Chapter 2
Waiting for a response, the Reaper possessed courtier stood in the middle of the throne room.
As the other courtiers edged away or in some cases flat out fled, Rodrick strode forward past Alara and boomed, "We do not bow to Tyrants here, foul thing. Leave in peace, or in pieces."
Then you choose death; and with that, the courtier exploded in a spray of gore. Even as this was happening Alara say a shimmer in the air.
Stepping forward, she used her Biotics to pull Rodrick back. Nothing strong and weaker still for how little time she had to prepare it, but it did the trick.
As he stumbled back, Alara drew her Phalanx and fired.
Frowning as her shots took down the shield and cloak of an N7 Shadow; Alara dropped her Phalanx and pulled out her Crusader. With a final crack of thunder the assassins head exploded.
Scanning the room for more targets, Alara moved up to the dead N7 operative. When she was sure it was safe she collapsed her Crusader and replaced it on her back.
Bending down Alara checked the dead N7 over.
"What was that?" Asked Rodrick as he walked over to her.
Frowning Alara said, "An indoctrinated assassin from… where I came from. We will need to sweep the surrounding area for indoctrination boosters, and more assassins." She then began to strip the armor and equipment off of the dead human.
"Here," Rodrick said as he handed her the Phalanx.
"Thanks," Alara said as she collapsed it. She then picked up the N7's SMG and frowned, there wasn't much ammo for it.
As the guards moved forward to brag away the now naked corps, Rodrick told them, "Take what Alara has taken from the… assassin and leave it in her quarters."
With a salute, a bow of the head and the right arm being held across the body, one of the guards started bundling up the gear.
"Alara, come with me; I would speak in private." Said Rodrick as he started to walk away. Following him, she wondered what he had to say.
He led her out to a balcony and stopped at the rails looking to the horizon.
After a time he asked, "Is it your goal to find a way to return home?"
"No," Alara's immediate answer seemed to shock Rodrick; if the expression on his face was anything to go by.
"I'm surprised; most people would be frantic to return home." Rodrick said with a frown.
Shrugging Alara replied, "True, but most people didn't have their home… no their world burning around them."
Sighing Rodrick agreed, "True… and there are more of these… Reapers where you come from."
"Yes that too…"
"Do you have any plans then?" Rodrick asked.
Now it was Alara's turn to sigh, "Survive the Reaper… probably not. But if I do… I don't know."
"I see… you seem capable… well, let's focus on getting this mess sorted out first." Rodrick said as he pushed away from the rails, and started off again. This time he led Alara up to the top of a tower.
As they moved out onto the tower Alara was curious about what she saw. There were sixteen people evenly spaced in a circle with Myrdn in the middle of it.
Even as they stepped foot on the roof, the people began to float up into the sky chanting something even Alara's universal translator couldn't decipher.
When glowing energy began to form around them, Alara found herself remembering fanciful stories her father had told her about magic and other wondrous things… like dragons… and Demi-Humans…
Where have I found myself… what's next an evil Necromancer obsessed with cheesy clichés?
With the energy building, she turned to watch as Tyrant increased its speed, but even as it reached weapons range, a beam of deep blue energy sprang from the floating people and lanced into the Reaper shearing off a large section of its haul.
Jaw dropped, Alara could believe what she had just seen. With a single attack the Reaper had been left with a giant hole in it.
Immediately Tyrant began to rise and back away; just as the ground forces struck.
Rushing down into the castle proper, Rodrick started bellowing orders. Even as fighting was breaking out in the courtyard.
"Broken Crown! How did they get in?" Rodrick swore.
Stepping forward, Alara said, "Probably through indoctrinated agents. We need to find and disable any Indoctrination Boosters hidden in the castle, and city."
Turning to one of the many armored soldiers around him, Rodrick said, "Put together a squad, they are to go with Alara and aid her in finding and disabling any of these boosters that can be found."
Nodding the man, Alara recognized him as Thackery, turned to four heavily armored men, "Go with her, take no chances; kill anything and anyone who tries to stop you."
"Sir," they shouted banging their fists into their chests.
"We'll need a map." Alara said as the others continued on to the courtyard.
Not five minutes later they were standing over a pile of maps and blueprints.
Growling in frustration, Alara grabbed one of the maps and started scanning it into her Omni-Tool, then another and another until they were all scanned. She then started a program that would compile them into a 3-Dimensionally rendered map.
