Author's Note: Welcome to Borderlands: Heart of Pandora! I couldn't wait until August to start, so here it is! Updates will be the 1st and 15th.
For those of you returning, I hope you enjoy the new adventure of our favorite megalomaniac tyrant! For those of you clicking this link to check it out, please be aware, this is a sequel. I highly, highly recommend you go read Borderlands: Hero of Pandora first. This story follows the prior one's continuity. Please find it in my published stories list.)
(And then ignore the much older stories that seriously need an update...)
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"It is not the fate of the hero to live a quiet, withdrawn life," the boy began, his voice pitched low in that way that every storyteller started their craft. "Almost two months had passed since Handsome Jack had retrieved the Vault Key and protected his reign, and while that break had treated him well, it was only a matter of time before new challenges arose to confront him…"
"Now, hang on a minute!" Marcus interrupted. "First, really? You're going to make me listen to more of this nonsense? Second, only two months of downtime? That's an awfully short time between stories."
"The Vault Hunters barely take a break between their adventures," the boy protested. "You don't think Handsome Jack would keep himself busy?"
"I think he should be kept six feet under where he belongs," the munitions merchant replied in a grumble.
"Mr. Marcus…" the young girl sitting near them began, her tone disapproving. Marcus frowned at her.
"I told you not to encourage him," Marcus retorted.
"I want to hear more!" she replied. The merchant rolled his eyes.
"I never should have taken that bet…"
"Almost two months had passed," the boy began again.
"Man, you're persistent," Marcus sighed.
"Opportunity was whole enough to host its populace once more, though remainders of the battle still marred its glorious silhouette…"
"The only thing that would make Opportunity glorious is its burning wreckage."
"Mr. Marcus!" The boy huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. The merchant laughed and shrugged.
"I already know I'm not going to like this story. You haven't caught my interest, kid, and you aren't going—"
"The rattatat of the combat rifle echoed in the hot air, its snarl of ammunition intermixing with the cries of the angry rakks," the girl broke in abruptly. Both boy and man looked over at her sharply, Marcus with a crooked eyebrow, the boy in surprise.
"The beasts clouded the skies, diving around the wounded rakk hive who howled in pain-induced fear and agony," the girl continued.
"Oh, she's telling the story now?" Marcus asked with a chuckle. "Ok, I'll bite. Let's see where you're going with this."
"Jack smiled in dark triumph as a blast of light exploded from the muzzle of his cannon, tearing a hole through the horde of animals…"
