Chapter 21 Balancing the Universe
Alex
July 12th, 2017
9:12 AM
Olympus Range, Greece
Mount Olympus
Within matter of seconds after the ConDef soldier seized Max's hand, the room around us was now sparkling with purple stars swarming the two of us like fire crackers. Ricocheting against the walls and crumbing the floor into a narrow pit below our feet. All caused by the Power Shard Max held in her hand as it was grasped by Alkaline's gun for hire.
While things ran amok by the touch of a hand, the goon who touched the shard in Max's hand himself was being consumed by it's power and turning into a crisp made of purple light until he exploded into purple dust. Max released her from the soldier's grip before his body was disintegrated by the shard's power.
Now I know why the shard is truly called the Power Shard. And how it cleanses all life in the universe.
Before Alkaline could reach the shard for himself, the floor was deteriorating below his footing and raced for the other side before his ground could collapse completely. When it did completely collapse, he hopped over the chasm as high and as far as he could to latch his fingers onto the edge of crumbling pit below and climbed over it using his arms and legs.
As the purple sparks from the Eternity Shard Max held faded, Alkaline still had us to deal with seeing we were still standing on the other side. He ordered his men's weapons free on his against Joanna's orders.
"Shoot them!" He hollered.
The two of us his behind some pillars that had collapsed in the death trap as Alkaline's lieutenant trooper sprayed his bullets on us. Soon, more soldiers surrounded the gap in the room creating the pit to outnumber us and give us more heat to cool down. Allowing Alkaline and his right-hand man to make they're escape as the other baddies kept on the pressure.
I attempt to help Max find away out of the death trap and see opening where we can run to. I don't hesitate to risk the opportunity.
"This way!" I shout to Max. "C'mon!"
To get to the opening, we had to jump across a chasm. Max was a pretty decent jumper from what I've seen her do. And so was I.
I make it across the chasm but unfortunately for Max, when she reaches the other end holding onto the edge with her hands, the stone cracks and breaks off. Causing her to fall down a lower ground and land onto a lower platform.
Now Max had to jump and climb onto the pillars holding the remaining high ground to reach back up here while I covered her.
"Get out of there!" I shouted. "I'll cover you!"
"On it!" Max shouted back.
The Power Shard was still in her hands when she fell. Or rather in her pocket lucky for her. She jumped over to the pillar and started climbing while I gave her cover fire with a pistol I took from the soldier who exploded into dust.
Climbing up the pillars was not going to be as easy as climbing jungle gyms in a playground. Debris from the ceiling was now collapsing on the pillar she climbed on. Causing the pillar to crack and tumble like timber.
"Oh shit!" Max reacted.
"Max?!" I called to her. Keeping the fire on.
"I'm okay! Ah, I gotta get off this thing! Now's my chance!"
Max was able to climb up the pillar to the top and jump onto another tumbling pillar to climb and shimmy on. Then she made it to the top of the second pillar and jumped back to the high ground. I really couldn't hold off the squad of ConDef single-handed. Max needed to get up here and help quick.
"I could use your help, Max!" I shouted to her.
Max leaped off the top of the descending pillar and landed herself onto a soldier I was shooting. Hitting him in the face with her bare fist and knocking him to the floor. She took the soldiers pistol for her defense against the remainder of Alkaline's forces.
Before Max could take care of another soldier, I rushed in and knocked the soldier out with the grip of my gun.
"You like that?!" I taunted. "And stay down! Shit!"
More soldier reinforced themselves down in front of the hole Alkaline had blow to get in the crumbling room and fired up their rifles on us. We took cover and returned fire with our pistols against men with rifles.
Lucky for us, debris was still collapsing and collided in front of the hole. Crushing the terrorist men into pancakes and sparing us the ammo from our guns.
"Whoa!" I reacted.
"Sucks for you!" Max muttered to the crushed soldiers.
To bad it also sucks that our only way out was crushed as well.
"Ah, hell," I said. "What's the plan?"
"I'm working on it," said Max.
Then I saw a beam of would sticking out between a hole in the ceiling over some debris that had fallen in front of us. We could use that beam to swing across.
More debris was still falling. We had to make this fast.
"Up there!" I pointed out to the beam. "C'mon, you ready?! We gotta go up to get out!"
"Here we go," said Max.
As much as Max didn't like swinging on ropes as much, she was the first to do so anyways. When she swung toward the fallen pillar that would take us through the whole in the ceiling, I went after her and climbed up the broken support beam with her.
The beam we climbed on broke apart a little before we reached the top but the cracking piece tilted against the edge of the hole for us to climb up over easier.
After both us vaulted over the edge, we shot more bad guys in self-defense with our guns as they shot back at us. Covering and firing in the same routine as if it were a shoot-em-up game.
Don't know about how Max felt about getting into firefights like this, but I knew the Blackwell shooting and the battle of Portland was enough experience for her to pull through this. According to the stories she told me on that bench back at the gallery.
The last soldier we had to take care of was one that seized Max by the torso and strangled her by the neck.
I aimed my gun for the guy's face to shoot past Max without blowing her head away but before I got trigger happy, Max hit the man in the waist with her elbow to release herself from her opponent's grasp and headbutted him to KO his ass to the cavy ground. Last round goes to Maximus.
"I'm impressed, little cousin!" I complimented. "Final score goes to the amazing Spider-Max!"
"Yeah," said Max. "We kicked it, punched it, and set it on fire. Thanks to the glamorous and cunning Rachel Amber's training, I eat lighting and crack thunder."
I laughed at her Rocky reference.
We ran across the tunnels through the cave to fight off more ConDef. Eventually, we were coming close to outside the cave when we saw some openings through more infrastructure. Snowy grounds from outside.
When shooting past more soldiers, Dad could hear the commotion from his plane. Must be close enough to hear the gunshots on the mountain.
"God dammit, Max," said Dad. "I can hear the fireworks from here. What the fuck's going on?"
Long story," replied Max. "Short version is to get us the fuck out of here!"
"Yeah, I figured. Hold tight! Be there as soon as I can!"
"You still got that Power Shard with you?" I asked Max.
"You know it," she said.
Cayce
July 12th, 2017
1:22 PM
Marin Headland, California
SF Spectre
As soon as we ran back inside to the control center after fighting back the Fallen outside, the first thing we did was come to James and Rose for a sitrep.
