Chapter 42: The Breaker of Chains.
"All call signs! All call signs! Priority one call! The enemy IS breaching the crew's family pod! There are children in there! I repeat, there are children in imminent danger!" Spike's voice came through the intercom in a frenzy, he had taken control of the ship's security room and was currently hooked into all their security and cameras so he had a direct view on everything, that was his speciality after all, he was a combat hacker and electronic warfare expert.
He was on the last shuttle to come over becasue'd been overriding the systems so that the teams had an unobstructed entry, now he was viewing everything in real time and feeding the teams intel through their priority comms channel, but this was an all call signs call, a true emergency.
Reaper, Tik eleth, and Inferno were close by when the call came through, Tik turned to Reaper and Inferno, "Lets move! No one will harm those cubs while I draw breath!" Tik roared, and the three turned and charged down the corridor, Tik was incredibly fast on her feet, as was Inferno, and the sounds of their heavy foot falls echoed down the metal corridor, bu thanks to his cybernetics Reaper was able to outpace the two large Yautja females, the door ahead of them led into the compartment that housed the entry to the crew's family quarters, they were housed in a different stasis pod to the regular colony as a privilege for their loved ones running the ship taking them to their new home.
"This is Reaper, we are moving to intercept, how many targets, Spike?" he said into the comms.
"Twenty, heavily armed, they may have one of those Nightmare Assassins with them, I can't tell for sure but the dude leading them has a real vibe about him, plus, he's carrying a sword and, as far as I can tell, those creepy fuckers are the only ones that do that," Spike said.
"Great, fine, we're still going in, send us backup when you can," Reaper said.
"Roger, it's on the way, you have a team of Guardian Hunters coming to you, they've got Cuddlebug with them, if you can hold those fuckers 'till they arrive we should be able to stop them getting to the crew's families," Spike said.
"Roger that, going in," Reaper yelled, and he activated his eye's thermal vision and heartbeat sensor systems, it picked up the faint EM signal given off by a beating heart and could detect it through 6 feet of solid concrete, so a metal bulkhead was nothing, it instantly picked up a guard on the other side of the door as the three of them stacked up to breach, he held up his hand to prevent Tik from breaching ahead of time, she watched him curiously and Inferno put a large hand on her broad shoulder.
"Watch this," she whispered to her, and Tik glared at her for a moment.
"What is he doing? We need to get in there and protect those cubs!" she snarled in a low voice.
"He's marking targets, there's a reason he's the best assassin in the universe, just watch, trust me," Inferno said as Reaper took a few steps from the door, then, with blinding speed, he dashed forward and smashed his metallic fist straight through the metal, grabbing the person on the other side and, with flash of speed, pulled their head through the small hole his fist had made in the solid metal.
The man screamed in agony as the metal stripped the skin from his bones at having his head pulled though such a small hole, Reaper was already turning away and drawing his twin pistols rather than his PIMP, which was now sat on its sling, "Get ready!" Inferno roared to Tik, and the big female braced as Reaper charged the door, leaping forward at the last moment and, with the tremendous strength afforded to him, he kicked it clean out of its mountings, locking his magnetic boot and foot to it as he did and, thanks to the armored body of the screaming man trapped under it lowering the friction, he rode it into the room like a giant metal surfboard.
Reaper very rarely used this trick that his eye and cybernetic hand afforded him, but when he did it was devastating, though only useful in close range, firing in two directions at once with the large bore plasma pistols he was carrying, "Holy Shit! Reaper's actually using the gun dance! It's been fucking ages since I've seen him do this!" Spike yelled with an odd sense of happiness in his voice, he really seemed to get a real sense of joy when he saw him do stuff like this and he always came up with odd names for Reaper's special talents.
Using the pre-placed markers in his HUD Reaper fired both guns, blind aiming for the pulsing circles in his HUD on both sides as he slid at high speed into the room, leaving a trail of sparks and blood in his wake, "Now we're pauking talking! I see why you chose him, young one!" Tik roared, running into the room, her casters blazing with Inferno hot on her heels doing the same, the Guardian Core plasma casters they were both using were perfect for this type of scenario, not having to rely on gimbals to swivel to target, simply spinning in the air and loosing shot after shot.
Tik made a beeline for the crew with the cutting torch attempting to cut through the blast door that kept them out of the family quarters, she hit them like a meteor of pure rage and fury, the first one never had a chance to see her coming before she tore her head clean from her shoulders then, like a world series pitcher, she pitched the woman's head clean into the next one in line, knocking him on his ass before slamming a huge armored foot straight up through the man's crotch, utterly destroying his reproductive organs and smashing his pelvis into dust, it caused him so much pain that he projectile vomited inside his helmet.
