CHAPTER TEN: Phantoms of the Borderlands
The Sages and the Vault Hunters stood in the arena where Henry-trap had fallen.
"This is it." Mordecai said over the ECHO. "We find this last piece of the Vault Key and then we hunt down Claptrap, find Lilith, and destroy this Vault."
"Let's see if we can find a computer so Angel can access the network and find the final key." CJ said.
"No need." Shadowtrap's voice echoed, hacking the group's comms. "I have the final piece. It's here with me and Lilith, since I can't trust my minions to keep the pieces safe. Come find me. I'm in the place where the off-worlders first landed on Pandora." The line was then cut.
"Fyrestone…" CJ said.
"He wants to face us." Athena said.
"One final fight." Brick said.
"What the hell are we waiting for?" Jack asked. "Let's get to Fyrestone and smash that bot so we can find the Vault and get rich!"
"Jack has a point." CJ said. "Sort of… Let's get to Fyrestone and find Claptrap. Mordecai, Zer0, meet us at the Fast Travel Station."
"You got it, kid." Mordecai said. Before long, everyone stood at a Fast Travel Station near the entrance to the Preserve. Behind them was a Gun Vendor, a Med Vendor and an Ammo Dump.
"This is it, guys." CJ said. "Claptrap, Lilith and the last piece of the Vault Key are in Fyrestone. The very first place we saw when we got dropped on this planet. If that's where the monolith put us, and that's where Claptrap waits with the Vault Key fragment, there's a chance the Vault of the Prime is there as well. This is it. The final fight."
"If you need to make any preparations, I suggest doing it now." Mordecai said.
"The only thing we need to do is get to Fyrestone, kill Claptrap, save Lilith and find a way home." CJ said, typing Fyrestone's Fast Travel code into the system. Everyone was enveloped in a bright light and were soon dropped into Fyrestone.
"I'm amazed that worked." Mordecai said. "I thought Claptrap would've locked us out of Fyrestone."
"Hello Travelers." Everyone looked ahead of them and saw Shadowtrap standing there. Behind him were Lilith and the Vault key fragment, sealed in a magic barrier. Beyond them was half of a stone arch. Next to the arch was the Eridian monolith. On the ground in front of the monolith was a small elevated platform and in the center of the platform was a round hole.
"That wasn't there before." CJ said.
"No it was not." Mordecai said. The monolith then began to glow and suddenly transformed into the other half of the stone arch.
"The Vault of the Prime…" Angel said.
"This is the end. For you." Shadowtrap said. Suddenly, a group of Claptraps rushed in, grabbing Stacey and Angel before anyone could react. Shadowtrap then jumped back, standing behind a barrier. The Vault Key fragments suddenly appeared before him, merging with the piece he already had, and forming energy streams connecting them to Lilith, Stacey and Angel.
"Stacey!" CJ said.
"Angel!" Jack called out. Jack rushed forward, trying to break through the force field but was thrown back. "Damn robot!"
"I owe you." Shadowtrap said. "You brought me what I needed. The final two pieces of the Vault Key, along with two more Sirens. You see, I learned that the key to the Vault of the Prime isn't the Vault Key and a Siren, but the Vault Key and three Sirens." The pieces connected and the key slammed into the hole in the ground. The white markings along the platform and the archway began to glow with a purple light as the inside of the archway turned into a bright white doorway. The creature that emerged from it was alien-like in appearance: a slender white body, long thin arms, a small oval head with only two red eyes and wings seemingly made of black flames. Its body was covered in violet markings reminiscent of Siren tattoos.
-The Prime : The first (and hopefully the last)-
"Pandora is MINE!" Shadowtrap said.
"That looks a lot like the Guardians…" CJ said.
"The Watcher did say that the Vault creatures may be weapons made by ancient Eridians." Mordecai said.
"Yeah." CJ said. "I know."
