Chapter Thirteen
Twins of Chaos
An unholy cry pierces my ears, I spin around looking for the source of the sound, none comes. Metallic footsteps echo in my mind, I whirl frantically, searching, seeing, trying to find their source, no one is near me, no one is in the hall, I am alone… Yet, I can still hear the faint footsteps, the faint footsteps of one person, walking, with purpose, knowing their goal. I turn again uneasy, feeling… Different, as if, something has awakened, something that is similar to me… The dried blood on my white Hunter's garb cracks and splinters off, leaving the shoulder of my battle suit stained a light hew of red.
I continue on, putting as much distance between me, and the wails of torment that radiate from below. My weapons clinking against one another as I go, each time one contacts my body, I feel the tax begin, their powers constricting my strength, drawing it into them. My physical and mental states, waning, fade, with each contact, each brush from the weapons. I begin to breathe harder, and wane in and out of darkness, I force my eyes open, my mind sharp, pain radiates through my body as I force it to deny the rest it craves from wielding these weapons. The strain grows, with each step, each breath I draw, the burden increase, amplifying it, growing as I continue on.
Lavis, Tears Partisan… Two unknown weapons, each with fully unrealized power… One comes in contact with my body. My knees become weak, I stumble, my breath drawn in short shallow gasps, it was the Lavis. I shakily steady myself on my feet again, I continue onward, the two blades making contact with me on occasion. My body struggling to restrain me so that it could rest, I never allow myself that, I must get out of here, I must find out where I am. I must know if Cranberry, Samus, Sage and Mewone are all right, I must find them before Sojorian does…
He slowly ascends the stairs, his robes dripping, his hair, having finally dried under the glow of the fluorescence lights over head, some occasionally winking in and out, showing the true age of this facility. His hair, it shows now, in a light teal and cyan color, spiked towards the back a bit, his bangs held out of his eyes by a light purple bandana. He ascends the stairs, a guard rushes past him, the sound of an alarm, only a small blur in his ears, "Hey! Wait! Who are you!" The FOmar continues on his way forward path ignoring the guard, "I said who are you! Answer now or I will fire!" The FOmar continues on, the guard dead set in his path, "I warned you, now die!" the guard opens fire upon the FOmar, his Vulcan letting loose a hail of photon bullets towards its target. The FOmar merely stands still suddenly, brings his right arm up to bear, his palm open wide, electricity courses through his hand, crackling in the dead air, drowning out the noise of the wailing alarm, the energy jumping from finger tip to finger tip, with a defiant hiss and screech of anger, demanding to be let loose.
Suddenly he release the energy forward, a great wave of electricity surges forth, hop scotching across the bullets, as mere stepping stones in a pond, each one it touches, the photons instantly died, the bullet flashes out of existence. Finally the strike reaches its target, it crashes with the guards body, sending him backwards into a wall at the end of a twenty-foot hall. The guard, paralyzed and impaled by a pipe from within the wall structure it self, can only watch, and feel his life slip away as the blood drains from his wound. The FOmar slowly comes up to him, bends down to his level, stares at him with eyes of a piercing blue, and asks, " Where is my twin…?" The guard stares at him as the last of his life begins to fade, he utters a laugh "I have no idea what you are talking about, you worthless creation gone wrong."
The guard coughs, blood, dribbles froth from his mouth, his eyes begin to roll back in his head, his body begins to lax, a jolt is sent through him, his heart jumps and begins to pump again. Intense pain a-washes the guard as he is lifted from the fringe of peaceful death, to be dropped back onto the spike of reality. The FOmar grips the mans uniform collar, he speaks again, vengeance, wrath, menace, sadness, and desperation, all roll on to his tongue as he speaks to the guard, "I shall ask once more, … Where is my twin?"
