Chapter
1: What was lost is now found
Self-loathing
was something Rhyss Nadisika was no stranger to. In fact, the older she got,
the more it seemed to come into play. Seated in a borrowed CommandWolf,
Specula's thoughts merged with her own, all she could think about was the fight
a few days ago, and the knowledge that came with it. She hadn't slept since
then. She couldn't.
What's
the matter, Rhyss?
Breathed Hiltz' voice. Scared that the world is ending?
"Of course
I am."
Funny how
the humans thought that 'world ending' meant the DeathSaurer destroying
everything. But Rhyss hadn't seen that, no, far from it. And now, deep inside
her, she could feel it stirring, the familiar sensation of hate rising, the
urge to kill.
At first,
she had believed that Raven Prozen – ZoidEVE knew why he kept his foster
father's last name – was the same as her. Had the same needs. But his was born
of tragedy, while she had willingly accepted the power into her body, sold her
soul for the price of the power.
I
wonder if any of them know the truth Hiltz breathed into her ears.
"You're
dead, shut up."
I'm
surprised the Kaiser didn't pick up on it. Oh, but of course not…how could he?
You and your people blinded him with the Corruption. Very clever.
"You were
a Zoidian. Why did you betray us?"
The
spectre said nothing. He wouldn't; of course, this was Rhyss' memory of him.
She had known from the day they'd met what would happen to him, just as any
other Reaper would. That was one of the Great Gifts. However…as Hiltz had slid
back into old habits, it had been a hard fight helping the darkness seize him.
He was already angry, it just took a bit of quick thinking to push him over
into madness.
She stared
down at the people cleaning up the wreckage.
The city
of ZoidEve had not been destroyed completely. In fact, while most of its ruins
had fallen, been destroyed, there were some that were eagerly being explored by
scientists and pilots alike. The DeathSaurer was high on everybody's list,
seeing as humanity never really knew when to let sleeping dogs lie.
Or
sleeping Hertz.
That
thought was hers and hers alone. She strongly suspected that the entity known
as Gunther Prozen…and also, in the Reaper records, Winter Drachnia…had probably
retreated deep into his corporeal shell when the original DeathSaurer – the one
that had caused all that trouble in Guylos – had taken over his mind. Were the
humans that naive as to think that Prozen was just like them?
Did they
have any idea?
Van
Flyheight and the voluptuous Fiona Alisi Lynette were talking excitedly. She
watched them through dull eyes, her hate growing. More stirring, the familiar
feeling of coldness deep inside her belly, the anger…
Any idea
at all? Maybe Rudolph's grandfather knew. The old fart had probably very
perceptive of his foster son, which explained how the GenoSaur, Raven's Zoid,
was created. Humans were very clever at creating things from old dead things,
including abandoned Zoidian technology. Would Irvine feel so safe if he knew
his Lightning Saix was also made with the blueprints, and a core specifically
created from the man they all hated?
Did
they have any idea what power was in their grasp?
"Nadisika."
Her head
snapped up. For a moment she felt fear, not knowing what was going on, blinded
by the powers that still shifted beneath the sands. But of course, this was
outside communications… "I'm here."
"Report.
We can't see."
"They're
still looking. They're picking apart the city like beachcombers-"
"Sacrilege"
"Yes,
Lord. They're looking for answers, Alisi looks…happy. She looks…content. I
believe she is safe with Lt. Flyheight. I don't think he has…tried to breed her
yet."
"We'd
know. As long as she's safe. How far away are they from him?"
"Him,
sir?"
"The Rare
Hertz."
"Prozen is
dead. He's not coming back." Rhyss laughed nervously. "I did everything I
could, I drowned them both, there's nothing left-"
"We've
found the core, Nadisika. We have found the body of Hiltz Sierra, and it was
intact. Explain."
"I…I don't
understand…he…"
"He is alive.
But barely. We have reason to believe our little Hertz is behind this. How
close are they to us? We cannot see, Nadisika. We are blind. You are our eyes.
EVE is singing too loudly, and is blinding us…"
Rhyss'
head spun. Not EVE. This is Prozen's doing…that bastard, he knew.
"Close.
Very close. I suggest you leave now."
"But if
there is a chance at recovering the Rare Hertz, and breaking him before his
time, we will have success…" There was a smug tone to the man's voice. "And
even better, if we can get Hiltz into functioning like a human being, would it
not be poetic justice to have him do it?"
Sudden
warmth filled Rhyss, and she blushed. "Indeed. That would be a most…wonderful
idea." The thoughts of breaking the human's only defence against the Reapers
made her feel so…good…
"All right
then. We will continue our exploration of the-NO!"
The
presence retreated quickly from her mind, and she realised that the others were
running with their find, leaving the half depleted core open to the world,
revealing all it's secrets. She could hear the yells and cries of the people
who found it, and sense their growing fear.
But why
fear something like that?
It was a depleted core, yes? No chance of danger?
She leant
forward in her seat, tugging against the straps to see the people down below as
they tore the other half free. Hell, the two groups had been so close…a
few stones apart…and while the Reapers had attacked one side of the core, the
Guardian Force had the other…
Sudden
pain, inside her head…
Visions of
flame and blood…
The
screams of the damned…
Blood…
And before
she blacked out into the spiralling darkness of oblivion, she saw them tug it
loose, the womb of the last Rare Hertz, and within it, she could hear it's
foul, beating heart, ready to be crushed beneath the palm of the last force on
Zi…
And then
there was the happy childish laughter of the one person who had made her forget
everything about her cruel and unusual past, made her forget her joy at ending
the lives of those who were innocent.
And
Nicolai watched her, his face gentle.
"I'm
sorry, Rhyss. This is the way things must be."
And then
Rhyss fell.
~ to be
continued.
Sorry
the next chapter took so long. I'm working on stuff…feelin' a little down…*sniffle*too
much to cope with right now. I'll be ok. Honest.