"You think you can defeat me?" Shadowtrap asked. "I am the Alpha! The Omega! Come, my minions!" A new group of creatures appeared in front of everyone. They were strange insect-like creatures with pincers on their head, four legs, and forked tails. On their heads was the word "Virus" and they had a digital, data-like appearance.
"Impossible…" Athena said.
"What's impossible?" CJ asked.
"Those things were inside Claptrap." Athena said. "When Jack sent us in to get the H-Source. Those were packets of data. How are they real?"
"I told you. I am ultimate." Shadowtrap said. A group of Loaders and Claptraps dropped down from the highway above Fyrestone… EXP Loaders, BUL Loaders, as well as basic loaders with rockets and assault rifles, known as RPG Loaders and GUN Loaders.
"Of course." CJ said. "Alex, Dayan, Gaige, Athena, Krieg and Axton, focus on the Viruses, Claptraps and Loaders. Aubrey, Shaylene, Brick, Maya and Salvador, focus on the Prime. Jack, you and I are going after Shadowtrap himself."
"With pleasure." Jack said.
"Mordecai, can you and Zer0 do the sniper thing?" CJ asked.
"Hell yeah." Mordecai said.
"Sniper overwatch. / A task I do excel at. / This will be easy." Zer0 said.
"Everyone else have their jobs?" CJ asked.
"You got it." Alex said, summoning his golems.
"Blood and metal. My favorite things." Gaige said, summoning Deathtrap.
"It's damn near time we get off this planet." Dayan said, throwing down his turret.
"I hate Claptrap even more than I used to." Athena said, activating her shield.
"(Please just kill the enemies.)" Krieg's inner voice said.
"C'mon, Baby!" Axton said, deploying his turret, creating a small explosion that destroyed one of the Claptraps.
"Don't hurt the Claptraps!" Stacey said. "They're so colorful!"
CJ sighed. "Stacey, we don't have a choice!" He and Jack rushed forward, toward the Siren-built barrier.
"I grow tired of this!" Shadowtrap said. "Let's see how you deal with this!" The barrier weakened just enough that CJ and Jack passed through it with no problem, before the barrier immediately strengthened again.
"Deal with what?" CJ laughed. "You opening the path for us? Making it easier for us to end you?"
"No." Shadowtrap laughed. "THIS!" A blue beam of light fired from his eye, enveloping Jack and CJ, who dissolved into particles of light and were absorbed into Shadowtrap.
"CJ!" Stacey and Shaylene exclaimed, as Shaylene threw down her turret and focused her energy on the Prime.
"CJ! Dad!" Angel shouted.
"Damnit!" Mordecai swore, activating his ECHO. "Kid! Kid, can you hear me?" He waited for a response. "Nothing…"
Meanwhile, CJ and Jack found themselves in a large chamber. The chamber was hot and part of the floor was red like lava. However, the floor was pixelated, almost as if it was digital. CJ and Jack were standing on a long, thin road-like platform that had slanted pillars on the side. At the other end of the platform was a raised ledge with a throne on it. Sitting atop the throne was a black Claptrap, about four times larger than the Fragtrap and other Claptraps. On his shoulders were round shoulder pads bearing a skull. His eye was red, and unlike other Claptraps, was rectangular instead of round.
-5h4d0w-TP : T1m3 2 D13-
"You've digitized us into Claptrap's mind." Jack realized.
"How perceptive of you, Jack." Shadowtrap said. "I've drawn you in here so you can't interfere with my Prime!"
"But my friends and the Vault Hunters will." CJ said.
"They're too busy dealing with my Claptraps, Loaders and Viruses." Shadowtrap said.
"You underestimate them." CJ smirked.
"Fools!" Shadowtrap shouted. "I've isolated you from your friends, your loved ones and your support! And once I've dealt with you… Jack, the man who is the source of Claptrap's problems… and you, the leader of these off-world pests… I'll control the Prime using the power of the three Sirens and I WILL SCORCH PANDORA!" A large, robotic exoskeleton then digistructed around Shadowtrap. It was humanoid in appearance and Shadowtrap sat on his throne where the head would be.