People in the room appeared to be acting more urgently than before. Must be aware of the whole Fallen situation that's befallen this base. At least now we got the guns back up and running to shoot the Fallen as well as some ConDef out of the sky.
We see the Ambers at the front of the room. Overlooking the airstrikes from the sky manifesting the Fallen for their descent. David told James about the guns being ready to take defense.
"Okay, the guns are already picking ConDef birds and Fallen strikes out of the sky," said David. "Where are we at?"
"On track," replied James. "The first bird is already loaded with everyone under sixteen."
"Commander, when should we leave?" Rose asked. "What's our best chance for survival?"
"James, what do you think? Are we ready?"
"Almost. We could go now, but there's no do-overs here."
"Agreed. We get one shot."
"And we don't want to leave anything behind that could strengthen Alkaline's cause."
"Or Ares's," I said.
James turned to his wife for reassurance, but there wasn't any time for it. A decision had to be made now when to leave.
"Your call," said James. Turning his head back to David.
"We go now," said David.
"You can begin the evacuation from the command terminal," said Rose.
"Got it."
David walked to the command terminal and activated the evacuation order. Opening the bulkhead doors to let the first chopper out of the base's hanger.
"Evacuation is go. Evacuation is go. Stand by for chopper launch."
The hangar doors had opened and the first chopper was now taking flight and prepped for take-off. But before the evac chopper could exit through, it was going to need protection from the guns.
"Have the guns punch a hole in the perimeter," said David. "Then launch chopper one."
The guns were reactivated and shot down the enemy birds invading the airspace. Then the first shuttle was away and up in the air as we watched it go from the windows.
"Chopper one is away."
The crowd in the room applauded and chanted at our first successful evac. But we still had a ton more civilians to get off this base away from the siege.
Everyone crowded towards David for their next orders.
"Alright, listen up!" He shouted. Gathering everyone's attention. "Everyone here head to the hangar bay and-"
A tremor was felt in the room that almost shook us off our feet. One caused by a Fallen airstrike. ConDef and the Fallen were close breaching the inner base.
"An unknown projectile took out one of our guns!" A technician at the control shouted. "It looks like-"
Suddenly, a window crashed. Letting a Fallen minion inside and screaming like animal. Causing people near the window to evasively jump out of the way and panic.
People were now running out of the room as Fallen came charging in. The five were gonna have to defend everyone but it would difficult with the crowd in our line of fire.
Not to mention the Ambers were still in the room. And James still could only walk with his crutch. Nevertheless, David ordered him and Rose to get everyone out so we would protect them from the reanimated figures.
"Get those people out of here!" David ordered.
"Everyone, clear the room!" Cage hollered. "Get to the hangar bay now!"
As the people in the control room hurriedly ran out in a panic and Rose urgently help her husband out, we lit up our guns on the attacking Fallen and shot them away without harming the innocents.
When the room was clear of Fallen, our troubles were just beginning.
"Hangar bay doors have been breached. Attention. Hangar bay doors have been breached."
"David!" James called on com. "Choppers are loaded! We need you at the landing area to make sure they get away! We'll meet you down there!"
"Understood, James," copied David. "We're coming to you quick! Find Lieutenant Major Heard! She'll help out!"
"We gotta get the fuck out of here, Captain," I said to Cage. "Like David said, the base is lost as it is now that Fallen have joined the party. We can't afford to lose the civilians either."
"Agreed," said Cage. "We have our orders from Penske and that's our top priority. So let's do our thing and get everyone out as expected. Double time it!"
Max
July 12th, 2017
9:19 AM
Olympus Range, Greece
Mount Olympus
When coming out of the cave and back into the cold outdoors, were to face another obstacle course of bullets. Only this time, bullets coming out of a fifty-caliber weapon that would chew up a Rhino's face off.
Someone was mounted on a machine gun turret ready to go full auto on our asses.
"Ah, fuck! Alex, watch the turret!" I warned.
Alex and I race for cover before the bullets cut us down. The last thing I enjoy about firefights are trigger happy gunners with the power of fifty caliber.
"Gotta take that thing out!" Alex hollered.
Come on, Max. You're the one with the superpower. Not Alex. You must think of something.
Then I come up with the idea of my time shield I could use to protect us from the enemy fire. And then maybe find a way to maneuver around the turret and take the gunner out.
I step out of cover and project my time shield in front of me. Then I think quickly to act my next and form my time shield into a blast. Pushing the gunner off the turret and slamming his body against the wall that takes him out.
Alex was free to step out of cover and advance forward with me with the gunner away from the picture. There were still more ConDef death squads running at us up front. Luckily, I was now free to control the turret for myself and flush them out.
I got on the turret and gave Alex some fire support.
"My turn now!" I gloated.
I lit up the gun and mowed through every last bastard of the front in my sights as if it were a shooter video game.
The last time I remember using a turret was when I raced across a road down to Rachel's safe lodge back in Oregon. Remember how these kinds of guns packed a ton of punch. More than they ever did in the movies. Must've felt good for Arnold in Terminator 2.
Our perimeter was cleansed of the Continuum Defense Front thank to my fifty Cal of fury. I got off the turret and followed Alex down the snowy path to Bryan's plane.
"Was it like this for you during that shooting at Blackwell and in Portland?!" Alex asked.
"No," I lied. "Well, kind of. Yeah, yes. Yes, definitely."
"Let's keep running. Don't stop!"
David
July 12th, 2017
1:29 PM
Marin Headland, California
SF Spectre
The hangar bay was a massacre. Fallen had already breached inside through the ventilation systems and rampaging like a stampede of zombies in a horror film.
Chrysalis soldiers unloaded every last bullet they had in the monster mash to protect the clamoring civilians screaming and running for their lives to their evac chopper. Fighting the Fallen was so much worse than fighting Taliban in Afghan, Neo-Chrysalis in Portland, and now ConDef in this war I've signed up for.
I could see soldiers and civvies getting eaten alive by Fallen like animals catching their prey. Soldiers getting pinned to the ground by the demons and locals crying for help seeing family members or friends getting slaughter by the demons as well.
