Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)
Opening Files: Base Epsileon
One of the many ancient settlements from the Forgotten Age.
Base Epsileon has much that is unknown about it, but one thing that is clear is that it has somehow survived the eons intact, despite logic and the intense processes of nature ensuring it should be dust by now. Theories range widely as to how this is possible - ranging from the more mundane such as being built out of an extraterrestrial material, to the more absurd such as the base being part of an extradimensional armed force - but all respective archaeological fields and experts, including the Secret Saturdays, agree that this base is truly one of a kind in how it was able to withstand the ravages of time.
Some speculate as to what the base really contains, but because of how old it is and the decay which eroded most of the relics into nothing but fossils, there is very little to give true evidence of its age and purpose. Not even the interior holds many clues; just ancient pictograms depicting an ancient war that raged for years before the base was taken down. Ancient hieroglyphics have been found and painstakingly translated, but much of the unknown language has been lost, so what few runes remain are impossible to decipher.
Further study of the base is required.
Close File
"Ruins. Many people are intrigued as to how the ancient worlds lived and thrived, as well as fell. But sometimes ruins often have secrets. And sometimes those secrets are not meant to be found by mere mortals," TOM explained as he closed down the Base Epsileon file. "There are many ruins scattered across dimensions, and even across the universe as a whole."
He tapped a button on his chair's right arm rest and a screen flashed into existence, showing a ruined city beneath the waves. "Like the original town of Crystal Cove in one universe. It was left in ruins because of supernatural events that took place long before the core series." TOM leaned back as the image then changed to show a city filled with bustling people as it continued to exist within a cavern beneath the Earth's surface. "Or Atlantis in another timeline, which still thrived because of the Heart of Atlantis."
As the image changed once more, it showed this time the ruins of Outpost Prima. "Or the colony of Outpost Prima in this timeline. Many people seek to find ruins to learn about the ancient past and to try to understand their ancient ancestors. But what if they can't find much? That leaves many mysteries to be solved by later generations. And what of you? Will you be one of those to find the next big mystery of the ancient world? Or will you be one of those found by an advanced future generation of archaeologists? It's all up to you. What kind of an impact will you leave?"
(The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses)
Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)
(The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black)
In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer)
It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black)
When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing)
Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall)
Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising
Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background)
Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand)
When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black)
We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera)
Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera)
Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them)
Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness)
Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness)
We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance)
And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end)
Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm)
Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera)
Through the darkness shining the neverending light (The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color)
On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke)
And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies)
The cries of war will sound the day (The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly)
We stand before the dawn of a new world (The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean)
On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town)
Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists)
We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair)
And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols)
Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand)
Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke)
Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull)
Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground)
Through the darkness shining the neverending light (A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red)
On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen)
And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it)
The cries of war will sound the day (The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera)
We stand before the dawn of a new world (The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains)
We stand before the dawn of a new world... (The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon)
GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING
Arc II: Interlude Stage - Part III
I stared in shock at the shape lying on the floor in front of the pod.
The shape turned out to be a wolf-like being, but in no way a Grimm. The figure was mostly skin and bones, with blue and white fur covered in blood and grease. A scar crossed the right side of its face and a pair of horns extended out from the fur near its head. The being's breathing was rather labored and my scanners detected that there was a huge gash across its side and chest. I glanced down at my cloak and for a moment I hesitated, wondering if I should use some of my cloak as makeshift bandages.
But then I thought better of it and instead removed the vest over my chest.
It wasn't big, but it would have to do as bandages until I got back to the hotel.
I tore it up and proceeded to wrap the being's injuries as best I could, given that I wasn't even supposed to be doing this. But my instincts were telling me to help in some way, so I did.
Tyger meanwhile was watching in mild shock and worry. "Uh... are you sure that's such a good idea?" he asked.
I glanced back at him out of the corner of my optic. "And letting this creature die is better?" I shot back.
He fell silent at that as I finished my work.
Once the figure's injuries were bandaged, I proceeded to lift the limp form into my arms.
I looked at the cat Mobian. "Look. I know you're nervous and worried. And frankly, I am too. But right now we gotta get this guy outta here and back to the hotel for proper care. Or rather the hospital."
"But we don't even know how to get out of here, let alone back up that shaft!" Tyger growled.
I lowered my gaze to the floor. "I know. But what other choice do we have?"
Tyger was silent briefly before he looked down. "Good point..." he muttered. Then he met my violet optics with his own eyes. "So, you want me to get him out, right?"
