//------------------------------// // Storming Marelin // Story: United we Stand // by Chemtest //------------------------------// —(Reznov)— I lay on my hillside vantage point, and scope out the town to Marelin. Reminds me of Berlin, as I suppose it should. I take out my radio, and check in, “Mason, Wolfram, Ceaser, all in position to take the town hall?” I hear another voice check in, “Standing outside the door with an 1897, ready to breach.” The Italian calls in, “Explosive charges planted, ready to blow.” Then the German reports in, “Right outside a window, ready to blaze them down with the MP.” I start to walk towards the front doors, “Ready to start breach, execute when you hear gunshots. Wolfram, have you gotten all the civies out?” I hear the radio crackle to life again, “Rodger on both there, Russian. They easily trusted my accent. Waiting for signal.” Italian, “Waiting for signal.” American, “Waiting for signal.” “Ready to execute.” I secure my radio into my pocket, and march forth with PPSH in hand. Ponies on the streets obviously see me, but all are just watch. Some cheer, and a few move into their homes, only to come out with weapons and follow behind me. By the time I’ve gotten to the knockoff Riechstag, a sizealble crowd armed with every weapon imaginable. Swords, spears, Fetlocks, broom handles, even some carry Combine plasma rifles. I walk up the steps, and knock on the door. I hear steps getting closer to the door, and I smoothly draw my pistol. Someone opens the door, “Hello?” He looks down the barrel of a pistol, and I look right at him, “Goodbye.” *Bang!* His brains splatter out the back of his head, and I hear the rest of the plan occur. Mason useing that shotgun, the unmistakable sound of MP40 fire, and the Italian should do his part right about... now. *Boom!* Walls are blown open on all sides of the building, and the mob behind me back up a bit from fear. I turn around to face them, “Comrads! Freedom!” Those two simple words inspire the mob, and they start to charge into the building, “Uuuuuuuurrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaa!” I kick open the door in front of me, and spray fire at all of the soldiers. I manage to take all of them down before they even realize what’s happend. I can hear footsteps from all around me, and find myself surrounded. The soldiers all point their weapons at me, but don’t fire. I smirk as I turn to face all of them. Time to show them why they call me the Shadow. This world is special in one way. It gave all of us without access to magic, mastery over certain types of magic. Mason had greater reflexes, Ceaser speed, Wolfram speech, I got illusions. Now, illusions might not help in most situations, but paired with the Doctors perception filters, it becomes deadly. I flick on my perception filter, and drop to the floor, spawning in an illusion of myself fireing at them. They all open fire on the illusion. Of course, the projectiles just pass through it, and hit the soldires on the other side. All but one end up dead, and I quickly shoot the final one. I look around me, only to see ponies stream into the room. Combine follow, heads above their heads. The other three walk out, pushing the Combine forward. Mason walks up to me, and hands me something, “We found this. Seems like it’s some sort of holy artifact.” I take what he hand me, and see a crossbow with a heated rebar rod inside of it, topped off with a scope. I look up at him, “Then I’ll make sure they die by this.” The Combine kneel before me, seeing what I have. One of them laughs out loud, “You may think you’re winning, but you are wrong! Even with all of Freeman’s artifacts, you will lose against our Emperor!” I check out the crossbow, and look at the one who said that, “So, these belonged to a Freeman character did they? I imagine he’s the messiah and your Emperor would be the Devil.” I end up pointing the crossbow right at his head, “Not like it matters anyway, I have no time for made up religion.” I fire the crossbow, and execute the soldier. His head ends up pinned against the wall, and I look at the ponies, “We don’t accept evil anymore! These bastards have done too much evil!” I look back at the soldiers as they kneel there, “Open fire.”