The Lost Civilization: Driven
By: Thomas A. Hawk
Edited by: dashboardgecko
Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Hunter. The rights of the game belong entirely to Capcom. This is a fanwork taking place in the setting of The Lost Civilization, another fanwork of the Monster Hunter games. The world and its characters, aside from those newly created for the sake of this story, are property of dashboardgecko.
Chapter 1: The Fall
"See anything inside that gun store? Looks clear to me."
"Let's check it from the side, too. Last time you thought we were clear, those little velociraptor things almost had us for lunch."
"I'll check around back. Hopefully there aren't any scavengers in there… Keep the car up here, and I'll signal from the front if we're good."
Lloyd sighed and nodded to his addresser before she took off silently towards the building, making sure to keep low to the ground and use the abandoned vehicles in the road as cover. That was his girlfriend, Fala; also, mostly the reason he and his friend Zack were still alive. A few weeks before, their entire world had completely changed with the arrival of several… things. They looked like dinosaurs, but others appeared to be dragons. It was the stuff of fantasy, something no one had ever believed possible. And there wasn't any warning, either; they were just there.
The first sighting of the creatures was made light of in the news, with some thinking it was some psycho trying to get attention or the local museum playing a prank of the city. But then, they found the bodies. Two people, a man and a women, practically torn to shreds by a pack of reddish-purple carnivores. No one had ever seen something like this before, no one had expected it.
And that was why their civilization fell.
It only took about a day before even bigger beasts began to appear, creatures bigger than elephants with hides like armor. Guns were barely effective against them; they hardly worked on anything bigger than a person unless one landed a headshot. One beast in particular, this giant black dragon, was probably the fiercest of them all. Lloyd had seen it demolish a tank the military brought in to combat the creature when he, Zack, and Fala were making their escape from Bronzeton City.
In the end, not even the military could keep up with these beasts, and people were being slaughtered left and right. The closest army base had been burned to the ground, and any forceful opposition to the beasts was brutally stamped into the dust. Now, the only people left were on their own. No law, no government, no idea what they would do next. Some had gone mad from it all, while others tried to band together and fight back against the beasts however they could. More still took this as an opportunity to live 'freely'; they fell to anarchy and living however they chose to, going as far as attacking other survivors and stealing their supplies. As for the rest… Some people just plain vanished without a trace.
It was utter chaos. That was all Lloyd could describe it as. He was fortunate to have two people he could trust with him, and their group had successfully made it through almost three cities now, heading westward. Rumor was that the army had set up a successful barricade and were helping any who came to it get to safety, but that was at the state border, almost three hundred miles away from where they lived. So, the three packed up everything they could and escaped in Lloyd's white pickup truck.
Part of the reason they had been able to survive was because of their own experiences. Fala was a hunter, and had taken to the profession since she was little. Her father had taught her how to use a bow to an almost supernatural proficiency, and she was able to skin a full grown buck completely in under two minutes. Not only that, but she was also a black belt in martial arts, a skill she had swiftly put to use when they had been caught unawares by a group of scavengers a few days beforehand. She still had her black compound bow with her, as well as a dozen arrows and a hunting knife sheathed in the side of the quiver. She was also an excellent sprinter, on account of sticking with track through high school and college.
Zack, meanwhile, was a competitive clay pigeon shooter, and was a crack shot with his over-under shotgun. It had proven to be very effective against the smaller 'monsters', though he kept an assault rifle on hand as a back-up. He was also very strong, easily being able to bench press two hundred pounds. He wasn't very skilled in hand to hand combat, though, something which had led to both Lloyd and Fala having to help him out in the occasional drunken bar fight he incited in the past. He was rather outdoorsy as well, and enjoyed hiking through the thick forests a few miles out of town; this was why he currently had a thick bladed machete at his side. This also explained his stamina; he could run for miles without getting very tired, though he wasn't very quick on his feet.
And then, there was Lloyd himself. In all honesty, he wasn't nearly as impressive as the others; he couldn't hunt or sprint as well as Fala, and he wasn't as strong as Zack, since all he did was work as a freelance photographer. He wasn't exactly unskilled in the art of survival, though; his older brother had been in the army, and during some of their family get togethers he had shown Lloyd both how to use CQC and small fire arms, which he had shown some talent for. One of his other past times was collecting swords and learning how to use them, something many people had laughed at for the strangeness of it. Be it broadswords, claymores, hand-and-a-halfs, or long swords, he'd tried to get his hand on at least one of them. His personal favorite, though, was one he had found during a trek through the woods with the others when they took a wrong turn during a road trip to a country far to the south; a sharp, single edged iron katana with a black wooden scabbard trimmed with gold, locked away in an old box in the back of a cave. It had been in amazingly good condition when he had found it, and he made sure to keep it that way. It was far stronger than any of the other swords he owned, and it was also the only one he had taken with him. His only other armament was his brother's old USP handgun, strapped to his leg with a tactical holster.