The guard merely looks to him and laughs, "Even if I knew, I would never tell an abomination what he desirers!" The FOmar stares at the guard, releases his collar, and stands. The guard stares at the FOmar, his white robes with trimmings of gold, and areas of purple suddenly seem to shimmer, blowing in a breeze that does not exist. "I have asked you twice now, twice you have denied me my answer… Your life is forfeit… Now Die…" The FOmar, holds his right hand out, palm open, light tech energy begins to gather within it, the symbol upon his right glove, glares with intensity as it to becomes pure white, the guard stares at him, fear grips his eyes, madness over takes his mind, "I truly have witnessed, the birth of, HolyChaos…" HolyChaos then releases the Grants attack into the guard, streams of light appear all around the guard. They suddenly impale their victim, cutting through him as if he were a mere blade of grass. Cut down, the guard's eyes lull into the back of his skull, his body lax. No blood drips from the holes in his body where knifes of light impaled him.
"I shall not cower… Death Calls you." HolyChaos, his hand returning to his side, begins to walk down the halls again. Still searching, for his twin… "I must find him… Or all is lost…" His footsteps, softly letting out a metal ring in the dark hall, the only sound in the void less world that stands before him…
"Hurry, you two! Come one! We are almost there!" Sage says to his two companions, as they trail behind his ever-increasing pace. "They must be all right… I know Cran will be… I just hope the others are as well." Sage, these thoughts cloud his mind, his brow knit in worry. "Even though I have but just met him… I, feel as if… Colt, Just be all right, all of you please."
Mewone stares ahead as Sage moves faster and faster as they approach the fork. "Heh, worried much is he?" Samus simply nods his head in agreement and returns his gaze forward. Mewone, looks to his feet as he walks along, finally able to walk on his own again, "Damn… This is taking far to long. I need that data… Or else…" "Is something troubling you?" Mewone's, head whips up, his eyes meet the RAcast's visor, his eyes hid behind it as always, unlikely they could tell him of the Cast's emotions at any rate. "…Its nothing, I, just have, a headache, that is all…" Samus stares at the force, his gray hair out of place ever slightly, his bandana to hold his bangs back is loose, letting some of his hair slip into his eyes as he walks. The sleeves of his robes are drenched in sweat, his brow begins to glisten again in the fading neon lights, he wipes it this time with his rights sleeve.
Cranberry streaks towards the end of the hall, her legs pumping her small lithe body as fast as they can. "Come on, Come on! Just a bit more!" She says to herself, her mind focusing on the fork in the road that slowly comes more and more into focus. She lightly fingers the Blue Ring upon her arm. A treasured reminder to her, won, earned, and given to a friend, She and her wear them always, symbolizing their bond for one another, the ring always gave her strength, whether she was merely starring at it. Or she was feeling it slip between her fingers, just the presence of it gave her strength, strength to draw upon when needed.
She comes upon the fork, wheels to the left, taking the path neglected by them before. Suddenly a mass of brown flies into her view, she collides with a tall brown object that stumbles backwards and lands with a solid thud followed by the classic "Ow." Cranberry, landing upon her butt, shakes her head back and forth, clearing her vision, her red bow bobbing back and forth with her hair. As she re-focuses she hears a familiar voice drift into her ears, "Cran? Are you all right?" She directs her gaze skyward, to see Sage standing above her, a smile of relief and happiness over his face.
"Sage! Your all right!" Cranberry jumps to her feet, obvious delight, and joy radiate from her voice. Sage, simply smiles down upon her, "Yes, we are all right." Cranberry looks behind Sage, his hand motioning to the growing hallway, they're coming up behind him, are Samus and Mewone, both walking, seeing them brings another small smile to her face.
"Cran… Where are the other two? Where is Colt and Mint?" Cranberry's face pales as these two questions roll from Sage's tongue. "… I …I don't know where they are…" Her head hangs low, not one to show much emotion Cranberry simply hangs her head down, hoping she will find them soon. Sage ponders on this, his mind all ready thinking of what could have happened. His brow knits in frustration, a headache begins to form, his hand instinctively moves to his temples and begins to rub them with his index finger and thumb, hoping to relieve some of the tension. The footsteps of Mewone and Samus die down shortly, there presence now easily felt in his mind. Sage, thinking of nothing else, probes the area of the mines with his own mind. He among forces has this unique ability. He senses nothing of Colt or Mint…. Of course, Colt, was always harder to detect oddly…
"Sage…?" The others ask in unison, putting him off balance for a minute, only to regain it quickly, along with the increasing strength of his headache. His fingers continue gently moving back and forth across his temples, the stress being relieved somewhat. "… I cannot feel them… They are not in the Mines anymore. Cran, what happened back there?"
