Candidate #103 sat in the same chair, in the same classroom, in the same tower that had been his home for over two years. He had gotten used to it throughout his training, and was sure at this point he had molded the hardwood into a perfect fit. He sat waiting in silence with the others who throughout their years of training become like brothers. This would be the last time they would sit in this room, for the final assessment was at hand. All in the room had similar thoughts that by tomorrow they would no longer be just a roster number, but either warriors of the maroon or another failed candidate that wouldn't even get a place on the wall of the fallen.
"Attention!" shouted candidate 103, as all in the room rose to their feet before being directed to take their seats. #103 had returned to his seat waiting for the cadre who had been with this group from the day the signed up for selection until now. The class could never decide if the cadre hated this job or not but all were professional and did what they could to create the next generation of Maroon walkers, humanities ageless protectors in a post-cataclysm world.
White Fox, the senior instructor for class 41-02 began briefing with a word that had only been heard by his candidates once before: "Congratulations".
After a pause White Fox continued. "Since the day you made that bold decision to try to walk the way of the Maroon you have suffered through much and learned even more. Your education throughout these two years has been comprehensive and I expect each of you is just as able to kill the enemies of humanity up close as at a distance. However those that walk the way of the Maroon are more than just killers, you have learned languages, how to perform a land survey, and other skills to help make a better future.
"All of you come from different backgrounds, and I know with what you have learned here you could find success, so I will say it one last time you may quit and follow a different path in life without consequences. Everything you brought to this compound will be returned to you and you will walk away from here owing this organization nothing. Once this final assessment has begun that will no longer be a option, success or failure will be your two choices and both will have consequences, so any quitters?"
The room remained silent and still as expected, for the candidates in this room wouldn't have made it this far, if they were able to walk away from it all at the very end. The briefing lasted around 30 minutes, as the overall objective as well as each candidates role in the operation was explained. Notes were taken, questions were asked, and the room was soon empty, as class 41-02 made it's way to the arms room to ready themselves for the mission.
The arms room was staffed by men that looked closer to dead husks than the living, but they always seemed able to do their job. No one knew where they came from but the rumor was that they were the poor of the city unable to care for themselves.
After weapons and equipment were issued #103 sat waiting for what felt like hours in the back of a C-50 transport as it flew across land and sea. He spent most of the flight going over the mission in his head and trying to ignore the feeling of his balls being squeezed by his parachute harness. His class would be spread over a large area with each member having a different objective to secure.
He had been tasked with clearing some old communications center left over from before the cataclysm. This would be his first real test, and failure meant a lonely death, while his peers became true walkers. The commands came like all the other jumps, stand up, hook up, green light go except this time was different, this was the real thing and he knew a bad landing could cut his mission short. A solid exit was followed by 5 seconds of free fall before the parachute opened, and 45 seconds later trainee #103 was on the ground in one piece. After getting his equipment in working order and orientating himself he began moving to the objective.
The movement took less than 2 hours, and the trainee was hopeful that the distance between his dz and the objective would give him the element of surprise. The intel was vague on what sort of threats were at the objective, so the apprentice did the smart thing once he got eyes on the objective and observed. His reconnaissance of the objective followed the typical clover pattern and gave him a better understanding of this communications center.
There were a few constructs outside, so magic was involved. Magic meant trouble although judging by the number of constructs, the boss was likely some lowly excuse for a mage or sorcerer that had been kicked out of one of the eastern academy's. Regardless of why they were there, this trainee had been given a job that he intended to do. He had a full combat load of ammo that he hoped would be enough, as he took aim and moved his selector from safe to semi.
The crack of that first round ended the silence of this isolated location. Center mass was where he aimed, and where the round hit. During one of White Fox's many lessons, the candidate and the others had learned that constructs were held together by soul gems held in the center of their bodies so fire should be focused there. This first shot hadn't stopped the construct as it and the others began moving towards where the noise had come from. He fired three more rounds at his first target before the construct collapsed as another 4 advanced at a faster pace.