His pain didn't last long though because that same foot that ended his life as a male ended his life period as it slammed down on the side of his head, smashing his skull into paste, to her right, Inferno had a female Scalathor by the tail and was swinging her round like a hammer till her tail tore free of her body, sending the screaming female barreling into a wall with such force that it snapped her neck clean, turning on her axis, she slammed the bloody tail into the head of someone charging right at her, using it like a bat, as she turned she saw Reaper vault into the air using a fallen enemy like a spring board, twisting through an inverted spin with his head facing the ground and his feet in the air, his arms out stretched and holding two guns, he fired downward as he spun over the heads of three of the enemy, killing them instantly in a hail of shot from the air before landing and turning with all the grace of a professional dancer, it made her heart flutter when she got to see this side of him, his grace and beauty like nothing she had ever seen before in an ooman, he was like the perfect killing machine, brutal, relentless, efficient and unstoppable, but also filled with grace and beauty, he made killing look like dancing.
That's when he found himself squaring off against the Nightmare Assassin, it was a male human to his surprise, he was holding a a huge sabre like sword made of a black metal and there was a manic look in his eyes, it was like there was a pure aura of menace coming from him.
Without a single word the young human rushed him, the vast majority of the Seekers were Yautja but it seemed that the non Yautja really stood out, it was like this power didn't belong in their hands somehow, but then, having said that, his beloved Macha was one now and the most powerful one that ever lived was a human.
Reaper had never seen anything like it, the way he moved was impossible, the speed and the strength of his motions were incredible, it was all Reaper could do to track him, even his augmented senses were having a hell of a time, again and again the wicked blade glanced off his armor and off his arm, looking for a weakness as Reaper fired off shot after shot, hitting nothing but air, the male's eyes were bright with blood lust but he couldn't help but see something else lurking deep in there too, like a second mind hiding behind the first, it was a quiet presence but one that screamed in fear and pain at the same time.
That wicked blade tore chunks out of his armor and he glanced around, Tik and Inferno were too busy to help him, being run ragged by the others, he was going to have to do this on his own, his rage flared and Reaper heard a quiet voice in his mind, "Please save me," it whispered, it was like a signal flare going off in the back of his mind, it was so loud that he never saw the blade until it was too late, and it hit him with such force that it actually surprised him, but not as much as the long ornate hilt sticking out of his chest, or the fact that he could no longer feel his heart beat in his chest or his head.
It's a quiet thing, death, really quiet, like all the sounds just vanish from existence like you could hear everything and nothing all at once, the blade had cut his heart clean in two, stopped all his blood flow in one fell swoop, it had cleaved right through his armor, his reinforced rib cage, his organs and his back like it was made of paper and he'd never seen it coming, so, this was how he dies finally, all this time fighting the odds, battling against the injustice of the universe and he was done in by a blade to the heart, how oddly poetic.
His entire body suddenly felt like lead and before he knew it he was on his knees, "Don't feel bad, you weren't strong enough either, at least you get to be free, be happy," that small voice that called out to him said in the back of his mind, the only sound in his silent world as he slumped to the floor, he couldn't even hear Inferno's blood curdling screams when she realized what was happening as Spike told her that he was flat lined.
He couldn't lay flat on his back because of the large blade through his chest up until the manicly grinning male human pulled it free then dove for cover as both Tik and Inferno charged him, although he couldn't hear it he could see that he was laughing.
Oh goddess, he was going to have to leave T'Shara and Macha now, that hit him hard, "No! No I don't want to go! I want to stay with you both!" he tried to scream, but his mouth refused to obey, others burst into the room now lead by Cuddlebug who moved like lighting after the Nightmare Assassin, T'Shara scooped his limp body up into her arms and tore her mask off, he could see the fear and the heart wrenching pain in her eyes.
She was screaming at the top off her lungs but he couldn't hear a word she was saying, "I'm so so sorry, T'Shara, my love, I've failed you so completely, all I wanted was to make you and Macha happier than you could have ever wished for, to drown you both in joy, but now, here I am, causing you a pain you should never feel, I'm so fucking sorry, please, please forgive me, I can't hold on for you, my treasure, goodbye, my purest of hearts, I will always love you and I will watch over you both always, good bye my love" he said inside his mind as his lips didn't move except to his like air escapeing him to form the words "Good bye"
He could feel his life leaving his body and slowly, while T'Shara's tears rained down on him, the greyness set in and he slipped slowly and silently into the darkness.
"Are you giving up, young Aiden?" a voice called to him in the darkness, it was sweet and powerful all at once, in a way it kinda reminded him of the sultry voice T'Shara used when she was really in the mood and badly wanted to get him into bed.
"Do I have a choice? I'm dying," he said sadly, feeling the purest grief and misery welling up in his heart.
"Actually, you're already dead," the voice replied softly but in a matter of fact way.
