DARK WATCHER
(VO)
We thought we knew the threat. We were wrong.
We thought they were divided. We were wrong.
FADE TO:
EXTERIOR - STEEL CANYON, DAY.
The appearance of a normal day in the Canyon is broken as VANGUARD tanks and helicopters appear on the streets. Sirens begin to wail, and the civilians begin to run, fleeing for shelters. HELLIONS can be seen heading for a sewer entrance, followed by other lower-tier villain groups. Public loudspeakers and helicopters amplify the voice of LADY GREY across the zone.
LADY GREY
All civilians are to move to the nearest emergency shelter immediately! Hostile military forces have been detected on approach to Steel Canyon!
FADE TO:
INTERIOR - RIOT FORCE BASE, CONTROL ROOM
Lady of the Peace and Sell-Sword stand in front of the monitors, watching the images from Steel. On a side monitor, the roster of Riot Force is visible, with almost every single name lit up, indicating that hero is active and in the field.
SELL-SWORD
Legendary is already moving, and I got a call from the Infamous. Vanguard and Arachnos are mobilising in the Isles as well.
LADY OF THE PEACE
A full scale assault?
SELL-SWORD
Almost certainly. Didn’t think they had the numbers.
They fall silent, watching the vehicles and infantry, countless heroes moving around them. Sell-Sword turns, looking at the list of names.
SELL-SWORD
Is Silicon...
LADY OF THE PEACE
Still MIA.
FADE TO:
EXTERIOR - VANGUARD BASE, RIKTI WAR ZONE, DAY.
The base is clearly on high alert, with hundreds of soldiers of heroes in position, a line of artillery behind them. They’re backed up by LONGBOW personnel and aircraft, and Serpent Drummer and W.M. Dietrich stand next to each other, their eyes on the killing zone ahead of them, faces grim.
FADE TO:
EXTERIOR - OUROBOROS, DAY?
Mender Silos stands before the Pillar of Ice and Flame, his expression unreadable. Romulus stands at the bottom of the staircase, crackling with Nictus energy.
ROMULUS
Did you honestly believe my master wasn’t aware of your attempts at manipulating him?
FADE TO:
INTERIOR - PARAGON SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS, ARMORY
Leon McNichol finishes putting on his armor, then picks up his multi-rifle and makes one last check. Knight of the Peace waits near the door, tail lashing in agitation.
FADE TO:
INTERIOR - SILKY DOLL, UNDERGROUND ARMORY
Priss Asagiri stands in front of her hardsuit, glaring at it. Or rather, the severe battle damage. Behind her, Mackie Stingray is studying a computer monitor.
MACKIE STINGRAY
Optics, totally fried. Gel layer is failing, the jump jets don’t respond to the diagnostic at all, the operating system is crashing...
PRISS ASAGIRI
So, it’s beyond even your magical touch.
MACKIE STINGRAY
In the time left? I could patch the holes. That’s about it.
Priss merely nods, closing her eyes and twisting a simple ring on her finger.
PRISS ASAGIRI
Sylia...
FADE TO:
An aerial view of Paragon City, angling down from above the ocean.
DARK WATCHER
(VO)
We thought we were prepared.
Flickers of unnatural light can be seen in the air, before the War Walls shut down. All of them.
DARK WATCHER
(VO)
We were wrong.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR, ATLAS PARK, NIGHT.
Explosions rip across the city, as the famous statue of Atlas takes a hit from an artillery shell that shatters a portion of the globe. Underneath it, Ms. Liberty and Evangelia rally the wounded heroes, throwing themselves into the teeth of another charge from the Imperial Defense Force legion attacking them. Evangelia leaps over the front ranks, bringing her sword down with enough force to almost tear a War Walkers head off.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR, PORTAL CORP, PEREGRINE ISLAND, NIGHT
Net Sabre drops to her knees, letting Sachie Hanagawa jump over her and hit Marauder hard enough to send him stumbling back. Before he can recover, Net Sabre is sending arcs of electricity ripping through him.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR, VANGUARD BASE.
The bodies of dozens of Vanguard are scattered over the floor, the corpses of heroes and villains mixed in with their ranks. Faultline carries a wounded W.M Dietrich in his arms, as Fusionette and Colonel Morgan cover their retreat. Dozens of Praetorian Warworks pursue them, autocannons roaring.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR - SILKY DOLL, UNDERGROUND ARMORY
The roof shakes from a sudden explosion above, and Priss Asagiri and Mackie Stingray look up in surprise. The engineers attention is pulled back to her computer as alarms start wailing.
MACKIE STINGRAY
Praetorians just blasted into the shop and are heading for the underground entrance? How did they know-
PRISS ASAGIRI
I think we can confirm the quality of the Seers. We can’t let them get the armory Mackie. Arm the self destruct and seal your armor. We’re fighting our way out.