"So, think we'll find anything good this time?" Zack asked, scratching the back of his head as they waited for Fala's signal. His light brown hair was shaved close to his head in a military cut, and their time on the run had led to him growing a short beard. He had a somewhat wide jaw as well, something that complimented his muscular frame. His green eyes flicked around anxiously, as if he was expecting something to jump out at them at any moment.
"I hope so. Last encounter with those scavengers left me with three magazines," Lloyd replied, shaking his shaggy dirty blonde hair out of his blue eyes and continuing to watch the store from across the street. He was a fair bit taller than his friends, with Fala being a full seven inches shorter than him, and Zack fell short by four. He used to joke that he was like a twig: long and thin. This was very quickly remedied though; the last two weeks had definitely whipped him into better shape than he would have ever thought he'd be before, on account of his preference to stay indoors and work on his computer. This did lead to him having a paler complexion than the others, though.
"Well, you didn't have to shoot at 'em. You were close enough that your samurai sword could've worked, right?"
"It's not a "samurai sword", it's a katana. How many times am I going to have to tell you that?"
"It's a sword, and samurai used to use 'em. Whaddya call something like that?"
"A katana!"
"If you want to be that stingy about it…"
"Anyways," Lloyd continued, rolling his eyes. "When you get down to it, a sword won't beat out a gun at that range. Unless I had a bulletproof vest or Matrix-style reflexes, I'd have just gotten gunned down. And last thing you two need is one less driver, right?"
"I dunno, it'd make rationing our food easier," the green-eyed man joked, chuckling to himself. "Speaking of, we outta hit that grocery store up the road before going on our way so we can restock. Hopefully there's still food in there…"
"Miss your twenty-four-seven fast-food that bad, eh?" the katana wielder snarked with a short grin.
"Man, did you have to bring that up? I'd kill for a beef taco…"
"I keep telling you those weren't real tacos. Besides, I'm pretty sure there are worse things than a lack of meal options right about now."
Lloyd noticed a slight movement in the store, pulling his camera out and looking through the long lens to see farther. Fala stood by the door, waving them over with the all-clear sign. Even though she was covered in dirt like they all were, Lloyd couldn't deny that he was lucky to have someone as beautiful as her as his significant other. She had long, dark brown hair that hung down to her lower back. She occasionally tied it back into a ponytail, though Lloyd couldn't decide which he actually preferred when she asked. She had brown eyes that, while not particularly clear or 'shiny', had a certain attractiveness to them. She had a strong, lean build that seemed delicate and gentle, yet fierce all the same.
"Alright, I think we're good," he said, pulling his camera away and opening the driver's side door. "Load up, Zack."
"I still don't get why you carry that thing around with you," the man sighed, getting in the truck on the passenger's side. "Didn't you say it ran out of battery a few days ago?"
"Yeah, but it works better than those crappy dollar store binoculars of yours. It might take up space, sure, but hey, that's for me to worry about, not you."
"Whatever you say, Mr. Photographer," Zack chuckled as Lloyd pulled the truck around to the front of the store. Both men hopped out and moved inside where Fala stood, a pile of ammo to her right.
"I found the jackpot back there," she said, a wide smile crossing her face. "Shotgun shells, handgun ammo, assault rifle cartridges… the fact that it's all still here is the first miracle we've seen in weeks. I think we'll have more than enough if we take all of this."
"Trouble is, I don't think we'll have space in the back for another bag this size," Lloyd remarked, glancing out at the bed of his truck. "If one of us has to ride in the back without falling out -and by 'one of us', I mean Zack- we'll need room for them along with the food, water, and other supplies. Let's just take what we need."
"Yeah, I guess you're right about that," Zack said. "Dibs on the shotgun shells!"
The three went to work pulling out the ammo that would work with their guns; the brown-haired woman had managed to locate a number of arrows by the hunting supplies, bringing her total up to two-dozen. Lloyd was able to fit another six magazines into his messenger bag, which, when combined with the two in his leg holster and the one loaded into his gun, brought the number of shots he had to seventy-two. Zack just shoved a bunch of shotgun shells into the side pocket of his backpack, seemingly satisfied with the numbers he had procured. The three split up to search the rest of the store for supplies afterwards.
"Speak of the devil," Lloyd mumbled, coming across a number of bullet-proof vests on a rack. "Better get one for everyone…" He stopped and pulled three free, also noting a pair of thick black boots on the floor below. They looked to be about his size, so he decided to switch out his old worn shoes for them, something he was more than happy to do. He tucked the legs of his jeans into the tops, making sure they fit well.
"Yo, Lloyd! Come over here, I found something!" The man glanced in the direction of Zack's voice, noticing it came from the back of the store. He set the vests on the counter and walked through the doorframe, finding his friends standing by a large table.
"What is it?"
"The guy who owned this store must've been crazy about old war memorabilia," his friend replied with a wide grin. "He has a portable minigun here! And an entire bag filled with ammo for the thing, along with a stand for it!"
"Wait, seriously?! That could come in handy… Does it work?"
"It looks clean to me," Fala said, looking over the sleek metal weapon closely. "I think we could take it, but that depends on if we can lift it."