"Huh?" he exclaimed, looking around when, suddenly, he found himself back in the room with the fight coming to an end, the weight of the Guardian Core and the Spirits having crushed the remaining forces, the only one left standing was the Nightmare Assassin, and he was facing off against Cuddlebug and, as fast as he was, he just couldn't break her defence.
But his eyes were drawn to T'Shara, who was cradling his lifeless body and screaming with all her might, she was drenched in his blood and it felt really odd to be looking down on his own body, she was cradling him against her chest and screaming like a child who'd broken its favorite toy, she had her face buried in his chest and periodically shook him like somehow she could shake him back to life.
An anguish like he'd never imagined crashed through his heart as he watched his powerful and strong huntress cradling his lifeless body, clinging to hope like it was the air that she breathed and he desperately wanted to run to her to show her it would be ok, but it wouldn't, would it? Not for her.
Somehow he heard what was said through the comms network, "This is Spike to all call signs, Reaper has fallen, I repeat, Reaper has fallen, we have a Spirit down, let the record show Reaper is KIA, he's dead" Spike said, his voice flooded with pain and anger but was barely above a whisper.
From somewhere in the ship there was a second bellow of raw pain and anguish and he knew in an instant it was Macha, somehow he'd felt her pain in the same way he could feel T'Shara's right now, it was like being cut with a hot knife made of pure misery, moment's later she crashed into the room along with the other Seekers like Rose, Ryan, and Jack, to name a few, they appeared to have what looked like a black Draconis in tow.
Instantly the Seekers went for the Nightmare Assassin being held at bay by Cuddlebug, but Macha made a beeline right for him and dropped to her knees before throwing her long arms around their huntress and screaming, between them his lifeless body was clamped tightly between her and T'Shara as their grief hit him like a wave, the pair of them despretly clawed at his dead body as if trying to coax him back to life, to bring back the light into thier lives, he could feel thier pain washing through him and it destroyed him.
"Please don't hurt them, please let them be happy, this pain of theirs, I can't bear it!" Aiden yelled as he tried in vain to hug his girls only to have his arms pass right through them.
"So, I ask you again, young Aiden, are you giving up?" that voice asked inside his head, it was like hearing an echo from multiple directions all at once.
"What choice do I have? If it were up to me I'd spill every drop of my blood a billion times just to keep those two safe, to make them happy, to keep them free," he said bitterly.
"Now that's what I wanted to hear, do you know why that Nightmare Assassin went straight for you?" the voice asked.
"Because I was the closest and I went for him," Aiden said, and suddenly a woman materialized next to him, a huge proud and incredibly beautiful Yautja woman who looked like a model and a Valkyrie all at once.
"No, because he was scared of you, he sensed the same thing in you that Jack did, you are different from normal humans, very different, your spirit never gives up, no matter what happens to you, even now, in death, here you are, standing over the ones you love and all you want to do is take their pain and have it yourself so they don't have to hurt," she said.
"Isn't that what anyone who truly loves someone does?" Aiden asked, his heart aching as he saw Macha and T'Shara bawling their eyes out, Tik eleth stood next to them, looking both sad and angry, she looked utterly lost like she truly didn't know what to do, he never imagined a warrior like her would look that way, surely she'd seen more death than most?
"Long ago a prophesy was written about three souls that loved each other so fiercely that not even death would ever separate them, these souls were destined to bring peace to the universe, they would stand as a shining beacon to others of what can be achieved through unity and love, that only these three would be strong enough to win the final battle against the Creeping Darkness in the Final Hour, that only they had the power to unite everyone in the cause to stand against the dark, you, T'Shara, and Macha, are those three souls," the woman said, and Aiden looked at her like she was crazy.
"I'm not that person, I'm just a broken man who fell in love with a Xeno queen and a Yautja huntress," he said softly.
"And yet his love was strong enough to bring two bitter rivals together and to find not only love in him but in one another," she said, and he flinched at that one.
"Like it or not, Aiden, you are the beacon, the one that the universe has waited for for so very long, it's time for you take your place Aiden, but it is your choice at the end of the day, you have done far more than enough in your zealous defence of the innocent to earn your eternal rest and reward if that is what you wish, if you choose that you cannot take anymore then not one will judge you, least of all me, I have watched you your entire life and I have seen over and over again the pain you have suffered for the innocent strangers who never even got to thank you for the parts of yourself you lost in their defence, this is a choice that you and you alone have to make and bear in mind it is a final one, there is no take backs, you cannot change your mind once it is made, it is final," the woman said, and only now did Aiden recognise her from the little statue that T'Shara had in her quarters, this was Paya, the goddess of the eternal hunt.