MACKIE STINGRAY
But your armor’s toast! What’re you gonna do?
Priss takes a massive pistol from a weapons rack, along with several clips that she stuffs into her jacket. Slamming a fresh clip into place, she works the slide and heads for the stairs.
Priss Asagiri
What I always do. Improvise and kick some ass.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR, FOUNDERS FALLS, DAY
Purrfect Archer, Purrfect Scrapper and Inyme W’tin leap from a rooftop seconds before the explosives they’ve left behind take out their enemies. As they reach the ground however, over a dozen Seers teleport in around them.
SEERS
Unusual psychic signature detected. Containing.
PURRFECT SCRAPPER
See! This is all your fault!
PURRFECT ARCHER
Excuse me?!
CUT TO:
MONTAGE: Scenes of combat across Paragon and the Isles, with heroes and villains alike tearing into the invading Praetorians. Throughout the montage, Statesman can be seen battling Tyrant, groups like the Paragon Clockwork and the Outcasts can be seen coming out of hiding and fighting back, Castle blasts Warrant through a building... but then we see a dead hero. Then another, and another...
UNKNOWN VOICE
(VO)
They’ve taken out the medicomm!
The sequence continues, showing Priss in hand to hand combat with IDF Troopers, Lady of the Peace igniting an entire petrol station as War Walkers advanced through it, Counter Sabre and Justice Sabre fighting back to back at the entrance to a civilian shelter... and more dead heroes. Strangers at first, but then, members of the Legendary and their allies appear, scattered across the city. Others are seen restrained, helpless, prisoners of the Praetorians.
FADE TO BLACK
DARK WATCHER
(VO)
But this is not the way the world ends...
FADE TO:
EXTERIOR, ATLAS PARK, DAY
Aside from a still burning car, the parking lot is abandoned and empty, forgotten in the war raging across the City of Heroes. Then, with a flicker of unnatural light, Silicon Sabre appears, followed by Valles, Twilit Blade, Flame of the Peace and more. Even as the first arrivals step forward, looking out over Atlas Park, more continued to appear behind them.
FLAME OF THE PEACE
So... This is Primal Earth... Are we too late?
SILICON SABRE
Let’s find out.
With a roar of jump jets, Silicon Sabre takes to the air, followed closely by the Praetorian heroes.
FADE TO BLACK.
CITY OF HEROES: THE PRAETORIAN WAR
(VO)
We thought we knew the threat. We were wrong.
We thought they were divided. We were wrong.
FADE TO:
EXTERIOR - STEEL CANYON, DAY.
The appearance of a normal day in the Canyon is broken as VANGUARD tanks and helicopters appear on the streets. Sirens begin to wail, and the civilians begin to run, fleeing for shelters. HELLIONS can be seen heading for a sewer entrance, followed by other lower-tier villain groups. Public loudspeakers and helicopters amplify the voice of LADY GREY across the zone.
LADY GREY
All civilians are to move to the nearest emergency shelter immediately! Hostile military forces have been detected on approach to Steel Canyon!
FADE TO:
INTERIOR - RIOT FORCE BASE, CONTROL ROOM
Lady of the Peace and Sell-Sword stand in front of the monitors, watching the images from Steel. On a side monitor, the roster of Riot Force is visible, with almost every single name lit up, indicating that hero is active and in the field.
SELL-SWORD
Legendary is already moving, and I got a call from the Infamous. Vanguard and Arachnos are mobilising in the Isles as well.
LADY OF THE PEACE
A full scale assault?
SELL-SWORD
Almost certainly. Didn’t think they had the numbers.
They fall silent, watching the vehicles and infantry, countless heroes moving around them. Sell-Sword turns, looking at the list of names.
SELL-SWORD
Is Silicon...
LADY OF THE PEACE
Still MIA.
FADE TO:
EXTERIOR - VANGUARD BASE, RIKTI WAR ZONE, DAY.
The base is clearly on high alert, with hundreds of soldiers of heroes in position, a line of artillery behind them. They’re backed up by LONGBOW personnel and aircraft, and Serpent Drummer and W.M. Dietrich stand next to each other, their eyes on the killing zone ahead of them, faces grim.
FADE TO:
EXTERIOR - OUROBOROS, DAY?
Mender Silos stands before the Pillar of Ice and Flame, his expression unreadable. Romulus stands at the bottom of the staircase, crackling with Nictus energy.
ROMULUS
Did you honestly believe my master wasn’t aware of your attempts at manipulating him?
FADE TO:
INTERIOR - PARAGON SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS, ARMORY
Leon McNichol finishes putting on his armor, then picks up his multi-rifle and makes one last check. Knight of the Peace waits near the door, tail lashing in agitation.