"Easy enough," Zack replied, gripping the top handle and the stock. With a short grunt, he hefted the weapon off the counter, flicking a switch on the side and laughing as the barrel began to spin. "Would ya look at that?! It's like god's own anti-son-of-a-bitch machine!"
"Alright, we don't need to go throwing around game quotes here," Lloyd sighed, though he had to admit, he was more than impressed with the find. Something like that might even be effective against the larger creatures… plus the thought of speeding down the highway with a gatling gun in the bed tearing down those creatures was kinda amusing. Maybe they could get Fala to play 'Ride of the Valkyries' on her phone while they did it.
"Find anything else?" Fala asked as Zack moved the gun and the mount for it out to the truck.
"Yeah, a few bulletproof vests and some new boots," Lloyd replied, grabbing his findings off the counter. "Beats shoe shopping with you, that's for sure."
"I hardly ever bought shoes, jackass," the woman laughed, taking one of the vests as he handed it to her. "Still, those were the days… I wish this was all a dream, and that I'd just wake up and laugh it off with you guys at the bar like always…"
"Hard to believe it's been like this for just a few weeks… We'd better keep moving though. Maybe we can all get back to the way things were once we reach the army perimeter."
"I hope so. God, I miss showers…" Fala mumbled, buckling the thick vest over her thin dark green jacket. Lloyd likewise put his on over his light grey hoodie, making sure to pull the hood out over the neckline to make it more comfortable. "Oh, I almost forgot! I found something you could use. Here."
Fala handed him a black-handled hunting knife with a nylon sheath, about eight inches in length overall. It looked a little beaten, but still fully functional; the blade was in pristine condition.
"I found it by the hunting section. Maybe you can use that."
"Probably… It'll make cutting ropes easier than drawing my sword," he said, putting a hand on the black cloth wrapped handle of the katana. He fit the sheath onto the back of his belt and buttoned it, pleased with its accessibility. "Thanks, Fala. Does this mean I owe you a gift at our next stop?"
"No, just that you owe me this," she chuckled, pulling in close and kissing him sweetly. She pulled away after a moment, smiling up at him, before backing away. "Okay, we're even now. Let's get going!"
"Right behind you," Lloyd grinned, following after his beloved as she walked out of the store. Even though it was a living hell for them right now, he was still glad that they could have their romantic moments every now and then. They tried to do so out of Zack's view, though, to avoid him poking fun at them as he tended to do.
As they stepped outside, Fala sat in the passenger's side of the truck while Zack jumped in the back, between a number of bags stored there along with the minigun, which he had set up towards the back on its stand. Unfortunately, there were only two seats up front, so he had to make do with the bed. As Lloyd walked around to the driver's side, though, a loud, screeching roar sounded from overhead, causing him to freeze and shoot his gaze upwards.
As if from nowhere, an enormous dark shape flew over a tall, three story building, far faster than anything he had ever seen before. It had a pair of giant, powerful wings, and four legs ending in sharp claws. It's black, scaled body was long and thin, easily reaching almost fifteen meters in length. Its head was crested with two large, protruding horns, and a noticeable pair of fangs jutted out from its lower jaw.
"Shit, it's that black dragon!" Zack gasped, fumbling for chain gun he had just packed in the back. "Lloyd, get in the truck! We've gotta go, now!"
"Don't need to tell me twice!" Lloyd replied, jumping into the truck and turning the keys in the ignition as he slammed the door shut. The engine roared to life, and he immediately stomped on the gas pedal, accelerating as fast as he could. Zack kept himself low in the back to avoid being thrown out of the bed, while Fala gripped the arm rest tightly as Lloyd swerved to avoid the other cars abandoned in the road.
"Dammit, it's after us!" the machete-wielder shouted, pointing upwards at the dragon as it flew over them again. The force of its wings caused the truck to swerve somewhat, though Lloyd was able to right the car immediately. He pushed the gas pedal down to the floor as they left town, flying down the empty road as fast as they could go.
"Might want to put that anti-son-of-a-bitch machine to use, Zack!" Lloyd shouted, swerving around a deep pothole as they continued picking up speed. The man replied by hooking up the ammo feed to the minigun and spinning the barrels, preparing to open fire on the beast as it flew past them again. A loud drone filled the air as the gun fired countless rounds into the sky, with Zack holding the back of the heavy machine gun while spraying the sky with bullets. He wasn't sure if his friend actually knew how to use the thing, and if he did then that was definitely a conversation that needed to be had, though Lloyd wasn't about to turn his attention from the road in front of him to say anything else.
The black beast flew over their truck, slamming its claws into the pavement and forming a deep crack in the ground. Lloyd quickly spun the wheel to the side, swerving around the obstacle, though finding himself heading straight towards another break in the road. The dragon had clawed about half a dozen breaks into the pavement, forcing Lloyd to twist and turn the truck as quickly as he could to avoid crashing, though not without throwing the passengers around wildly.
"Where the hell did you learn how to drive?!" Zack shouted, having barely avoided falling out the back and bringing the minigun around again. "We're in a car, not a goddamn rollercoaster!"