As Flint had said earlier, this was no fantasy story. This was a war. In the real world where fairy tales come to life.
I was more worried about Victoria and her friends. People from Blackwell knew since my first day as a security cop to lose them in this slaughterhouse. Or worse, losing James and Rose in this just to ruin Rachel's world.
They once had to deal with the loss of Rachel themselves before anyone found out she was alive. As commander of Valor Team, I won't let their daughter share the same pain of loss and put their deaths on my conscience.
We did eventually spot Heard and the other half of team defending Victoria's group and escorting them safely to an evac chopper, but we couldn't reach them. Knowing a couple of Fallen wouldn't drop Mizz Heard to her knees, she was a skilled protector for the Berkeley students.
The five of us needed to Look for Heard and the rest of the team. It was hard to find anyone in the panicking crowd and clamoring troop shooting in every direction where the Fallen followed. Let alone actually shoot any Fallen past the civilians. Luckily, the unarmed innocents got behind the soldiers to be defended as they all ran to safety.
I shot a couple of Fallen myself just like the rest of the team and every other soldier before me. Fighting like hell in this hell.
"Mayday! Mayday!" Cage hollered over the com. "This is Captain Cage to HQ! We are under heavy resilience from Fallen forces! I say again! SF Spectre is under attack and requires immediate assistance to support our evac!"
But there was nothing but static to be heard on coms. Just when we unjammed communications with the sat antenna up on the roof. Must be the Fallen's doing this time.
"Fuck! Coms are down again!" Cage snapped. "Everyone, keep those alien demons away from the civvies and Senator Amber! And someone get those doors open now!"
"We need to clear the hangar bay first so we can bring the doors up!" I shouted to my captain. "Then get out to the landing pad to make a last resort!"
"What are ya looking at me for, Commander?! The four of you, do your job!"
"Yes, sir!" Kristine prevailed.
All of us used every last round and bullet on every last Fallen aimed at the aim and sights of our guns. Meanwhile, civilians were all being rounded up in the choppers in time before anyone else could get caught in the bloodbath. Even we did just take a few civilian casualties before everyone could make it.
Once all the civilians were safely on board their chopper and the horde of Fallen was clear, it was time for the bulkhead hanger bay door to open. Every evac chopper turned their engines and propellers on to initiate the evacuation and take flight to the Oregon.
"James, bring up the main door!" I ordered.
"Got it, David," responded James. "Will do."
"Okay, let's get these people out of here."
James had taken the controls of the doors someplace in the hanger. Assuming Rose had to help him get their quicker since he could only get there with his crutch.
The hangar bay doors were now opening and the five of us ran outside with other assault troops to defend the base from outside and form a perimeter at the supply depot up front. More Fallen forces were bucketing down from the sky in fireballs and we freed our weapons on them.
Heard and the other half of Valor were still inside boarding civvies. Probably still helping Victoria's gang on board a chopper. I know Newblood has family in her group who's become her love interest. Wouldn't be surprising if they still were doing their duty.
Oddly enough, there didn't appear to be anymore ConDef forces being haloed in. Only Fallen. I still didn't get why and how they were manifesting themselves just now? Was this Ares's doing? Are him and the Fallen working with Alkaline and ConDef?
The first few evac choppers were now taking off and flying past us. Avoiding any contact with Fallen airstrikes since we still had one other AA gun still online. The guns' accuracy wasn't the finest, but enough to live up to their task.
"More Fallen airstrikes inbound!" Cayce warned.
"I have visual!" Kristine shouted.
As our squadron was culling down more of the Fallen threat, at least four choppers were away. Successfully evacuating four dozen of the civvies or more. All that were left to evacuate was Victoria's group and James's political party we rescued back at City Hall.
"James, come in," I said on my com. "What's your status?"
"David, the base is overrun!" James shouted on com. "We got those…things all over the place! Every that got slaughtered by them are turning into those monsters!"
"Two more choppers of refugees to go, right?"
"Affirmative. Me, my wife, my campaign group, and those Berkeley students who I think I recognize from Blackwell."
"We got this! Just need to hold them a little longer!"
"Assuming we can hold them a little longer!" Flint shouted.
"Madsen…this… - Lynch! We – round the base – support! We're…"
"Lynch, is that you?" I asked on com. "Come in!"
The signal was weak. I knew the voice on com infected with static belonged to Lynch and must be open to more air support. To bad coms were still being jammed from the Fallen activity. They likely knocked down out com dish at the base too.
"We're…coming – to…"
"Dammit, if that's Lynch open to more fire support with her squad, guess we'll have to be the support for now."
At least shot distant communications weren't as weak as long distance like contacting HQ or Scar Squad. Otherwise, this evac wouldn't be as successful as it's been so far and James wouldn't be able to walk us through.
The second to last chopper now flew above us. Had to be the one carry Victoria's group and the second half of Valor. And it was.
"Cage, Madsen, it's Heard. We've just boarded our Seahawk and on our way to Oregon. We'll take care of the kids inside."
"Happy Trails, Lieutenant Major," copied Cage. "We'll get on our bird and be joining you shortly."
"By the way, Major," I said. "Tell Victoria and her friend their former security chief saved their lives today. Victoria will be the one in the beach tank-top and short blonde hair."
"Understood. Commander Madsen sends his regards."
"David, heads up!" James warned. "This place is overrun! We gotta go! Headed to you with the chopper right now!"
"Understood," I replied. "Just hang tight! We'll clear you an LZ!"
When clearing a landing zone for James, we heard a screeching roar from a distance. It was heard from above us and the strange creature noises we close to the base.
It was the sound of an animal no one sees every day. An animal that could've been the possible unidentified flying object HQ spoke about. And it was coming for us.
We could see the flying creature from at least thirty feet away. It had wings bigger than the size of AC-130 gunship wings. A head with horns sharper than Satan's. And a mouth opening wider and roaring louder than a T-Rex.
I could only believe this creature when I saw it. And as much as I wanted to believe I've gone coo-coo, this creature was dragon. Which was now charging down at us like an eagle.
"Incoming!" I hollered.
All of us took evasive action as the dragon opened its ferocious mouth and shot a blue flame out of it's throat.