The goddess gestured with her right hand and a gateway appeared ringed in blue and black smoke, then next to her appeared a pair of silver and gold swords hovering in the air, "Ok, young one, so, here are your choices, through that gate is paradise, my paradise, the eternal hunt, an honor given to only the strongest and purest of hunters and huntresses, though, contrary to popular belief, it isn't just for Yautja, it is given to those that love them too and that have stood tall and proud at their sides, so that they are not separate from their love in death, what is paradise without your truest love to enjoy it with? So this is your reward for loving my daughter, step through here and the hunt will be forever yours, you simply have to wait for her to join you in time and your beauty queen as well, the three of you together forever in paradise, but do this and they will be left alone without your love till their time comes, thanks to Macha's blessing they can visit you or you them, but you can not truly be together until their time comes to lay down and join you," Paya said.
That really did sound good, so after all the killing he'd done and after all the lives he'd taken he still got to go to heaven? Somehow that didn't seem fair.
"What's option number two?" he asked, and Paya smiled, raising her mandibles in a sly, knowing smile.
"You take these swords, one in each hand and they will unleash your true power, they will return you to the world of the living, but you will be forever changed, that flame that you've always felt in the depths of your soul will unlock, it will show you who you have truely been this entire time, you will rise to be what you were always meant to be," she said.
"So if I take those swords I get to go back to being alive with Macha and T'Shara?" Aiden asked, and Paya nodded.
"You see, the darkness unleashed something long ago that's been pulling the strings all this time, something that not even my most powerful Dream Warriors can defeat, something only the trinity can take out, so...hey, wait, don't you want to know what you'll become?" Paya exclaimed in surprise as Aiden made a beeline right for the swords.
"Don't care if it's a fucking giant lizard, as long as I get to hold my loves again, I cannot go to paradise knowing that I left them in pain, my place is at their side and nowhere else, how can I deserve paradise when my death caused the ones I wish to share it with to endure pain like this? So I'm going back, do with me what you will, Lady Paya, I'm your loyal servant 'till the end as long as I keep them with me," Aiden said, reaching out for the swords with both hands and Paya smiled broadly.
"The Council of the Eternal really did choose right with you, didn't they, go then, you died a human, now rise an Angel," she said, and Aiden grabbed the swords.
Pain like he'd never imagined in life tore through his entire body, it felt like his very soul was on fire, Aiden screamed but endured it, there wasn't a pain he wouldn't endure for the two he loved, if this was what he needed to do to get back to them then he'd endure it forever if need be, Paya began to chant and suddenly there wasn't just one goddess in the room but several, gods too, all looking different, one was a giant tree like creature with a face that looked kind in its trunk, another was surrounded by animals, one was stood next to a huge black horse and carrying a raven on her hand, they all began to chant, "Born a human, died a human, love binds him, love frees him, rise first of your kind, rise, Dark Guardian Angel!" they chanted over and over, and suddenly Aiden felt like he was being stuffed into a jam jar or something 'till he realised his soul was being stuffed back into his body.
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T'Shara and Macha screamed and screamed in grief and pain cradling their dead male in their arms, both were in a pain that they could have never imagined, suddenly his lifeless body twitched, "What the fuck! I just got a heartbeat from Reaper!" Spike's voice literally screamed into the comms, nearly bursting their ear drums but, as the words sank in, they both froze and a singular ray of hope pierced their hearts at once, they both looked down at him and, to their utter surprise, his body began to glow like it had been lit on fire.
Soon it became hot, to hot to touch, and they both dropped him in alarm, but he didn't fall, his body just hung there in mid air as the white flames around his body grew brighter and brighter and brighter until they couldn't look directly at him without their visors.
His remaining armor actually melted away like it was made of water and his now naked body hung in the air, "Whats happening!?" T'Shara yelled in alarm, and the other began to look as well.
Cuddlebug was currently trying to tear the darkness out of the captured Nightmare Assassin so she didn't turn, but Jack did, and his mouth fell open, "C-C-Could it be..." he exclaimed just as Aiden's body floated upright into a position that made him look like he was hanging on an invisible crucifix, his cybernetic arm burned up, as did his leg and his eye and, judging by the look of his now hollow chest, his ribs too, to Macha and T'Shara's utter astonishment his arm regrew out of his shoulder, so did his leg, so did his eye but this one wasn't blue, it was pure gold.
White glowing symbols began to appear on his flesh like they were being drawn by unseen hands, Yautja, Human, Draconis, Scalathor, Beledon, even Xeno, it was like all languages were being written onto his body covering every inch of his skin like tattoos, untill while you could see his skin beneath them you couldn't not see them, out of nowhere a pair of swords appeared in either of his hands, but they weren't the things that drew everyone's attention, it was the two enormous black feathered wings that grew out of his back. and reached from his above his head to the backs of his heels.
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"Awaken, our Dark Angel, it is time for you to fulfill your purpose, lead the forces of the light and destroy this darkness once and for all," Paya's voice, along with what sounded like a whole chorus of others said inside his head, and suddenly an odd sensation of falling hit him and he landed on his feet with the grace of a cat, despite not being fully conscious yet.
