So this is going to become my huge work in progress. Not much might make sense but I am hopefully going to be doing this project! Thank you for reading!

Damien sat in class as the teacher drew on and on about the infamous DAEMON and what they have done for us. He had drew a blank shortly after she had began. They go over this every year. The same story. The same tragedies. Everything leading up to the blind obsession with DAEMON, our “lord and saviors” who would have known that commercialism would be what saved us? His ears perked up at the mention of a name.

“Now we have a guest speaker, Erik Knight from the DAEMON family. He will be talking to you all about the wonders of our heroes, please give him a firm welcome!” The teacher ordered as everyone mindlessly clapped their hands. Except Damien.

“Good morning everyone, as you know I am the son of Evan Knight, one of the founding fathers children, as I carry on that legacy I would like to go into more detail about the things we have done to help everyone maintain their lives here!” Erik said in a too-cheerful voice.

Damien was suddenly filled with anger and annoyance. This Erik was the same stuck up snob that used to be well-versed in bullying. He used to pick on all the children in hopes of making himself feel better. Often rushing into a straight out fist fight that would always excuse Erik of his misguiding, and punish the one he beat up. Damien had spent much of his time in the “Room of Punishment” because of this boys ruthless actions. Sighing loudly Damien began to draw on the tablet in front of him.

He began to scribble the designs of a long-coat he had wished he could create. As an avid nerd he took great interest in following through with the Demon Organization, becoming an officer so he can see the Drylands. The mall that had become his home has grown thin on his sanity and he wanted out. Erik would constantly remind him of the ruthless rules of becoming a Longcoat. His words echoed.

“Damien boy, you are a fool to think you can just walk into a position of power like that! The first rule of becoming a Longcoat is being an avid user of the Forgotten Arts, or Magic because I know you aren’t too smart. You need to be able to survive the onslaught of the ruthless lands beyond our wall. You will never achieve that goal. Perhaps maybe being in Public Security would be better fitted for someone of your stature?”

Biting his tongue in anger Damien scribbled away at his tablet. The long-coats granted to their officers were incredible pieces of technology but as in everything else it could always use some improvement. Sighing at his creation he looked up to see the class clapping. Maybe Erik was right? He didn’t possess any sort of magical powers.

***

The office door flew open in frustration as a man with a small tuff of hair on his chin and a pair of slim glasses wrote feverishly on his tablet.

“Dr. Grimhold, we need you to explain this mess now!” The man shouted.

He was a huge guy, his hair neatly shaved away. Muscles rippling through his clothes, wounds and tattoos covered his body. He was the chief of the military here, not the direct leader, that was a member of DAEMON of course, but second in command. Reporting directly to the council they rely so heavily on.

“What are you referring to Officer Stronghold?” the doctor said as he pulled at his facial hair a little.

“These mutant monsters that keep lining up outside our walls, I think they are being organized! I need to stop it at the source and they are not easy to destroy,” Stronghold yelled spraying the room in spit.

“This is a new one for the mutants, come here take a look at this!” The doctor spoke as he flipped the tablet towards the angry man.

“Golems? That is what you are calling them? What are they?” He said his voice quieting ever so slightly.

“Monstrous beasts that were formed from the decaying corpses of the mutants. I believe they somehow used the earth around them to form some sort of armor and structure to their forms. This is not unlike the Rock Snakes that slither around here and there. They are snakes that mutated with the rocks they used to live in to form armor of their own. However, the Golems I believe were once human. So they are much more harmful than silly snakes!” The doctor said fixing his glasses.

“So what do we do about them?” Stronghold said concerned, a feature he didn’t show much.

Kasey (Dr. Grimhold) and Davis (Stronghold) have a strong history together. Davis would never admit it but Kasey is the one that kept him alive as they tried to escape a mission gone wrong. His instructions clear and concise to get the poor Cadet out of a stubborn situation. Left alone after a mutant onslaught Davis had to arrive safely. Kasey needed the guys findings and walked him through survival. Although Kasey would never admit it was just science that made him help the jerk of a man, he has grown fond of the bloke.

“We need to find their weakness, I hate to ask, but I need Kaileen!” Kasey spoke softly.

“Ugh, fine, I will get him to report to you as soon as he is free!” Davis said as he rushed out the door.

“You mutants, he may be right, who is helping you?” Kasey said with worry.

I’ve got a crazy mind, and so many weird things to try and convulse into one thing. This is a little bit of what I am thinking. Needs a lot of development but… “Try not! Do or Do Not. There is no try.” So come with me on this wacky adventure! (I promise I will make it better!) 

The phone was suddenly beeping a loud obnoxious noise as a man rolled over reluctantly in his bed. The screen flashed red at him, emergency in capital letters. He picked it up and answered.

“Evening Officer Kaileen, I am terribly sorry to disturb you so late at night but we need you. I will brief you once you arrive. Please be quick, time is of the essence,” it spoke as it fizzled out.

The man stood up and ran to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face as he quickly fixed his messy hair. His brown hair hung in short locks alongside his face, reminding him that he should really get a haircut. His brown eyes were weary with the remnants of lost sleep. His face was stern and his frown was the most noticeable feature on him. He sighed as he quickly spiked up his hair and walked out to his closet. In his twenties he had achieved a lot for himself. Starting in the Demon Organization project at eighteen and now a full fledged Officer, a Longcoat to top it all off. The highest rank one can achieve. He was a noticeably bright and gifted young man. Opening his closet he quickly typed a passcode and two panels pulled aside to reveal a long coat hanging and a walking stick clamped to the wall.

