Important Author's Note Down Below!
Sequence 1.7
From where she was being carried bridal style, Peyton looked up at his mask. His right lens flickered on and off at itinerate intervals. On, off, on, off, on, off…
…until it stopped. Peyton focused on the other one then. Like a searchlight cutting through the dark, it sliced into her mind. What sort of secrets were behind that mask? What kind of man wore that?
Faint trails of vapor floated out of the rebreather that covered everything below the goggles. It was bulky and had many exposed tubes and valves. Dark like the rest of his outfit, it blended into the shadows around his single green light.
Cogs whirred and pistons pumped on his chest plate as he continued to move along. The squeaked and groaned every so often as they caught on each other.
The hissing of pipes releasing air continued throughout the journey and the steady sway of the Vigilante's steps lulled her to sleep, her thoughts of a mysterious man who prowled the streets.
When she awoke, it was when he shook her. She was in her room, on her bed. He asked for his coat back, gesturing at her. She handed it over, not really hearing what he was saying, she was in a daze, the adrenaline had left her weak and tired. Then he was gone, ashes exploded from where he was, before they vanished from existence, only to slowly crawl back together from the edges of the room and form into the basic shape of a man. As more and more flakes of darkness appeared and merged, faint bursts of colors she couldn't even comprehend arced between large segments of the material as they fused together.
A faint clicking noise could be heard as the ashes continued to form into all different parts, the lightning was more rapid and frequent, each burst accompanied by more chilling clicks as bones and muscles knitted together synchronously with armor and bulletproof weave. A particularly bright burst of color flared by his head before turning green.
After only a few seconds, he stood in her room once more. He looked around, disoriented and seemingly confused, although it was hard to tell what he felt under the mask.
"So, it would appear my body can't take multiple transits…" he mumbled to himself as he walked out of her room.
He was not alone out here, he sensed a fellow watcher. From his place high above the apartment block of the maid's home, he grumbled. His focus was on the house, where the Vigilante had carried her inside moments ago.
A faint blur of movement across the rooftops caught his eyes and he spun to face them.
-Hang in there brother-
Vanessa knew it was a good idea to watch her house. Peyton seemed like the only person the Vigilante interacted with and it was only a matter of time before they came there. What was odd was the order of appearances. Peyton walked through her door at around 9:00 when Peyton walked through her door. Two hours later the Vigilante carried her back inside. Vanessa had never seen them left.
From her perch on a rooftop a couple houses down on the other side of the street, Vanessa reached for her radio.
"This is Seeker 1 calling HQ, I repeat, this is Seeker 1 calling HQ, I have visual on the target.
"This is HQ, officers are en route to your location, please update if anything changes.
"Will do," said Vanessa as she slowly got to her feet.
Performing a complicated series of acrobatics, she made her way across the rooftops until she was right over Peyton's front door, landing without a sound. After a minute, the door slowly crept open and she dropped to the ground besides the Vigilante.
"Long time no see," she smiled as she pulled out a serrated knife, stabbing for him.
He ducked away, arm blades sliding from his sleeves with a grinding noise.
"You," he growled through his rebreather, "How many men died for you to escape?"
"Hmm…" she mused, biting on her thumb loosely in thought, "Nobody actually, the Sheriff let me go as long as I promised to help capture you. But first I want some payback."
She flicked her wrist and the knife became five. She spun and two blades flew towards him, quickly followed by the other three. He dodged the first two easily but half of her second salvo slammed into his body, ionized tips biting through armor, cloth, and flesh.
He tore them out and tossed them to the side but she was already moving. Two more blades, one in each hand, slashed through the air towards him. He surged towards her and rammed her back, arm blades on his wrists arced towards her.
She catapulted backwards before landing in a crouch. She slowly stood up, pressing herself against the extremely tight combat-skin that hugged her.
"Like what you see?" she flirted as she licked her lips.
He grumbled and made noises under his mask, his single optic glaring at her before pulling a knive out of his arm and throwing it at her.
She deflected it too the side and slide between his legs, cutting for his heel as she went by. The reinforced lining of his boots prevented the blade from penetrating, instead it sparked off of a metal plate. He kicked backwards, knocking the wind out of her as his steel tipped boot connected with her side.
She rolled away as his armblade scythed into the ground where her head previously was.
"I will admit, you weren't this skilled when we last met in that alleyway," she called to him.
