadows.

Even though the moonlight betrayed the android by basking him in its full shine, the demonic assassins made no surprise attacks. Instead, all three of them landed several yards away from the android. Their veiled faces gazed from one of their dead brothers to the other, and then the trio raised their hands. With reflexes faster then the humble android could follow, the ninjas ripped their skintight black gloves off. Their revealed forearms were mangled and disfigured. Their skin was the same tone as a human?s, but several boney bumps disrupted the tissue at irregular intervals. Their ungloved fingers were gnarled and seemingly insignificant compared to the blood-soaked blade that poked out from the top of each of their forearms. Each of the ninja?s clenched their fists and flexed their bulging biceps. The thick blades that poked out from hallway up their forearms suddenly exploded free. Blood flowed from self-inflicted wounds as the blades unsheathed themselves from their prison of flesh, bone, and sinew.

Mortified by the self-mutilating acts of the hell spawn, Seventeen took a few steps back, but he never stopped paying attention to his currently motionless adversaries. The faceless ninjas flexed their shoulders and elbows even as their blood coursed from where the blades had torn through their flesh. Each of the blades had exited the skin and followed the length of the arm until they passed the hand. Even after they passed the ninjas now-useless fists; however, the blades continued for nearly another foot. The most disturbing fact was that Android Seventeen could not tell whether the demon?s new, natural weapons were made of bone or metal. They had a gray shine to them, yet on the other hand, they also seemed to lack any type of cutting edge except for the last few inches.

Then each of the warriors raised a single, mangled hand to their face mask and tore the black, fabric clean from their cranium. It seemed that the ninjas had worn the masks solely to disguise their lack of humanity. When they had been fully concealed, the figures could have at least passed as oddly-dressed humans, but now their true origins were grotesquely displayed, much to the dismay of the android. The ninjas were completely identical in appearance, and only slightly varied when it came to the exact tone of their skin. Their heads were completely bald, and their ears and nose were decreased greatly. Seventeen wondered how they managed to have such augmented senses under their circumstances?a tight mask and a small nose and ears. The most definitive feature of all three of the ninja?s was their mouths. Dominating the lower half of their face, their black mouths were lined with dozens of stout, jagged teeth. Saliva dripped freely from the demons? monstrous visages.

Android Seventeen created another sapphire saber of ki in his free hand. This prompted the ninjas to enter their attack mode. Hunching forward, they glared forward at their intended prey with delight, and just when it seemed the trio was going to lunge at the android, they suddenly dove into the darkness. Even with their pseudo-humanity shed, it seemed that the demonic ninjas were not content reverting to the primitive, deformed monstrosities they appeared to be. Before he could prepare for his second round with the bizarre ninjas, something caught the machine-hybrid?s attention. He turned to see the demon general who had ordered the five assassins to slay Seventeen. The armored figure was patiently standing at the mouth of the cavern. Motionless, his red eyes burned with an immense rage, but he made no move from the opening of the cave.

The sound of footsteps reminded the android of his current predicament. Turning sharply, Android Seventeen?s eyes grew wide at the boney blade mere inches from his face. Leaning back just as the weapon killed the air where his head had been seconds earlier, a bead of sweat fell from the machine-hybrid?s brow and hit the ground.

OOC: That was an awesome round opener Burter. It provided me more then enough material for three rps, thank you.