Epic Legends
Chapter 1: Epic Set-Up
Disclaimer: I do not own Brutal Legend or any of the characters involved except Talia
Hundreds of years ago, in a land that fought for the glory of its metal. Lived a girl, her name, was Talia Riggs.
Eighteen years ago, in the second Black Tear Rebellion, Roadie Eddy Riggs banded the humans together to defeat their demon oppressors. Now, eighteen years later, the people have become too used to peace, and when a new Demon Emperor rises from the ashes and claims the temple of Ormagodden as his base, the humans once again set forward to form Ironheade and put a stop to this evil, but there's also another group along for the ride…
Talia was driving down the road, behind her was some head banger who wasn't paying attention to where he was going and nearly drove off the road; the razor girl in his passenger seat wasn't helping either. Talia sighed as she gave him the finger, turning off the road and heading home. She was living with her parents in Bladehenge, the home city of the human race. She pulled her car up next to her dad's and opened the door. She stepped out, putting her feet on the dirt outside their house.
She was an eighteen year girl. She had long black hair that came down to her back; she was wearing a black shirt with the falling crow symbol and a jacket with the Ironheade symbol on the back, she had moderate breasts. She had pants on with a skirt over the top and black sneakers. Spiked bracelets dangled from her wrists and a studded belt with the icon to Ormagodden as the buckle.
She walked into the house and saw Eddy sitting on the couch. Ophelia was sitting next to him. Eddy was holding a piece of paper.
"What is it dad?" Talia asked approaching the two.
"Nothin' Tal." Eddy said standing up and crumpling the paper in his hands.
Ophelia looked up at him then at Talia. "You need to tell her Eddy. This affects her too."
"Tell me what." Talia asked
"There's a new demon emperor. He just took the temple of Ormagodden to seal his right to be the leader of the tainted coil."
"How did he take it? I thought we left guards there once the bridge was rebuilt." Talia asked
"We did, but they weren't enough to stop him." Eddy answered
"Well then what do we do?" She asked
"We reform Ironheade. We're going on a reunion tour to take this guy out." Eddy clenched his fist in front of his face as he said this.
"I'm coming."
"No."
"I'm coming."
"No, you're not. I don't want you getting hurt."
Talia scoffed at him. "Who's the guy who took me Tollusk hunting?"
"That was dif-"
"What about the time you took me to see the sea of black tears?"
"It was alright-"
"What about the time you took me, and jumped off the cliff onto the beach, a one-hundred foot drop with three minutes of air time?"
"You did what?!" Ophelia asked suddenly
Eddy cringed at the sound of her speaking up. "Icksnay on the jumpay Tal."
"My point is, you've taken me on half of the dangerous stuff to do. I want to see what it was like to fight beside you eighteen years ago. Don't forget aunt Lita's been training me."
"N-"
"Dad, think about it. You're getting older, and pretty soon you won't be able to fight. If something happens we'll need a leader, and I'm not gonna sit on my ass and watch from the sidelines." Talia said in a firm voice.
Eddy was silent for a moment, and then he sighed "Alright."
"Yes." Talia said pumping her arm. "I'll go get my stuff." She ran upstairs to her room.
"Ophs, why do I feel like I just made a mistake?" Eddy asked her
"Did that ever stop you before?" She asked
"No, but this one feels like it might actually go wrong."
Talia's footsteps echoed off the staircase as she came down, two hand axes were attached to her belt. "I'm ready."
Eddy nodded as he walked across their living room and picked up his axe that was hanging on the mantle. Putting it on his back he looked to Ophelia who walked over and grabbed her two swords hanging above where his axe had been. She took them off the wall and sheathed them on her belt.
"Let's rock." Eddy said excitedly as he led them out the door. He hopped in the Deuce with Ophelia while Talia hopped in her car. It looked just like her father's only it was smaller and it had been painted over in the chrome style.
Eddy backed out and started to head to the military district of Bladehenge. This was where Ironheade was never forgotten, as every member of the human race was taught how to fight from their fathers and mothers who had fought in the black tear rebellion.
Eddy pulled up and slid into a parking spot, Talia stopped next to him and they hopped out.
The trio made their way across the parking lot to see some of the army was in a training session. It was a mock stage battle, there was a stage set up for Ironheade, and some merch booths had been put up around some of the nearby geysers. Across the field another stage was set up and it had paper cut outs of Doviculus' army, as well as some of his merch booths.
"Watch and learn Tal. This is what war is like." Eddy told her
She nodded as she watched a Thunderhog's rider took charge and ordered the troops into position. He had some of the Headbangers lead the charge, behind them were bouncers and Metal Beasts. He posited them around some of his own Thunderhogs.
