Jefferson City 3: Alpha - The Sentinal

Jenkins was entirely sure of Ehefra's plan, but if there are enemies, the woman has definitely painted a target on her back. However, even with her display of power, there came nothing to challenge or acknowledge her efforts. Despite the city, it was as dead as a ghost town.

However, they were able to learn one interesting detail. That arrow she fired, as it flew, seemed to behave awkwardly. One wouldn't have noticed at first when it was initially fired, but as it gained distance, the dome around them seemed to fluctuate. As if the arrow had started leaking, its structure broke down until it fizzled from existence, its makeup torn apart before being added back to the ambient Reishi that surrounded everyone. Normally, an arrow wouldn't be dissolved midflight as that was.

Jenkins' eyes narrowed as everyone proceeded forward, getting themselves ready for combat. It's unclear if this was the doing of the enemy or if the dome's working against them. Are long range attacks weakened in this dome? From Ehefra's earlier investigation, she'd have found nothing too particularly interesting about the dome besides its heavy Reishi makeup, which one would have thought beneficial to the operation, so this reaction is... peculiar.

Though, information soon came that something was spotted not too far from their location. It appears a person was spotted before they disappeared without a trace. Was it a reaction to Ehefra's attack? Simply a trick of the light? Or is there something sinister right under their noses?

"Men, forward. We're moving to the specified location."

However, once they got there, there would be nothing but the empty roads they've become familiar with.

"Ehefra-" Jenkins started, but the woman had already went about doing her own thing, breaking formation to test the area. She's moving beyond her parameter, recklessly taking charge beyond her commander. Her attack blew up the area, for sure, but it didn't cause anything out of the ordinary to occur at first.

But much like last time, as her salvo started to reach the end of its effective range, the constructs started to break down, seemingly erratic with the speed at which their specific signature was torn apart, almost as if more than one thing was tugging at the mass of collective Reishi. However, much like last time, nothing happened immediately after.

That is, until Jessie screamed into Jenkins' ear. "What the Hell, Jenkins! The uptick of Reishi in your area is off the charts! It looks like gian-" And then nothing.

Jenkins' sole eye widened as he opened his mouth to call to his men, but it was too late. A sudden gush of Reishi rushed in from everywhere, the ambient energy turned savage in an instant as it berated the soldiers, separating the few that had followed Ehefra from the main group with the impossible nature the wall of Reishi created. Almost like the winds came alive, a torrent began to pick up.

And just like it came, it stopped, but the area's Reishi concentration had shot up immensely, like gravity had increased tenfold. Ehefra, despite herself, wouldn't be the main one affected by this, but outside of anyone's perception, a hand reached forward. A fog began to form, a similar construct to the dome that hid Jefferson from the world. Ehefra and Stella would find their small band of men, surrounded by something similar.

A hand emerged.

Stella would find something or something clasping bony fingers on her shoulder from behind, a gnarly growl ripping the feeling of safety from her very soul. Though, she might feel something actually pulling at her soul. Soul Body Separation was enacted on her, an attempt to rip her from her mortal shell as any onlooker would suddenly become aware of the bony figure that had appeared from seemingly nowhere. Nothing had detected. Nothing had saw it at first. It seemingly came into existence like an afterthought finally remembered.

Pierced from all sides, the zombie-esque creature was frozen in place as its attempt to grab Stella was foiled. Though, it did not seem to pay attention to its situation before Ehefra rocketed her fist into its skull, sending it flying upward as its skull popped from its neck, blood and Reishi spraying free from its loose neck until it landed not too far away. Then the scene grew quiet as Jenkins rushed forward, shouting.

"Everyone, take up cardinal position! I want eyes on every direction! Contact with the other squads is tempora-"

"Commander! Above!"

Jenkins' words were interrupted by one of his men shouting and pointing up into the sky.

The Reishi above broke loose, revealing a massive floating ship. Doors on its side opened before canisters shot from its hull. What appeared to be missiles fell towards the ground, scattering throughout the city, but not all of them landed in the city. Some exploded in the air, sprinkling thick amounts of Reishi onto those below.

And thus, as that Reishi sprinkled down around them, more of the zombie-eqsue creatures began to simply spawn into existence. Creatures of human-shape emerged from the wind, their features disturbingly human, yet lacking nourishment, gnawed fingers and limbs. Disheveled faces stared at the group of Vandenreich members. They appeared within their ranks, around them, above them on the buildings, in the buildings. Some crawled out from other cars. Other's pounded on windows or crawled.

However, one of the fired canisters landing right down the street from them, the impact shaking the ground as it cracked the street and legs dropped down from its side. There was a hiss before the sides of it opened, revealing within men in gear strikingly similar to the Vandenreich, except they sported all black and helmets that hid their faces. They filed out quickly, pulling out black guns that one could detect Reishi from. Without a word, they began firing, raining what felt like Reishi arrows on the group as the creatures around them began moving upon them in a frenzy.