When Courier Six woke up that morning, he had a certain expectation of what the day would contain for him. He'd start with a whiskey and some beans, take a cold shower, grab his shit, and meet with the leeches known as the two NCR ambassadors for the negotiations regarding the sharecropper's water supply, then go out and spend the rest of the day wandering and hunting down whatever tried to bite, shoot, inflame, explode, stab, rape, or whatever horrible action would be attempted upon his person.
Of course, he would only do one of those two things, and he would rather not start an international (would it be considered international if the two nations shared the same country space?) incident by telling Ambassador Smith to shove it up his ass so far that he'd be coming out of his nose. Wasn't ready for that war yet.
The hunting had proved to be unfruitful so far however, the prey consisting mostly of the usual gecko pack and the odd fiend out. A quiet day so far, which was appreciated by Six currently. So, as that old sun began to dip down into the horizon, beginning the night sky, the one named Six thought a singular thought.
'What in the name of fuck is that light?'
His first thought was that he was hallucinating, seeing the blue light hover above the Primm Pass, a half mile out from his position, east. It…circled, constantly moving like a whirlpool he would see at Lake Mead from Mirelurks. He could barely spot out the falling shapes coming from the light before it shined so blindingly light for but a second, before vanishing completely.
Six sighed, before dousing his fire, grabbing the mantis legs and throwing it in his bag, and putting on his Elite Riot Helmet and putting the .45 Auto he brought along for this trip into holster.
He could already feel the headache popping up. This was going to be a long night
Ezran decided something. He did not like heights. That wasn't because of anything specific really, besides massive fall him and everyone else were experiencing right now!
Screaming came from someone's mouth, though he didn't know who's, probably everyone. He could barely see the ground quickly grow larger and larger as everyone fell closer and closer to the ground. He felt a pair of powerful arms, Soren's, envelop him as they hit the ground, and hit it hard.
THUNKD
Silence. Near perfect silence filled the dusty air that Ez felt in his mouth. Coughs from someone, the noise of crickets he thought he heard. Then the pain started. A large aching in his chest and bones, a silent killer really.
"Ez…you ok?" He heard Soren mutter. Opening his eyes, Ez looked at the body of his friend and savior, he heard himself gasp at the twisted leg that they sported.
"Soren…" Ez began to mutter, before he could say anything else, Soren gave the best grin possible.
"Ah, not so bad…had worse before. I'll be…ok…in a few minutes…yeah…" The groaning he gave out told Ez the opposite. This was bad, really really bad!
"Stay…here, I'll try to get…help." Ezran struggled to his feet, before collapsing back onto Soren's armored chest. He saw Sorens closed eye's, his labored breathing! He was dying! No one there could help him! Callum was face down on the ground, a grievous burn on his back. Rayla, unconscious, her side red with blood. Claudia, her hair filled with white, was also knocked out, embracing some earthblood elf with blood in his hair, also down for the count. He was all alone.
"Someone…please help…please!" He cried out, desperation in his voice, for someone, anyone! He felt salty drops run down his eyes, he choked a sob.
CRRNCH CRNNCH CRNNCH
Footsteps on the ground. Growing louder. Growing closer. He looked up, relief filling his chest, before it was replaced by a primal fear. A monster with red eyes had come before him. Large, towering over the young 12 year old. Ez felt his mouth babble and stammer as the demon raised their boot, and all it flew at his face.
All went black.
Heat, he felt heat, then the pain in his chest. Slowly, Ez's eyes opened, and then shot open as he saw the roaring flames in front of him! He tried to run, to scramble away, but felt himself unable to move his legs and arms, he was tied up by a rope! He tried to scream, but his mouth was gagged as well! He closed his eyes, awaiting the burning end he was destined for now…
Only for him to only feel a comforting heat. Slowly opening his eyes, he felt stunned to see that it was not the inferno he thought, but rather a simple campfire, meticulously built with what looked to be sheets of metal, bones, and small plants. Ez began to calm down, before taking in his surroundings. Next to him was Soren! He was alive! Tied up and unconscious as well, but alive! He grunted to his friend, only for him to receive no answers. Ezran began to look around, everyone else was here as well! Rayla, Callum, Claudia and the other guy too! All tied up and unconscious. But their injuries, burns and wounds, were bandaged and covered. Whoever had them kidnapped was keeping them alive.
