Prologue
A man sat at a campfire surrounded by squatters, chem junkies, Soldiers, just about anyone was there.
"Gather 'round I got a Tale for you guys." he said.
Everyone moved in closer and listened
The man cleared his throat and spoke.
" Since the dawn of humankind, when our ancestors first discovered the killing power of rock and bone, blood has been spilled in the name of everything: from god, to justice, to simple; psychotic rage.
In the year 2077, after millennia of armed conflict, the destructive nature of man could sustain itself no longer. The world was plunged into an abyss of nuclear fire and radiation.
But it was not, as some had predicted, the end of the world. Instead, the apocalypse was simply the prologue to another bloody chapter of human history. For man had succeeded in destroying the world, but instead of humanities story coming to an end a new chapter was started and civilization struggled to thrive.
Through these struggles stories were told and passed throughout the wasteland. This is one of those tales.
Chapter 1: The Vault Dweller
Steve stood in his room scared half to death and trembling. Just moments earlier raiders finally breached the vault door Steve thought to be unbreachable. They slowly made their way through his vault mercilessly murdering everyone they came across for pure pleasure. Now Steve stood there possibly the only one left in the vault. He felt sweat build up on his forehead his heart was pounding, he heard banging on his door
"Don't you worry we'll get in there one way or another." said a gravely voice from behind the door.
Suddenly Steve heard gunshots ring out and suddenly Steve's' door flung open, there in the doorway stood a tall figure he wore a duster with black armor fittings on the inside, and a black helmet with red glowing eyes while holding a silver revolver. Steve shut his eyes waiting for a gunshot but he didn't hear one all he heard was a click
"Jesus Christ kid, you okay?, c'mon get up." The man said through his helmet " Look kid I ain't gonna hurt ya, c'mon get up."
Steve did as directed and stood up as he saw the bodies of the dead raiders behind the man. "Got a name kid?" said the man picking through the raiders belongings for anything useful.
"Y-yeah,Steve. My name's Steve" he replied nervously
" Well Steve, my name's Jason I'm a ranger with the NCR, nice to meet you" he said extending his arm Steve shook his hand and said
"Well what do we do now?" Steve said a bit shaken
"Now we get the hell outta here, You ever shoot a gun kid?" said Jason holding out a small revolver
"Yeah I used to shoot radroaches with my old BB gun"
" We're gonna be encountering more than just radroaches but I'll take it," Jason said.
Steve took the gun, it had some weight to it, it was black and had a stubby barrel
"Here take these" Jason handed Steve a few bullets
"What are these for?" steve asked
"For that revolver you have, you'll be mole rat chow without a round ready, oh and put this on." Jason gave Steve a torn and battered trench coat
"why the coat?" he asked
"be best if people didn't know you were fresh out of a vault trust me." said Jason reloading his pistol.
Steve put it on, and the two were on their way out of the vault. Steve and Jason were almost out of the vault when they were stopped by a group of raiders standing as lookouts.
"well well well what do we have here?, You just cost us our whole team so now we're gonna shoot the hell outta you until there's nothin' but paste." one of them growled.
"Tried being nice." said Jason
He pulled out his gun and with lightning speed fired all 6 rounds sending them to the ground.
"Woah how'd you do that?!" Steve asked as suddenly more raiders showed up firing their weapons.
"If we live I'll teach you now get to cover!" Jason shouted.
Steve crouched behind a rock and shot at them, the pistol had a pretty good kick and almost made him hit himself in the forehead. Jason with pinpoint accuracy shot one of the raiders in the head as he lit a molotov. The man just stumbled and dropped it, the bottle shattered and the gas inside exploded resulting in a cloud of fire. Steve ducked as bullets whizzed around him. Jason could hear a loud thumping noise in the distance and it was getting closer and louder but he couldn't make it out. One of the raiders pointed to the left and shouted
"Guys, guys look!."
Steve and Jason looked up to see a hulking figure in power armour Steve had seen this Armor in many posters around the vault and it was massive.
"E-Easy there Mr. Paladin, this ain't none of your business now get the hell outta here before someone gets hurt… or worse." said the raider leader
He tried to sound confidently but, but steve could see he was shaking just trying to look tough.
" Do You know what happens to people who point guns at me huh? They die very, very painfully. Now lower your guns before I have to make an example of you," said the stranger pulling out a laser rifle.
"O-okay buddy we're leaving just don't do nothin' crazy I don't wanna end up a pile of ash alright?." said the raider leader.
" c'mon guys," said the leader before leaving his gun on the floor and walking off.
"Holy shit I've never been this happy to see a Paladin ." said Jason
"it's getting dark we should find a place to bivouac quick." said the man before motioning to follow him. Jason and Steve shrugged and followed the man.