X-Empire
Chapter 1
The sun hid low behind the flaming orange clouds which heavily adorned the skies. Day was slowly ending in O-Rine, and the light reflected brightly off of the windows of the tall skyscrapers that stood tall above the ground of the floating city. O-Rine sat on a round base, which contained the entire city within. Sitting atop a high rooftop, Norco Vicks watched as the sun set. Having moved to the city at a very young age with his family, Norco had grown accustomed to life in O-Rine very quickly. O-Rine had as of late proven to be an unstable and unsafe place, from an unstoppable force, which even briskly evaded the watchful gaze of Governor Jorna.
Emperor Hireign, highly known as Striker, had gone from a mere gambler, to the powerful leader of an organization of warriors. Norco had trained intensely to become an expert combatant to defend himself, and his family. After the death of both his parents, he was left with only his sister, Norma, and the house they'd grown up in. A lot of people in O-Rine had tried to overthrow Striker, in an attempt to free the city from his devastation. Having arisen from Nael 'Tec, a congregation of dark samurai, Hireign became one of the most infamous and powerful warriors in the world.
As night soon approached, Norco sighed with relief from the passing of another day. He looked down to his side at his small robot, Flare. The shiny silver robot looked up at him and beeped on an off.
"Flare, it's about time to get dinner." Norco said. Flare beeped with excitement and floated into the air. Norco stood up and looked down toward the ground.
"Just hope we don't run into any trouble there..." He said nervously.
He turned and jumped down onto the balcony at his door and began to climb down. Suddenly the door opened and his sister barged out onto the deck, groaning with frustration at the sight of him.
"Norco, where do you think you're going!" Norma exclaimed.
"Uh, I'm going out to get something to eat." Norco replied.
Flare continued to fly downward and Norco followed him, climbing down the bars connecting the balconies and then jumping off onto a the roof of another, shorter, building. Then he crouched down, and jumped down to a slanted roof, sliding all the way down and jumping off at the end. He grabbed the side of a ledge suspended at the side of the wall of another tall building. He grabbed a slanted pipe near the lower portion of the wall and with both hands, slid down the remainder of the way. He hopped off and landed on the ground. Flare flew down and hovered beside him. They looked around at people walking about, tending to their own business, not taking a moment to notice them.
"Ok, Flare, where should I go?" Norco asked joyously. Flare made a high-pitched beeping noise and pointed with its short arms toward a small shop in the market. Norco smiled and ran toward it swiftly. Flare was close behind. He backed against the wall on the left side and glanced around the area for a distraction. The salesman was working in his stall, preparing to close down for the night.
"...Perfect timing..." Norco whispered to Flare. He casually walked out from the wall and stepped around the stall to the other side. He saw a ladder beside the roofed-in compartment, leading up the roof of the building. Norco quickly ducked down behind the crate on the left side and peered up at the salesman. Then, slowly, Norco reached his hand up to take something, but then stood slightly to see what was available. Suddenly the man turned, and gasped upon seeing them, dropping a sharp knife and a cutting board.
"You there," he raised an angry finger, "get out of here! I'm closed!"
"That never stopped me before!" Norco replied, nabbing a large watermelon from a basket and bolting for the ladder. He grinned as he heard the salesman angrily shout after him. Flare flew up to the top before him and he frantically yet carefully ascended the ladder with the melon in one arm, and climbing with the other. Although nearly dropping the fruit many times, he soon reached the top and got to his feet.
He and Flare ran across the ledge to the other side and he leaped across, grabbing onto another balcony with one hand, carefully attempting to hold onto the melon with the other arm. Flare tried to help pull him up, but it didn't help at all. Then Norco swung himself backward and tossed the watermelon onto the balcony, then pulled himself up, standing to his feet on top. Then he picked it up again and sat against the wall, dangling his legs off the side. He laughed victoriously and took out his pocket knife.
Using the knife, he began to slice the fruit into sections. He quickly dug in and ate vigorously. Flare examined the area, buzzing quietly. Norco had learned to understand the sounds Flare made, and he understood the robot like he understood everyone else. Therefore, Norco could rely on the robot in dire situations.
"Norco! Look!" Flare suddenly burst out, using loud sounds. Norco looked up.