I nodded. "Yep. I'll be right behind you."
The cat Mobian nodded and grabbed the limp form from my arms before he walked back to the shaft and took in a breath. A fiery orange Aura flared into life around him and he tilted his head down towards the ground. A loud burp resonated, catching me off guard, and much to my surprise, Tyger was catapulted up the shaft like a space shuttle launching. I guessed that burp to be his Semblance.
Once he was gone, I turned to look back at the armory and pod. It was shaped like an oval, but there was a space for the disks to rest, and activate somehow. I wasn't sure how it even worked, to be honest. I was tempted to do some poking around, but I forced myself to ignore the urge and started walking back to the shaft. As I walked though, I paused and glanced back at the armory one last time.
I wasn't sure about going out with just my beam pistols, but I finally turned back to the shaft and exited the armory.
I flared my wings a bit wider, allowing me to gain some lift, but not to the point where they'd brush against the sides of the shaft. I kicked on my thrusters and crouched before letting loose a burst of fire. The thrust from my liftoff was enough to propel me up the shaft. I saw the wires whizzing by, and my optics locked onto the area ahead of me.
I could barely see the shaft ahead of me, let alone the spot where we had fallen through.
But my sensors beeped, indicating a hole in the wall. And that was when I knew I had found it. I came to a hover and slowly drifted into the hole, landing on the floor of the room we had first taken shelter in.
I spotted Tyger huddling near the door with the form we had revived from the disk. He wasn't sure about exiting, and to be honest, I couldn't blame him. Who knew if Rattlesnake Jake was out there still?
I expanded my radar to try and find his Aura signature, but the dark green dot was missing. 'Looks like he left...' I mused to myself. 'But then again, who knows what he's planning? Best to be careful.'
My optics flickered as I crept close to the door and pried it open a bit. My hand gripped one of my beam pistols as I leaned out, my optics scanning left and right for any sign of the snake Mobian.
My radar didn't pick him up, and there was no sign of him.
Every inch of my frame was tense as I slipped out into the hall. But nothing showed up on radar, or sensors.
He was gone.
For now.
I let out a sigh of relief as I exited the room. "He's gone," I remarked. "At least for now."
Tyger whined slowly as he came out with the wounded wolf. "You sure?"
I wasn't sure, to be honest. Rattlesnake Jake was proving to be a crafty one. That was for sure. "Honestly, I'm not sure. He's a very sneaky one..." I muttered. "But then again, I'm not about to let him get the jump on us here. So we'd better bug out now."
The cat nodded and we bolted for the door as fast as we could.
The exit was still blocked by the debris, but it was easier to exit than it was to get in, as all we had to do was slide down the rubble and the interior debris acted as like a makeshift staircase compared to the exterior rubble. We were able to make it outside rather easily, which was both a good thing and a bad thing.
Good in that it was not a hassle like getting in had been. Bad in that Jake had an ambush set up for us.
As soon as we got back on level ground, a loud whirring reached my audios and I jerked my head around, my optics landing on the shape of Jake as he crouched on top of one of the ruined buildings. His gun was starting to spool up and I reacted on instinct, deploying my fin funnels and forming the 360 degree prism shield as the Dust rounds left the barrel.
The good news was I got the barrier up in time, but the bad news was that it wasn't fast enough to stop two rounds from striking my frame.
I winced and grunted from the impact, my hand flying for the spot where I got hit and touching it. But strangely, there was no purple Dust on my side, let alone any poison Dust crystals forming. I glanced down, and only saw two small dents. The bullets themselves were inert as they lay there on the ground harmlessly. 'Huh. Guess my frame's more durable than I thought,' I mused as I looked up. Jake's amber eyes hardened as he slithered off the remains of the building.
"Your frame withsssstood my Dusssst bulletssss... Amazing... I guessssss that thosssse who built it knew what they were doing then," he growled as he let his gun whine down to a stop.
"Yeah," I muttered. 'Actually, for once, I'm glad Dr. Vist used that meteorite...' I thought.
"Ssssstill, it will not be enough to protect the cat..." Jake sneered, his forked tongue flicking out and tasting the air.
"Too bad!" I remarked, flipping him the bird as I drew one of my pistols. "Your Dust rounds can't breach my beam shield!"
And it was true, too. At least as far as I knew.
But I was not about to take a chance. So I disconnected my funnels from their shield position and assembled them for an attack formation. I fired all of them at once while focusing on my target and firing my beam pistols.