"We don't have time for this." Alara stated, "Are there rafters or rooms above the throne room?"
Frowning, one of the men nodded, "Yes, there is a whole crawlway network up there."
"Lead the way," Alara instructed as she began flash forging earpieces.
As they rushed along, Alara passed them out, "These are placed in the ear, they will allow us to communicate if we have to separate."
Hasenantly they complied, and fit them in. "Mic test, press on the it and say something."
"Testing."
"Understood."
"Blades, but this is weird."
"Stay focused."
"You're all clear," Alara said over the comms. Then without comes she asked, "Are we almost there?"
"Just up these stairs, Ma'am."
Nodding Alara began rushing up the stairs.
"Put your game faces on boys, no telling whats waiting for us."
Gritting her teeth, Alara found herself praying to anyone that would listen that nothing was there.
Her prayers were answered, if only in part, there was an active booster around the first bend of the crawlway but there was no one guarding it.
"I found one," she called over the comes. There was no way the soldiers would be able to get through these crawlways. "Beginning to disable it now."
"Understood."
As she worked, Alara could hear the sounds of combat from where she had left her escort. But this was a delicate process, and not something she dared rush.
When it finally shut down, she began dragging it back to the entrance to the crawlway. What she found there was a small pile of Husks, and one of her escort bleeding from a deep wound.
Moving over to the man, Alara activated her Omni-Tool and check the extent of the damage, it was bad, real bad.
"It was an honor, Ma'am, but I'm as good as dead. I can feel it."
He had blue eyes, "What's your name?"
He coughed, hard, "Giuse."
"Don't worry Giuse, you'll make it. Just stay here and make sure no one touches the booster." As she said this, Alara activated the medical function of her Omni-Tool and applied Medi-Gel to the wound. Almost immediately the Giuse sighed in relief.
Turning to the others, Alara took the time to show them how to disable the boosters.
"Round up anyone you can, servants if you need to. Show them how to disable the boosters, and get them to start searching." Alara said as she pulled up the 3D map of the castle.
"And you Ma'am?" Asked the leader of her escort.
After sometime studying the map she said, "I'm going to check the tunnels under the castle…" Taking a few moments to flash forge a Halo projector she handed it to the soldier. "This will project a map like mine, green button; on. Red button; off."
As the guard nodded understanding the basic instructions, Alara made her way down to the crypts.
The crypts where dark and horrible, it was really the only way to describe them. Pulling out her M-5 Phalanx Heavy Pistol, Alara activated the flashlight and its laser sight. Then switched out the heatsink and started down the dark hall.
Reaching the first chamber Alara stepped in only to find she was… zombies… really… Stepping into a steady shooters stance, she aimed at the closest and stroked the trigger. That's one, lining up another shot she stroked the trigger again, and again and again.
Taking out the other three, each with a round to the head, Alara ejected the spent heatsink, she would need to find a way to get more.
As she inserted a fresh heatsink, Alara swept the room, then continued on, keeping her eyes open for both undead, and Reaper forces.
Sometime later, she came across yet another group of zombies, this one fighting a group of Husks, and there behind the Husks was a booster.
Waiting for the combat to die down wasn't an option so Alara took cover behind a pillar and started shooting Husks. If nothing else, the zombies were slow and she could outrun the. But the Husks were not so easy to deal with.
After far too long for her liking the last of the zombies fell and she proceeded to shut down the booster.
The next room was huge and what she found there was a Brute flanked by two Marauders fighting a lone man in a black robe who was throwing lightning and dare she say it, necromantic energies at the Brute and its guards.
Carefully taking aim, Alara fired at the closest Marauder, taking its head from its shoulders in a spray of gore. Targeting the other one she fired only to hit its shields and make it turn to face her.
This proved to be its downfall because it wasn't able to see the black bolt of energy thrown at it.
As it slumped to the ground, she was already switching to her N7 Crusader, and opening fire on the Brute.
It only took the two rounds fired at it, to finish it off, and as it fell the robed man immediately moved to the altar at the back of the room.
As she moved up, Crusader aimed at the figure, Alara saw him pick up a strange box. He then turned to her, "Stand down; you know not what to have found yourself in the middle of."