Off in the distance, they noticed something flying. It was small, but fast. It was coming straight down through the city in their direction, but appeared to be following something. Norco looked down to the street, only to see a small vehicle racing down the road. It shook and bounced as it rolled, and smoke billowed out from the tailpipe. Then Norco glanced back up to see the flying object again. He saw it clearly now. A man stood, crouched down on a spinning green razor disc, which carried him quickly through the air. His face was hidden behind a shiny black helmet and he wore a light blue vest over a white shirt, and carried two red laser guns in both hands. He noticed Norco and Flare, but continued to jet through the city. Norco turned his head to watch until both racing vehicles disappeared around the curving bend ahead.
When he could no longer see the vehicles, he turned back to look at Flare. He blinked his eyes twice and then laughed with relief.
"Now that was, eh, rather scary..." He stammered.
"That looked like an alien." Flare replied.
"Wonder if that guy was chasing a Nael 'Tec..." Norco wondered.
He finished eating the watermelon, hungrily stuffing it all down, then stood back up. He had polished off the whole thing, so he brushed off his pants and turned to his left. He dashed across and leaped off the edge to grab hold of the platform across from the balcony. Flare often had a hard time keeping up with him when he jumped around the city all the time. Norco's training had increased his speed, strength, dexterity, and agility. Though he had never received a weapon in his early training days before his parents passed away, he relied mainly on his simple strength and ability to evade virtually anything by climbing the highest buildings like a spider.
Once he made his way back up to his rooftop, he sat down again on the edge. He looked both ways to make sure the coast was clear, then he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, guess it's about time to go hit the sack." Norco said.
"Shut me off please." Flare replied.
Norco reached over to press the small button on Flare's back, but suddenly paused. He glanced up, noticing something a bit odd. He sat up again and looked around edgily. Then his gaze pinpointed an object hurling through the air at top speed.
"No!" Norco wailed.
The flying object barreled straight toward them and Norco could see smoke trailing out behind it as if it were having troubles flying. Norco stood up and stepped back, then dove to the side as it smashed into the outer heat vent sticking out of the roof. When the dust cleared, Norco unshielded his eyes and looked up toward it. Flare buzzed wildly and hid behind him.
Sitting there was the man in the blue vest and black mask. He rubbed his head in a daze and stood up. Then he looked down at the round, glowing red razor pad he was riding on.
"Aww, nuts... It's broken..." He groaned, stomping his foot. Then he turned suddenly and saw Norco and Flare, who were backing further and further into the corner.
"Hey! Don't be afraid, kid! I won't hurt'cha!" He said frantically, to try to stop Norco from backing off the edge and falling to his death. Norco looked nervously left, then right, and then stared for several seconds at the figure.
"Wh, who are you...?" Norco timidly asked.
"Uh," He replied, coming a little closer, "My name is Roystelineskienorious. But, you can just call me Roy. I came here to O-Rine, lookin' to put an end to Striker and the Nael 'Tec. They've done enough damage already."
"Really? Where are you from?" Norco asked a little more calmly than he intended to sound.
"I'm from Jotz, which is down on the ground a long way. But I got business to tend to right now, kiddo, so, eh, catch ya later!" Roy said as he turned to walk away. He took ten steps before realizing he couldn't get off the roof. He gasped and turned back to Norco.
"Um, maybe I'll, eh, stay a little while... Aheh heh heh..." Roy laughed nervously. He bent down to survey his damaged razor.
"Aw, man, this is bad... Well, don't tell me I'm stuck..." Roy groaned.
"Um, no. If you can climb, that is. I get up here every day by climbing up the side. I've done it for years. I'm so good at it, it comes as nothing to me anymore. Just an everyday part of life now. I can show you-" Norco stopped, as Roy motioned for him to be quiet.
"Nope, nope, nope... Stop right there... I'm not so young anymore, ok, so I think I'll just take the stairs to get down to the ground."
"What stairs? Oh, the ones that you'd only reach by going through my house and scaring my sister into thinking there's an invader, then proceeding down fifty five floors to get all the way down to the ground below. I'd climb if I were you, Sir Roy." Norco said with a salute.
"Woa, what's with the 'sir' thing, kid? I ain't no army general. Call me Roy. But, ah, that still doesn't mean I'm gonna be able to... Well, I'll put it this way. I MIGHT be able to, if you'll, eh, show me the way..." Roy mumbled with embarrassment.
"Sure! Wait, it's about the time I usually go to bed..." Norco said.
"Ok, I'll just sleep here tonight then." Roy replied.