"She's a truck, not a car! And shut up, at least I have I license, Mr. Failed-Out-of-Driving-School!" Lloyd shouted back, swerving round the last of the breaks in the road to zip past rows of abandoned cars. They weren't in the clear yet, though; glancing in the rear view mirror, Lloyd saw a glowing blue light forming between the creature's horns, almost like electricity building up…
It was only the fact that he had seen the attack once before that he knew to swerve aside, barely avoiding a massive bolt of lightning shoot out from the dragon's horns and tear up the road beside them, obliterating a few station wagons in the process. He swore silently, seeing that they were down to maybe two lanes for the next hundred feet or so. If it tried that again, they'd be done for.
For some reason though, the dragon didn't attempt to launch another bolt at them, only flying slightly behind them and in the air. Zack had taken to unloading as many rounds as he could into the beast's chest and underbelly, but to no avail; the high caliber rounds merely bounced off the hard scale plating, not even scratching the monstrous beast. It soared overhead again, causing a massive rush of wind to throw the truck off again, before landing on the road about a hundred feet up the road. Lloyd quickly righted the truck and swerved to the side, almost throwing Zack out the back again, just in time to avoid crashing into the beast as it barred their path.
A loud blast behind them sent the car spinning out, though; the dragon had whipped its tail around and smashed the ground just behind them, causing a small explosion in the process! Zack shouted something over the sound of the squealing tires, though Lloyd was so focused on their predicament that he didn't catch a word of it. Fala screamed as they almost slammed into a support beam of an overpass, though luckily Lloyd managed to bring the car around just in time to avoid smashing into it.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Zack groaned, gripping the interior of the car with his free arm through the open window in the back.
"If you throw up in my truck, I swear to God-!"
"Lloyd, focus on the road!"
Zack shook his head a few times, still dazed, and reached back to pull the minigun up again. Unfortunately, he had let go of it to keep from getting thrown out of the truck bed, and the weapon was lying a few hundred feet back on the road along with one of the bags used to weigh the stand down, and rapidly growing farther away.
"Why the hell is this thing even attacking us?!" Fala said, glancing back out the window while Zack moved to one of the bags in the back.
"You're asking me?!" Lloyd replied, yelping as he avoided a large chunk of ice slam into the road ahead of them. "It's a frickin' dragon, this is what they do! I think!"
"Great answer, Sherlock!" Zack shouted, handing the stock of a rifle to Fala through the window. "If you need more rounds, I'll toss 'em back! We've gotta hit something important before too long, so just keep firing!"
"On it!" Fala used the butt of the rifle to break the window on her side, leaning out and aiming at the beast as it flew behind them again.
"Aww, come on, I just got her insured!" Lloyd groaned, pressing down harder on the gas pedal. "Couldn't you have just rolled the window down?! She's brand new!"
"Takes too long, and I doubt that dealer had coverage for dragon attacks!" Fala replied, opening fire with her rifle. Zack likewise joined her, passing a number of cartridges up to the front before firing on the dragon with his own automatic gun. Both weapons still proved useless against the beast, the bullets harmlessly ricocheting off of its hard black scales. A few of the shots tore through the thin webbing of its wings, though the group concentrated fire on its main body in their panic.
As the pair reloaded their guns, the black behemoth flew overhead again, arching its neck towards the road and letting loose a spray of light blue mist into the concrete. The ground immediately froze where it aimed, coating almost ten meters of road in a layer of thick ice! The three yelled as the truck ran over the patch, the tires spinning too fast to grip the slick surface, and spun out again, veering off the road and breaking through a road barrier, crashing into the small forest on the side of the road.
The airbags deployed just as they hit, slamming into Lloyd and Fala with an intense force, though saving both from very severe injury. Zack had been thrown from the truck as it broke through the metal barrier, landing on the peak of the hill leading into the woods and rolling down most of the way, miraculously surviving the crash with very few injuries. With a groan, Lloyd shoved his door open, almost falling out of the ruined truck as he disembarked the vehicle. He had a small cut on his left cheek from the crash, though that was hardly the worst of his injuries. He probably had major bruising all over, most likely a few broken ribs. Fala had fared better, being mostly dazed from the crash and only getting out with a slight limp, immediately going to her beloved as he groaned in pain and went down on his knees a few feet away.
"Lloyd, come on, we have to go! It isn't safe here!"
"Y-you don't say…" he groaned, unsuccessfully trying to push himself up as his chest exploded with pain. "Ow ow ow... five-star crash safety my ass..."
"If you've got time to complain, you've got time to move," Fala huffed, quickly wrapping her arms around his torso to pull him out of the vehicle, lifting one of his arms over her shoulders and helping support him as she moved towards the woods. The pair made their way into the cover of the trees as fast as they could, followed after by Zack, who grabbed as many supplies as he could from the vehicle as he passed by.
The three came to a stop by a large tree farther in the woods, where Fala set Lloyd against the thick trunk. She took a first-aid kit out of her own bag and set to work patching him up, removing the Kevlar vest, his hoodie, and his shirt to get a better look at him. She began by bandaging the cut on his cheek before going to a gash on his leg.