Although the five of us in Valor Team ran for cover successfully, the other pair of Chrysalis riflemen were scorched alive in the breath of fire. If a Dungeons and Dragons game or Lord of the Rings novel has taught me anything, this vile beast wasn't your children's Puff the Magic Dragon fantasy. It was a flying killing machine that can burn hundreds in one exhale of flame.
I witness the soldiers before me burn into crispy skeletons like charcoal in a grill. Another horror of this war I just had to bear witness to.
We see the dragon flying back up. Willing to take another strike at the base.
"What the fuck was that?!" Cage yelled.
"It was...it was…a dragon, Captain," whaled Flint. "This must be a fantasy story after all!"
"There goes our UFO HQ talked about!" Cayce snapped.
"And there goes our men that just got burned alive into charred carcasses!" I snapped. "Where the fuck did this thing come from?!"
Kristine scoped the dragon in the air with her sniper crosshairs. Observing the creature and taking a glimpse of someone mounted on the flying beast itself.
"Commander, there someone riding on that thing!" Kris warned. "I think it's him! I think it's-"
Before Kris could finish her thought, another roar was heard from the dragon. And this time it was coming for a landing on the helipad in front of the depot.
The dragon landed his ginormous feet to the ground as it was dropping of it's rider. Who had been the demented figure we had seen earlier on the com monitor. The one jammed Penske's and Alkaline's broadcast for his own.
Ares the god of war. As he called himself on screen. The one referred to us as vermin.
The godly figure leaped off his mount from the dragon and walked forward to us gradually.
I tried shooting at Ares himself, but bullets only deflected from him like titanium. My clip ran out and I fire my grenade launcher attachment on him instead. Only for him to catch the grenade with his bare hand and crush it like a breakable vase. It was no use engaging him with a standard weapon.
Then a telepathic force pulls me out of cover and directly in front of the eyes and path of Ares. I fumble to the floor and steadily lift myself up to my feet.
And there I was. Face to face with the so-called god of war himself.
"Human," said Ares in a devilish voice. "Mortal. Male. You mortal invertebrates run a fool's errand to persist in a war you cannot win. And yet you keep fighting. To be perished towards an unavoidable fate grimmer than death. Continued by many. Thwarted by less."
As the war god himself monologued, my team hid behind cover silently. Wanting to intervene, but not recklessly.
Ares appeared to wear a strange golden glove in his hand. One lit with a yellow light on his one knuckle and an orange light on his rear palm. As well as a sword sheeted behind his back.
Of course, there the helmet and armor he was wearing from when we last saw him on screen. Looks to be any god of war I've ever seen.
"You primitives must know where it is," continued Ares. "I know you have it. Tell me. Where is the Space Shard?"
"I don't know who you are or what you are or where you came from," I begin. "But I've never heard of whatever your looking for."
"The Space Shard. The shard your adversaries once used to unleash Elysium cycles ago. Until it was foiled by your traveler! Tell me where it is or you will burn like your allies!"
A telepathic force raised me off my feet again and now I was suffocating by Ares's power. Raising his hand to use it like Darth Vader.
I held my throat as I was being choked to death. Cayce tried to intervene, but Kristine halted him.
"Don't!" She warned. Holding his shoulder.
As I was being interrogated and asphyxiated to death, Ares telepathically reeled me in closer. Demanding an answer for my life.
Shard used to unleash Elysium? Foiled by our traveler? Whatever this hellish being talked of, he was asking the wrong man with that knowledge.
All knew about Elysium was the special project Chrysalis conducted years back in Portland under that name. Shown at an expo I went to with Joyce, Chloe, and Max. Could this shard be linked to that? To what I never knew about Chrysalis.
"The answer hangs at the tip of your last breath, primitive!" Ares snarled. "Tell me where my shard is or else!"
"Your asking the wrong guy in Chrysalis!" I answered. Struggling for my breath. "All I know about Elysium is the special project under that title. Nothing more. No knowledge of a shard."
Ares reach for the grip of his sword and pulled it out of his sheath. Reeling me in closer and holding the tip of the sword to my neck.
"Why are you doing this?" I said. Still being choked the life out of me. "You think this is fun?!"
"Fun isn't something one considers when balancing the universe," replied Ares. "But this…does put a smile on my face."
I heard the noise of harriers flying in. Once again, the Calvary has arrived in the nick of time.
Lynch just so happened to fly in with her squad to target the dragon overlooking Ares threatening my life for answers to fire a missile towards it and piss it off.
Her fighter launched its missiles and hits their target. The dragon took a beating with the missiles and reacted with a loud shriek. Using it's wing to dust off the smoke from the missiles. But not a scratch made from the strike.
"Take that you Dracarys son of a bitch!" Lynch muttered.
The dragon roars at the squad of fighters that whooshed by. When Ares reacted to the missile strikes and harrier reinforcements, he threw me to the side as I fell on my hip again.
Cayce and the others ran to help me up. Given the appropriate opportunity to assist their commander.
Ares glanced over at Lynch's squadron flying by like a heard of falcons. Then something else caught his attention. Or rather his mind.
His mind was telling him what he needed, where it was, and who had it. It was not the Space Shard. But rather a different shard far from where Ares had searched.
"The Power Shard," thought Ares. "The traveler has it."
Ares leaped back onto his pet dragon and started taking flight with it again. The dragon raised itself off the helipad it landed on to take Ares to wherever this traveler had and where he or she was.
As the Dragon flew higher back into the air, it and Ares formed an object in the sky they flew right through like a magic hole. A portal perhaps?
When the portal was gone and Ares and the dragon was out of sight, Lynch and her squad made their last run around the base before they departed.
"Your all clear, Valor," said Lynch. "Now bring the senator home so we could all go home!"
"Thanks again, Lynch," I said. "Now fall back to the Oregon with your squad. You know the orders from Penske and I'm sure you've heard them."
"Acknowledged, Madsen. Scar Squad, on me!"
As Scar Squad switched their course back to the Oregon, it was time to notify James of his cleared way.
"James, landing area is cleared!" I said.
"This place is crawling!" James cried. "Bringing the Seahawk to you!"
"Roger that!"
James's Seahawk flew straight out of the hangar behind us. Past the fire that burned down the rest of the soldiers. The took to landing on the helipad Ares's dragon had landed on.
