Ch.1: Betrayal beneath the mountain

The battle to recapture mt shatterer hadnt gone well and the defeated renegades had barely escaped the assault by the exorcists. All that remained was Xaphan and a small guard of injured veterans. As a failsafe before the battle Xaphan had ordered his men to rig up the escape tunnels with explosives.

Huge explosions ripped through the passages mere moments after Xaphan and his remaining men had cleared them.

Xaphan sneered in rage “get Keldrak on the vox and sort immediate communication”

Hurriedly the man began tapping away at his archaic Vox console. The forces of the explosion could still be felt reverberating through the caverns. His remaining army began tending to their wounds and setting up camps.

“bzzzt kraaak bzzt"

“come in keldrak we request immediate pick up for redeployment i repeat we request....”

A croaky voice began speaking “im already on my way expect us very soon" replied Keldrak A different type of rumble could be heard now that the explosions had finished. Xaphans men began reloading guns and preparing for a last stand.

“Is it the marines my lord?” asked one of the men through bloodied lips.
Xaphan replied “no this is something else” while wondering to himself what Keldrak had sent and how he knew to send reinforcements before theyd even been called...

The rumbles became louder and they began sounding more recognisable. Vehicles were trundling through the huge tunnels on the other side of the cavern Xaphan and his men were now in. Tracked vehicles and troop carriers began driving into sight and stopping in perfect line formation.

Servo doors hissed and began opening revealing row upon row of troops. A huge tank opened its doors and out clanked hulking robots armed with guns Xaphan had never seen before. Finally an ornate tank entered and drove slightly ahead of the other vehicles and newly deployed troops.

Out stepped Keldrak surrounded by gold helmeted soldiers that matched the pandemicas livery. These were different though as they had bionic limbs and other enhancements. Their guns glowed a sinister green that matched their eyes.

“Xaphan you have failed in your mission as we knew you would. The true masters of the pandemica always knew you would. The eyes of our gods are not on you and they never were. The power you hold so dear is nothing. Your psychic powers couldnt even take you to the correct location for the warpgate. The gods laugh at you and now i am here to end this folly and take my true place as lord of the pandemica!”

Priest Keldrak stepped forward and grabbed Xaphan with both hands,lifting him into the air. Mechadendrites erupted from his robes and began piercing Xaphan all over his body. His cursed blood spattered on the floor of mt shatterer as Keldrak tossed his body aside. His troops began firing at the injured renegades, killing them without mercy. A few began shooting back but were cut down in moments by the green tinged guns of keldraks troops.
“we leave for the true location of the warpgate”

Priest Keldrak re-entered his transport and the new pandemica rumbled back out the caverns.