FADE TO:
INTERIOR - SILKY DOLL, UNDERGROUND ARMORY
Priss Asagiri stands in front of her hardsuit, glaring at it. Or rather, the severe battle damage. Behind her, Mackie Stingray is studying a computer monitor.
MACKIE STINGRAY
Optics, totally fried. Gel layer is failing, the jump jets don’t respond to the diagnostic at all, the operating system is crashing...
PRISS ASAGIRI
So, it’s beyond even your magical touch.
MACKIE STINGRAY
In the time left? I could patch the holes. That’s about it.
Priss merely nods, closing her eyes and twisting a simple ring on her finger.
PRISS ASAGIRI
Sylia...
FADE TO:
An aerial view of Paragon City, angling down from above the ocean.
DARK WATCHER
(VO)
We thought we were prepared.
Flickers of unnatural light can be seen in the air, before the War Walls shut down. All of them.
DARK WATCHER
(VO)
We were wrong.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR, ATLAS PARK, NIGHT.
Explosions rip across the city, as the famous statue of Atlas takes a hit from an artillery shell that shatters a portion of the globe. Underneath it, Ms. Liberty and Evangelia rally the wounded heroes, throwing themselves into the teeth of another charge from the Imperial Defense Force legion attacking them. Evangelia leaps over the front ranks, bringing her sword down with enough force to almost tear a War Walkers head off.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR, PORTAL CORP, PEREGRINE ISLAND, NIGHT
Net Sabre drops to her knees, letting Sachie Hanagawa jump over her and hit Marauder hard enough to send him stumbling back. Before he can recover, Net Sabre is sending arcs of electricity ripping through him.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR, VANGUARD BASE.
The bodies of dozens of Vanguard are scattered over the floor, the corpses of heroes and villains mixed in with their ranks. Faultline carries a wounded W.M Dietrich in his arms, as Fusionette and Colonel Morgan cover their retreat. Dozens of Praetorian Warworks pursue them, autocannons roaring.
CUT TO:
INTERIOR - SILKY DOLL, UNDERGROUND ARMORY
The roof shakes from a sudden explosion above, and Priss Asagiri and Mackie Stingray look up in surprise. The engineers attention is pulled back to her computer as alarms start wailing.
MACKIE STINGRAY
Praetorians just blasted into the shop and are heading for the underground entrance? How did they know-
PRISS ASAGIRI
I think we can confirm the quality of the Seers. We can’t let them get the armory Mackie. Arm the self destruct and seal your armor. We’re fighting our way out.
MACKIE STINGRAY
But your armor’s toast! What’re you gonna do?
Priss takes a massive pistol from a weapons rack, along with several clips that she stuffs into her jacket. Slamming a fresh clip into place, she works the slide and heads for the stairs.
Priss Asagiri
What I always do. Improvise and kick some ass.
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR, FOUNDERS FALLS, DAY
Purrfect Archer, Purrfect Scrapper and Inyme W’tin leap from a rooftop seconds before the explosives they’ve left behind take out their enemies. As they reach the ground however, over a dozen Seers teleport in around them.
SEERS
Unusual psychic signature detected. Containing.
PURRFECT SCRAPPER
See! This is all your fault!
PURRFECT ARCHER
Excuse me?!
CUT TO:
MONTAGE: Scenes of combat across Paragon and the Isles, with heroes and villains alike tearing into the invading Praetorians. Throughout the montage, Statesman can be seen battling Tyrant, groups like the Paragon Clockwork and the Outcasts can be seen coming out of hiding and fighting back, Castle blasts Warrant through a building... but then we see a dead hero. Then another, and another...
UNKNOWN VOICE
(VO)
They’ve taken out the medicomm!
The sequence continues, showing Priss in hand to hand combat with IDF Troopers, Lady of the Peace igniting an entire petrol station as War Walkers advanced through it, Counter Sabre and Justice Sabre fighting back to back at the entrance to a civilian shelter... and more dead heroes. Strangers at first, but then, members of the Legendary and their allies appear, scattered across the city. Others are seen restrained, helpless, prisoners of the Praetorians.
FADE TO BLACK
DARK WATCHER
(VO)
But this is not the way the world ends...
FADE TO:
EXTERIOR, ATLAS PARK, DAY
Aside from a still burning car, the parking lot is abandoned and empty, forgotten in the war raging across the City of Heroes. Then, with a flicker of unnatural light, Silicon Sabre appears, followed by Valles, Twilit Blade, Flame of the Peace and more. Even as the first arrivals step forward, looking out over Atlas Park, more continued to appear behind them.
FLAME OF THE PEACE
So... This is Primal Earth... Are we too late?
SILICON SABRE
Let’s find out.
With a roar of jump jets, Silicon Sabre takes to the air, followed closely by the Praetorian heroes.
FADE TO BLACK.
CITY OF HEROES: THE PRAETORIAN WAR
