THE MOSIAC

the MOSIAC
EPISODE 1

Beneath a pastel sky drawn in smudges of faded pinks and sickly greens, the enormous, insect-like city of Kathuchuk painfully crawled its way across the dusty red plains. Small metal claws underneath the rusted behemoth tore slowly into the barren ground drawing mineral sustenance into itself as the crumbling city sluggishly dragged its massive structure toward the end of time

Above one of the many dented and fractured platforms that overlooked this ancient and abandoned city there was a sudden flash of light. Three figures appeared and promptly fell into a chaotic heap upon the weather ravaged metal disk.

From beneath the mass of limbs, weapons, armor and gear, a voice could be heard panting breathlessly.

"How is it...that Whisper...always...lands on top...when we...are a little...off....on landings?"

The huge and beastial druid untangled himself from the pile of bodies and gracefully rolled onto his wide, clawed feet.

"I would say the universe has a poetic sense of justice Gahnt." Whisper rumbled, flashing a broad smile within his incredibly wide mouth, his dagger-like teeth shining brightly under the perpetual late afternoon sun.

The other two in the pile wouldn't argue the point. Of the three of them, Whisper was the only one who potentially served a higher calling.

"Y'know Gahnt," the smaller, armored man said as he slowly pulled himself to his feet and checked his belongings, "the real irony is that you're the one doing the teleporting and you always seem to get the worse of it."

"Go to hell Nynko. At least I got us out of that crapfest that erupted. I seriously doubt any of that town is left standing after those two demigod wannabes decided to have a pound fest with each other." The incredibly lean battlemage said as the glowing runes upon his flesh crept into a new pattern. He sat up and pulled out his clay pipe, delighted that it was still intact after the fall. He began to search about his person.

Meanwhile, Whisper looked about the wrecked city that shook and swayed with the sound of creaking metal.

"Uh Gahnt?" he asked.

"Yeah Whisp?" the battemage replied as he puffed on some strange herb.

"Where in the FUCK are we?" he said, gesturing at the broken expanse of decayed metal and shattered towers.

Gahnt wobbled a bit as he stood, the potent mix already having an effect on him, and glanced around as he brushed his wild mane of blond hair from his eyes with his free hand.

"Oh riiiight." he said sheepishly looking around, "I forgot this place was on my 'Oh Shit' list. I guess I forgot to remove it."

"Dare I ask?" Nynko asked as he cracked his neck. He started to examine his heavy and ancient armor for new dents.

"Places we can randomly teleport to in a pinch that will give us some breathing room. Usually odd pockets close to the Bright Line that are very, very difficult to track. It would take considerable time and effort to punch through and find us here."

Whisper yawned.

"Well... it certainly is one of the more interesting places you've dragged us to. What's the story?" the druid asked, handing Gahnt's pipe back to the war wizard as the he studied how the afternoon light reflected off a partially collapsed dome in the distance.

"Oh hell, it's been an age since I was out this way and a couple of bodies ago. I barely remember this place at all."

"Uhm..." Nynko said quietly. "Do you recall why you needed to take it off the list?"

"Not really bro. Like I said, it's been a very long time."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with the city trying to kill intruders?" The Priest of Chaos asked as he pulled out his warhammer. His armored fingers lightly touched the chaos symbol etched into its worn stone head and a blue fire erupted from it. He readied his shield.

"Oh balls." Gahnt muttered as a horde of lurching mechanical creatures, all different sizes and shapes, armed with spinning blades, hooks and chains, emerged from alcoves and shadows and surged toward them.