Cranberry, looks towards the others, their gazes now drawn to her. "… A green HUcast came; apparently Colt had found what he needed here, in the Mines… Yet, he didn't have time to fully read the data or copy it before it was destroyed by the HUcast, Achrion was what he called himself I believe. A fight began between him and Colt, Colt was unable to fight on his own, he became caught up he fell and the HUcast had his back to me. I took my opportunity, it drained me, but Colt returned to my side and asked me how I was. The HUcast afterwards got up from the attack, his back melted and oozing from the heat of my Foie attack. Wires snapped and crackled, his insides were melting as well. Then, I wish to never see this horror again, his body… It, it began to grow, reform, as if he was an unholy being."
"Wait… He was able to regenerate his metal shell and wiring!" Sage asks her, utter chaos rages in his eyes. "Cran, are you sure of this… Are you absolutely sure he was able to do this…"
Cranberry only nods her head, her eyes still half frozen in place, fixated somewhere far off…. "After his body regenerated, he seemed… Faster, stronger, deadlier, he was a machine designed for death, nothing more and nothing less. His speed, it was unmatched. I, I don't know how, but he was able to catch my Windmills thrown blade. His speed, it was daunting, I could only stare…." Cranberry, her knees slightly wobbling, her eyes start to gleam with water. "Cran… What happened next…" He… He then crushed the blades with his bare hands, shattering them to dust and ashes. He then charged Colt, Colt did not have a chance to react or think, the HUcast seemed to be in two places at once to me, where he was standing and also holding Colt off the ground, Colt's neck in his vice grip of death. He, He told us to make choice, our weapons, or his life… I, I couldn't do anything… I'm sorry everyone." Cranberry, the dam that has always held her emotions back, it now crumbles, the water pouring free now. "Cran… You did what was right, you saved his life, I know Colt saw that, I know he could never be angry at you for something so small Cran."
Cranberry nods, still not fully convinced. "They fought then, both drawing their blades, Achrion, holding a Yasha, Colt drawing forth his Yamato… Colt's blade did not stand a chance… The Yasha decimated Yamato, Achrion… He as well, caught one of the blades in his hand and crushed it… Colt then drew a handgun and fired on him, Achrion deflected every shot with his Yasha, as if he had done this so many times before. I tried to help, I fired off another Foie aiming it at the monsters back, but he sensed it coming, some how knew when to dodge, Colt then took the attack, I fell to my knees after that, Colt only looked at me and smiled… Why does he have to be like that! Why, why can't he yell at us! It makes everything so hard now!"
Cranberry screeches these questions to the other three, none have an answer that is worthy, looks down cast, trying to pull light from shadow. Cranberry merely lets another quite sob go, "They fought then again, and neither winning both deadlocked with the other. Achrion, then stopped, withdrew from the melee, and threw something behind his back, an explosion occurred; Mint and I were covered from derby, I heard Colt then, calling out to us, beseeching us to answer, I tried but… I lost consciousness after that. When I awoke again, I was still trapped, I managed, to dig, well more accurately blow the derby apart, I saw no sign of anyone… Not even Mint… I then ran to find you all, this is where I ended up."