The first thing that happened as his mind began to wake up was two huge forms crashed into him, but rather than knock him over like they usually would they simply stopped dead like they'd run into a brick wall made of flesh, his flesh.
"Alive! Our male is alive!" T'shara screamed at the top of her lungs, and Macha screamed it as well as they both sandwiched him between them, screaming and weeping in purest joy that he could feel like it was his own, in fact, their feelings flowed through him like a river and every joy and fear they both had was his too now.
His limbs now worked again and he felt his voice return to him, in fact, he felt his entire self return as if someone flicked a switch, he slowly moved his arms and placing the swords at his sides as he wrapped his arms around both Macha and T'Shara and held them both so tightly, "I'm back my hearts, I came back, I told you I'd never leave you and I meant it, my place is here at your sides where I belong, not even paradise can take me from you," he said softly, stroking them both.
"P-P-Paradise!? Y-Y-You walked away from the eternal hunt! For us!?" T'Shara exclaimed in alarm and shock, and he stroked her mandibles before kissing each and every one before her mouth, then turned to Macha and did the same.
"You are my paradise, how can I walk through those gates without you at my sides?" he said softly, and both of them welled up again as they suddenly realised the enormity of what he'd given up to come back to them, he'd walked away from paradice to come back to them.
"Oh, my Aiden, my male, my pure love," Macha cried, holding tight to his back between his wings and that's when that hit him too, he had fucking wings now!
He could feel her rustling every feather like it was a sensitive finger tip, he felt his wings ruffle and that in itself was an odd sensation, that's when he noticed the bright white aura glowing around Macha like white fire and also the black aura glowing around the captured Nightmare Assassin that had killed him.
He felt a sudden pull in his heart towards that fallen young human, "Excuse me a moment, my loves, there is something I must do," he said as the pull got stronger and stronger, they stopped back and looked at him strangely, in fact, everyone was staring at him open mouthed now, but he didn't have time to waste on that, he felt that Cuddlebug was in danger.
Walking over to the prone man pinned down under the huge Beledon female he could see their auras locked in a battle between them, it looked like a floating yin yang symbol between them as the darkness and the light did battle, and the light was shrinking, he had to do something, then, acting on pure instinct, he reached in-between the two and he grabbed the orb and, with both his hands, he pulled the two sides apart and, with a pull that felt like he was reeling in a fish, he tore the dark side toward him, causing a black shadow to be torn from the prone human's body kicking and screaming.
It morphed into a black haired woman that wriggled and fought against his grip of pure steel, "You bastard! You lowly scum sucking human! How dare you interfere!" she screeched, writhing and fighting against his grip and that's when her eyes locked onto his wings and a look of pure fear crossed her face.
"No! No it can't be! The Angel of Death is real! The fucking Council finally made it happen! They called forth the fucking Dark Angel! Please! Wait! We can make a deal!" she exclaimed in a voice dripping in pure fear, but Aiden wasn't listening, it was like an instinct a million years in the making was burning in his soul, he reached out his free left hand and the golden blade flew to him, called like a loyal dog, no sooner had the hilt hit his hand then he pushed the blade straight up through her heart with a paure cold detatchment that his actions were pure mechanical.
Her whole body burst into bright blue flames that lit the whole room, "I, Aiden Scott, named First Among Angels by the gods called from my eternal rest to defend against the Darkness hereby banish you back to the hell you crawled out of, burn under the weight of your sins, evil doer, may the pain of every innocent you killed burn your soul for eternity" Aiden said in a cool, calm, emotionless voice like he'd said it a million times, the soul screamed and burst before being dragged through a hole in the floor that opened up into a pit of purest black that swallowed it whole, leaving nothing behind.
Everyone stared at him in utter shock, Aiden watched as the white light that had been hidden under the black appeared and he reached out and took it in his hands, slowly, he knelt down and placed it against the prone human male's chest, "I release you, little one, be free now and reclaim what is yours, come, walk with us in the light again," he said by pure instinct, and, with that, both the young human and Cuddlebug both opened their eyes and, while the human blinked a few times, Cuddlebug's eyes flew open like there were springs in her eye lids.
"Why is there a gorgeous naked human leaning over me!? Am I dead!? Oh my God, I'm in heaven aren't I!?" she shrieked in surprise, rolling backwards out of the way before jumping to her feet and staring at him, her huge eyes roaming his naked body and Aiden suddenly felt a blush burn his skin as he realized she was right, he was standing bollock naked in front of a room full of his peers, out of instinct he instantly wrapped his wings around himself, hiding his nudity.
Tik eleth chuckled but there was a look of pure joy in her eyes, "Well, it is not hard to see what his girls see in him, is it, my love? Reminds me of you in so many ways," she said, grinning at Jack, who just grinned at her.
"Well, except maybe the big fucking black wings, my hearts star, but if you have a thing for feathers maybe we could role play you hunting down an Angel," he said, making Tik purr very loudly.