He heard the footsteps again. Ez turned his neck to see the monster again, their glowing red eyes illuminated in the night sky out there. They were dragging some…thing behind them by the tail. It looked…like a giant version of Bait! But there were differences, like the engorged features, and the frills on the neck.
"Good, you awake." The monster…spoke? Ez didn't know it could speak, though he just met the thing, so he guessed he was presuming it couldn't. Rather rude of him, if he wasn't tied up and gagged by this demon.
The demon threw the creature it held onto the sandy ground, and took out a large knife, and hacked into the creature. Ez squirmed and recoiled from the gruesome sight, as the monster cut away flesh and meat from the monster, before throwing it onto the fire it had prepared for their prisoners. Once it was done, the thing kicked the carcass away, out of sight.
"So, before I ask ya any questions, I'm gonna make a deal with you." They spoke again. "You're going to tell who the fuck you are, you and your mutant friends." They pointed to Rayla and the other elf with their knife, "and why the fuck you fell out of the sky."
Six stared at the kid, who behind his gag, stared back, fear clearly there in his eyes. Fuck, how old was this kid, 10 years old or something? He was making a kid shit themselves dead. Boone would probably beat the shit out of him if he saw this. Make that Veronica and Cass as well, Fuck maybe everyone. Lily would just cut off his head.
"And in exchange, I'll figure out what to do with ya." Six finished, flipping the Gecko meat on the fire with his bowie knife. He then approached the kid, who tried to get away from him. Kneeling down, he grabbed the gag from his mouth, and pulled it out, throwing it into the dirt. The kid coughed when he did so, some dirt must've gotten into his mouth. Six then walked back to his seat, and took it, looking at the kid. "So, who the hell are you?"
"…My name is Ezran, King of the Human Kingdom of Katolis. It would be best for you to release me and my friends." The kid spoke, grit in his voice…or at least as much grit a kid could muster.
"Th'fuck is Katolis? You from out east? North?" The kid's eyes widened in response.
"N-No. Katolis. You know, Katolis. The leader of the Pentarchy, the human kingdoms?"
"Boy, you aren't supposed to be fucking with my right now, got it? Tell me where the fuck you come from before I throw you to the radscorpians."
"And I'm telling you, I'm from Katolis! Are we in Del Bar right now? Could you get us to the Capital, they'll vouch for us."
Six looked at the kid, now named Ezran, in pure confusion. At least, behind the helmet. "Kid, the fuck is Del Bar? You're in the Mojave. As in Nevada."
Now the kid also looked confused. More than confused, completely lost. "Y'know, Nevada. The southwest…of the United States."
"I've…never heard of the United States before." Ezran responded. Six leaned back, before reaching for his helmet. Undoing the small latches and hooks, he felt his hair pinch as he removed his helmet, revealing his face to Ezran.
As for Ezran, he was shocked to see that the monster he thought he was kidnapped by was a man! A man with heavy stubble, and tan skin. Hazel eyes were nearly hidden by the shadows of the flames before them. His eyes gazed upon him, glaring into what felt like his soul. "Ok, I get it now." The man spoke. "You must've come from some Vault or something like that."
"I'm telling you, I'm from Katolis! I've never heard of the Mojave or a Vault before!" Ezran cried out. As he spoke, stirring came from his friends! Callum was the first one to awaken. "Guuuugh…I don't wanna get up mom, I gotta grow more wings…"
"Callum!" Ezran cried out, snapping his brother awake. The mage-prince scanned the area, seeing his brother tied up. "Ez!" He also tried to get up, to rush to help his brother, but fell over onto his face, since he also was tied up.
"Stay still boy, fore I make you." Six spoke, getting the attention of the young man.
"If you've hurt my brother I swear I'll-" But before he could say anymore to Six, who palmed the handle of his .45, the moans of the first mutant interrupted him. "Th' hell am ay…Callum? Ez?"
"Rayla!" Both boys cried out, one in joy and the other in shock. The girl in question looked at the older of the two, and looked away in…guilt?
"Terry, Terry wake up! Terry!" The second girl, the one with almost pure white hair Six noted, tried nudging the other mutant awake, who's eyes flickered open. "Ugh….Claudia? You ok?"
