A/n: First I'll be enjoying most of this month as much as I can. Second this is a reloaded version of the second chapter and not as corny. Third I'm still writing my novel.
Chapter two
(Achilles POV)
Space. It's too quiet. Not a single sound of birds, winds, or even the occasional arrow missing my head. To be honest with myself I miss those sounds. I take another drag from my cigarette. They tell me that it does hell to my lungs. But do they know I'm sixteen years old and immortal. Well maybe immortal to an extent.
I look down at an old photo album I keep. In one photo there's me and my eight brothers as toddlers and infants. In another we stand in awe with youngest brother's first invention. I forgot what it does but it certainly did turn a few heads. I flip it over to the last page. I sigh in sorrow because it's just my twin brother and the young triplets. The other four either too busy or some other reasons. But one whose reason I know. They called him a murderer, a madman and traitor. We were forced to exile him off world to gods know where. I pray for him every single night. I take one last drag before deciding to get up from my desk. Too bad these photos faded to yellow and falling apart.
I adjust the leather strips on my leggings and pauldrons. I pick up the lightsaber my brother built for me. I still find it strange for a beam of deadly light to burst out of the cross-guard. I latch it to my belt along with the physical weapons I wanted to bring with me. Such as my cavalier's axe and a regular sword. I pick my disk shield before exiting into a steel hallway.
I follow the dim lights to a room with a large, thick glass window. I lean over the small computer to see what planet my ship is hovering over. It says 'Christophsis' a strange name but still it is my first time outside the stone and steel walls of my home. I drift off thinking about my brothers until something shake the ship. I peer over to the window to see flames engulf the thrusters. I look forward to see a battle raging on. Strange ships battling each other.
I open the door to rush over to the escape pod. I grab a small backpack carrying somethings I may need. I reach my pod and it resembles a giant black egg. I couldn't complain especially since my ship is going to turn into a massive ball of flaming death. I hop in and pull the release lever. I feel the pod shake as its being ejected out of my ship. I glance at my ship a second before it exploded.
The pod shakes and jolts as it zooms past all of the ships. As it begin atmospheric approach that's when it really gets crazy. I watch as two armies fight on a single bridge. Bolts of energy are exchanged as both sides viciously compete to claim the bridge. My pod lands inside one of the side buildings through multiple concrete floors.
My vision blurs in and out as three soldiers in white armor rushes inside. My pod opens when a wave of putrid battle ridden air penetrates my nostrils. My vision slowly comes back when an old man in his mid forties looked at me with concern and pointed the direction for the soldiers to carry me to. As the sound of guns leave the air, slowly the noise of cannon fire fills the near silent void. Everything becomes dark. I see nothing, hear nothing or smell nothing, just darkness.
In the darkness I see a light. Not like the ones I see on a normal basis. It's got an uneasy feeling about this. In fact it impales a spear through my chest, talons clawing at my arms and fangs clasping its poison into my neck.
I wake up to find a bright light blinding my sight. I look around to see I'm in some sort infirmary. I get up to see a Torgrutan girl. She looks no older than fourteen. She wears a tube top and pants with a sash. She also have on cloth bracers and boots. The one thing that catches my eye is her lightsaber. She catches me staring at her weapon. She backs off cautiously with her hand at her weapon. I try to stand up, but I receive a bad headache. I look back at the Torgrutan girl and there seem to be some empathy on her face. She walks over to lay me back down on the bed.
"Easy don't want to hurt yourself" she says to me in a caring tone. "My name is Ahsoka Tano; what's yours?"
"Achilles" I reply. "You are a Virgo protector yes?"
"A what now" She asks.
"Virgo protector, shield maiden it means."
"Somehow I feel like I should be offended a bit" she says with her arms crossed. She begin to walk out of the room. "By the way your stuff is on the table over there."
I look over to see my armor and weapons along with my backpack. I walk over and begin reattaching the armor plates back on by body. I tie the leather strips tight so it doesn't feel loose. Piece by piece I tie the plates back on. All that is left is my helmet. I brush my hand along the rough edges of my galea. The Mohawk plume is surprisingly still in one piece and the face guard is also intact. The face guard is just a plain tinted thin glass. I put the helmet down when I notice my shield.