The five of us race for the chopper. The hatch behind the bird opened. Revealing James and Rose inside as the two of them called for us to get in.
Meanwhile, the horde of Fallen was still rising. Reanimated soldiers and some refugees turned Fallen running out of the hanger bay like a zombie movie.
To add more pressure to the injury, a brutish creature came charger through the horde. Plowing through the herd of Fallen like an angry gorilla and roaring and drumming its tits down with it's fist like one too.
I may have seen one pin down Max back during the battle of Portland before, but I knew the familiarity of it when I saw it. It was a brute Fallen in the flesh.
I reloaded another mag into my rifle and fired a few rounds at some of the regular Fallen in the pack. And before my feet could touch the chopper, the brute fired a burning projectile out of it's mouth towards me as it hit ground.
When the projectile nearly hit me on impact, I fumble off my feet again. Not knowing these brutes could shoot fire balls too. But well knowing that one of these days I was going to get my legs blown off by karma. Crippling me in the line of duty.
Cayce and Kristine ran back to get me and help me up. Cage cover me to shoot some incoming Fallen nearing the chopper. Even firing a bullet into a flammable canister to stun the brute from standing next to it and get its face on fire with gasoline.
At last, we were all on the chopper and prepared for take-off.
And finally, as the Seahawk's hatch closed behind us, we were now all airborne with the senator and wife. Setting course for the Oregon away from the fallen SF Spectre. Leaving the Fallen horde in dust.
Max
July 12th, 2017
9:26 AM
Olympus Range, Greece
Mount Olympus
The two of us kept pushing forward across the infrastructure up on the mountain. Fighting more ConDef assault troopers in our path.
We had seen Bryan's plane fly past us. Flying over to the closest pickup zone he could find for us as he watched us fend off Alkaline's men.
Snow was beginning to poor down on us a bit more rapidly. Making it harder to shoot our targets from cover to cover. And Uncle Bryan said there wouldn't be so bad of whether this time of year in Greece.
"God, didn't Dad say the weather is lovely this time of year?!" Alex muttered. "I can't see shit!"
"Just keep heading down until we hit the water!" I told my cousin.
Once we reached the end of the infrastructure, there was two paths we could take. The lower platform or the high bridge to get to Bryan's plane that would parked in the water.
X/SQUARE/LM – LOWER PLATFORM
B/CIRCLE/RM – HIGH BRIDGE
"Alex, take the lower platform!" I told her. "I got the high bridge!"
"I hope I got the right path here!" Alex said.
"Hey, I hope we both do!"
Alex walked down the steps to the lower platform as I ran across the high bridge. Just to confront more ConDef in front of me. Luckily, I didn't have to face them alone.
Bryan's had flown in and little did I know the plane was armed with hidden guns that was now equipped and ready. The mini guns on the plane lit up and fired its bullets at the soldiers on the bridge like a World War I fighter.
The bridge was all clear and I was free to run across without any shooting to do of my own. As Bryan's plane flew away and resumed course to our LZ.
"Wowser, Bryan!" I exclaimed. "You didn't tell you had guns on the plane!"
"Well I do now, Max," said Bryan. "Made some modifications myself. Now you get your ass to water I'll pick you up! Your almost there!"
"Will do!"
"Max, there's a rockslide to where I'm standing," said Alex on her radio. "That may be our only way do to Dad's plane."
"Very well, Alex," I said. "I love sliding down rockslides."
Before I could run any further, the end of the bridge was collapsing. Crumbling apart and tumbling down to Alex's ground. Form gap in the bridge and no way across.
The bridge broke up at least ten feet apart into the gap I made. No one in the right mind including me would jump across that far.
"Max, what happened?" Alex asked. "The bridge just fell apart. How did that happen?!"
"I don't know!" I snapped. "How do I get out of this?!"
"You don't," said a loud voice behind me.
I turn around to see my nightmare come true.
There he stood. In front of a dragon. I kid you not. A fucking dragon in my face! It sure as hell wasn't Drogon from Game of Thrones. Nor was it the Smaug from The Hobbit. It was real time fucking dragon behind the figure I had seen in the nightmare I had on the flight to Vancouver.
It was him. I knew those bedeviling features. The helmet, the armor, and now a strange glove-like accessory with glowing orange and yellow lights on the rear palm and knuckle along with a sword sheathed behind his back.
I knew who he was. And I knew who he was the god of. And I knew who he wanted. And my jaw is dropped with no words to speak about it.
"Ha. So…a girl?" Ares thought. "Eons of hunting down the next traveler. And they chose a girl to challenge me?"
"You," I said.
The god of war himself takes a few steps forward to me as my jaw drop lower and lower the closer he gets. Ares himself was wearing some strange golden glove in his hand. One glowing with yellow and orange lights.
The Mind and Soul shards! He was wearing the Eternity Gauntlet in his hands. And now he's come for the Power Shard in my hands.
The war god continues his approach on me as his dragon overlooks the immortal speaking to the mortal. My heart is racing and my bottom is stinging.
"Do not look at me, traveler!" Ares snarls.
I pushed back with a telepathic force from Ares and my body fumbles like a rug on the floor. Ares advances his feet again to where I lay.
For all I knew, Ares was the one who put the bridge out telepathically.
"So…you're the one they call Maxine," said Ares. "Or is it Max as you prefer? The spirits were foolish to chose you. You are weak! Undisciplined! Cowering behind barriers! Using your powers to erase the turmoil around you. You're not brave. You've merely forgotten the fear of failure. The fear of death. Allow me to reacquaint you."
Ares swings his brutish fist and strikes me into an uppercut as I had begun to pick myself up. Flying across the bridge and sliding down near the edge. Nearly falling off the chasm that had broken apart.
I stare down at the chasm. Spotting the rockslide Alex mentioned. Then I see Alex herself by the rockslide getting ready to slide down herself.
I also spot Bryan's plane already parked in the cold water next to the bottom the slide. Alex looks up to see me at the edge of the chasm as I looked down back at her. With Ares closing in to make his final blow. And his dragon creeping down on the bridge behind him.
Then suddenly, Ares used his telepathic power to pull the Power Shard out of my pocket. It flew right out of my pocket as I raised my hand back for it in shock.
"No!" I cried.