"Agh, ow, ow, pain, lots of pain," he hissed as she poured alcohol on the wound, bandaging it as tightly as possible without causing him too much pain.
"It's all I can do for it now, at least," she sighed worriedly. "I think you've got a few broken ribs, but I can't really treat those other than bandaging them…"
"Might as well do that now if it'll get him back up faster," Zack remarked, pulling his shotgun out. "We don't know if that dragon'll leave us alone, or if any of those little raptor guys will be in here. It'd be a hell of a lot easier to avoid those with three people able to run."
Fala applied more bandages to his torso and abdomen before Lloyd pulled his shirt and hoodie back on. The vest had saved him from suffering anything worse than his injured ribs, and while it had taken some damage from the crash, he decided it would be better to hold onto it than not. The blue-eyed man pushed himself up, feeling remarkably better than he had been, though still hurting immensely.
"We should try and find a place to hole up and get some rest," he suggested, strapping his katana back onto his belt. "Lord knows after that, we're lucky to even be alive…"
"Sounds like a plan, but where can we go? We're miles from the closest city, and the best we've got is this forest for cover. If that thing decides to launch a fireball at us, we'll be forced out," Fala pointed out, taking her bow from Zack and slinging it onto her back. "And if our heavy grade weapons didn't do anything to it, I doubt what we have now will be any more effective…"
"Let's just stay off the grid while we work on a plan," the machete user said. The others nodded in agreement, and resolved to going out to the remains of the truck to see if they could recover any more supplies. It seemed that the dragon thought they had perished in the crash, because there was no sign of the creature in the skies. The three grabbed the bags of food and water they had, as well as some of the weaponry and tools, before heading back to the small spot they had designated as a campsite. They made a makeshift tent and ate a small meal of canned meat and bagged chips before seating themselves around a small fire they made.
"Alright, we were in Goldarbor Town most recently, right?" Lloyd asked, unfurling a map of the state and laying it out in front of him. "The barrier is supposed to be west, on the border. Goldarbor is twenty miles from there, though we were going down the highway for a while before we… crashed. I'd say we're maybe ten miles away, give or take a couple."
"So, unless we find another vehicle, it'll take us a while to get over there," Zack grunted, pulling out his machete and taking to sharpening the blade. "Difficulty is, the roads are open to dragon attacks, though they are a lot faster. We go on foot, we should be safer if we stick to the forested areas, but there are only so many of those around here. A car would be a better option."
"I didn't see any on the road heading this way," Fala remarked. "I mean, I wasn't looking at the road…"
"There weren't any," Lloyd said with a sigh. "Snow was the last option we had, since none of us really know how to hotwire a car anyways…" The three sat in silence, knowing their situation wasn't an easy one to get out of. With no fast land vehicles around, and a small mess of trees as the only cover they had, they were practically cornered.
"…Alright, here's what I think we should do," Zack said after a few moments. "We all take a share of the food and water, store it in our packs. There's no way we can make it on foot with bags that big, and we might have to split up if we're attacked. We get only what we'll absolutely need, and we make our way over to the barrier at nightfall. Hopefully that dragon will take a nap around then, and we'll be safe."
"So, travel light and move under the dark?" Lloyd asked, glancing over at the supplies they had and mulling over the idea. "I don't see any better options we have. Let's do it."
"Alright, we've got seven bottles of water, a box of granola bars, a few cans of soup, some instant ramen, a can of pop, half a dozen apples, and… a bag of jelly beans…?" Fala looked over at Lloyd curiously upon seeing the last item of food they had, and he glanced away abashedly. "This is what you spent all that time getting back in the Silverdale market?"
"Not my fault those are my favorite snack…"
"And you made fun of me for missing fast food restaurants," Zack chuckled, crouching down next to Fala and going through the bag. "Never could lose that sweet tooth, could ya? Okay, so, we all get at least two water bottles, four of the granola bars, a can of soup, and two apples minimum. I'm not sure we'll be able to eat the ramen without using water too, so whoever takes that will take another water bottle. Lloyd, you can keep your jelly beans, but I get dibs on the pop."
"I'll take the ramen then," Fala said, grabbing the small package and another water bottle, setting them aside. "Let's go through our packs and get rid of whatever we don't need, so we'll have more space for the food."
The trio dumped their packs out on the ground and began sorting through their things; Lloyd's contained his camera, his wallet, a few batteries for the flashlight mounted on his handgun, his smart phone, a small poncho, a case holding his favorite sunglasses, a blanket, bug spray, the handgun ammo, a 'magazine' he immediately threw under a thick shrub before the others could see, and a plastic bag containing the essentials for caring for his sword and gun. With a low sigh, he set his camera aside, along with the spray, blanket, and sunglasses case, knowing they took up the most space and wouldn't be necessary for the trek to the army barricade. Still, he found some solace in the fact that he could wear the sunglasses instead, meaning he could at least keep those with him. He packed everything else back into his messenger bag along with the food, zipping it shut with a bit of room to spare. Fala and Zack finished sorting their things as well, the possessions they wouldn't require being thrown into a pile beside them.