He said nothing, only flicked his wrist, deploying an autogun on the back of his arm. He pointed it at her and opened fire, Kashuri rounds flying through the air towards their target were cut out of the air by Vanessa's knives. She finished spinning the deflecting blades and launched them at him. One wedged into the barrel of his gun, preventing it from firing and he roared before smashing the weapon into the ground, peeling the remains from his arm.
"Feisty, aren't we?" she gloated, "I still haven't paid you back from our last meeting. Are you ready for true pain?"
"Time to find out," he said as his optic flickered on and off again, sending sparks into the night.
He watched as she jumped down to attack him. From far away he saw their duel, but he was looking further, at the approaching police forces. Was it too early to play his hand yet? Months of following, shadowing the Vigilante's every move would be wasted in an instant. He hadn't even been noticed as he soared high above in the mists and fogs of the polluted city.
-Little brother, I'm coming for you-
When Caitlyn arrived on scene with a full force of riot officers, she swore. Vanessa Brooks was currently dueling with the Vigilante, and seemed to be faring well. Although mostly on the defensive, she seemed to be able to fit in a couple of strikes as she darted away from him time and time again.
Caitlyn shouldered her rifle and sighted the Vigilante before signaling the riot force forward. Eight men and women in full ballistic armor, equipped with reinforced shields that could deflect a heavy machinegun, shock batons that could be turned up to stop a charging Kublo Lizard, and the newest Submachineguns created with a blend of Hextech and reverse-engineered Kashuri tech charged the Vigilante. He was knocked to the ground and electrocuting blows rained down onto him as they formed a barrier around him with their shields.
Vanessa backed off, breathing heavily and bleeding from a few slashes in her combat-skin.
A straitjacket was fastened around him and cuffs were put on both his wrists and ankles while straps held all of his limbs together. Multiple weapon barrels were pressed to the back of his head as he was bound facedown to a stretcher before another riot squad showed up and carried him to an armored transport, locking him away with eighteen armed killers. The armored transport started up and chugged away on massive treads, precious cargo inside intact and secured.
"Ma'am," said one of the medical staff, "he's waking up."
From her place behind a one way mirror, Caitlyn continued to stare at the Vigilante as they tried to move. She walked towards the door into the room and Vi followed.
"Vi, wait here," she ordered, "This requires finesse."
Vi just shrugged and mumbled something about it being too early.
Caitlyn opened the door and stepped inside the airtight room. The door closed behind her and soon the only thing that could be heard was the faint hiss of the Vigilante's rebreather.
She pulled out a small remote from her belt. "Do you know what this is?" she asked.
The Vigilante did not respond, their single green optic gazed ahead at nothing.
She pressed the single button on the remote and the Vigilante arched his back as he was given a large jolt of electricity.
When she released the button, she heard laughter from behind the mask.
"I'll give you credit Sheriff, I didn't expect this from you," he chuckled.
"I'll do what I have to do to bring you down, the only reason you still have that mask on is because we can't figure out how to take it off."
"My technology is too complicated for the fabled Piltover/Zaun Police Department?"
"Something like that, sooner or later we'll take it off, even if we have to cut it to pieces with a circular saw."
"I would strongly advise you not to do that, unless you want the explosive charges woven into my suit to go off. That would be very unfortunate."
"Our Hextech scans showed nothing, you're bluffing."
"If that's what you want to believe then so be it."
She pushed down on the button again and he jolted straight.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?"
He started laughing louder.
She pushed the button again.
"We know you're Ionian, they don't just hand out Kashuri tech to anyone. We also know that you're a man and operating somewhere in the lower levels of Zaun. You apparently have a vendetta against any and all who commit crimes be they slight or heavy. You are skilled in close-quarters combat and adept at taking out targets from afar. You are able to vanish into thin air leaving behind only ashes and have eluded every attempt at capturing you for the better part of the last four months. Why are you still here? How were you captured?
He laughed even louder, shaking in the restraints before stopping and falling silent.
"Did you ever think, that maybe I wanted to be captured?"
Her eyes widened, "Sound the alarm! I repeat soun-"
That was when the wall exploded inwards.
SHI'AREAH [ENGAGED]
BOOTING UP INTERNAL DRIVERS
COOLANT SYSTEMS ACTIVATED
FALLBACK NET ACTIVATED
(INSERT MEMORY DIGIT): 0000007
{VALID MEMORY… ENGAGING}
SEQUENCE STARTING
-~-COMMENCING MEMORY-~-
"You will be paired with a partner from now on," master tells him, gesturing towards me.
