A Phoenix From The Ashes
By Majin Magus
Chapter Two
Matrix and AndrAIa explained to Bob and Dot what they had seen, and about how the girl had survived a full delete shot.
"Are you sure the girl didn't just dodge your blast?" Bob asked Matrix.
Matrix's eyes narrowed. "My gun doesn't miss. Ever."
Bob sighed. A small 1, who was working as a spy, came running up, his arm numb and bandaged. He looked frightened, but spoke just the same.
"Bob! We've got report Megabyte has…uh, teamed up with, um, a Guardian!! We need to find out more about the situation, but of this much we are sure," the 1 said, shaking and quivering. Matrix grabbed the 1.
"You're positive Megabyte has joined up with a Guardian? How do you know?" Matrix growled, holding the 1 with his left hand, pressing his gun to the little 1's head with his right hand.
The 1 gulped. "A few of our spies got too close to the Principal Office. The survivor, only one, said they saw a girl with a Guardian's icon on her clothes commanded the troops to attack,."
This 0, he narrowly escaped. Half his body was deleted, see. He ran for quite a while, he said, losing the virals but not the girl. He reported she jumped from building to building above him, and finally landed in front of him when he stopped to rest. She then took her sword and chopped off half his body, deleting only one half."
Bob, AndrAIa, and Dot listened intently and Matrix put the 1 down.
"Then, he said the girl said, 'Suffer now, die later.' Then this 0 said she disappeared," the 1 finished, out of breath.
Dot thought for a moment. "But won't Megabyte eventually delete this girl, even if she doesn't slip up? And why would a Guardian team up with…"
"Shit. It's her." Bob cursed, shaking his head.
Dot, Matrix, AndrAIa, and the 1 looked at him. "Who? You know her?" they all asked in unison.
A nervous expression appeared on Bob's face. "She was the first Guardian of Mainframe, and Megabyte's first infection was caused on her. At that time, she had no name. She was Guardian number 1695. I rescued her, and put her in a healing capsule before Megabyte's infection could fully spread," he explained.
"I then took on defending this system. 1695 must not have been infected by Daemon, or she would have come for me. But if she has teamed up with Megabyte…well, Megabyte won't delete such a valuable asset. If she put her mind to it, she could wipe out Matrix and I right now." Bob stopped and glanced at Matrix, whose face was twisted by a scowl.
AndrAIa spoke up. "So what does she want? Why is she helping Megabyte?" she asked of Bob.
"I don't know. She can't help a virus, it's against her code…but obviously she is. We'll have to wait and find out," Bob admitted, crossing his arms.
Matrix bared his teeth. "Screw waiting, I'm leading an attack on Megabyte's forces now so I can find out what this Guardian wants!!" And before anyone could stop him, Matrix jumped on a zip board and sped off. After a moment, AndrAIa followed on her own zip board.
*
"I saw you out there. With that idiotic rebel," Megabyte said as he stood before Phoenix.
Phoenix grinned. "I'm a bit out of practice, but I can still bring down a target when necessary. After all, it took all my skills to escape Daemon's lair." She grimaced and shut her eyes for a moment.
Megabyte needed to know more about this emissary. "Tell me, what forces does she have? What is her headquarters like?" he asked in a low voice.
"It is five times the size of Mainframe. Every wire, every panel of wall is rigged with alarms. The Guardian minions she has infected patrol the halls until they are needed for a mission. These possessed sprites never touch the walls, unless they start to shoot things."
I was in a healing capsule in an untouched part of the Super Computer. That section is defended from viral attacks of any kind, even those of super viral nature. My sword was needed very often to escape…I destroyed maybe fifty Guardians, but there are thousands, even millions, possibly billions, under her control." Phoenix's face took on a distant look, like she was recalling her every move while in Daemon's lair.
"I finally reached the portal room. There, the Guardians took the portals to whatever system was needed. I thanked the net I wouldn't need a key-tool, and leapt inside a random portal. This system was protected by a code, but I got through. And here I am," Phoenix finished.
Megabyte scowled. "Billions of warriors? Damn!" he roared, making the guards at the door jump. At that moment, a 1 viral came rushing in.
"The rebels are staging an attack, lord Megabyte!" the 1 cried, saluting his master.
Phoenix glanced at Megabyte. "I think we should teach these idiots a lesson." She grinned.
"I concur," Megabyte grinned maliciously and took off at run to the entrance, Phoenix following close behind. They passed by rooms full of virals, and after they ran by, the virals followed with their weapons.
On the way, Megabyte thought to himself. 'I've always allowed my minions to take care of battles before, why I am fighting now?' His gaze landed on Phoenix. 'This girl has had an odd effect on me. I must be very wary. She is a Guardian, if only in part. She might delete me at anytime, but I shall be ready.'
And then they reached the battle.