He pulled the white coat from its home and quickly adjusted it to his body. He had the pockets filled with supplies for his mission and slipped his phone into a special pocket that controlled the long coat. It hummed to life as he plucked his walking stick from its holster. Magnetizing it to the inside of his coat he slipped a pair of glasses from a reinforced pocket and attached them to his face. It suddenly displayed a HUD menu and his surroundings were soon dissected before his very eyes and he felt pretty powerful with all this technology.

He glanced at the watch on his wrist and made his way out of the room. The great DAEMON corporation had designed super malls back in the day that were designed to defend against almost any tragedy, after the great nuclear war started by the Koreas they had moved the small remaining population to these places and started their own lives all over again. The vast plains that were wiped out and poisoned remain a battleground against ruthless mutations.

It was thanks to magic that they could even withstand this great force of reckoning. Everyone had forgotten how to use it, except those few that were gifted. A Longcoat was only selected after proving that his body had enough magic in it to sustain him in the harsh “drylands” as they were now called. The others used a mental link with avatars that were created many years ago to withstand the treachery beyond their sanctuary. The elevator beeped as Officer Kaileen stepped inside and slapped his wrist against the reader.

“Good Evening Officer Kaileen, shall we speed you to the Skylab?” it beeped.

“Yes Adrian, thank you,” the officer said adjusting the strange glasses on his face.

Suddenly like a rocket the elevator was blasted down. There were one hundred floors, a corporate floor, a Skylab, and the three sanctions below meaning a fast elevator was necessary to traverse the 105 floors that had been created. The building was massive, a hundred floors ten rooms on each floor and several elevators on each one. Kaileen looked anxiously at his wrist as he finally saw the secret back door open. Kaileen stepped inside to see a huddle of several men each holding a tablet anxiously as they stared at him.

“Finally,” one said, he was a short man, ruffled black hair, stern face, and piercing hazel eyes.

“Good evening Dr. Neas, what was the sudden emergency call for?” Kaileen asked worry laced in his voice.

“The gates are under attack. Your three soldiers are holding them back quite successfully but we feel it might be beneficial to pull one of the best. We suggest that you take your Esper with you, it might be needed. Are you full up on your magic sir?” Dr. Neas asked anxiously adjusting the pair of black frames on his face.

“Yeah, lets do this, where are the cadets?” Officer Kaileen asked as he buttoned his jacket.

“Area four of the Drylands, they will be expecting you. Cadets Brent, Quinn, and Bedard are happily waiting for you.

“Dr. Collins, is the link forged?” the officer said as he rushed over to the transport mat in the corner of the room. Dr. Collins peered above his clipboard and nodded at him.

“Send me to area three, I will flank them from behind and offer my backup to surprise the foes, estimation on how many?” he asked stressed.

“25 sir,” Dr. Neas swallowed.

“25?!” the officer screeched, “the mutants are getting smarter!”

Suddenly a bloom of light filled the room as the officer was dematerialized suddenly the warm arid air filled his lungs angrily as his magic ward it off. He coughed to adjust to the temperature, the air here was quite distasteful and he already missed the organic air they offered inside. Suddenly his left lens lit up and he could see himself standing, looking at the source. Prancing up to him was a fox. It had short black hair, golden eyes, and its ears were perked up in anticipation of seeing its owner.

“Sly!” Kaileen smirked as it leapt into his arms.

Sly was Kaileen’s Esper, a tamed creature from the Drylands. It was a fox that had been granted magical abilities from the nuclear reaction, only a few creatures had this luxury. Espers had become the norm for the Demon Organization as more and more vicious creatures roamed the lands. They immediately ran ahead to join the others. Sly trotted behind him with curiosity and alertness. The dry sand crunched loudly under the officer’s feet as he trudged forward.

Artesia had been split into 4 livable sections after the attacks. Dry desert known as the Drylands, swampy marsh known as the the Wetlands, thick jungles known as the Greenlands, and mountain peaks known as the Highlands. There was a sixth known region but it was iced over and inhabitable long ago, known as the Icelands. Each one had their advantages and disadvantages. The officer pushed forward already feeling the heat pounding at him despite the darkness that loomed overhead. His coat began channeling a cooling liquid throughout to cool him down to regular temperature. Sure magic could do it too if practiced well enough, but why waste your Mana reserves when you can use the vastness of technology?

Swords could be heard through the desert and Officer Kaileen ran ahead and unclipped his walking stick, separating the two to revel a cane sword. Each officer has their preference of their weapons, with the impossibility of mining gunpowder after it was all lit up and destroyed when the bombs hit, melee weapons were the primary from now on. As a full fledged Longcoat Kaileen had designed his to have a tube to protect the blade and provide a channel for his magic for long ranged attacks and the sword part of course to slice things. The whole piece was made from titanium one of the hardest metals to forge and use as a weapon but formidable it was.

Officer Kaileen charged mana into the bottom half of his cane sword and blasted out a blast of fire to blind and burn the foes. He leapt into the air and began fencing against the creatures that were unaware of what was going on. Before him were mutated humanoid forms that had merged their bodies with pieces of earth and metals to resemble something of a Golem, which is what they were known as. Dumb as hell, but ruthless and nearly impenetrable. They swung aimlessly clubs made of wood and obsidian glass trying to batter their attacker. A slice through one of them could be heard as it exploded into black smoke.

“Seth!” a voice cried out, but Kaileen was too busy to respond.

Sly was on the tail of their Espers, somehow this had become the norm each creature, mutated or otherwise would partner with mutated or semi-mutated creatures throughout the world. The Golems enjoyed the company of rocks, therefore they had rock snakes that slithered on the ground. Some of them could be the size of a subway train, but the Golems they were fighting were small imps. Sly tossed them aside like chew toys as it battled.

TO BE CONTINUED…