"Terry!" She cried, her eyes letting loose tears as she tried to hug him…only to flop onto the other mutant. Lastly, the legion armored kid woke up, moaning something about pushups and berry tarts…whatever that was.
"What did you do Claudia!" Ezran's Brother, Callum, he heard, yelled at the white hair girl, who shot back.
"Me? What did you do? I was trying to stabilize that spell before you interrupted it!"
"Because y an' yer dad were gonna do somethin to the Nexus!" The first mutant (Rayla was it?), shouted back.
"Cause the Nexus was being used to harm the local forest!" Shouted the other mutant, Terry.
"It was protecting itself!"
"By hurting the Human Kingdom!
"Oh, cause th' humans haven't done enough!"
"Us Elves been hurting humans far too long"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Six roared, finally getting them to notice his presence. Everyone stared at their captor, fearfully, as he pulled out his .45 and pointed it at them all. "I want answers. Who the hell are you all, and why did you fall from the sky?"
All 6 of them stared at him, before the one in armor said aloud "Who the heck are you."
The headache Six was nursing had become a migraine.
"So, you're trying to tell me that all 6 of you are from this place called Sadia?"
"Xadia."
"Whatever. And in this 'Xadia', there lives a humanity alongside…elves. Which you two are."
"Yer accurate so far."
"And there's magic…which you two have."
"Pretty much."
"And you 4 hate these two, and vice versa…for bullshit reasons."
"Language…but yeah."
Six slapped his forehead, his mouth couldn't help but smile. "That story holds up worse than a shit-eating fireant tryin to get a drink at the wrangler." Seeing the confusion (and disgust) pop up into their faces, he tried to tone it down. "But, honest to god, I can't see you bullshitting in your eyes. You really think, you from another dimension."
"We know we're from another dimension." The white haired one, Claudia, responded. "The spell that sent us here was meant to draw power from the Moon Nexus, but SOMEONE," She glared at Callum, who glared back. "Interfered with the spell, destabilizing it and sending us…wait, where are we exactly?"
"Oh, they…wait, what's your name? We didn't get it." Ezran asked. Six mused. Kid had a point.
"Names Six."
"Wait, like, the number Six. You're named after a number?" The armored one, Soren, asked. Six responded with a simple death glare, an act which made them shrink away.
"Yes. My name is Six. Don't fucking ask, it's a long story." Six then took out the cigarette they were smoking, threw it onto the ground, and crushed it. "And welcome to the Mojave Wasteland." He saw the kids eye's widen in confusion. Added more evidence to their little story of theirs. "So...what am I gonna do with all of you."
"Well, you could certainly let us go?" The white haired one asked, giving him her best smile. It was very ineffective.
"Sure buttercup, sure. And let you get yourselves shot, or eaten, or raped. Hell, maybe all three." That sent them in a fearful mood, good. "And I'd rather not have the deaths of some kids on my conscious right now."
"Then what's your plan for us? Hold us hostage forever?" The...earth elf(?) Terry asked him, who looked at him with disinterest in his eyes.
"Like I need kids to get my own kicks." Taking out another cig, he lit it with the burning embers of the fire, the gecko meat long since consumed by the kids in the past half hour of their story to him, and brought it to his mouth. Feeling the nicotine in his throat, he let out the puff of smoke into the air. "You'll get yourselves killed out here without help. So, I suppose for now I'm in charge of you all."
"And what makes us think we can't hold our own?" Asked Soren. Six pointed to his leg. "First I saw you, you had that leg bending halfway up. All of you were gettin ready to go into that big light up top when I found ya, and I made sure you stayed back down in this little hell hole of a reality." They all began to inspect themselves, their treated wounds. "Fixed your leg up as well. Keep pressure off of it for a few days, hear me?"
"Yeah...got it..." Soren responded, in shock at finally noticing that his leg wasn't broken anymore. How did this "Six" do that? The man in question held his death stick inbetween his fingers, rolling it around. Rayla then looked at their "savior"
"Why ar' ye helping us then? Why not just leav' us fer dead?"
"Did you not hear me earlier? I don't want any dead kids on my mind right now. Ain't well for clarity's sake." He shot back at the moon elf (what the hell were up with these names?), who met his stern look for a few seconds before backing down.
"Sides, the worst that can happen with me watching out for you all?"
The migraine failed to convince him of anything good happening to him in the near future.