While my fin funnels were accurate, my beam pistol shots were still way off. But that didn't matter as Jake's Aura was starting to weaken. He gritted his teeth and glared at me before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white sphere. I briefly halted my attack, thinking it to be some kind of a grenade and whirled around, shielding Tyger and the wolf with my frame as he threw it.
The sphere exploded and I winced, half expecting shrapnel or debris to pepper my frame. But nothing happened. Instead only thick white smoke clouded the area. I jerked my head up and looked around, my sensors scanning for Jake. But his Aura signature was gone.
He had escaped.
"Dammit!" I shouted, pounding a fist into the sand. "He got away..."
"Yeah. But can we forget about him?" Tyger asked. "We got other things to worry about now."
A quick glance at the wounded wolf in his arms and I nodded. "Right. We'll have to travel back the direction we came."
At least I hoped it was the right one.
We got back to the resort town sometime after about two hours. In truth, it seemed longer than that. But honestly, I wasn't about to question it.
The hotel was by this point starting to fill up with more guests, so it made it a bit difficult to slip in unnoticed with our... ahem... unconscious 'guest' so to speak. Tyger made it up to the floor where my room was and he lay the unconscious wolf on the bed before he left in a hurry. And I couldn't blame him.
My optics flickered in worry as I turned and left for a while. Maybe until my new companion woke up I could do something else, I mused as I left the room.
I decided to see if I could get any information from the guard at the warehouse.
I made my way down to the building a half hour later, and the guard was indeed there, his rifle held at the ready. His eyes flicked over to my direction and he frowned. "What do you want now?" he asked, his tone harsh.
"Whoa! Take it easy! It's me!" I remarked, lowering my cloak's hood a bit.
The guard's frown softened, but he didn't lower his rifle. "Sorry. Recent events have prompted me to be on high alert," he said. "Especially considering another Mobian infant went missing again."
My psychoframe pulsed slightly at the words. "Oh... shit..." I muttered. Fury suddenly filled my optics as I abruptly grabbed the man by his uniform and pulled him close. "Where?!" I demanded.
"Hands off!" the guard barked. I refused. Instead, my optics flared.
"Where... was... the disappearance?!" I hissed.
The man hesitated, but then sighed. "If you let me go, I'll tell you."
I reluctantly let him down to the ground. He brushed off his uniform and looked into my optics. "I gotta say you live up to the moniker you have," he remarked, although his voice was filled with a faint hint of panic.
"Just tell me where the kid vanished," I growled.
"I said I would tell you, but first, I assume you came here to ask me some questions?" he asked, catching me off guard.
"How did you...?" My voice trailed off, surprised that the guard had figured out why I was there.
"You are doing an investigation, right? Well, isn't that what people are supposed to do? Ask questions?" the guard joked.
I nodded. "Yeah. You got it. I did intend on asking some questions, but when you mentioned the Mobian infant vanished, well, I kinda forgot." I shrugged.
"Okay. What were you going to ask me?"
I felt my reactor leap into my throat and I gulped nervously. This was it. Now or never.
"Well, first off, I wanted to know if you knew what kind of meat the cats were asking for," I said slowly. "I mean... Do you know what's inside that meat keeper?"
The guard cocked an eyebrow. "You're joking. You wanted to ask me that? Of course I know!" he retorted. "There's cow, buffalo, bison, chicken, turkey... all kinds of meat that we have imported or hunt here in the resort. It's no big surprise. When those guys usually come out, the meat is inside a cooler, so I don't even know what kind they take. They just tell me it's for the dinner or whatnot."
I hesitated, but then I continued to speak. "Is that all? Because... well... I found something that is far worse..."
The way I spoke caught his attention and his eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" he asked warily. "There's nothing else in there."
"Not at first glance!" I shot back, my optics hardening. The guard's eyes widened and he blinked.
"You sure you're not malfunctioning?" he asked.
"I'm serious!" I protested. "I found something that is far worse than just the stuff you mentioned!"
"Oh yeah? Like what? Bodies or something?!" the guard retorted.
I didn't even say a word on the matter. The mere flare of my optics, coupled with the silence I gave, was enough to make the guard's face pale and his eyes widen. "You... You're kidding me... right?" he rasped.
"Believe me... I wish I was..." I rasped. "But the bodies... I... it's best if I show you..."
The guard hesitated, but eventually relented and together we entered the warehouse. I hated having to do this, but considering what I was here to investigate, it made sense I had to come back. I led the guard through the warehouse until we reached the meat storage section. I pried open the door and I led the guard over to the doorway I had first seen.