-Eclipse : He's a big one-
"Jack… You still got all your old tricks up your sleeve?" CJ asked.
Jack laughed. "Do I have all my old-? Kiddo, you've got a lot to learn." Suddenly, three more Jacks appeared in the room.
"Thought so." CJ said, vanishing. All four Jacks began firing wrist lasers at Eclipse.
"Impressive, kiddo." Jack said. "Assassin tricks." Suddenly, amidst the wrist lasers, a corrosive blade sliced down the center of Eclipse. CJ appeared at Eclipse's feet and jumped back, emptying the cylinder of his revolver by burying six bullets into Eclipse's head.
"You cannot win!" Eclipse shouted. "My lasers are superior!" Eclipse fired off a series of large laser bursts, which Jack and CJ miraculously managed to avoid.
"I hope you've got some real good tricks up your sleeve!" Jack said, as Eclipse leaped into the air.
"That's up for debate!" CJ said, cloaking once again. As Jack continued to fire laser bursts at Eclipse, a sniper shot rang out, striking Shadowtrap's eye, which was quickly followed by a shock blade slicing across Eclipse's left shoulder. Uncloaking, CJ quickly jumped away as Eclipse stomped the ground where he was standing.
"Why won't this frickin' robot just die already?!" Jack asked.
"You think you can best me?" Eclipse said. "With the power of the Prime, I will destroy all! Together, we are the Alpha and the Omega!"
"My friends will kill your Prime." CJ said. "And so will the Vault Hunters. Count on it."
Back in Fyrestone, the battle raged on against Shadowtrap's forces and the Prime.
"Keep fighting! You have to win!" Angel said. "I know it looks tough, but you guys are Vault Hunters! You can do this!"
"But we're not Vault Hunters!" Shaylene said, focusing her laser fire on the Prime's head.
"We've never done this!" Dayan said, freezing a Virus with the Frostfire, which one of Alex's golems crushed and shattered.
"I've only ever fought Vault monsters in video games." Alex said.
"Trust me. You can do this." Angel said. "This creature may be unstoppable in its own realm, but here the Prime is vulnerable." A sniper bullet pierced a Loader's eye, causing it to explode. Another bullet exploded on impact with the Prime, coating part of its body in Slag.
"Do not lose hope, friends. / You can defeat this monster. / We are by your side." Zer0 said.
"Yeah. You've got the aid of expert Vault Hunters." Mordecai said.
"We've done this a few times in our days." Brick said, slamming his fists into the ground below the Prime.
"You just have to have faith." Gaige said, as Deathtrap ignited a Virus with a fire laser and Gaige blasted a Claptrap with a corrosive shotgun.
"Don't lose hope!" Maya said, focusing her Phaselocking powers on the Prime. Although the creature was too big to trap, her ability still damaged it.
"We can win, amigos!" Salvador said, as he pulled out a second assault rifle and went into a firing frenzy with both guns. This was his Gunzerking skill.
"You know about Fiona." Athena said, throwing her shield at a group of Loaders. "You know I taught her about being a Vault Hunter. And because of that, I know that you're all skilled enough for this. You can win this."
"But… what about CJ?" Shaylene asked. "He's trapped inside Shadowtrap's mind."
"He'll be fine." Athena said. "I've been in there. I know what he's probably facing, and he can win."
"Yeah." Mordecai said, firing another Slag shot at the Prime. "He's a tough kid. I gotta say, he's got skill for an off-worlder. You all do."
"You've all made a hell of a good group of soldiers." Axton said, as he reclaimed and threw down his turret, causing a small explosion that destroyed a couple of Viruses. "Together, we will overcome this monster."
Back inside Claptrap's mind, CJ and Jack were still dealing with Eclipse, who had started summoning Viruses to aid him.