T'Shara and Macha instantly wrapped themselves around him, 'Don't you dare stare at OUR male! His beauty is for us!" T'Shara bellowed, and the surprised Beledon shrank back under her fury.
"S-S-Sorry! I didn't mean to! He was just right there!" she exclaimed, then she seemed to remember the prone male on the floor and she quickly scrambled over to him.
"Leroy! Leroy, are you ok?" she exclaimed, lifting the frightened human male up so he was sitting and he nodded and looked up at her.
"I-I-I think so, what happened?" he asked.
"I was fighting Morrigan to free you, remember, but it started going bad, then out of nowhere this giant hand made of fire came in and tore her out of you like it was nothing!" Cuddlebug exclaimed, and they both looked at Adien as Macha quickly took off her collar and clipped it to his neck, which instantly covered his entire naked body in armored scales, hiding his nudity from sight, even his wings got armored, turning the feathers into razor like blades.
Aiden glanced at Macha, "My body is designed to work best naked, but I want no one but me and our huntress to see your joys, they are hard won and they are ours," she said, sounding selfish, but it made him smile.
"Thank you for saving me, mister Angel," Leroy said in a very quiet sound voice filled with shame and grief, Aiden smiled down at him and crouched down to help him up to his feet.
"I thank you for that, but it wasn't me truly, the thanks goes to this fine Dream Warrior here, it would have been too easy for her to kill you to purge Morrigan from you, but she risked her very soul to try and remove her and to save you, your soul meant more to her than making it easy," he said, indicating Cuddlebug who was standing nearby, wringing her hands in front of her abdomen and Leroy, who appeared to be about 18, turned to look at her and he looked up at her.
"Thank you, lady Dream Warrior, I will be forever grateful to you, you saved my life and my soul," he said in an incredibly soft voice, he lowered his hood and showed that he was a white skinned human, he had big watery dark brown eyes with seriously dark blonde hair.
Cuddlebug looked like she was about to explode as she danced about on the spot, or she really needed a pee one or the other, but the loud squee noise she made before grabbing him up into her arms and running off with the confused looking human in a huge hug gave her away.
Aiden couldn't help but chuckle as the big Beledon female scampered off, carrying her human prize heading for the shuttles, T'Shara and Macha turned to him and he saw them both looking him over, "What happened to you, my love?" Macha asked, and he smiled and gently stroked her mandibles.
"I died, stone cold dead, I stood over you watching the whole thing like I was another person, then Paya showed up and she gave me a choice, I could call it a day and take my final reward, walk through the gates and go on to the eternal hunt for all the good I did in life, or I could take these swords, be forever changed, but come back, I didn't even wait to find out what I would be before I picked up the swords, there was no way I could walk through those gates without you both, when that time comes and I finally do step through it's going to be where I belong, in your arms," he said, and both Macha and T'Shara teared up and threw themselves at him.
"You gave up heaven, you gave up the eternal hunt, for us," T'Shara wailed, and Aiden cradled his very emotional huntress in his arms, it was strange seeing either of them like this, especially her, she was usually so stoic, but now a damn had been broken in her seeing the true depths of her male's love for her, that he would walk away from heaven's gates just to spend another second in her arms.
That's when they became aware of the group forming to their left and they turned to see Jack and his lot standing before him, as one they saluted, "Long have we awaited this day, Lady Paya told us that it was our job to defend the innocent and to drive back the dark, but to fully destroy it we would need a weapon like no other, a living weapon with a soul of fire, she called it the Living Trinity, a weapon forged in a fire made of love, now we see what she meant, it's you three, three beings, no one the same, all carrying the same heart and wearing the same aura, an aura of gold white flame, only together would this weapon have the power to finally draw out the Guardian of the Dark and destroy it, paving the way for a peace that the universe has never known, you three are that weapon, our Trinity!" Jack declared, and, as one, the entire Guardian Core present snapped to attention and their fists slammed against their breast plates.
"Trinity!" they chorused in perfect sync like they'd practiced for a life time, the only one who looked as confused was Aiden, T'Shara, and Macha, was Rose who, while she was saluting, looked around in confusion.
That actually made Aiden kinda happy, at least he wasn't the only one that was confused as fuck, but they still had a job to do, "Alright, people, we still got people to save and undead fucks to clear out, so, let's get to it, shall we? We can chat about this...development later back aboard the Sword of Silence," Aiden said, and there were nods of agreement all round, instantly both Jack and Tik were barking orders to their respective sides of the clan, sending their warriors out.
A sudden thought struck Aiden as he noticed a camera moving to his right scanning the room, "Reaper to Spike, you receving me?" he said, using the built-in comms system in Macha's armor.
"You're alive! You're a-fucking-live!" Spike bellowed in pure joy, nearly blowing out his ear drum.