"See for yourself..." I muttered.
The guard peered inside and at once his face turned pale, and horror flooded his eyes. I saw the way his mouth fell open and he clapped a hand to it, his tanned skin taking on a greenish tinge before he bolted for the doorway. He barely made it back outside before he doubled over and barfed, spewing his lunch all over the ground. He collapsed to his hands and knees and barfed twice more before he looked up, his brown eyes filled with horror, disgust, and just downright shock.
"What... the... hell...?" he panted as he glanced back at me. "That... What the hell are all those bodies...?"
"That's what I intend to find out," I muttered darkly. "Now do you see why I needed to know if you even had an idea of what they were taking from here?"
The guard nodded as he staggered to his feet. "Yeah... I do. And actually, this makes a lot of sense. I mean... I've heard of Mobian children vanishing in the desert, but then there's no remains to send back to the families that lose them. Only a few lucky ones even get anything... and even then it's slim pickings." He looked at me directly. "This has to be reported."
"Not to the owner of this place!" I snapped.
"And why not?" the guard asked. "There are bodies in there, and the families-"
I cut him off by grabbing him around the neck and pulling him close. "Look! We cannot report this to Cat R. Waul or his employees! I'm getting a bad feeling from them, and the last thing we need is for them to become aware we're onto them!" I growled lowly. "So no reporting it to them, but it can be reported to the governmental authorities! Got it?!"
The guard nodded, his face pale from lack of air. I let go and he landed on his feet, rubbing his throat.
"Sorry," I apologized. "But we just can't let Cat know we found them."
He nodded. "All right. I... I don't like it, but I will trust you on this."
The next hour and a half I questioned the rest of the staff about what they knew, and I uncovered a ton of information.
The cat Mobian hunting party often brought back their 'meat' to the facility for storage after a few days, and the cameras strangely usually went down around that time, which made me suspect that someone on the staff was working with the perpetrators of this sick crime. I wasn't able to get the identity of the security official in charge of the cameras, but the fact that they hadn't reported to work for a few days was suspicious in of itself. So a bit of digging yielded some interesting information on him; he was supposedly on leave due to a family emergency, but somehow I doubted it highly. I did manage to get some contact information from his desk and copied it down to my processors for later reference.
I also learned that when the cat Mobians brought in their meat every few days they came at a specific time, so that gave me an idea. I did manage to rig up a crude and temporary wireless connection to my frame so this way I could scan the footage at that particular time every few days. It wouldn't last for very long, only about two weeks at best, but it was enough for me to get an idea of what was going on. The guard in charge of the front gate agreed to inform me as well if he found anything pertaining to bodies being brought in or out.
The other thing I uncovered was that when the cat Mobians came, their IDs were usually shown via their smartphones, which made me suspect they were not real IDs at all, but forgeries in an attempt to fool the guard. He admitted to me that it did seem odd, but then again, who checked a smartphone to see if the ID was real or fake?
I finally returned to the hotel that afternoon, feeling satisfied at how much I had uncovered and accomplished.
I kept my cloak's hood wrapped securely around my head as I entered the hotel, mostly due to the fact that it was starting to get cloudy out and dust was starting to blow in from the wind picking up.
As soon as I reached my room, however, I was in for a real surprise.
I opened the door and my optics flared a bit beneath my cloak at the sight of the wolf creature up and about. "Well, I see you're up and awake," I mused aloud. The sound of my voice must've caught him by surprise because he was looking at me with a critical and calculating gaze, if that look he gave me could be considered as such. It was actually kind of hard to tell, given how gaunt and sunken his eyes were.
"Yeah...so?" the wolf replied, his voice raspy and gruff, which surprised him apparently.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
Cautiously, he tentatively answered. "I've...been worse..." he muttered. "Did...you find me?"
I just chuckled at that. "We did. Although we were not expecting you to come out of that disk," I remarked as I leaned against the door.
He looked at me with an air of cautiousness before he spoke again. "How...How did you get me out of that disk?" he asked, as if trying to confirm something.
"We used what was termed the 'Unlocker'," I replied. "Although that is not a very creative name, I'm sure."
The wolf cocked an eyebrow. "Anyway...thanks...for...err...saving me..." he said, although he seemed a bit uneasy about saying that.
I just chuckled at his obvious discomfort, causing him to throw a glare my way, not that I was really bothered by it.
"Prideful, are we?" I joked as he growled.