"Alright, and now we wait," Lloyd mumbled, seating himself beneath their makeshift shelter.
A loud roar and the slight scent of smoke awoke the three a few hours later, and Lloyd darted up immediately at the sound. Fala had been resting next to him with her head on his shoulder, while Zack was on the other side of the tent. They glanced between each other, knowing what caused the sound immediately. Without a word, they gathered up their packs and moved out of the tent, moving as quietly through the trees as they could. Lloyd saw smoke and flames far behind them, nearby where they had first entered the forest. He thought he could see the remains of his truck burning by one of the trees, the white frame now completely blackened and charred, the windows broken, and the tires melted away and flat.
"Dammit…" he groaned, turning away and moving along with the others as fast as he could. "Well, it was fun while it lasted, Snow. At least I probably won't have to make any more payments on her…"
"I'm pretty sure none of us will have to pay for anything for a while," Zack remarked with a hint of sarcasm, though the attempt to lighten the mood was in vain. The dragon must've realized they had survived, and now it was back to finish the job, completely destroying Lloyd's truck and lighting their only protection on fire.
"I'm sure we'll make it out of this, guys," Fala said encouragingly, taking the lead between the pair. "We've survived everything these last few weeks have thrown at us, as a team. As long as we're together, we'll make it." This was something she had taken to whenever they were feeling down: trying to lift their spirits. Lloyd could tell she was having a hard time trying to do so with the weight of the situation pressing down on them, but somehow she still managed to force out a smile.
"Heh, I guess you're right," Lloyd said, trying to at least humor her. "I mean, hell, we survived that lawsuit a few months back, so what can stop us from surviving the jaws of another hungry beast?"
"Hey, that asshole was asking to have his jaw broken," Julian said, grinning a little. "I just thought it'd be funnier to do it with a jawbreaker!"
"Yeah, and it was only because Lloyd had saved up to buy a new camera that you could get out on bail," the woman laughed.
"You still owe me for that, by the way."
"Yeah, yeah… Once we get out of this, I'll buy you a beer."
"That's what got us into that problem in the first place!"
"Did you want that guy to keep sleazing on you, Fala?"
"No… But still, three-thousand bucks? That's worth more than one beer."
"I'll buy him the bar then."
Another loud roar from above ended their banter, and the three glanced at each other nervously as they neared the edge of the forest. It looked as though the closest patch of cover they had was about a hundred feet away, across a large open field and a stretch of road. If they were going to make it, they'd have to run as fast as they could, and they couldn't look back.
"Okay, this is simple," Lloyd said, taking a deep breath. "On my mark, we run."
"Your call," Zack said, slinging his shotgun across his backpack and getting into a sprinting position. Fala did the same, and Lloyd followed suit, making sure his bag and weapons were secure before doing so.
"Alright, on three… Three!"
The trio immediately broke into a headlong sprint for the trees, running as fast as their legs could carry them. Fala ended up taking the lead again, as she was the fastest of the three. Zack trailed slightly behind Lloyd, though they kept close to each other as they made their way to the trees on the other end of the highway. They had just reached the concrete before the black beast was upon them, soaring just over their heads and buffeting the ground with an intense gust. Lloyd almost found himself swept off his feet, but somehow managed to stumble back into a running position. Zack and Fala likewise continued to run towards the trees undeterred.
The dragon made another pass at them, coating the ground in front of them with slick ice. Lloyd cursed under his breath, knowing that this obstacle would slow them down immensely. Still, the trio didn't have any other options, and ran headlong over the icy surface. Lloyd's boots had surprisingly good traction on the slick face, and he was able to help keep Fala moving along while Zack unsheathed his machete and used it to help keep himself from slipping too far, digging the tip into the frozen earth whenever he slid.
The three made it over the icy patch just as the dragon flew towards them again, with Lloyd and Fala being about ten feet in front of Zack. Just as he stepped off the ice, though, Zack's foot slid wildly out from beneath him, and he fell to the ground with a loud grunt. Lloyd and Fala slid to a stop, and the the katana wielder made to run back and get him. Zack waved him off with a wide sweep with his arm though.
"Just go! You guys can make it!"
"Zack, I'm not-!"
"GO!"
Before Lloyd could make another attempt to run at his fallen friend, the dragon launched a fireball between them, lighting the field on fire and cutting them off from each other. Lloyd spared one last desparate glance at Zack, who continued to urge him to run away, before reluctantly turning and running towards the woods with Fala. He looked back once, seeing Zack push himself up and hold his machete out in front of him as the dragon landed on the highway, a strange blue glow emanating from its horns. The pair made it through the trees before the scene unfolded fully, cutting themselves off from view as a blue flash erupted behind them, and the beast's roar echoed through the sky.
"Oh god… ZACK!" Fala gasped, holding onto Lloyd's arm tightly and sobbing uncontrollably. "Zack…! He's… he's not- I can't-!"
