Temple of Destruction

[Piston1937]

The screen buzzed with static for a few seconds before the iconic pillars coated in red and black blood filled the screen. Jake Ardson's loud and enthusiastic voice spewed from the speakers "Welcome back to all the viewers tuning in today live from the Temple of Destruction." The pillars faded out from the screen and the smiling man appeared in his customary crimson and gold throne, "Now for those who didn't stay till the end last time, today we have a special guest, Baron Aberto Diligenza in from the Icey planes of Acedia." The view shifted as Jake threw his hand out to the massive steel banded wood doors, which slammed open to reveal the chisled face of the Baron standing in full combat regalia his power armor gleaming in his blue, grey and amber colors. In temple tradition the Baron gave a half bow to the Arch Chierico of Destruction before walking up to the secondary throne next to Jake's.

"Many thanks for allowing me to arbitrate todays Vendettas in your arena." The deep and calm baritone of the baron went in stark contrast to the show runners cheerful responce,

"Of come now Baron, how could I refuse having such a wonderful battle occur in my very own temple? I mean Nanotrasen's pulling out all the stops against The Black Hounds what arena master would refuse such a treat?" Jake's voice sounded giddy as he mentioned these, the excitement of having one of the Kingdoms tech runners steamrolling a mercenary band in his arena. Turning his blazing smile from Abertohe subjected the camera to his ear to ear grin. "Now let's hear the charges that brought these two parties to my illustrious battlefield today? Shall we Baron?"

"If we must." Again in contrast to Jake who seemed to almost revel in the coming battle, much to the amusement of his audeince, Baron Aberto Diligenza took little pleasure in the show and spectacle, even so he followed along. "The Blood hounds have been accused of espionage by Nanotrasen's leader Jeffery Generosita. The Black Hounds mercenary band has been found in possesion of possibly illegaly obtained information pertaining to these accusations and have chosen the arena of honor and combat to determine the end of the vendetta."The baron attempted to follow this with some more on the legal matters behind the current trial but the host raised his hand and the Baron paused and nodded to the arch cleric.

"While I'm sure all the viewers would love to hear the legalities can we save them for the next session I can see my assistant tapping her wrist for the ad break." The Baron looked off screen and nodded to other other man. "Well then folks of the Kingdom, we'll be right back when the combatants are ready to rumble." And the screen cut to the Nanotrasen symbol as the ads for the latest model of synthetic limbs began playing.

 

[Piston1937]

Once the Ads ended the pillars showed once again before fading to a view of a lounging area, Jake was sprawled over a fancy and very comfortable looking couch in his clerical robes while the Baron appeared to have traded his power armor for more comfortable attire, though his posture and belted blade indicated a much less relaxed mindset than what the host portrayed. "Welcome back everyone, I do hope you enjoyed the ad break. Before we jump to the part we all are waiting for, with bated breath, there is a procedure to adhere to.” The radiant smile turned to the Baron who nodded and stood up, the camera pulling back revealing two groups of warriors along with the temple guardians standing before the pair. One side looked like a proper team, their armored suits matching save for rank and house insignia, while the other looked like a rag tag group of misfits held together by a strong leader and the allure of wealth, fame and power.

“The accused mercenary group Black Hounds, you may approach.” The Baron’s voice boomed through the speakers and the group of mismatching individuals approached forming a barely coherent line four wide. “You know what you have been charged with, before the gods, the kingdom and the crown. Do you have any final confessions?” The steel in Aberto’s eyes seemed to pierce the very souls of each member in turn, all of which kept their peace. “Very well. Under my authority given to me by my king I grant you your chance to purify your sins through combat.” The finality in his tone ringed as if the final bell of a funeral, “The accused may step down.”

The judged moved back to their spot as the baron turned his gaze to the other team. “The wronged party Nanotrasen, you may approach.” With almost synchronous steps the team coated in white, blue, grey and a company insignia stepped forward. “You have brought the guilty before the crown, to be judged by the gods, and sentenced before the kingdom. Do you have any final confessions?” The Barons voice was softer this time though the gravitas was all the more present as force left it’s opening.

“No my lord.” Said the apparent leader of the team.

“Very well. Under my authority given by my king I grant you your chance to right this wrong through combat. The wronged may step down.” The armored men and woman bowed to the baron and returned to their positions. “I hereby declare this vendetta to begin.”

Jake hammed up his excitement almost vibrating as all the assembled warriors bowed to varying degrees.

 

[Piston1937]

The baron stood down and returned to the almost throne like chair that had been chosen for him and Jake jumped to his feet with the same manic energy he always had. “Combatant please return to your bays and we may begin the battle.” Both teams bowed to the arena master, even if one had to receive a slightly hidden glare from the temple guardians. And walked down the separate hallways that led to their battle frames. “Now then to all watching from all over the kingdom let’s get a look at the line up today.” Jake’s hands were thrown up with a flourish and a pair of animated steel doors closed on the camera view. “First up on the black hounds let’s take a look at what metal they have in waiting.”