"Just go away..." he muttered as I shook my head.
"Sorry. No can do," I countered. "Not now that you're awake and about."
He whirled on me, baring his teeth in anger. "And why not?!" he demanded as I looked back at him.
"You're hurt. And that means you are a prime target for the Grimm if you go off on your own." I replied. I didn't even flinch at his growl; not that I could, anyway.
"Says you!" he countered. "I can handle myself just fine!"
"Then why is your body shaking with the effort to remain standing?" I asked with a smug tone.
Sure enough, his legs were about to give out from under him and he shook his head to remain focused. He tried to remain standing, but his legs nearly collapsed and I felt a bit of confidence filling my chest at his predicament. "So sure of yourself, and yet your body is saying otherwise," I purred as he shot a glare back at me.
The wolf growled before he staggered to his paws and struggled to limp to a secluded corner of the room. I rolled my optics as best I could as I turned and placed my hand on the door. "I'll just let you get some rest," I said.
The wolf didn't even answer as he closed his eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep.
However, I wasn't even thinking of leaving. Instead I slowly removed my hand and crept over to the bed as quietly as I could. I sat down on the edge and took the time to study my new... guest.
His fur was definitely a mess, and it appeared to be greasy, if not soaked. A bandaged and somewhat bloodied gash on his side and chest indicated a severe war injury, if it could even be called that. The top part of his coat was a deep blue color, but a much lighter shade than my own dark blue armor, almost a sapphire color. His underbelly and legs were white, and there were hints of an icy blue on his sides and tail. And his face had a nasty scar on the side of it. He had two horns on his head, but not on the forehead. Just a bit further back from it, and he looked as if he were mostly skin and bones; no, scratch that. He was mostly skin and bones, as his muscles were atrophied from years of disuse or lack of food.
This was something worrisome.
I had never encountered a creature like him before, and if anything, I needed to be on high alert since he was an unknown to me.
I decided to take it easy and just lay back, my hand drifting towards the book resting on the nightstand between the two beds. I grasped it and opened it, flipping through the pages. It was an old history book, and I had to admit it was kind of interesting, as it detailed the history of this area. Actually, not many even bothered to detail the history of the Wildlands due to how many towns and settlements failed there.
Still, it was a good read.
But as I read, my optics landed on the title of the next chapter and I jolted a bit.
Secrets of the Desert: Base Epsileon
Now that was something I hadn't expected.
I settled back on the bed and began to read.
Within the deserts of the Wildlands there lurk many secrets.
Some of them are as old as time itself, and some are even as old as the rocks around us.
There have been many discoveries in the deserts across the globe in recent years, pioneered by the Saturdays as well as other renowned archaeologists around the world. Many have uncovered ruins of ancient origin, such as those dating from before the Time of Awakening.
And some ruins have even been discovered from well before then. As in hundreds of thousands years old.
These ancient ruins have never been entered or excavated, primarily because of how old they are. Dr. Solomon Saturday was interviewed about this and he said "that the ruins older than fifty thousand years need to be protected, so there will be no excavation or removal of the artifacts present. At least until we have more experience and technology that can be used to explore them without destroying these wonders of the ancient world."
It has become something of a controversy in recent years as a few teams have made efforts to dig up one of these ruins, drawing much outrage from those who seek to preserve these ancient ruins and those who wish to study them in greater detail before any such digs can take place. The Saturdays were the most outspoken, often citing statistics and even examples of these Pre-Awakening ruins being destroyed during World War II when the Nazis conducted their 'studies' on the Aryan race.
The United Nations has declared a number of these sites as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in an effort to protect and preserve them, but so far nothing really sufficient has been done to protect them.
One such ruin that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the mysterious outpost located in the Wildlands of America. Not much is known about this base, except for its name of Epsileon, which has been translated as roughly meaning "Final Defense" thanks to efforts of linguists and archaeologists alike. What is known though is that it was part of what appeared to be a massive compound of sorts, with old ruins that still stand after millennia have passed, a feat that not even today's finest engineers, builders, and architects can replicate.
The area around this base is so weathered it appears to have eroded much of the remnants away. But faded and old indentations in the ground and surrounding cliff faces have shown that there were once craters there, marks left behind by some kind of battle or cataclysm that struck this area, turning it into a desert. There have been very few remains of the occupants found, only skeletons and some strange fossils that have yet to be examined and cataloged. Very few artifacts remain, but those that do indicate this base was once a booming military compound, and that the forces there were of advanced technological levels, way beyond even GrimmFall itself.