The shard hooked onto Ares's grasp and placed the purple jewel into an empty knuckle. Assembling it next to the Mind Shard. Now acquiring three Eternity Shards on his gauntlet. With no way to bring it back to me.
"You've never earned the power you were given," said Ares. "I am Ares. And the Power Shard…is mine."
Ares touched his boot against me and pushed me over the edge like rubble. I now fall through the chasm and towards Alex's ground.
"Max!" Alex cried out.
Before I hit the ground to fatal fall, Alex breaks my fall preventing my plummeting death as I collided onto her. Causing each other to down one another.
"Girls, they're shooting up my plane!" Bryan called out. "Hurry the fuck up or your ride's gonna sink!"
The two of us quickly up ourselves and get ready to slide down the rockslide in front of us.
"Okay, here we go," I said nervously. "Get ready!"
"Ah, this is gonna suck!" Alex whined.
We make a jump onto the rockslide as we slide across the rough surface and through the snowy winds. I can feel my pants scrapping through the rocky slide on my own ass.
We saw soldier between the slide standing ground on the cliffs taking aim at the plane and now taking aim at us once they spotted us.
Avoiding the bullets across the slide, we reach to the bottom and jump into the ice, cold sea water. Taking a dive into it and holding my breath into the salty liquid.
I swim my head back to the surface for air and gasp for it. Feeling the chills of the low temperature water below my life expectancy. The longer Alex and I swam in this water, the more hypothermic we were going to get.
The two of us hurriedly swim back to the plane as I dipped my arms back and forth like they taught me in my swimming classes. Holler over to Bryan as I do.
"Ah! Bryan, get her going!" I cried.
The plane was still being rattled with bullet, but the of us make it to the plane anyhow. I step inside through the hatch and take Alex hand to pull her out of the hypothermia happy water.
"Go! Go!" I yell to my uncle in the cockpit.
Bryan get the engines and propellers running to take the plane out of the water as close down the hatch to conceal ourselves to safety. Flying away from the bullet and off the sea.
With the three of us now airborne, our plane flew above the ocean like a seagull. Considering ourselves a mission completion. Except it wasn't so much a completion without the Power Shard with us.
That which is now with Ares.
David
July 12th, 2017
1:42 PM
Californian Airspace
Gulf of the Farallones
"Out by the skin of our teeth again," said James. "Hey, David?"
We were now on board the Seahawk with the Ambers and their political party we rescued from City Hall. Making ourselves comfortable while setting course back to the first fleet across the Gulf of the Farallones.
"Nice to see you making it in one piece," I said. "Even with a piece or two missing from your injuries."
"Yeah, feels good," said James.
"I was afraid we wouldn't get anyone out alive," said Rose. "But because of you, we got almost everyone. Thank you."
"Rose, I have request," I said. "One you can't afford to turn down. Admiral Penske request any in all intel on ConDef you or James might have that could deal a great advantage against them."
"Without a doubt. I'm at your service. And I'm sure you can count on my husband as well."
"You too, James. I need you."
"Of course," replied James. "The only reason you've come after us to start with. I'm still worried about, Rachel. I've lost my daughter once, I won't lose her again in this war."
"I heard about her show in Vancouver. I don't believe ConDef will be hitting there."
"If they do, I just hope her and Frank can find a refuge. Looking for the families of San Fran and my own is important to me. It's where I'm at right now. I hope you can see that."
"Keep them safe then. Chrysalis will give them all the help they can offer at the sanctuary on the Oregon."
"You got it."
"Alrighty then," said Cage. "Time to report to HQ and inform Admiral Penske of our success."
"You know, David," said Rose. "I never thought you'd be joining the corps. Just feel better knowing you're on our side."
"Thanks," I said.
"David, when this mess is over," said James. "Drinks are on me. Be safe out there."
"HQ, this is Captain Cage reporting in. Do you read us now?"
"Loud and clear, Captain. Your signal's unjammed and coms are returning to norm."
"We've got Senator Amber and his report group on board safely. Setting course back to the first fleet."
"Good work, Valor. Refugee choppers and Scar Squadron are on route back to the fleet. We'll be lending those civilians sanctuary on the Oregon as we speak. HQ out."
I look down on myself thinking about what I had just witness down there back at the base. Let alone the secrets I heard from Ares. I knew I couldn't just let them out of my mind.
"Something on your mind, David?" Kristine asked. "You look troubled."
"What the fuck did we just see down there?" I thought.
"Yeah, my sentiments precisely," said Cayce. "Ares? A fucking dragon? Was any of that real?! Does that explain why we had seen Fallen?"
"We should be asking, what's this Space Shard he spoke of down there?" I asked them. "And what does it got to do with Project Elysium? We're missing something here we don't know about. Something Chrysalis may have kept from us that Ares threatened to interrogate me about!"
"I guess we'll have to ask Penske to find out," said Cayce.
"My family and I were caught in the Portland incident," said Flint. "I used to have nightmares about those Fallen things after Triple 4."
"Shit, I still do," admitted Cayce.
Max
July 12th, 2017
9:45 AM
Greek Airspace
Aegean Sea
My cousin and I remove our wet and cold winter jackets of us to dry ourselves off on Bryan's plane. The two of us take some towels on board to dry our shirts and pants and warm ourselves up form swimming in the cold sea water.
The three of us on the plane were flying thirty thousand feet above sea level over the clouds and above the Aegean Sea. I wrapped my towel around my shoulders, handed over Alex her towel, and sat in the co-pilot's seat in the cockpit next to Bryan who flying the plane with the throttle in his hands. Still wearing his brown fur jacket for warm clothing.
After learning a conspicuous revelation about my family bloodline's relationship with the Herd of Whales and now just confronting Ares and his pet dragon, I stared at my uncle wanting answers from him. Instead, I played it casually for the moment being.
"Well that was a close one, huh?" I asked my uncle.
Bryan shook his head.
"They shot up my goddamn plane, Max!" He scolded.
"We're fine, thanks," said Alex.
"How soon can you get us to Rome?" I asked Bryan.
"No shard then," said Bryan.
"Oh, there was a shard. Except that Alkaline ambushed us at the site where it was and now Ares has it."
Bryan scratched his head. Learning about our failure from me.
"Well have only three Eternity Shards is better than having six," said Alex.