There is a massive crack on the shield. The crack cause the shield to look like it's ready to break into two. The only thing that is worrying me the most is that one side my reflection is normal and the other is some sort of twisted version. My hair beyond the color of black, the teeth turn to fangs, but the worst of it is the eyes. They're not the eyes of a caring person ready to give his life but a monster that demands blood but never satisfied.
I bend the shield as I blink hard. I slowly open them to see that I fully broken my shield and both sides seem normal. I toss the broken disk on the table. I grab my weapons and helmet. I latch the weapons to my belt along with my regular sword and its sheath. I walk up to the door to leave the room. As soon it opens it reveals my friend from earlier.
"Oh, hey Achilles" Ahsoka greets in a brighter tone. "What are you doing up?"
"I got restless."
"Oh." She looks over to see my broken shield.
Before she could inspect the broken shield, the ship violently rocked. I equip my helmet and I bolt down the hall with Ahsoka. We pass countless soldiers running all around every hallway. We arrive to a hanger deck where two other men with groups of soldiers with their guns pointed at a general direction.
"Snips, first of all why did you bring him along and second get ready."
"Master" Ahsoka yells out pointing her finger at a large ball of metal. "Look out."
I jump in the way of the steel-like boulder. I use my hand axe and regular sword to stop it. It was a trick, the boulder is not made of steel its simple paper painted silver.
I look over to see a figure with an identical helmet. He wears a leather armor with steel shoulder pads and thick black cloth gloves. He also have brown leather trousers and steel boots. On his belt is a sword that seems familiar to me.
I ready my weapons towards the entity. I sense something about him is beyond familiar.
"Who are you" I howl demanding the identity to our marauders as I point my sword.
"I am The Black Centurion and all I ask is your weapons and medical supplies."
I feel my heart skip a beat because I know that voice. It is the voice of my lost brother. I look up to see an additional warrior with him. He appears to be around Ahsoka's age but I notice he have cybernetic prosthetic arm and leg. I take a step forward and this young man aims a pistol at me. I continue to walk forward and so does this centurion. The centurion wave his hand to let his friend know it's okay. I know that all too well. As we walk I don't know what floats in his head but I guess it's the same as mine.
We meet in the middle of the hanger deck. By now more of his crew stepped out of his ship. We stare at each other for a second before I decide to show him my face. I toss my ax to the ground and sheath my sword. I slowly remove my helmet. His reaction did not show until he see my black eyes and white hair fall into place to form my bangs. I stare at him with sad eyes and he know who I am.
He slowly remove his helmet to show me his gray eyes and black hair. He shows me his response. We take each other in each other's embrace. We breathe a sigh of delight as we found each other.
"Older Brother."
"Younger Brother."
I can't believe it. I found my lost brother. We release each other from embrace and begin speaking to each other in our native language.
"Brother I thought you died long ago or even worse."
"Your highness it takes a lot more than a simple exile to kill a legate of your first cohort."
"I will honor our family by saying yes."
I look around to see whispers among the troops and my brother's crew. I draw my sword and hold it at attention.
"Chiron; an exiled warrior and my brother, I grant you pardon and place to return into my cohort." As I knight my brother and reinstate his rank, his own crew look at us in worry. "I also want to make your crew a legion under the cross sword and shield."
Chiron dons a smile and I hand him the sword I use to knight him. We look at each other straight in the eyes and I know we have an understanding. We turn to our respective groups. I nod to Ahsoka and I turn to face my brother and his crew. I smile as he proudly carry his sword.
"Ahsoka, there have been a change of plans with the Centurion."
"I just have one question; what was that?"
"He's my brother; he was exiled from my home for two hundred years and today I welcome him back."
"Two hundred years; Snips what is he talking about?"
"Perhaps Master Yoda will enlighten you, he know what my brother and myself are."
I walk down the hall to see our destination is the Corucant. Somehow I still have an uneasy feeling in the back of my head. I hear talk among the troops about the situation in the hanger deck. Gods guide my soul and those around me.