Firming her stance, Alara replied, "And you know not what has been unleashed upon your world. Explain yourself and maybe we can work together."
After a long moment of silence, He replied, "I cannot risk it." As he said this he began to fade away.
Without a moment's pause, Alara fired at his leg hoping to stop whatever was happening, but alas it was too late.
Moving up to the altar, she checked to see what had been taken but the only thing that had been taken was the box.
On her return trip, Alara struggled through dragging the deactivated booster up to the other one and collapsed breathing hard.
As she lay there trying to catch her breath a group of ten soldiers made their way into the chamber. When they found Alara laying on the floor the leader stopped them, "Are you okay Ma'am?"
Slowly standing, Alara nodded, "Yes," pointing at the two boosters she continued, "Just… they're heavy."
Nodding at them the leader said, "Not to worry… this make twenty of them."
Cringing Alara asked, "How many Indoctrinated?"
"No telling."
When they made it to the ground floor again, Alara found the throne room hand been turned into a triage center with people in robes making their way around and… healing who they could… with prayers.
Grumbling about how weird this world was, Alara made her way to where Rodrick was sitting as someone bandaged a wound.
When he noticed her, Rodrick waved her over. "So, what news do you have for me?"
Collapsing against the wall near where he was sitting she said, "By the Goddess, twenty boosters… and some strange man in the crypts… he took something, a box of some kind. I tried to stop him… but he got away. Some kind of fade away…"
"Thoradin bleeding heart!" Rodrick swore as he stood and hurried off.
Closing her eyes, Alara rubbed her forehead, "Miss, are you alright?"
Opening her eyes Alara, looked up to see a young priest smiling at her.
Sighing Alara said, "I… I have a headache and haven't eaten in far too long."
"I'll see what I can do." He said, before turning and leaving her to her thoughts.
He seemed young for a human, and had oddly pointed ears… Closing her eyes again, Alara promised herself, she would learn about the races and peoples of this world first chance she got.
Hearing the footfall of someone in armor headed her way, Alara opened her eyes again and looked up to see a huge human make his way to her.
As he came to a stop over her he spoke, "The King informed me you were to be asked about how to dispose of the… of Tyrants forces."
Looking bleakly up at him, she just wished she could crawl into her bed and ignore everything… but she was her and she had to be the one to deal with it. No one else would know how.
"Burn the corpses… a scorched earth policy I think it's called?" Alara began tentatively.
"Burn the corpses tell nothing remains. Yeah that would be it." The man said.
"Ok… um?" She queried.
"Knight Guardian Barret of Hailsorm." Barret replied.
Nodding Alara continued, "Then Barret, as far as the corpses go a scorched earth policy is best, do not risk any piece of them remaining. As for the Tech…" she trailed off at his bewildered look.
After a moment's pause she tried again, "The devices, and any piece of the Reaper that may have fallen when it was hit by the… mages," she found herself stumbling over the word but only a little for which she was proud. "Gather them up, find a secure place to store it all and have it heavily guarded while i try and figure out a way to safely dispose of it… Myrdn will probably need to supply the guards with something to protect the mind to insure no one is indoctrinated."
As she finished the priest returned and handed her a bowl of soup, nothing fancy, but it would have to do for now. "Thank you."
"Not at all, is there anything else you need miss?" He asked when Alara shook her head in the negative he left them for their talk.
"You should probably go rest, you look exhausted." Barret offered his hand to help her up.
"I… Yes, just… if something comes up let me know." She said as she took his hand.
As he pulled her up as if she weighed nothing, Barret frowned, then shook his head, and walked away.
Returning to her room, Alara immediately started stripping down to her skinsuit. "Oh, thank Neskara your safe."
Turning to look at the door she had come through, Alara saw Talisa standing in the doorway with a relieved look on her face. Then it turned to a frown. "Is something wrong?" She asked as she stepped into the room closing the door behind her.
Feeling her eyes tear up, Alara nodded, "I… I'm just a child! How… How am I supposed to destroy a Reaper? How… How am I going to live in this world? I don't want to go back… but… but I, I just don't kn… o… w…" She trailed off as she began to cry.
"Shhh, shhh, its ok. I will help you. You will find your place in time. Just have faith." Talisa soothed as she wrapped her arms around her.
As Talisa guided her to her bed, she could make out the prayer Talisa was whispering under her breath.