"I… I know, Fala," Lloyd whispered, holding her closely in an attempt to comfort her, trying to hold back his own grief. Had Zack really… was he really dead? Had the dragon killed him too, just like all the others out there? "…He told us to keep going, Fala. He told us to… to go as far away as possible. We… We should listen to him this time. He didn't always know the right answer, but this sure as hell doesn't seem like a wrong one…"
"Y… yeah… He wanted us to escape, and we can't forget that…" Fala pushed herself off of his arm, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, before forcing out another smile. "After all, we've got each other, right?"
"Right," Lloyd replied, smiling back at her sorrowfully. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe, but he wasn't sure he could do even that right now. The pair took a moment to catch their breath before continuing on through the woods, hearing the giant wings of the dragon beating overhead. They made their way through the foliage quickly, but after a few hundred meters of trekking through the thick forest they came to the end of the treeline, and another long field extended between them and the next patch of trees.
"This is… W-we can make it, right…?" Fala asked worriedly, looking up at him uncertainly.
"Of… of course we can," Lloyd replied, trying to hide the fact that he knew they wouldn't be able to outrun the dragon. Fala probably knew that too. He held her closely and lovingly, kissing her once on the lips for a long time. This could be their last moments, for all they knew, and he might as well try and go out knowing he'd been lucky enough to have someone like her in his life.
"It does look like it's a shorter distance…" Fala mumbled after they pulled away, pressing her head against his chest and hugging him around the middle tightly. After a few more moments, she let him go and smiled once more. "Alright… Do or die, Lloyd. Let's do this!"
He nodded at her and smiled, taking a deep breath before charging headlong into the field alongside his beloved, hearing the beast roar again almost as soon as they entered its line of sight. It was as if time seemed to slow down for him while they sprinted across the field, his movements becoming slow and exaggerated. The black behemoth was flying directly at them from above, appearing to move at a much slower speed as well as it neared the pair. He saw blue sparks dance between the creature's claws as it wound back, aiming its claws between the pair.
Before he knew it, Lloyd was rocketing through the air, the black dragon having driven its claws into the ground next to them and causing a burst of flames and electricity to erupt from the earth. Lloyd yelped as he slammed into the ground and rolled to a stop, his ribs aching from the impact. He coughed twice as he pushed himself onto his hands and knees, though a shrill scream from across the field and another flash of blue light drew his attention immediately.
"FALA! NO!"
The dragon stood opposite him, a smoking patch of grass where his beloved had landed just a moment before. It was glaring down at him with its fierce red eyes, a low rumbling sound coming from its throat. It almost sounded like… laughter? Was this thing taunting him? This dragon just killed the two closest people in his life, and now it was laughing at him?
Lloyd didn't know what came over him then, but all that he felt was an intense rage build up inside him, exploding out of him in a loud, anguished yell of fury. He glared straight up at the dragon, snapping his katana out of its sheath and grasping it with both hands.
"I'm going to kill you!" he screamed, breaking out into a sprint at the dragon, his blade at his side. All reason had left him at that point. There was no way he could kill this thing! It had destroyed tanks, demolished helicopters, reduced entire cities to ruins! What could a single person do to a beast of that extent?
Not a single one of those thoughts ran through his mind. Even the screaming agony of his broken ribs didn't deter him. All he wanted was revenge. The beast didn't even try to move as he approached it, yelling as loudly as he could and swinging with all of his might at its leg. The sharp edge of the katana struck the black dragon's scales with a resounding clang, like metal on metal. His blade still traveled over the scales, grating against them from the force of his swing and even generating sparks. He heard a small thump on the ground in front of him as he finished his swing, and he spared a glance down at the noise.
A small piece of one of its scales had cracked off and fallen next to his foot! He had damaged it after all! Maybe it could be killed, if he could break enough scales! He wound up again, preparing to take another swing…
But he never got the chance to strike again. The same way a person would shoo a fly away, the dragon batted him aside with its claw, launching him a solid twenty feet across the field onto his back. Lloyd grunted in pain as his injuries screamed at him again, yet he tried to force himself up again. Before the attempt could be made, though, something slammed him into the ground again, pinning him in place while an intense weight pressed down on him. He groaned in pain as the pressure intensified, though it didn't seem like it was actively trying to kill him…
You intrigue me greatly, boy. The voice seemed to pierce his very mind, a loud, powerful presence that exuded pure might and pride. Lloyd shuddered slightly at the noise, forcing one eye open as he grimaced at the dragon. It was staring down at him, its head incredibly close to him as it looked him up and down spitefully. Tell me, do you fear me? Do you cower and squeal like a cornered rat? That is what you might as well be in my eyes.
Was that… was this the dragon? Was it speaking to him?
Yes, I am addressing you, lowly human, and you would do well not to test my patience, the voice growled, its annoyance being incredibly prevalent to Lloyd's mind. Answer me! It roared, pressing down on him even harder, causing him to scream in pain.
"N… NO! I don't fear you! You bastard of a dragon! I'll kill you if it's the last thing that I do!" he shouted as threateningly as possible, despite knowing that in his position, there was little he could do to follow through. The dragon knew this as well, and a mocking laugh filled the man's mind.