"I hate to put you two down," said Bryan. "But if you let Ares get his fingers on the Power Shard, we're really not off to a good start. And you think the one of the other shards is in Rome?"
"There was chamber back there where the Power Shard was with a giant map of Italy on the floor," I said. "Pinpointing to Rome. So yeah. It's probably there. Correct me if I'm wrong, but according the cartographer, it has to be where the Reality Shard is."
"This is beginning to smell a whole lot like wild goose, Max," said Bryan.
"Look, the Power Shard wasn't the only thing we found in Greece, okay?"
"Then what was the point of all that, huh?" Alex asked. "Of the Power Shard?"
"Look, it's like I said. It's like Lahkesis said. Ezra was recruiting people. Arthur was recruiting people. The shard was an invitation. The caves were just some sort of...initiation."
"Oh, so we passed, huh?" Alex thought. "Congrats, Dad. We get swords and knight armor now."
"I don't get it," said Bryan. "Why the hell would they go to all that bother just to weed people out?"
"To protect themselves. Look, Ezra was the most wanted man by the Germans in the war at that time. He had to enlist people that he could trust in order to keep their journey to the ark secret. Same was applied to Arthur's journey also. The great journey as they called it."
"What do you mean 'their' journey?" Alex questioned.
"Just – think about this. Jeremiah Blackwell was a successful founding father in his own right. What would he possibly stand to gain from joining Ezra? What would Merlin gain from joining Arthur? I think Arthur and Ezra sent out shards only to the other wealthy knights and adventurers like themselves. Hence the Saint Loomis order and the Herd of Whales. What if they pooled and hid all the shards together?"
"And what about this Mantle of Possibility you and Lahkesis brought up earlier?" Alex asked. "You said in that chamber that it was it. How was that it?"
"Well the mantle wasn't just a prophesy told by the gods, Alex. It was a testament written by the followers of Saint Loomis. One that the Knights of Loomis sore to prolong. And one that only a traveler can wield if a traveler were to bring balance to continuum with the Ark of Genesis. Which would be me. The only leaving and breathing human being worthy of the Mantle of Possibility alone."
"Ho, ho, holy shit," said Bryan. "Okay, so where exactly in Italy are we going again?"
"Rome," said Alex. "It was an old knight haven back in Arthur's time."
"I know it well. It's a big place. Anything more specific?"
"Well, that map chamber completely caved in. So, you know…"
I chuckled at Alex's words.
"What are you laughing about?" She asked.
"The people who survived the caves," I said. "The recruits. What's the one thing they would've left with?"
I pulled out Ezra's journal out of my bag opened the pages of where Alex needed to see the answer. I tossed the journal over to her so she would see the pages.
The pages showed her sketches of the Colosseum in Rome and of Camelot. Our next target sites for the great journey.
"There's the Roman Colosseum and the castle of Camelot on this," said Alex.
"Huh, and there's a colosseum and Camelot castle near Rome," said Bryan. "Which means we need to get a move on."
"It also means we need to find Rachel and the others too in Italy," I said. "And tell them that – holy shit! If ConDef was here, that means…"
"It means that there's a good chance they're likely to be in Rome as well," said Alex. Finishing my thought. "If we're gonna meat up with them and tell them what we found in Greece, we've gotta do it fast!"
I take a breath of silence for a second or two. Praying for the best Rachel, Frank, Fernando, and Kristen are okay and yet fearing for the worst that they're not.
I still had answers to get from Bryan. About how my family's lineage is attached to the secret society ran by the Prescott bloodline.
"Bryan, I have question to ask from that's important for me to know the answer to," I said to him.
"Ask away," he replied.
"How are the Caulfield's related to the Herd of Whales?"
World Gone Mad – Bastille
Valor Team arrives safely back on the Oregon. Along with the Lynch and Scar Squadron, the Ambers and their party, and the other half of Valor Team who get off board from another chopper with Victoria's group.
Many civilian evacuation choppers make it back a safely as they all took a landing on the flight deck of the Oregon. David and his team hop out of their birds and take a breath of fresh air on the deck of the aircraft ship they land on. Glancing at the sunset after long mission's end that last for almost four hours.
Even with SF Spectre fallen, James Amber had risen to a safe place thanks to Valor Team and their bravery making it possible.
On the Oregon, David met up back with Joyce and the Caulfields at the sanctuary. Joyce hugged her husband for his safe return and David checked on Ryan and Vanessa again. Assuring the safety of the parents of Max Caulfield.
Ryan's leg was feeling better, but still needed to wear his cast around his foot for healing. He was at least able to move his foot around better than before.
Victoria and her friends were safely escorted to the sanctuary and given some bunk beds, shelter, and everything else the college kids needed to be made comfortable on the refugee deck.
Kristine went over to Hayden to check on his arm and give him a proper casting for his wound. As a medic of her team, Hayden was treated with the proper recovery kits and antibiotics to disinfect his wound.
Victoria made herself at home at her new refugee tent. With her boyfriend Freddy and her college friends Taylor, Courtney, Dana, Juliet, and Hayden.
James walked with his wife Rose down to the bridge and met with Admiral Penske and Captain Harvest in the CIC room. Still walking with crutch needed for his right hand.
The senator and wife shook hands with the Admiral and Captain of the crew. Honored to meet with one another and be relieved of their safety. Offering the two Chrysalis leaders intel about ConDef in return of the mission accomplished.
In the locker rooms of the crew deck, Cayce hit the showers and stepped out wash himself dry with a towel unclothed. Staring at a mirror as he did.
Cage was also at the locker room too. Sitting down on a porch and staring at a picture of his late family. Lost to the Arcadia storm four years earlier. Missing them as much as he missed his opportunity of retirement.
As long the team he led stood, it was the only thing close to family he'll ever have. Much as his closest second in command David Madsen.
In Cambridge, Massachusetts near Boston, Warren Graham and Brooke Scott made it to the MIT on the bus they rode to get there. With all the other college science students from Denver, Colorado who came with them.
Even with the states at risk of the war, Warren and Brooke were still hoping to pass their internship to be transferred to the MIT and continue their future there. The two gave each other a smile of confidence as they lined up for the tour around the institution.