"Alright, alright, here, just follow me." Norco said, hopping off the side of the wall. Roy shouted out to him and scrambled his way to the side, looking off the edge. Norco landed safely on a ledge down below and waved up to him. Roy sighed nervously and then climbed up onto the wall, letting himself fall down onto the ledge, which wasn't that far down.
"Woa," He said after landing, "It's been years since I last did that..."
"Really? Well, you ride that disc thingie!" Norco blurted out.
"Oh, yeah, my Saucer. It's the only way I can get around quickly nowadays."
"Uh, well try to keep up with me, ok, Roy?" Norco said, leaping off the ledge.
"Hey, kid, wait up!" Roy called after him.
Flare went flying behind Norco, frantically trying to keep up. Roy jumped along the platforms several steps behind Norco, but coughing with fatigue. He had his two red laser guns protected in their sheaths at his sides, but they jiggled as if ready to fall out. Before long, Norco stopped and waited for Roy. The old soldier slowed to a stop, and breathed heavily.
"You gonna be ok?" Norco asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine... Ugghhh... Maybe I should rest for a sec..." Roy stammered. He sat down against the wall and let out a long sigh. Norco backed up and looked up toward the sky.
"I really should get home now, but it's ok, it's not that much further down from here... I'd say you should be able to make it on your own, so, uh, g'bye!" Norco said with a brief wave, then dashed off.
Norco climbed onto the edge of his roof again and turned to sit on the side. Flare hovered down and sat beside him.
"Norco," Flare began, "We should go back for him."
"No, it's ok, Flare. But we still have this thing sitting there..." Norco gestured at the Saucer. He sighed and looked around at the scenery, then down at Flare.
"Y'know, maybe you're right..." He said. "Whatever he's after, maybe we could help'im find it! I never get to go anywhere anymore... Can't make money, 'cause I can't find a job that'll take me in... Therefore I can't pay to go to places."
Norco looked back at the Saucer, then back out at the city. He suddenly wished the Saucer was fixed so he could go for a ride all over O-Rine. He felt a sudden pinch in his chest, the kind he got whenever he had had too much sugar, or was angry. The kind that commanded him to move toward his goal. He swallowed hard, looking edgily in both directions in case any other U.F.O.'s were about to crash into his roof. Then he stood.
He took a few steps back and his eyes remained glued toward the ground. He fumbled around in his side pack for his sheathed dagger. With an 'aha', he pulled it out and removed the long, wide blade from its protective sleeve. He put the sleeve back into his side pack and examined his dagger as if for the first time. But suddenly, without any warning, he heard a shout of 'NORCO!', and he turned to see who was there. Storming across the balcony toward the ladder was Norma, his easily angered sister. She climbed the ladder quickly and in no time was on top, storming toward him.
Her long, tannish hair was tied back and her regular outfit was still on. At that time of night, she was usually beginning to wind down for sleep. Her eyes were narrowed in an angry scowl, and her hands were balled into fists.
"Norco, what did you do!" She harshly demanded.
"Well, I ate breakfast, then I ate lunch, then I ate dinner, now here I am." He replied in a joking manner. Norma's eyes did not stray from him and she stopped directly in front of him. He fixed his face in a ridiculous grin, glancing both ways nervously.
"Norco, the street patrolman, Rick, just came and told me you were seen outside taking something that didn't belong to you. When are you gonna stop doing these things!" Norma exclaimed.
"Huh? I didn't steal anything..." Norco blurted in a rushed tone.
"Oh really? Well, I don't believe you, Norco..." Norma glared at him and he could tell she was trying to come up with evidence mentally to prove him guilty. He shrugged casually and sat down again. Norma sat beside him and sighed. She folded her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her arms. She looked out at O-Rine and then back at Norco.
"Have you ever wondered what else is out there beyond O-Rine?" She asked dreamingly, with a dazed smile.
"Yeah, tons of times. And someday, I'm gonna explore the whole world. Flare and I can look for buried treasure somewhere, and I'm gonna make us rich one day, Norma!" Norco said with a sudden outburst of excitement.
"Rich?" Norma stared at him blankly. "Yeah right."
"Oh, you'll see." Norco looked out at the city again. "I'll find the hidden world of Egorn, and I'll bring back the treasure buried in the deepest part, and - " Norco faded his words and sighed with a disappointed stare toward the ground.
"It'll never happen, Norco." Norma reminded him with a gentle rub on his shoulder. She stood back up again and turned to go back inside for the night. But then she gasped. Norco shut his eyes and winced. Norma erupted in a loud scream, then turned and slapped Norco hard.