"Neskara, Lady of the Wood, Lord of Hunters. Look after this lost child, guide her down the forest trails. Make swift her feet and silent her step as she hunts her prey."
Alara fell asleep a short time later, in the arms of Talisa as she gently rocked back and forth.
The next day Alara woke to the smell of fresh bread, and the song of birds. Opening her eyes she found a dress laid out for her on one of the dressers. It was a light blue to complement her dark blue skin.
Struggling out of bed, she winced at the pain. Looking down Alara found she had bruises all over especially on her arm and shoulder where she had braced the crusader. It may have been a powerful weapons… but it was a powerful weapon, in a childs hands and she just didn't have the conditioning to handle it… yet. Gingerly Alara got out of bed and made her way over to the table.
Sitting down she began to eat, it was good; a spiced porridge, bread, eggs, and sausage. As she was finished eating Talisa returned carrying a small bundle of cloth.
"Oh, good you're awake. The King would like to see you at your earliest convenience." Talisa said as she set the bundle down with the dress.
Looking down at herself, Alara sighed and made her way to the small adjoining room that held the bath.
Stripping out of her skinsuit, Alara slipped into the hot water with a sigh of contentment. She could feel the pain slipping away.
When Alara got out of the bath she investigated what was in the small bundle Talisa had brought in.
What she found was an assortment of undergarments. She picked a bright red set and quickly dressed. To her surprise they fit perfectly… how had Talisa find something that fit so well?
Pondering that, Alara strapped on her short blade and stepped into the hall to find Talisa waiting for her. "This way, My Lady."
Following Talisa, Alara couldn't help but wonder what Rodrick wanted with her… and in a dress too… it was nice to be in… well mostly normal clothes again. But she couldn't shake the feeling that she was going to have to get used to wearing armor. As they approached the door Talisa broke off and moved to stand off to the side as she strode into the throne room.
To her surprises, everyone turned to her as she entered the room. Pushing down sudden anxiety, Alara boldly strode towards the throne.
"You requested my presence?" She asked as she came to stop a yard from the throne.
Standing from his throne, Rodrick replied, "Yes; I am honor bound to reward you, not only for my life but for the aid you have given my kingdom. No reward I can give would be enough to show my gratitude or the gratitude of my people, and so I offer you this; Take the mantle of knight of this realm, stand with us against the darkness, and you shall stand with you against this Reaper… this Tyrant."
Standing there shocked Alara struggled to process what Rodrick had just said? It was an honor, it was a burden, but it would also be a blade against Tyrant… if she could… if she could aid this kingdom, arm them, and even ally them with others, maybe, just maybe they could beat the Reaper… it would already be too late to do something preemptive now, they would need to fortify… to prepare.
Kneeling Alara bowed her head.
Hearing the rasp of steel on steel, Alara felt the flat of a sword laid on her shoulder, then moved to her other shoulder. As this happened Rodrick proclaimed, "Ye foreign to the land, learn of her past and better her future. Ye young or old, be brave of heart and unwavering. Ye of steel and magic, be ye of flesh or of Æther. Seek the righteous path, in all things serve the people, uphold your honor, and the honor of your lord. Stand fast against the long night, and uphold the right and just laws of the realm. Ye born of another land rise now, Knight-Errant of the Crown."
As he finished a pulse of… energy swept over Alara and faded away, leaving something behind. Standing, she tried to place the power, it wasn't Biotics, of that she was certain but still something about it resonated within her.
"I regret having to press you into service just after your knighting but I task you with the safe disposal of the Reaper artifacts we have gathered." Rodrick told her then with a wave dismissed her.
Stepping out of the throne room, Alara found Talisa waiting for her.
"My lady, congratulations." Talisa said with a bow before falling in step behind Alara.
"I… I need to think for a while… please bring me some tea."
"Right away."
The first thing Alara did when she returned to her room was to struggle out of the dress, leaving her in nothing but her red panties. After that, she started shifting through the things she… liberated from the dead N7 operative.
What she found amazed her, not only did the operative have the omni-tool she had expected, but the operative also had an OSD.
Setting the probably encrypted OSD aside, Alara grabbed the Omni-Tool and activated it. To her great surprise there was a process on it stuck in standby. Cautiously, Alara slowly activated it. What she found left her both terrified, and awed.
"Query: Where is the Operator-Natasha?"