In Caldwell, Idaho near Nampa and Boise, Kate Marsh sat on bench in a chapel close to her home. Dressed in her nun uniform and saying her prayers to God for the safety of her home and her family from the war beyond.
Allowing the lord her guidance to self-preservation. Hearing Kate's voice with a message from to lord herself.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. A quote from the Christian bible as her message of safety.
In Rome, Italy, Rachel and her companions Frank, Kristen, and Fernando get table as an Italian sit-down restaurant to have some Italian food on their mission to find site of the Reality Shard somewhere in the city. Although going to Europe was never Rachel and Frank's taste for vacation, it was a treat for them anyhow.
As the four of Max and Alex's companions were analyzing the clues the had found thus far, Rachel received to text message from her dad. She took her phone out to read it.
Dad: We made it out of San Fran.
Dad: Your mom and I are safe on the Oregon
Dad: Thanks to David and his team.
No matter how much Rachel was still angry with her father, even though he was forgiven by her, she was relieved of the good news that her only parents were alive and had survived the ConDef attack in San Fran. A light smile on her face ensured that.
Back in Portland, Chloe had been packing a few things with her for any in all evacuation occurrences in the city. Since the city she and her roommate lived near was a Chrysalis stronghold as well. Where ConDef may strike the town the way Neo-Chrysalis had three years ago during the Triple 4 attack.
Chloe collapsed herself on her bed in the bedroom where she had been packing the essentials in her luggage bag. Taking a breather from packing and still waiting for more news from Max about the Vancouver job. Which Max had lied to her about for over a week now.
Unaware of Max's secretly unexpected journey, Chloe took her e-sig out for smoke. Taking a puff from it as her head laid against her pillow. Like she had smoking dope in the bedroom of her old home in Arcadia Bay.
Back in Greece, on Mount Olympus, Ares and his domesticated dragon stood on a cliffside shoring the Aegean Sea. Having acquired three Eternity Shards for his Eternity Gauntlet successfully.
Joanna and Alkaline with their ConDef lieutenant walked over to Ares and his dragon on the cliffside. Willing to report to him diplomatically about their situation in search of the Power Shard.
Ares turned to his two advocates and their lieutenant. Showing the two he had already assembled the Power Shard for himself along with the Mind and Soul shards. Three down. Three more to go.
The Eternity war was far from over. But today, Chrysalis will live to fight another day. And Max Caulfield will be the traveler to win this war once and for all.
Perhaps she will.
End of Episode 2!
Note: And that concludes this episode of Eternity War! Hoping I would've gotten this posted in time for Easter/April Fools two day ago, I wish you all a Happy Easter and April Fools Day though I'm too late to say! I'm in college and have been busier in my life than I've ever been in. I'm sure you all understand if you're in college like me or have been or about to. It's been a good ride with this story so far and it's been hella fun writing this episode! As it has been hella challenging writing it all too!
As promised before, I must shift gears back to The Lost Daughter with only the second episode half written. Even though I'm not as thrilled to write that story as much as this one, a writer's gotta do what a writer's gotta do. A writer's decision to be made final.
I must announce to all you LIS fans unaware that we're finally getting comic series for the franchise for the extended universe we all deserve! At last, we may have answers to the plot holes left blank in the games of the series we've been given thus far!
Will Max and Alex uncover the truth about their family's secret history? Will David and Cayce win the war with Chrysalis on the front line? Tune in next time for Episode 3: The Great Journey to find out!
Until next, stay tuned and golden!
Life Is Strange Eternity War
Episode 2: Herd of Whales
Voice Cast
Max Caulfield… …Hannah Telle
Alex Caulfield… …Fryda Wolff
Chloe Price… …Ashly Burch
Rachel Amber… …Erin Yvette
David Madsen… …Don McManus
Cayce Foley… …Christopher Emerson
Joyce Price… …Cissy Jones
Kristine Prescott… …Laura Bailey
Frank Bowers… …Daniel Bonjour
Fernando Rojas… …Freddy Prinze, Jr.
Kristen West… …Kelley Crowder
Ryan Caulfield… …Adam Harrington
Vanessa Caulfield… …Misty Lee
Bryan Caulfield… …Brandon Keener
Victoria Chase… …Dani Knights
Freddy Mayne… …Daniel Kendrick
Cpt. Clayton Cage… …Chris Fries
Lt. Jeb Mason… …Charles Parnell
Sgt. Andrew Newblood… …Nick Boulton
Sgt. Carlos Logos… …Alex Hernandez
Lt. Maj. Cheryl Heard… …Cindy Robinson
Lt. Amanda Lynch… …Emily O'Brien
Pvt. Flint Wheeler… …Jeff Schine
James Amber… …Patrick Finnerty
Rose Amber… …Kelly Handcock
Cpt. Adam Harvest… …Gideon Emery
Elias Alkaline… …Simon Templeman
Adm. Gavin Penske… …Ron Perlman
Joanna Prescott… …Jennifer Hale
Congressman Anders… …Brian Sommers
King Arthur… …Robin Atkin Downes
Ebert Roland… …Derek Phillips
Lahkesis… …Christine Dunford
Ares… …Neil Kaplan
Written and Edited by
WickDaLine
Based on the Characters by
Christian Divine
Music by
Henry Jackman
Daughter
Soundtrack
Voices – Daughter
Witches - Daughter
Time of My Life – Pitbull & Neo
World Gone Mad – Bastille
Special Thanks
DONTNOD
Deck Nine
Square Enix
Christine Divine
Hannah Telle
Ashly Burch
Michel Koch
Luc Baghadoust
Zak Gariss
Daughter
tur1823
Xemtlenc
Stargazing Writer
and you!
Disclaimer
I do not own anything! This is a fan written work of fiction. All rights belong to DONTNOD, Deck Nine, and Square Enix. Thank you.
Next time on Life Is Strange Eternity War…
Max races across the streets of Rome in her stolen ConDef jeep. Rachel races behind Max's jeep in her stolen bike. Chasing down the jeep holding Alex captive. As a turret gun on the jeep is about to unload on Max and Rachel.
David holds his gun steadily in the dark with his flashlight on. Scanning the dark chapel before. Ready for anything to jump at him. When he hears a noise, he immediately turns his gun and light in the direction he heard it. With his finger on the trigger.