"Jack, focus on the Viruses!" CJ said. "Cover me, I'm going to try to finish Eclipse off." He cloaked, as Jack turned his attention to the various Viruses.
"Don't be a hero, kid! Pandora's no place for it!" Jack said. A corrosive blade slashed across Eclipse's neck and down his chest. In mid-slice, CJ reappeared, kicked off of Eclipse's chest, and fired a single shot at Shadowtrap, piercing his chassis. As CJ landed on the ground, the Viruses vanished and Eclipse crumbled to the ground. "…I stand corrected."
"Don't get too cocky." Shadowtrap said, standing up. "Now you will see my true power!" Jack and CJ watched as Shadowtrap dissolved into bits of data. The data began to come together again, reconfiguring into a large H-shaped structure in the sky above them. In the center was a round section holding a single red eye.
-EOS : This Is His Final Form-
"Lovely…" CJ said.
"He's taken on the form of Helios?" Jack asked. "You have GOT to be frickin' kidding me!"
"Jack. Be careful." CJ said. "In the game, this was Shadowtrap's ultimate form, complete with the moonshot cannon and the Eye of Helios."
"Oh come on!" Jack shouted.
"Just stay alert!" CJ said, cloaking. Jack reached into his ECHO and pulled out a pistol. He fired several shots at EOS, which seemed to do nothing.
"You may have gotten your hands on the H-Source, Jack, but it remained in my code." EOS said, several holograms of Lilith appearing around the battlefield. "And I was right. You were far worse than I would've been. Destroying the Claptrap line, trying to kill him, trying to kill his friends. You were more of a monster than I ever would've been."
"Shut up!" Jack shouted.
"Firing Moonshot Cannon!" EOS called out. Several shots fired from the center of EOS, crashing into the battlefield. Suddenly, a corrosive blade pierced EOS's center and several gunshots rang out, slicing through parts of the hulking structure. CJ reappeared on the elevated platform where Shadowtrap's throne once sat. The hologram of Lilith reappeared. "Trying to be a hero, Jack? You're not a hero. Nothing you've ever done has been heroic. I've seen it all. Through Claptrap. Everything from the day you installed the protocols to the day the Warrior fell. And now, even everything you've done since your revival."
"Shut up! Shut up! I am a hero! I… can save this planet! I will rid Pandora of filthy bandits and every last Claptrap! Starting with you!" Jack shouted.
"Jack! Don't listen to him!" CJ said, firing several shots at the Eye of EOS. "He's just trying to get under your skin." CJ jumped down from the upper platform and rushed down under the long walkway. "You can't let him get to you!" He activated a small console which generated a couple crates of ammo. He grabbed the pistol ammo and absorbed it into his ECHO.
"Don't hide the truth from him, boy!" EOS said. "He's a monster! He's no better than the others. The ones who pretend to be Claptrap's friends! They… and you… must die!" Several small laser beams began focusing out from around the eye, forming into one big laser that was preparing to fire.
"Jack, hide!" CJ exclaimed.
"Firing Eye of Helios!" EOS shouted. Jack and CJ took cover as the laser pounded the battlefield, tearing up code as it tore through. As soon as the laser had stopped, CJ cloaked. Within a few seconds, a flying corrosive dagger pierced the Eye of EOS before vanishing into bits of code. A shot rang out and CJ reappeared as the bullet pierced EOS. EOS began flashing and seeming to break down, bits of data and code breaking off and vanishing.
"I told you. You weren't going to win." CJ said.
"Not quite!" I still have one last trick up my sleeve!" EOS said, transforming back into Shadowtrap. Suddenly, a white light filled the arena, blinding CJ and Jack. When CJ's vision finally returned, he was back in Fyrestone, in the midst of the battle with the Prime.
"CJ! You're okay!" Shaylene exclaimed. Within the Siren barrier still intact, Claptrap stood back up, laughing.
"I told you I had one last trick!" Shadowtrap said, leaping out of the barrier and atop the Prime.
"Letting me go was a trick?" CJ said.