"What about the razor girls?" She asked
"Wait for it." Eddy replied
The army began to more forward, two squads of Razor girls fanned out to flank the enemy while a squad of Roadies snuck off into the field somewhere. Talia lost sight of them quickly. The armies collided, the infantry tearing apart the cardboard and steel mannequins and the razor girls appeared in position to fire down on them. Meanwhile the roadies appeared and started to tear down the enemy stage, after the army was dealt with the rest of Ironheade joined in and they quickly finished the fight.
As the stage exploded Eddy cheered loudly.
"Nice job guys, Mangus!" he shouted
"Hey boss, didn't notice you standing there." Mangus' reply came through the stage speakers.
"Yeah, we need a couple of loads and a bus." Eddy replied "And a stage manager, not to mention a few walkies."
Mangus nodded to himself as he began the dispatch. Soon there was a bus being loaded with all of the Ironheade units and equipment.
"Alright Tal." I'm gonna move on ahead and scout the area. I want you to stay behind the bus and watch from the rear. We don't know how powerful this new demon is yet. I don't want to get caught in an ambush."
Talia nodded as she climbed into her car. "Alright dad."
Eddy threw the Deuce in gear and took off, the bus began to follow, and Talia followed the bus. It was an uneventful drive as the caravan made their way to the bridge. When they arrived Eddy stopped them and hopped out to talk to Talia.
"Alright, we're here. Now listen. This won't be a stage battle like the one you saw earlier. I only brought those guys with me so that when we're done we can leave a larger standing force here to prevent this from happening again."
Talia nodded, the logic made sense.
"But, that doesn't mean we won't meet a lot of guys who are gonna try and stop us, so stick close to some guys and don't get caught alone, that's the worst way for you to go down."
Talia sighed "I know all this dad. Aunt Lita told me about it."
"Alright, alright." Eddy said holding up his hands.
"Let's move!" He shouted to the bus driver, hopping in the Deuce again before driving off. The bus began to roll after him, and Talia followed after the bus. The caravan actually met no resistance on their way to the temple. When they arrived at the feeding pit Eddy called the caravan to a halt and began to pick squads for the mission.
"Alright, Headbangers, two squads of you guys over there, Razorgirls, two squads of there, I want two Thunderhogs boxed in over between you guys and some Bouncers. Metal Beasts, take up the rear."
The army moved into position and Eddy took the leader with Ophelia, he positioned Talia nearby to lead the right flank of the army.
They advanced up the bridge toward the temple, and as the entered the antechamber, where Eddy had first discovered the power of metal, they noticed a few battle-nuns were standing guard. Along with a few druids.
"Alright." Eddy said as he peered through a peephole in the door. "This is it, get ready."
Eddy leaned back and lifted his foot before kicking back the hinges and slamming the doors wide open. "Ass kickers unite!" He shouted aiming his hand at the small squad.
Ironheade rushed forward and began to destroy the small squad, after a minute the dead bodies of the two battle nuns and the druids were laying on the floor.
"Man that was awesome!" Eddy shouted "Reminds me of when we ambushed some guys in the last war."
"Then let's make this an ambush for the ages." Talia said, mimicking her dad's comment he'd used before.
Eddy nodded and led the charge through the giant pile of bones to the top of the mountain. There the rebuilt temple to Ormagodden stood as a symbol of the great titans of long ago. It was here that Eddy Riggs appeared eighteen years ago to lead the second human rebellion, and finish the demon emperor Doviculus. As they entered the dark chamber they saw three druids crouched in front of a long figure. It was crouched down, a long handled spear in its hands. It stood up and dislodged the spear from the ground.
"So, you're Eddy Riggs." It said, a demonic voice that was male.
"Yeah. And you're the new demon emperor?" Eddy asked.
"I am." He turned to them so they now saw he was bare chested, stiches crossed his chest and stomach in a random haphazard pattern. He was slightly shorter than Doviculus, and his weapon was identical, instead of the twin headed spear Doviculus had used, this emperor had a single long curved blade at the end of his. His legs were garbed in folded robes and boots covered what wasn't covered by the robes. His face looked relatively human, except for the two horns that protruded from his forehead and his face was covered in the same black veil that Doviculus had.
Talia cringed back a little as he turned. He looked at her and grinned, revealing slightly spiked fangs.
"What brings you here, to my domain?" he asked, brandishing the spear to indicate the temple.
"This isn't your lands. This belongs to the humans of Ironheade." Eddy told him.
"So naïve, this land belongs to the Tainted Coil." He told them in a condescending tone.
"Unless we take it from you." Eddy told him.
"Oh, I don't think that will be happening." The Emperor said as he held up a hand, a large number of Soul Kissers and a few Punishing Parties emerged from the shadows and surrounded them.
Eddie and Talia raised their hands in a U "Evicerate!" the shouted together
Ironheade responded to the call with a shout and charged forward. Talia rushed in with them, her twin axes swinging in deadly arcs, decapitating any enemy that dared step too close. Eddy and Ophelia approached the demon emperor.