"Yeah, dude, I'm alive, do me a favor, will you?" he said.
"Anything, boss, anything," Spike replied.
"Destroy the camera footage from this room," he said, and instantly Spike got it.
"Roger that, boss, I'm on it," he said, and Aiden gave a thumbs up to the camera, knowing he was watching.
Aiden looked down at the two swords that he now had, he felt a very strange connection to them, like they were a part of him, holding them tight in his hands he looked down at his newly grown arm, how long had it been since it had been flesh and bone? In fact, how long had it been since he'd not felt the presence of metal in his body at all?
Granted he was looking at it through armor but he could still feel it, the blood rushing through it, his pulses pounding below the flesh he now had and he couldn't help but smile, he was whole again, and, more than that, he now had a pair of fucking wings to contend with, he made a mental note to himself to find Shey and ask her how the hell does one contend with having bloody big wings jutting out of your back?
As they left the crew family area he noticed that Macha and T'Shara were now in full on guarding mode, neither of them was more than five steps from him at any one point, it was both flattering and kinda tricky to deal with, he checked his recovered PIMP and pistols a few times, he now was basically a walking armory with guns and swords dangling off him all over the place.
"We've got the the undead pinned in the main mess hall, we got the fuckers in there and locked 'em in, awaiting your orders, Reaper," Tank's voice came through the comms.
"Roger that, we're on our way, what about the remaining soldiers?" Reaper asked.
"Oh, they fucked, laddie, stupid fuckers tried to make a break for it and T'Sall steered 'em right into his wife's sights, I swear, that boy knows just how to get the girl's tail swishing," Tank said, and Reaper could actually hear the smile in his voice.
"I'm a girl with simple tastes," Whisper said bluntly.
"Just glad I'm a simple boy then," T'Sall said over the comms, and they then heard that rarest of things, Whisper laughing.
The group arrived to find the Spirits holding the door to the mess hall, Tank was changing out the mag on Bertha while Moodstone watched his back and the others stood ready, all of them looked up as they saw Reaper approaching and as one the whole group snapped to attention.
"Spirits never die! They hold the line!" Moodstone yelled, and a cheer came from the others, Reaper patted her on the shoulder and he saw her grinning at him through the mask and then she lost her battle to hug him.
"So glad you're not dead, boss," she said softly.
"That makes two of us," he said, returning it.
Tank stepped up as his girl let go of Reaper and planted a huge hand on his shoulder, "I think dying and coming back to life is a good enough excuse for me to let you have a hug from me, scaly angel, without having to pound you into the deck plate, well, that, an' I don't fancy having to have me girl pull me arms outta me arse after yer girls get done with me," he said with a huge grin, shooting it at Macha and Inferno who both smiled back at him.
"Holy shit, you fucking really do have wings!" Ice exclaimed, looking him over, walking around him in a circle.
"Yeah and a butt load of tattoos as well" he said.
"Well, then you're going in for a full medical when we're back on board the Sword" she said, and Reaper cocked his head.
"You just want to see my bloody wings, don't you?" he said, and she grinned.
"Hell yes! How often is it you get to see a real life bloody angel!? I mean, granted we got black skinned ones scampering all over the ship screeching away in that cute as hell way they do, but a real life heaven sent one?" she said.
Reaper sighed, he got the feeling that this angel gig was going to be one half being gawked at and the other half would be paper work.
"This is T'Kell, the Halkrath stand ready to hunt on the far side of the mess hall, as do Section 5," T'Kell said into the comms.
"Roger that, on my mark, everyone watch your cross fire, don't want any friendly fire, close quarter protocols are in effect," Reaper said, and, with that, he began a count down and as he hit zero both doors flew open at once and all of them rushed into the mess hall.
Reaper didn't even hesitate, for some reason though he reached for his swords before his guns and he hadn't even realized that he'd drawn them and not his pistols until he was in the room, but the blades were far more effective against undead than any firearm, because they seem to have the added benefit of setting whatever they cut ablaze with a fire so powerful that it incinerated the target to ash in seconds.
Very carefully directed bolts of plasma criss crossed the room from both casters and rifles as all the special forces did their jobs, it was like a deadly disco in there but it was a fight that not even the undead could win, in a matter of minutes they were crushed beneath the combined weight of the force of the best special forces in the universe, all acting together as one well oiled machine.
"Clear!" Reaper bellowed as he scanned the room and the call was picked up and echoed across the room by the others.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am detecting zero enemy presence remaining on the ship at this time, so I am declaring a complete and utter victory and, what's more, other than the crew lost before we showed up we have zero civilian casualties, all other crew monitors are showing green! Come on home, people, this fight is won" Queen bee said, and there was a huge cheer from everyone on board.