Such petty threats. Is that how you feel you are in comparison to a god, worm? A deity among men? You have evaded my grasp for a full seven days, though I do admit I was enjoying teasing and toying with you, letting you think you could make it to that 'barricade' your army tried to create. Flames and ashes is all that remains of that pathetic attempt to block my wrath! Nothing can defeat me, none of your weapons can pierce my hide, none of your vehicles can escape my talons! You and your kind are but a mess of worms, wriggling and groveling about at my feet as I trod over you, crushing you into fine red pastes on the ground!
"Wha… what the hell are you…?" Lloyd gasped, coughing and grimacing in pain as the creature kept up the pressure on his chest, pinning him flat against the grass.
I've already told you, boy. I am a god! The beasts I have wrought upon your civilization are under my control. If they disobey me, I will force them to bend to my will. If I so chose, I could command every single one of them within a hundred miles to converge on you and eat you alive while I have you pinned here, tearing you limb from limb while you deafen yourself with your own anguished screams!
But, I will not. Because I believe you may be different from the others. I may test you, if my first little pawn proves to be a dull waste of my time.
"Other pawn…?" he groaned, trying to free his arm from under the behemoth's talons. "Test me…?! This isn't a game! These are our lives! Why are you doing this, if you say you're a god?!"
Because I have sought to return to this world with its inhabitants firmly under my rule! The voice roared back, silencing the man as his mind was filled with a searing pain. You all have grown lazy and entitled, feeling as though you are masters of this realm. But you are wrong. This is my world, and I will see to it that I reign over all once again!
I do not wish to be bored, however. So, I have decided to set aside a few 'special cases' for my enjoyment. Hopefully you will prove to be a greater challenge than the other puny members of your race who flee from my very presence. If not, then you will just be another one of the many bodies left in the path of my rule.
"I won't let this happen…!" he growled, wrenching his sword arm free at last and swinging the blade at the dragon's leg in a fruitless attempt to free himself. The blade merely glanced off the beast's scales, though, not even leaving a scratch. "You caused all of this! Killed my two closest friends! Destroyed my home! Ruined my life! I will never let you get away with that, not until the day you or I are dead!"
The voice merely laughed again, a smug chuckle that practically mocked his threats and challenges, though being pleased with them all the same.
Perhaps I am guilty of most of your grievances, though I will correct you on one detail. Your friends are not dead, they are merely asleep. You will all awaken when the time is right… perhaps if we meet again, you will prove to be a more challenging opponent. But, I grow tired of wasting my time with you. I was already pushing myself not to tear apart that first forest you decided to hide in, and now I am at the end of my patience. We will see whether you can rise to challenge me or not, boy. You are lucky that I have chosen one before you already, else you would not have a moment's reprieve from the day you awaken again. Perhaps he may fall early, though, and we will meet again sooner than I think. I do not care, all that matters is that I don't grow tired of this little game.
The beast shifted its foot slightly, pinning his sword arm back down onto the ground and causing him to groan in pain again. What did this all mean? Was he really talking with this… dragon? What did it mean by 'one other pawn'? What did it mean by 'awaken'? Was he going mad?
Lloyd could only look up helplessly as a bright blue glow began to emit from the monster's horns, and eerie tint of azure that seemed to build up into a crystal like object. He braced himself as best he could as it approached him, his heart rate quickening as it neared his chest. What was this? Was he going to die?
There's that look of fear I've seen so often in your race's eyes, the voice chuckled tauntingly. Hear my name and tremble, boy! I am the Brilliant Darkness, the bane of mankind! And you will perish beneath me!
The last thing Lloyd saw was a bright flash of blue, and he felt as though his entire body froze in place. He let out one last yell before all went silent, and his mind grew dark…
Author Notes: Please review! So, I'll bet this was a bit of a surprise, huh? Driven is actually a story based around The Lost Civilization! I heard you liked fanworks, so I wrote a fanwork of a fanwork to... ah, you get the picture. I had the idea for this story a little after Gecko posted Underground, and I asked him how likely it would be for other Lost to have brought weapons back with them in the same vein as Heine. His confirmation led to me making a Lost OC, Lloyd. Then that lead to more characters, and eventually a story itself. Probably the biggest idea behind writing this story is that I want it to be canonical with the events of The Lost Civilization. While that decision rests solely with Gecko himself, I'm writing this to mesh with the events of TLC very, very cleanly. Expect references to both TLC and my own stories here!
I will also say that pretty much the entire story is done too, so I'll actually be able to keep to a regular release schedule! I'll likely be posting one chapter every weekend. As such, I'm putting The Master Corps on hold for the time being: while I post these chapters, I'll be writing more chapters of TMC! It's the perfect plan, muhahaha! ...Ahem.
Also, as an important note, I would recommend against reading this if you haven't at least read up to the Malefica arc in The Lost Civilization, as some parts of the original story may be spoiled.
Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, dear reader, and I'll see you next week for Lloyd's first steps into the world of TLC!
Playing: Fire Emblem Fates, Hyrule Warriors Legends
Watching: Silver Spoon, Noragami, One Punch Man