"You think you can defeat me? The demon emperor, the son of the great Doviculus?" The emperor asked them.
"I beat your dad, I can beat you too." Eddy told him grabbing his axe with both hands.
"I'd like to see you try." He said before his chest opened revealing his guitar, similar to his fathers except it only had two fret boards instead of four. He played a quick solo and flaming chains ripped from the ground binding Eddy and Ophelia.
Talia saw them nearby. "Mom! Dad!" She shouted rushing over and hacking her way through two punishing parties. As she reached them the demon emperor dropped down in a stab. Talia leapt back and was quickly surrounded by Soul Kissers, the rest of the army was busy fighting the Tainted Coil, she was stuck, alone and surrounded.
"Oh, you look so… terrified, you're making me long for you." The emperor said.
"Like I'd ever fall for a guy like you." She told him.
"Don't be like that, if it was possible, I would have you bear my offspring, we could make beautiful soldiers together." He said reaching out his hand toward her.
She swung her axe at him and he recoiled.
"Fine, if that's the way it'll be. I think I'll take your father as a tribute to this battle, maybe I'll mount his head on my wall."
"No!" She shouted swinging in a power attack to spread the Soul Kissers, but the emperor had already grabbed Eddy and bound him and Ophelia with the chains before grabbing them both and spreading his wings. He flew away toward the mountains between the drowned lands and Bladehenge.
"Dad! Mom!" Talia shouted as she finished off the Soul Kissers.
The rest of Ironheade had dispatched the enemy and now ran over to see the Emperor flying away with Eddy and Ophelia.
"What do we do?" One of the Headbangers asked.
"We need to get back to Bladehenge. Lita, Rima, The Baron, and The Killmaster should know what to do." Talia told them.
They nodded and they all boarded the bus. They their way back to Bladehenge, once they arrived Talia went to discuss with the leaders what their next plan of action was.
Once the group was gathered together in Eddy's living room Talia explained what happened.
"A new demon Emperor, and you say he looks more dangerous than Doviculus?" The Killmaster asked, lowering his glasses.
"Yes, his chains of hell lasted way too long and he was able to change it from just keeping them to the ground to tying up mom and dad." Talia told them.
"But, what could he want? The demons were easily defeated the last time." Lita said.
"I don't know, but whatever it is, it must be big, and he's pretty sure they'll succeed, the temple of Ormagodden was a sign of that." Talia said. "He captured Dad to get him out of the way because he knew he played a pivotal role in the last rebellion. I bet he's after you next Lita."
Lita nodded.
"Well, I say we take the fight to them, they can't be too far away." The Baron said punching his fist into his hand.
"Agreed, but we need a leader, a true warrior, one who knows how to lead an army." Rima said.
They all turned to Talia.
"Me?" She asked, seeing their stares.
"Why not? You're Eddy's daughter, he could lead us just as well as Lars or Lita, and if Lita's at risk it'd be stupid of us to send her out there." The Killmaster explained.
Talia nodded at his words, she turned her back to them and began to pace across the room. Eventually she nodded to herself and grabbed a map from the table. She laid it out on the coffee table in the middle and called the others over.
"Alright, tell everyone to load up on a few buses. We'll head to the Zaulia temple first and make our lines of defense at the pleasure tower, and the bridge, a secondary base will be placed at Death's Clutch as a precaution. We'll have a stage here at Bladehenge as a last resort."
They nodded confirmation of the plan, their idea that Talia could lead them was looking like a good one. Later, they left the house to prepare their troops and set up the stage.
Three hours later, Ironheade was back on the road, four buses and Talia's car, along with three squads of Fire Barons.
"Alright, We don't know what we're up against so keep an eye out for anything that looks suspicious." Talia said over a radio.
"Right!" Voices called in reply.
The caravan drove silently for a few minutes until they reached the pleasure dome, there they set up a stage on the far side of the cleave, just inside the pleasure dome. After a few minutes of rest they mounted up again and drove to Death's Clutch. They set up a stage there, and the now remaining two buses drove with them until they arrived at the bridge. There they set up a stage, and about ten minutes later they were camped out at the Zaulia Temple, an Ironheade Stage blocking the way out of the jungle.
"Now that we've got this done, what's next Talia?" The Killmaster asked.
The core group of leaders had gathered in Talia's tent to see what their next course of action was.
"I guess we wait." Talia said looking over the map to make sure they hadn't missed anywhere.
"I think we should call up Bladehenge to send us another bus, in case we decide to push farther or we can attack." Killmaster suggested.
Talia nodded slowly as she thought about it. She brought out a walkie-talkie.
"Bladehenge, can you hear me?" She asked.