Now that the distance between combatants had decreased, the single shots changed to controlled pairs as the remaining constructs fell having never made it within 50 meters of candidate #103''s position. After waiting a few minutes and confirming that the outside of the facility was secured, he prepared to move into the facility. Locating the entrance was easy, and after checking for traps, he entered the facility with his weapon at the high ready ready for more constructs. He was greeted by a room filled with old machinery but no constructs. There was only one door inside that lead downdown, which made chosing what to do next easy.
Weapon at the ready, the trainee moved closer to finishing this final test one step down at a time. Once the bottom was reached, quick observation revealed two doors on the left, two on the right, and another door at the end of the hallway. Room clearing seemed a more risky undertaking than a outdoors fight with more constructs potentially around, plus their creator likely being around, but it needed to be done. The two rooms on the left were quickly cleared revealing nothing but empty restrooms, with the two on the right revealing more emptiness.
As the apprentice moved back into the hallway and prepared to enter that last door he knew the only thing that stood between him becoming a true walker of the Maroon was likely some mage or sorcerer that knew he was here. Closing the distance to the door the trainee was momentarily startled by the disembodied voice of woman.
The voice was slow voice with emphasis placed on every syllable as it spoke. "Has another potential walker of the Maroon come all the way out here just for little old me?"
He now knew there was definitely a magic user here, for the voice did not come from the old PA system, but it wouldn't stop him from finishing this mission. As he stacked up on the door he did one last check for visible traps, before kicking in the door and entering with his weapon at the high ready.
There was no need to take prisoners, so shots were fired moments after he saw the woman he assumed spoke to him earlier. Nothing happened as two bullets hit the wall behind her, so another controlled pair was fired that also appeared to pass harmlessly through the woman.
Before the trainee could take further action the woman spoke. "Do you like what you see candidate?"
He took a good look at the woman for the first time, and realized that this woman was really a demon, a succubus to be precise as indicated by an intricate tattoo where her pubes would be that wasn't glowing, meaning she was hungry. Eyes drifted over the rest of her body quickly showing that this succubus was naked except for chains around her wrist, ankles, and waist.
This nakedness made it easy to see the rest of this final enemy's form, with a demonic spade tipped tail moving behind her, deep tanned skin with copper undertones, small horns, and dark red hair that was all pulled behind her shoulders so none of her chest would be covered. Someone taking the time to measure would have gotten the measurements 38-24-42, but all he knew was that there was a well developed pair of breasts that were slowly being jiggled in front of him.
The eyes of the trainee were glued to her chest, only looking elsewhere when the succubus again spoke, "Well I can see someone likes my goodies, although I can't really blame you with how they keep you poor boys locked up in that tower with not a woman in sight. I know just these are enough to make men drool, but you are going to love seeing this thick round rump I have."
While delivering this last line the succubus cupped both breasts in her hand and pushed them up to create a deep cleavage, before slowly turning around. The trainee continued to stare with his weapon now lowered as the succubus began rocking from side to side. He once again followed this movement with his eyes ignoring the tail of the demon, and instead focusing on this mountain of what seemed like perfection in front of him.
This trance was only broken by a sharp stabbing pain in his right arm as he snapped back into reality, and quickly turned in the direction the pain came from. The rifle was once again shouldered and the room was quickly scanned, but the assailant was no where to be found. Having been snapped back to reality the apprentice cursed himself for letting his guard down, and remembered that his opponent was dangerous and that what he saw earlier was just a illusion.
Attention turned to the arm whose pain had stopped, although something had definitely happened since there was a small amount of blood that had stained his right sleeve. With a new found sense of clarity candidate #103 began to notice a few things, he was getting very warm, the room seemed a lot darker now with the only decently lit spot being the center where a large conference table stood, and that his balls were starting to hurt.
Panic was starting to flood his mind as the questions quickly passed through his mind. Had that table always been there? Was the room always this dark? Had he been poisoned? Where was the succubus?
This last question was answered when the succubus appeared in front of the conference table in front of him. "Did you miss me? I bet you're starting to feel a little warm. Don't worry I just gave you a little dose of my venom, it's not deadly just a little something to loosen you up. You wannabe walkers are always so stiff, and not in the way I like."
The trainee was finished listening to this demon, raising his rifle and taking aim but before he could squeeze the trigger a surge of pain had him dropping his weapon and reaching for his groin.
