The Forgotten City

November 3rd, 2052

Viktor Romanov waited in his throne room dealing with the royal business of the day. Most of it was nothing of consequence honestly, some small economic matters, but the country was at relative peace which was good to know. He thought of the man he had contacted not all to long ago, the hero of Siberia. The man had fought tooth and nail through the Winter War to help destroy Moscow and the country that had nearly destroyed all three of the Russia's the modern world had known. Hopefully that man could help him with his little "inconvenience".

Hunter just hummed his arms crossed behind his back as he wandered the halls before walking into the throne room. He still carried all of his armor and equipment's bulk, humming just a merry old song. One that had been affiliated of when he'd kill his enemies brutally. He'd been in a good mood recently. The money was finally flowing in and he could be free to his own whim. "You rang your lordship?" He smiled under his helm and soon as he finished his sentence the humming returned.

Viktor rose up to greet Hunter, the man who he had quite a bit of respect for. "Welcome to the True Russia my friend!" said Viktor greeting Hunter back, "As you may know I have a job for you, did you get the details?" asked Viktor as he sat back down on his throne.

Hunter stood looking around the room. He took out his PDA humming as he looked up the files. "Well, I have, random city, fog, what do you need me there for on this little expedition, expensive guardsmen?"

"No, I want you and anyone you decide to come with you to go and investigate the city. Our records say there never was a town there, however, as you can quite clearly tell there is," said Viktor as he pointed to a screen in his throne room with a satellite picture of the fog zone covering the city.

Hunter just looked through his PDA, he wanted a small group, probably not even rangers and he needed scientists. He just tossed a few requests to some well minded people before putting it away. "Done, we should be over there with in the week. Anything you want me to do besides explore the area?"

"Just report back and I hope you make it back alive, the last team did not," said Viktor remembering the last group who was sent into the hole. At that moment Hunter would have felt something odd on his arms, even through the armor. Chains, with odd sigils on them fell off of his arms and onto the floor fading away as they did so and he himself would have felt like he had lost something and felt more light as if he had lost his wings...

Hunter looked around before looking at the ground. "Well then, I guess that's over with. Any who I hope I do as well, I need to find new sources of things now apparently." After that he just began to leave as if nothing had ever occurred.

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November 5th, 2052

Hunter stopped the gun truck as he came to a halt. They were there at the city finally and it was.... a sight to see. It put him off a little uneasy the whole place seemed to be filled with the dead, not the corpses but it felt like the souls of the dead. He shrugged it off signaling for the convo to keep moving as he drove his gun truck ahead.

The city seemed menacing, it was completely devoid of life, but at the same time it almost felt like something was watching you the entire time as you walked. It was quiet in the city and all of the street lights in the city blinked red, there was power coming from somewhere.

Hunter shifted around constantly in his seat. It was a blessing and a curse these vehicles were silent. The eeriness and silence was oppressive but not making any sound was also a comfort. "We'll just follow the lights, typically the bright they are show the original source of energy, or just better maintained wires...hopefully the first."

Slowly the city around the convoy grew darker, it looked as if something filled all the windows on the tall skyscrapers, silhouettes of people. The way that the group had come seemed to have been engulfed by the fog around them. One of the Purgers in the convoy with Hunter began to shake gripping his rifle tightly, "This place isn't right..." he said as the group continued into the fog following the lights.

Hunter stopped the car cursing under his breathe before slowly dismounting. "I will continue by myself. Wait where we had first spotted the city and if there is trouble, do not stall for me, leave if needed. I have, dealt with things such as this before, during the start of the second apocalypse, I am sorry I let you see the edge of the abyss."

Hunter scooted the purger over into the driver's seat pointing to go back. Hunter was shaking slightly but he waved them off, almost cheerfully. This might be his end, it would not be theirs.

As the convoy disappeared into the fog, Hunter was left alone. The city's menacing look put chills in anyone's bones and if Hunter had any feelings left this place just felt wrong...

He moved along just following the lights. He was alone yes but he had been through worse. None of it felt right but he had been through worse. It was just a thing of survival and without his ability to fly or teleport...things would be hard knowing what would most likely come.

Whispers began to be exchanged around the city, above Hunter's head.

"Sun gone, so dark"

"Shut up, he'll hear you"

"Blackness, don't go to the blackness"

"Where am I? I don't know where I am?"

"Welcome..."

The last one ended all of the whispering and then left the city in complete and utter silence before Hunter noticed some breathing on his neck and heard the simple words, "Home" right behind him.

Hunter jumped forward spinning around quickly and his rifle at the ready. He didn't know how well his weapons would work but it will at least be a means to attempt to defend himself. He hated this place it reminded him too much of the spirits that plagued him before, he wanted this done and then to be free, back in the light.

There was nothing behind Hunter. Nothing but the fog that plagued this place and hung low like a man on the gallows. Things were different here, suddenly one of the lights turned on in a building two blocks down the street from Hunter, high up on one of the skyscrapers...It was the only light that he could see clearly coming from any building on the street.

Hunter sighed. Good thing he had packed all the appropriate equipment. He shot a rappel up and through the window right above the lit floor before tying himself up and slowly making the ascent. He would not play by this city's rules, he had his own.

As he climbed up the building, the silhouettes in window began to disappear as he passed them each one donning a grin before disappearing into the darkness of whatever room they inhabited. Hunter caught something just slightly as he ascended the building, a reflection of something on the ground beneath him. It was a little girl on a bike riding through the city streets as if it were the best day of summer.

Hunter scrabbled into the lit room quickly taking in his surrounding before pulling his rappel free and putting it away in his back. The spirits weren't violent at the least, yet. His revolver hung heavily in it's holster, he always only shot five bullets, the rule was to save one for yourself after all.

The light seemed to have moved away from the window towards the interior of the building. It looked like an office space that had been abandoned recently, the smell of coffee still hung in the air.

"Why do you have to move you blasted light. . ." Hunter sighed as he continued to follow it. The darkness had never been kind to him. The spirits had only strengthened his resolve to seek salvation in the only familiar and comforting thing in this city. The light he had to follow.

The light was inside of a small cubicle of the office and oddly came from a small metallic music box. The second Hunter saw it, it turned on and began playing a scary, soothing, demented tune that, like the city around the box, just didn't sound right.

Hunter slowly walked over shouldering his rifle, still on guard. He picked up the music box gently, backing up towards the window but staying clear enough from the edge to feel safe. "What is this place....a god's toy box?"