"We read you Talia, what's up?" A voice replied.
"Send us another bus with an escort." She told them.
"Understood." The voice replied.
A few hours later, the bus arrived and everyone got off.
"Well, well, what a show…" The Emperor's voice echoed to them.
They looked up and saw the Emperor floating above them.
"Why don't you come down here and fight!" Talia called to him.
"I don't think so… I'd much rather see you tear yourselves apart." The Emperor told them.
"Talia! Drowning Doom have been spotted coming up from the swamp!" A scout called to ther.
Her eyes closed into a glare at the Demon Emperor.
"Oh, don't look at me like that, you should've seen this coming." The Emperor warned them.
"Who are you?" She shouted at him, "And what have you done with my parents?"
"Don't worry, your father is safe in my dungeons, your mother on the other hand…" he began to chuckle.
"You monster!" She shouted, her eyes turning yellow and her skin darkening.
Talia suddenly felt a pain in her back, she gasped and fell forward onto her knees. Small spikes ripped themselves from her back and she screamed in pain. The spikes continued to grow, revealing a pair of leathery wings like Eddy's, only her were smaller.
She glared up at the Demon Emperor.
"Seems you've got Eddy's blood in you." The Killmaster told her.
She flapped her wings experimentally before rocketing off toward the demon emperor. She drew her axes and swung at him, he blocked her attack with his spear before kicking her away.
"Your mother is fine, I was kidding you." The Demon Emperor told her quietly so the people didn't hear them below.
"Why? Why would you do that? Who are you?" She asked
"I am the son of Emperor Doviculus, I was born from one of his warfathers, giving me the magic power of the Tainted Coil as well as the right to rule!" He proclaimed loudly.
"What's your name?" She shouted at him.
"Urveil… Not that it matters in your twisted tongue." He told her.
"Urveil…" She whispered to herself.
"You'd better get going, it doesn't seem your troops are handing themselves too well." Urveil told her, indicating the ground with his spear.
Talia turned to see the Drowning Doom was easily defeating the Ironheade army.
"Damn it." She said diving down, as she got close she closed her wings and spread her axes in an attack stance.
"These gloomy mothers got us while you were up there talking to the Demon Emperor." The Baron told her as he drove by and threw a molotov on a Grave Digger.
"I don't understand, why did the Drowning Doom come back? I thought they dispersed after my mother was rescued from the Sea of Black Tears, and I thought we had defensive measures to keep them locked up?" Talia asked.
"Talia! Talia!" Two voices cried over the radio.
"Who is this?" She asked.
"It's Jack and Cage, the Drowning Doom overran our position. We've never seen so many of them." Jack told her.
"Are you two alright?" She asked.
"Yeah, we're fine bu-"
"Get back to Bladehenge, take the car you were assigned." She told them, "I've got to go, things are a little messy right now."
She put the Radio away and rushed into the fight, hacking and slashing anything in her path. As she got closer to the core of the army she began to feel her legs and arms become heavier, and her axes become lighter.
"What's happening?" She asked herself.
"Those damn brides slow down anything that isn't friendly that gets too close." The Killmaster explained as he drove past, ramming a few gravediggers.
"The Organists decrease the damage we can deal with our weapons by making them lighter." Lita called over as she tried to kill one of the brides.
Talia spotted one of the Organists, she ran as fast as she could and began to swing at it with all her might.
As she attacked the vehicle the Organist looked down at her and gasped as he saw her shirt.
"Mistress." The Organist said, bowing to her.
The daunting melody stopped affecting her and Talia destroyed the Organist, the rest of the Drowning Doom noticed the Organist's actions and bowed to Talia.
"Get out of here!" She shouted as she charged at them, hacking and slashing at them all.
The Grave Diggers signaled a general retreat and began to run from Ironheade.
"That's right! And don't come back!" Talia shouted at them.
As Ironheade began to gather up the wounded Lita approached Talia.
"What was that about? With the Organist?" She asked
"What do you mean?" Talia asked.
"Well, after you started attacking him their melody and their effects ignored you. You were darting around hacking and slashing at everything in sight, faster than any of us."
"I don't know, maybe because my mom was part Tear Drinker that I'm immune to their effects, maybe it just needed to be activated, like my wings." She suggested.
Lita nodded as she thought about this. "That makes sense, your father has done everything he can to keep you from open battle and as far away from The Sea of Black Tears as possible."
"I wonder why…" Talia said to herself.
Lita overheard her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"To keep you safe." She said.
Talia nodded and walked away. Meanwhile, with the Drowning Doom.
"Did anyone else notice the mark on their leader?" One of the Grave Diggers asked.
"I did, it was a match, guaranteed." Said an Organist.
"Then a new Mistress has come to us. We must prepare for her arrival." The Grave Digger said.
"Agreed." They all replied.