"Foolish boy." Shadowtrap said. "Keeping Jack prisoner was the last trick! Even now, he remains digitized inside Claptrap's subconscious!"
"No! Dad!" Angel said. Suddenly, Shadowtrap began to short-circuit, twitching and jolting.
"No! What's happening to me?! I'm losing control!" Shadowtrap plummeted to the ground in a trail of smoke. As he landed, Jack reappeared next to him. Without hesitation, Jack smashed open Claptrap, reached inside and yanked out his central processor, before snapping it in half. The robot arced with electricity and exploded. All the Claptraps and Loaders shut down and the Viruses vanished, leaving only the Prime. Reacting quickly, Jack leaped atop the Prime.
"No!" Lilith exclaimed. The energy shield around her and the other two Sirens dissolved as she vanished. She quickly reappeared atop the Prime, causing an explosion that sent Jack plummeting to the ground.
"Everyone, focus on the Prime!" CJ said. Everyone turned their attention to the Vault monster and before long, it fell to the ground, lifeless. As it dropped, the Vault gate vanished, transforming back into the monolith. CJ pulled his revolver out and pointed it at Jack. Reacting fast, Jack deployed his decoys. "Son of a-"
"Shoot them all!" Lilith said. The Vault Hunters and Sages unleashed a hellfire of bullets on all of the Jacks. Before long, they all dropped.
"Ooh. Tough luck. You didn't get me at all, kiddos." Jack said from behind them. CJ spun around, gun aimed at Jack. His eyes widened when he finally realized what he was looking at. Jack was standing there, arm wrapped around Angel's neck and shoulders holding her hostage. CJ lowered his gun. Jack smirked, raising his.
"Dad don't!" Angel shouted. "Don't hurt him!"
"I learned a lot from observing Pandora. Learned a lot about survival, about greed. But most of all, I learned that no matter how badass they may be, anyone will happily lay down their life for a pretty girl with big... blue... eyes." Jack said. "And you're no different. You'd clearly throw it all away for Angel." Jack placed his finger on the trigger and Shaylene suddenly stepped in front of CJ. Jack laughed. "Two bandits with one bullet. Perfect." A glow from the monolith caught Angel's attention. She stomped on Jack's foot, allowing her to escape, as a blast of energy flew out of the monolith, striking Jack and killing him.
"Who just… did that?" Mordecai wondered. Everyone looked toward the monolith and saw a young woman in her early-to-mid-20s step out who bore a striking resemblance to Shaylene.
"Jennette!" Shaylene exclaimed, rushing over and hugging her.
"Are you okay?" Jennette asked.
"I'm fine." Shaylene said.
"You should use this to your advantage." Lilith said. "If the monolith is working, you can get home."
CJ looked down at Claptrap's shell and saw a strange coil-like device. He picked it up and examined it. He then tossed it to Lilith.
"Here." CJ said. "Give that to Marcus. Let him know we made it home. Tell him everything that happened. Tell him that Claptrap was producing the laser weapons. And tell him thanks. And… Thank you all. If it weren't for all of you, I'm not sure we'd be here."
"You're welcome." Lilith said. "Just get yourselves through the monolith and go home."
"Angel…" CJ said. "And the rest of you. We can help you find homes on Earth. Help you make a life there. I want to help you guys get off this planet too."
"Thank you for the kind offer." Angel said. "But my home is here on Pandora. With the Crimson Raiders. I want to help rebuild everything that my father destroyed. But maybe we'll meet again someday." She kissed CJ on the cheek, meeting angry glares from both Stacey and Shaylene.
"I hope we do." CJ said, smiling. He returned Angel's kiss, making Stacey and Shaylene angrier. He and his friends stepped through the monolith and found themselves back in the Woolworth Building.
"What a ride." Dayan said.
"You can say that again." Alex said.
"A ride that you caused." Aubrey said.
"Yeah but it was fun." Stacey said.