More study on the base will be done in the near future.
I slowly lowered the book and closed it, my optics wide.
'So that place we discovered... those ruins... Epsileon Base...' I thought to myself in awe.
I glanced at my internal clock and I noticed in mild surprise that it was getting late, almost ten. So I decided to get some recharge.
But before I did, I shot a glance back at my companion. I could only wonder how he'd react to the city when we headed back to it.
And a niggling feeling surfaced at that point. I only hoped that I didn't have any nightmares... or visions... or whatever was going on.
The last thing I expected was to wake up in the middle of a war zone.
My optics flashed online as soon as I heard the first sounds of an incoming mortar shell.
I wasn't about to question why I was even standing. I just moved, leaping to the side using the powerful hydraulics in my legs. I landed on the ground and spun, my wings flaring wide open as I glanced up.
Strangely, the war zone I was in was reminiscent of the town of Thorton, but at the same time it was far too advanced. Or was it? It was too hard to tell in the darkness of the smoke and night.
I looked around, spotting strange shapes that I picked out to be Grimm, but of different species. I did recognize the Nevermore, however, along with the ancient behemoths of the Goliaths. The Nevermores seemed to be smaller and more numerous compared to today's, and the Goliaths were actually using their trunks to hurl rocks and boulders at the massive structure in the distance. I zoomed in my optics and my reactor nearly stopped as I recognized the same ruins, or rather the buildings, but completely whole and intact.
Defenses were also up and running, ranging from five inch guns like those mounted on a destroyer to a variety of missiles and rocket launchers on movable platforms. These platforms resembled tanks almost, but sleeker and more advanced. Plus some of them were even belching lasers!
It was clear to me that this was not just a minor skirmish.
This was a major battle during the Forgotten Age.
My optics roved over the combating forces, noting the Grimm and then the defenders of the base, ranging from humans, Faunus, and Mobians to even stranger creatures, like an eyeball with a mouth and a single stalk-like leg, a literal golem, and even a rabbit of sorts. The groups were dealing massive damage to one another, and in the midst of it all was another creature, one that looked like a human but with black covering the entirety of their body. Their red eyes flashed as they lunged, the Grimm joining them and then there came a cry.
A roar of sorts filled the air and everyone, including me, glanced up.
My reactor leapt into my throat and I gulped at the sight of the huge beast overhead.
It was one of the most dreaded Grimm of all: a Dragon.
But this one had large wings and it seemed to be based on the mythology of European dragons, with thick black scales and its front and rear feet armed with claws. My wings twitched as I staggered back, the Grimm gazing deep into my violet optics with its pulsing red eyes, and then it lunged for me. I turned and ran, tripping over bodies of the defenders and all kinds of other things, but somehow staying ahead of the beast.
I didn't even see the pitfall until it was too late, and then I fell.
I cried out as I tried to activate my flight pack, spreading my wings in a desperate attempt to slow my fall.
But alas, I couldn't kick it on. I tried a few more times before I thrust my hand out in an attempt to grab onto anything that may have been sticking out of the wall...
And I landed on the floor of the hotel room with a loud thud.
I slowly sat up, rubbing my helm as I brought my optics online. "Dammit... Not another dream... Well... at least there were no murdered children in it..." I muttered as I got to my feet. I shot a glance at the window, noting that the sun was beginning to poke through the curtains.
I made my way over to the window and threw open the curtains, letting the sunlight stream in.
A low growl came from the corner and I turned, spotting my guest as he stirred, trying to bury his face in his paws. "Dammit...! Keep those closed!" he grumbled.
I snorted and rolled my optics as best I could before I made my way over to the dresser where my cloak and outfit were. I grabbed my cloak and threw it around my frame before donning the boot covers, spurs and hat. The vest was nothing more than a bloody bandage at this point. I also armed myself with my beam pistols and this time slipped my Dracon fang funnels onto my rear skirt armor.
Given what was happening, I wasn't about to go anywhere without them.
As I left, I made sure to close the curtains a bit while my guest slept. I would have to learn his name later.
Today was the day of the Target Shooting.
And I had to win.
Name: Tyger Wallace
Species: Mobian
Aura: Fiery Orange
Semblance: Burpee
Description: Enhances his burps to where he can use them to launch himself skyward, or to deflect attacks coming his way. Can also be used like a sonic boom. The downside is that he strains his stomach, leading to possible ulcers if he's not careful
Weapon: A machine gun that shoots Dust-laced bullets