"What is that!" She demanded. Norco looked up.
"Oh, that's a kite someone must've lost..." He chose his words randomly.
Norma turned quickly to look at the crashed Saucer. She stepped closer toward it and cautiously raised an arm to touch it. Norco stood as well and ran over to it first. Then he turned to her and stuttered to find the words to say, trying not to sound crazy.
"Norma, this thingie belongs to a guy who's fighting against Hireign. His name is Roy, something, and he crashed here. His Saucer's broken, so he asked me to look after it while he climbs down to search on foot. He seemed sorta weird, so I didn't follow'im, but now I feel like looking for him so I can at least see Hireign for once..." Norco struggled to say. Norma stared at him and her eyes slowly looked to the side, then she said, "And you were going to leave it here and not ever tell me about it? What do you think I am, stupid!"
"Yeah." Norco replied. Norma groaned angrily and turned around, as her long hair swung over her shoulder and she remained silent as she walked toward the ladder. Norco glanced at Flare and laughed cautiously. Then he suddenly called back to her, "Norma, wait..."
She very slowly turned back to look at him. "What!"
"Um... Uh, listen, I'm gonna go into the city and find Roy. I know it's late, but hey, how many times've I done this before, eh?" Norco tried to force her to agree.
"What! Norco, it's late! Wait until tomorrow to go get yourself killed."
"No, I'd rather do it tonight. I've gotta help Roy find Hireign and stop'im."
"Norco, why are such a daredevil! You are seriously going to die one of these days if you don't wise up and quit acting like this all the time. I used to feel the same way you do, but I don't go looking for trouble at every chance. You should really get some sleep and maybe, just maybe, I'll let you go find your friend tomorrow." Norma gave him his orders like his mother used to.
"Aww, you are so unfair. What's life worth if you never take risks and enjoy yourself! Why does life have to be so dull and boring, with only the same useless routine every day, of gettin' up, goin' to school, comin' home, and repeating the whole procedure again! Seriously. I wonder sometimes how you live with your own dullness, Norma." Norco whined, sitting down on his small bed comprised of only pillows and thick blankets, beside the outer heat vent where Roy's Saucer crashed.
Norma gave him a strict look and turned back toward the ladder to continue. Then Norco burst out in laughter. Norma turned quickly and glared at him.
"Oh that's right, you don't control me! Hahahahahaha!" Norco sprang up and jumped onto the side of the wall overlooking O-Rine.
"Norco, no!" Norma screamed.
"Look after that Saucer until I bring him back to get it." Norco said with a brief look back at Norma, then he swiftly leaped off the side of the wall and disappeared over the edge. Flare soared down after him and Norma dashed to the wall and leaned over all the way to make sure he was alright. Norco was already bolting across the grated ledge three floors down from the roof.
Norma tried to call to him at the last minute but then sighed with irritation and turned back around. She strolled back to the ladder slowly and began to feel the usual feeling of anger toward Norco she felt most days. Norma used to scold Norco for leaving home constantly, but as of late had decided it was pointless. He would leave no matter what she said and would get into trouble wherever he went. Norma had watched the news the day that Striker and his Nael 'Tec first arrived in O-Rine and began causing trouble. They had made their home in the darkest, most feared and dangerous place in O-Rine. It was an ally called Narrow Way, full of criminals and gamblers, where Striker fit in perfectly. Narrow Way was the one place in the world Norco assured Norma he would never set foot near. And he stayed true to his word.
He once had made the mistake of hiding just at the edge of Narrow Way and was rushed by a group of masked burglars. He just barely escaped with his life, and the item he stole from the market. He had learned to repair many different types of electronic devices during his life in O-Rine, and had even had to repair Flare many times. Flare, Norco's only real friend in O-Rine, was given to him by his father, who was an inventor. He made Flare as one of his final projects before his death and Norco thought that Flare contained at least a small part of his father. Norma never believed such things.
Norma was far more strict than Norco and had much less of an imagination than he did. Norco spent a long time simply learning how to understand Flare's beeping sounds as actual words, and they really were. Norco had memorized Flare's internal system and could easily repair him at any time. Flare did little for Norco but serve as a companion, even when he had no true language. Norco tried hard to ignore the thought of danger, and the word seemingly had no meaning to him. Norma feared that would be the end of him one day.