E. Patrick Lacerna, aka Random Mudkip, The Woodsman, Velvet Canopy

Chapter 2: Angel Fall (choice)

Added 2025-06-20 07:22:24 +0000 UTC

Chapter 2: Angel Fall (choice)

Through Ghamorr's turbulent atmosphere, Angel 1 plummeted in her Battle Mantle, a comet of righteous fury. The twelve-story construct of Quantum White caught fire as it tore through the upper atmosphere, blank stone eyes blazing through the inferno that engulfed its form.

The flames subsided as she broke through the cloud layer, revealing the darkened continent below. Cities lay in shadow, their power grids destroyed during the initial assault. Only scattered pockets of light remained, desperate survivors huddled around whatever emergency systems still functioned.

Angel 1 banked sharply, the Battle Mantle's wings adjusting with microscopic precision. The mech's sensors mapped the terrain, cataloging population centers, military installations, and infrastructure. All would be cleansed in time.

She identified a dense forest area, ideal for concealment, and directed her descent. The Battle Mantle touched down with surprising grace for its size, massive marble feet sinking deep into the loamy soil. Ancient trees surrounded her, yet none reached the height of her war machine, which towered over the forest canopy like a monument to divine wrath.

Angel 1 disengaged from the mech's control systems. Her consciousness separated from the Battle Mantle, emerging as a luminous cloud of ethereal energy. The golden mist spiraled downward, coalescing near the forest floor until it solidified into her corporeal form.

Her fair skin seemed to glow faintly in the darkness of the alien forest. The tight mesh bodysuit she wore conformed perfectly to her six-foot frame, designed for both protection and mobility. She reached back and tightened her ponytail, securing her long blonde hair away from her face.

Golden eyes scanned the surrounding forest. The vegetation appeared remarkably similar to Earth's; the same Earth that had burned because of Ghamorran treachery. Pine-like trees stretched toward the sky, undergrowth rustled with small wildlife, and the air carried the scent of vegetation and soil.

Angel 1 tilted her head back, searching the unfamiliar constellations above. The Genocide Fleet was gone. All of it. One moment they had surrounded the planet, ready to deliver final judgment, and the next... displacement. Something the Ghamorrans had done, some desperate technology they'd concealed until the end.

A branch snapped nearby. Her hand moved to her sword, but it was only a forest creature, something like a deer with too many legs, bounding away through the underbrush.

"Not destruction," she concluded, her tactical mind processing the situation. "Translocation. They've moved their entire planet."

She walked a slow circle around her Battle Mantle, its marble surface reflecting the starlight. These vermin had delayed their reckoning, nothing more. They had killed billions of her kind when they helped destroy Earth. No distance, not even across dimensions, would save them from angelic justice.

"Hide where you will," Angel 1 promised the distant lights of a Ghamorran city visible through the trees. "I am your reckoning."

[The Celestial Choir of Angels has arrived to exact vengeance upon the people of Ghamorr. Each Angel belongs to a seat in the choir. What is Angel 1's seat?
Seraphim: The Seraph belong to the highest seat of the Celestial Choir. They are the leaders of the Angels. They are highly intelligent and have extremely tactical minds. Although their bodies are weaker than other Angels, their Halo generation is extremely powerful.
Cherubim: The Cherubs are a middle seat of the Angels. They are the rank-and-file of the Angelic Host, making up the bulk of the Celestial Choir's fighting forces. They are general all-arounders in every way, with their physical stats and Halo generation both at medium grade.
Nephelim: The Wingless are one of the lowest seats of Angels. Unlike other Angels, their bodies were combined in experimentation with Primeval Human DNA. This means that their physical powers are immense, but their Halo generation is quite weak. They are still a formidable force and often used as shock troops or special forces by the Angels.]

Angel 1 tilted her head back, golden eyes tracing the towering silhouette of her Battle Mantle against the alien night sky. Moonlight caressed its Quantum White surface, giving the enormous construct an ethereal glow. The twelve-story mech loomed like a sentinel goddess, its feminine features carved with impossible precision. Its wings folded majestically behind its back, its serene face gazing outward with empty yet somehow knowing eyes. Where the white marble-like substance met articulation points, golden metal gleamed, catching starlight in brief, brilliant flashes.

"Initiate shroud protocol," she commanded, her voice barely above a whisper.

The Battle Mantle responded instantly. A subtle vibration rippled through the air as quantum particles rearranged themselves around the massive form. A dim shimmer enveloped the construct, distorting its outline. The white surface darkened, texture shifting from smooth marble to rough bark. Wings transformed into branches, limbs stretched and twisted into the silhouette of a massive pine. Within moments, where the angelic war machine had stood, there now appeared only another ancient tree, indistinguishable from those surrounding it.

Angel 1 nodded with satisfaction. Even if the Ghamorrans sent search parties, they would find nothing but forest.

[Battle Mantles are a formidable weapon in the Angels' arsenal. What model is Angel 1's Battle Mantle?
Matthew 1810: This Mantle is a guardian-type that excels at defense. It is armed with a giant helic lance as well as a tower shield for maximum protection.
Daniel 622: This is an attack-type Mantle with strong offensive capabilities. It is armed with a mace and a holy beam rifle. It is extremely fast and maneuverable.
Revelation 228-9: A command-type Mantle. It has superior sensors and communications systems, allowing it to coordinate with other Mantles in the field. Armed with a helic sword.]