"And we had a great adventure." Shaylene said.
"And made some great friends." CJ said with a smile.
"I'm just glad you're all safe." Jennette said. Once they all stepped through the monolith, it crumbled to the ground, leaving only a raw hunk of Eridium in its place.
Meanwhile…
A dark-skinned woman and white man stood in an unknown location, presumably far from both Earth and Pandora. The man wore a black shirt, jacket and pants and had a silver robotic arm. One eye was yellow, the other was brown, and his brown hair was slicked back. In the left side of his head was a strange round metal object. The woman had brown hair with a single red streak in front and wore a maroon shirt, black jacket and pants, and black hat.
"This… is not what I expected when I walked into the Vault…" The man said.
"Where the Hell are we?" The woman wondered.
"No idea, Fiona…" The man said. "No idea…"
"Guess this puts any plans you have for Atlas on hold until we figure out how to get back to Sasha and Vaughn, huh?" The woman asked.
"Definitely."
Back on Earth, CJ and his friends had walked out of the Woolworth Building and up the street to the nearby park. CJ smiled and took a deep breath.
"It's good to be home." He said. "Fresh air. My own bed. Nothing trying to murder me."
"So… How did you get to Pandora, Jennette?" Shaylene asked.
"I started poking around looking for you." Jennette said. "You weren't answering your phone. CJ wasn't answering his. You weren't home or at his place. He wasn't at his place. I started getting worried after a while."
"Exactly how long were we gone?" Shaylene asked.
"Two and a half weeks." Jennette said. "I started getting the suspicion that it was power related, and that led me to the Woolworth Building. Once I got in there, I saw the monolith, and through that, I saw you in danger. I knew I had to act. I had to do whatever I could to save you. CJ clearly wasn't doing anything."
"Jennette, we were working on a way-" CJ said.
"Save it!" Jennette snapped. "You nearly got my sister killed! I spent two weeks working to keep Mom and Dad from calling in the goddamn SWAT team! Two fucking weeks! Because of this stupid powers bullshit! Because I knew Shaylene and you were probably off on some mission stopping some monsters or something! I assumed you were looking out for her! But now I know you nearly got her KILLED!"
"Jenn… I was trying to protect him…" Shaylene said.
"He's supposed to protect you!" Jennette said. "It's hard enough trying to hide our powers from Mom and Dad as it is! Imagine if you got killed! What the fuck would I say then?!"
"Jennette… I'm sorry." CJ said. "Please… She's fine. We're all fine. Just calm down…"
"Fine?" Jennette snapped. "Are my parents fine?! My Mom and Dad, who've barely slept in almost three weeks, because their baby girl has been missing! Are they fine?! You endangered my sister's life! And worst of all, when he became real, you sided with Handsome Jack!" Energy began to swirl around Jennette. "I wish we'd never gotten these stupid powers. I wish… I wish it would all just go away! I wish you would go away!" A wave of pure energy rippled out from Jennette, and a cry of pain was heard as someone was struck.
"Shay!" CJ exclaimed, rushing to his best friend's side. "Shay! Speak to me! Wake up!" CJ frantically tried to wake Shaylene, as several onlookers called 911 in a panic. "Damnit Jennette! What have you done!?" Without a thought, he fired a blast of energy back at Jennette, knocking her onto her back. She struggled to stand, terrified by what she had done, and quickly ran away as fast as she could. Before long, an ambulance arrived and Shaylene was transported to the hospital.
A few hours later, on the outskirts of town, Jennette sat next to a small stream, crying.
"What have I done…?" She sobbed. "I didn't mean to hurt her… I didn't want to hurt anyone…" Unseen to her, a long figure approached her. As the figure drew closer, they held out their hand. Jennette winced as she felt her energy being drained from her, and before she could react, she collapsed on the ground. Several men in suits appeared as if from nowhere and grabbed her.
"Get her back to the facility." The figure who drained her said. "We've got work to do."
To Be Continued…