It took a second but the big metal doors covering the view opened to a hovering view of a mech hangar, four out of the ten bays were full with techs walking, jogging or pushing something around the bay as the orange ready lights tried to get their attention. “From the looks of things we have a pair of pumas to start off with” The camera zoomed to the front of the line getting the pair of well armed puma class mecha into frame. “Battle damage a plenty in these two, I wonder what they’ll look like while punching it out with their competitors.” Quick stat sheets came up on both mechs indicating a preference towards pulse lasers and large engines. “What a mash up they got here, I’m surprised the pilots don’t bake in these things.” Jakes eternally cheery voice continued to add a voiceover as different angles of the pair scrolled up down left and right over the badly scarred and quickly patched plating of the mechs.

“Moving on to the next combatant in line we what appears to be a tiger, though if that’s a tiger I wonder what they’ve done to the poor thing.” The camera’s view shifted to a modified tiger battleframe that had a building middle section with a pair of arm mounted plasma cannons to either side. “Geeze with all that fire power no wonder they decided to pump up the engine.” Another stat sheet popped up showing the tiger’s enhanced speed and agility along with some unseen weaponry mounted on the shoulders in the form of an anti missile coilgun and an arc caster.

Once again the view shifted this time to the towering lion mech, with some assistance from the low camera angle the mech appeared to the almost three miles tall though the optical illusion slowly vanished as the camera did a slow raise giving a good view of the many barrels and massive arms of the brawling mech. “And here’s the big boy of the team, one Lion class frame lovingly named The Little Kitten.” The name and stats appeared on screen once more showing the massive arrays of coilguns that the machine boasted along with a pair of sizable battle claws the machine was a steel plated behemoth. “However this kitten looks like it’ll do worse than just scratch up the furniture and leave presents around the castle.”

“Up next we shall be seeing what NT has up its high tech and very sturdy sleeve.” With that ending call the grand pillars filled the screen again before a different voice came of out the speakers as well as an unfurling banner with a listing of the shows later events along with times.

“Later today we have the Gladiatorial call followed closely by Attraxian Arena. Be sure to get your coin purses out for that one betting pools will be as big as the brutes themselves.” It continued listing out events for the next few days filled with contests of skill, formal duels, and even a slave market hosted by a visiting member of House Castita, to show of the latest work from the house artisans.

 

[Piston1937]

Jake took a short breath which was visible to the camera as it swapped back to him and the baron, the cleric had shifted from his lazing position to an upright posture. “Now before I reveal their contestants I’d like to tell you all that the people from Nanotrasen are excited to reveal a new design that their RnD has been cooking up. We’ll be revealing it at the end of the line up so don’t get up to grab that popcorn just yet. Let’s see what they got shall we?”

The screen did a similar translation to the mercenaries line up, the only difference being the large stylized N on the metal doors before they opened to a pair of Pumas, “As the start of a line up from such a big corporation I’m surprised they went for a pair of scouts. Any input Baron or are you going to keep your peace.” Jakes poke for the Baron to at least put in a word wasn’t in line with court etiquette and if they were in a more formal setting Jake might be hearing a few things more than harsh words.

“The man heading the corporation works in weird ways at times.” The gruff voice of the baron gave the bare minimal answer though considering he was the arbitrator giving any inclination that he may be anything other than impartial would be disastrous for his reputation and possibly his position as baron. As for the pair of battleframes on screen they appeared to be armed with a combination of laser and ion weapons, at least if the different weapon profiles were to be believed.

“While not a extensive answer not an untrue observation, maybe the rest of the line up will shine a light on this peculiar choice.” The view lingered on the pair of scouts and their ion and laser based arsenal before moving on to a large Warmonger class frame. The sound of curiosity in Jake’s voice was almost believable as the heavy scout came into view. “Now this is more what I’d be expecting from Nanotrasen as a scout though in this case they seem to have it outfitted as a quick response unit.” The Warmonger in question had a bulging chest and looked almost humanoid if it weren’t for a pair of plasma cannons mounted on the arms along with a pair of smaller shoulder mounted coilguns.

The next mech bay that appeared on screen was shrouded in shadow as Jakes voice ramped up with excitement. “Now to all those watching this frame is the latest thing to come out of the research and development department and it’s first unveiling will be right here, right now. In three….. two.” Jake dragged the suspense out a bit more than necessary, “One!” Light blinded the camera and as the glare faded the details of the battleframe were revealed, standing on four thick and well armored and light armed legs the war machines almost gunship like body held a pair if massive railguns and a pair of lasers. “Now that is a beauty.” The awe in the clerics voice was clear as crystal, “Those brain boys of Nanotrasen really know how to put a mech together. Or brain girl in this case, one Sofia Ferrar is responsible for spearheading this design.” The camera angle shifted as the words spilled from the speakers, the armored paneling gleamed in the light and the quardaped marvel stood in all its glory the two pairs of railguns shining in the bay lights.