It didn't take them long to dispose of the undead corpses, thanks to Reaper's swords that set everything they cut on fire, once all presence of the virus was destroyed and the ship was returned to the grateful crew who wouldn't stop singing their praises, the teams headed back to their ships with the two ex-Nightmare Assassins in tow, they were going to be questioned to find out what they knew as they would be a gold mine of information on the enemy's plan, though it would be a gentle thing rather than an interrogation, besides, given the way Cuddlebug still hadn't let go of Leroy, Reaper wouldn't like to imagine what would happen if anyone tried to hurt the nervy and surprisingly gentle human with his big guardian around, Cuddlebug might look all sweet and nervous, but she was still a 600 pound wall of muscle with horns and arms that made a Yautja's look like twigs, pissing her off wasn't going to be the best idea in the universe.
Though Reaper couldn't help but smile at seeing her holding him in her lap petting his head like a happy owner petting a cat, Leroy seemed to be of mixed feeling about it, on one hand he seemed to be enjoying the protective and reassuring close contact of the over protective female, on the other hand he seemed to be a bit concerned about being perceived as non masculine by everyone else by being planted in a girl's lap.
Reaching out he put a hand on his shoulder and leaned in close to him so he could whisper in his ear, "Don't worry about it, kid, ain't anybody stupid enough to look down on you in our group, the guys around us know the joys and happiness a strong girl brings, you ain't less of a man for being happy about it, just relax, ok?" he said, and the young human smiled at him, looking relived.
"Thank you Mr. Reaper, for everything, you saved my very soul," he said, and Reaper patted his shoulder as both Macha and T'Shara moved up and embraced Reaper from both sides, cementing the we don't judge love's size just strength point in Leroy's mind.
"Don't mention it, kiddo, just do something good with it, ok?" he said, and Leroy nodded eagerly.
"I've already promised to tell Mr. Jack everything I know and heard, he promised in return he'd give me a place in Clan Mason and would show me how to be strong, he said I'd be a good Soul Knight, whatever that is," he said, and Macha nodded approvingly.
"That would make you just like my beauty queen here, don't you worry, kiddo, Jack Mason is one of the best human beings I know, you follow his example and you won't go wrong at all, he'll have you on the path to self redemption in no time, and just you watch, you'll have your chest puffed out and your head held high in no time, though you might have to watch out, hold it too high and certain pretty Beledon girls are gonna see those curls waving about and aren't going to resist giving you head pats, or, in the case of some running you off to cuddle you somewhere," he said, shooting a grin at Cuddlebug which she could see now the face mask of the armor was lowered.
Cuddlebug snorted and looked shy as if they'd unearthed her devious master plan, suddenly, Rose popped up out of nowhere in that way she seemed to, "Oh, stop teasing the boy Reaper, if he's so irresistibly attracted to Beledon girls that it's radiating off him like sunshine that any good Tamer can see that's not his fault is it? I mean, goddess, look at him, he's trying as hard as he can to stop himself from glowing like a light bulb at the pretty girl who grabbed him," she said with an evil smile that Reaper saw, and instantly picked up on to run with, he really liked this girl and now he knew why, she was like a little slightly more evil version of him.
"Yeah, I know, the boy can't help being irresistibly attracted to big Beledon girls, I was just trying to spare his blushes, you, like me, know what it means when a human blushes like that, that they really really like you," he said, and Leroy's eye turned into dinner plates, as did Cuddlebug's.
She leaned her big head down to investigate him properly and right on que it made him blush bright red, "You think me pretty? You like Beledon?" she asked, spinning him around to look her right in the eye.
You could practically cook bacon on Leroy's cheeks, they were that red, he nodded silently, "You're pretty, the way you fought a goddess for me, it was amazing, no one's ever done anything for me before, let alone that," he said very very shyly, and both Reaper and Rose looked at one another in amazement, they'd both been joking but they accidently pried a kernal out into the open.
Cuddlebug's eyes teared up and then squeezed Leroy tightly, but not tight enough to hurt him, "Me happy! Finally, me finds pretty human prize! Me make you happy human, you's see! No one ever hurt you again, me no let them!" she said, and, to their surprise, Leroy wrapped his arms around her large neck and clung on for dear life.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Suddenly both Reaper and Rose got a hand planted on their shoulder's and Jack poked his head in between them, "Playing cupid again I see, come on, let's get back to the Sword, we have a lot to discuss, and you've inadvertently just made my job a lot harder, have you ever seen a Beledon with a human lover?" he said, and both of them shook their head.
"You think Yautja are territorial, you ain't seen nothing 'till you see a Beledon girl that finally found a human willing to look at them, ooooh, boy, that kid is in for some serious pampering if he accepts her offer," he said ,and the three of them looked at the still embracing pair.
"Yeah, he's taking that offer," both Aiden and Rose said in perfect unison, and Jack laughed.
"Come on, Angel, fly us home," he said, and with that Aiden turned towards the cockpit of the shuttle, it was time to go home.