"I don't need a partner!" cries the boy, "He'll just slow me down."
He is barely older than I but he has threefold the scars I do.
"You will listen to me," master tells him, "Or else."
The threat is not empty. The boy grumbles and master leaves our room. I head towards the open bed and heave my bag of belongings onto it.
"Well, looks like I'm stuck with you, my name is [REDACTED], what's yours?"
My full name is too long, I think for a moment before I speak.
"Call me Kay."
[MALAWARE DETECTED! PURGING]
[MALAWARE PURGED]
"C'mon Kay!" he yells at me.
We are older now. I've been learning from master for two years now at the guild. I can kill a man in too many ways to count.
"Kay, we've got to go now! We'll be late for the ceremony!"
"Okay, okay, relax." I call to him as I finish buckling the ornate armor over my robes. The last thing to go on is my helm.
We hustle down the hallways, past armories, libraries, temples, and practice rooms.
The doorway ahead is guarded by a quartet of fully-fledged Templars, their Darnisian Glaives are held at the ready in front of them. They ease their stances when he pulls up his helm.
"Relax guys, it's just me and Kay!"
One of them chuckles, "Didn't recognize you guys since you're all dressed up. It's crazy you aren't kids anymore."
"They aren't adults yet!" calls one, "Wait until after the ceremony."
"Head on in." says the third.
The fourth nods and opens the door. We step through into the darkness.
[MALAWARE DETECTED! PURGING]
[MALAWARE STILL ACTIVE]
[ENGAGING COUNTERMEASURES]
[COUNTERMEASURES ENGAGED]
[TIME UNTIL SHUTDOWN: 00:00:17]
"Kay, leave me, I'm only slowing you down."
"I can't, not like this, not after all this time."
"You have to leave me, otherwise we both die. Someone has to make it back, someone has to warn them."
"But I can't leave you, I just can't. You're my brother."
"Kay, listen to me, you must, do this for me, for everyone.
"But what about Scarlett? What about everyone else?"
"She'll understand eventually, she'll for-" he coughs up blood.
He falls to the ground, pulling himself out of my grip.
"Go! Run and don't look back! Do you hear me Kay! Do whatever you have to do, just get out!"
"I'll always remember you [REDACTED].
"Goodbye $a&*b^!%e* N$"
-~-TERMINATING MEMORY-~-
SEQUENCE ENDING
FALLBACK NET DEACTIVATED
COOLANT SYSTEMS DEACTIVATED
SHUTTING DOWN INTERNAL DRIVERS
SHI'AREAH [DISENGAGED]
Heyyo, Fresh Sorcerer back with another chapter.
As always, a massive thank you to my friend and beta reader SiRoLoL, I love you buddy. You actually aren't allowed to quit your job as you signed a contract. You are my grammar slave until death.
Keep up the reading and reviews! But now, there's a new way for you guys to get involved.
As Sequence (Part) 1 comes to a close, there are only 8 "episodes" in this first sequence in this is the 7th, I wanted to do things a little differently. Over the summer, I'll be writing 75% of the next Sequence, leaving room to add or change things if new ideas come to mind. Then, during the year, I can release chapters periodically rather than having large gaps in between them and sometimes having no gaps at all, (chapters 1-4 were all released in a week which severely burned me out).
As I recently hit 1000 views on this story a last chapter, I've been thinking of ways to give you guys and impact on the story. Reviews and suggestions were great but I really wanted you guys to help create the world (I like to think that my version of Piltover/Zaun is slightly different from the official one and is therefor my world). Anyways, I finally settled on having you guys create characters.
Now, I haven't come up with the official guidelines and requirements yet but start turning your gears on ideas. Are they from a rival assassin guild? A corrupt police officer? A freelance Chem Agent? Follower of some hidden cult? How do they know the Vigilante? How do they interact (are they friends/enemies/or business partners)?
The end of Chapter 8 will have specific guidelines and I will be accepting character ideas through PM's and reviews on this story. Keep in mind that I will have the right to change anything relating to the character and how they appear in the story but will try my best to work with you to keep it true to what you want for your character. Due to me trying to work with you, ideas from Guest accounts will not be accepted as I will need to be messaging with you to have suggestions, tweaks, and ideas for helping your character ideas mesh with the story.
Feel free to let me know if you guys have any ideas that you are dying to tell me and I will work on getting Chapter 8 out really soon.
Be ready for the Conclusion of Sequence 1!
Fresh Sorcerer out