Sage, quietly ponders, His headache still draining him, the pain and tension rising again, his eyes close in frustration and pain. "Where could they have gone."? "…Mint, are you sure you saw no sign of anyone else in that chamber." "Yes Sage, I am positive, why is that important. Both could be gone or dead by now!" "I doubt it Cran, every time you saw this HUcast, he had a chance to kill Colt, a chance to squeeze the life from him, no, there is a reason he wants Colt… Alive… I… Just don't know it yet, also… Mint is against us…"
"What? What do you mean, against us? She can't be." His headache increasing even further, Sages temples become a vice of molten steel, the pain radiates from them, "Cran… Don't you find it odd that you are able to find no trace of her once you were freed? Don't you find it odd that never once you saw her body, a remnant of it, or heard her cries of terror or for help?" Cran falls silent, his words becoming clear as ice now, her footing shakes, her hands clench, fists form, knuckles white, her whole body shakes with rage. "So all this time, all this time she was merely playing us all, just waiting for her chance to help them…" "Cranberry… Are you all right?" It's Mewone, who asks now, his eyes roaming to find hers. "… It's not easy… To think that an ally might betray you, it's not easy to realize you have been fooled… The only thing you can do though is move on, we still need to find Colt right?"
Cranberry lifts her head, her small brown eyes, and stares into Mewone's. "…You're right…" Mewone smiles, "Now the only questions is, where are they." Cranberry ponders this, "…I can only think of one place that could hold what they need… It's no where near here though." Sage, his headache slowly fading now, turns to Cranberry, the pain in his eyes, replaced by a look of fear and horror, "Cran… You don't mean… Oh god no…" "Yes, Sage, I believe he was taken to the Seabed Facilities, on the Island of Gal De Val…"
"Hmmm, how quaint, the abomination searches for the other." Sojorian stares at his monitors, HolyChaos stares right back at him, His eyes twinge and the image winks out. "… Blast that one… He was the always the more destructive one… Guards, go fix that camera as well." "Sir, that is the sixth one in twenty minutes, we can't repair all of them so fast-." "Do you get paid or keep breathing by expressing your opinion soldier?" The soldier stares at Sojorian now, his face pale as new fallen snow on a moon full night, "Ahh, Uhh… No… No sir… I don't…" "Good, remember that next time you think to tell me how to operate this facility." "Yes Sir!" The soldier gives a crisp salute, turns one hundred and eighty degrees, and blots through the twin doors.
"Blasted help, always useless." Sojorian turns, his eyes, hallow, and expressionless to the world before him. His eyes dance across the monitors as more upon more winks out, each one seeing a final image of a FOmar dressed in white before it stops its transmission, "This is becoming a hassle… Serena." "…What do you want? You have your power, you are essentially a god? What can I bequeath you with now?" Sojorian's head weaves towards her, his red hallowed holes suddenly flare with hate, suffering, anger, menace, loathing, "I did not ask you to chide me woman… Release the Berla Biter, I want to test the extent of this one's powers…" Serena, a mental shock runs through her mind, it's not ready yet, there is no way in hell's fury its ready yet for this stage, "Sojorian, with all respect, the Biter is not ready for this kind of test, by ready I mean controllable of course." Her head lowering as his eyes blaze towards her, his soft foot steps transcend the quite office, heaven and hell mix, dance together as he approaches, demons, angles, immortals and gods, all rage within him.
".. Make it so, if not release it anyways, we can always hirer more help if need be, the human life here is easy to replace, it is nothing more then pocket change when compared to my destiny." His gaze, reverts back to the remaining monitors, he stares at the ones that hold Colt locked in their silent gaze. He reaches to his desk top, picking off an ear and microphone piece of the finely crafted woodwork. He fits both into place, an acknowledgement light winks on to the side of the earpiece, he hears movement from his contact but no breathing. "Achrion, pull back for now." Sojorian looks towards one of the monitors, he sees a shadow suddenly bend and stop, "Sir? What do you mean stop?" "We are releasing the Berla Biter now, I do not wish it harmed by you, I wish to gauge the strength of these two, either alone or together, and they shall fall or rise." "… Understood sir, I must warn you though, together… It may be too much for the Biter." Sojorian laughs at the prospect, "You worry too much Achrion, now return immediately, I have more… pressing issues, and it is of the ones you did not kill…"
"… I understand Sojorian, I'm on my way." Sojorian returns to the screens by then the shadow is gone, already on its way to carry out its deadly orders, the reaper anxiously twiddles his bony fingers upon the scythe, following Achrion as he works his way towards the surface, the reaper cares not which souls he claims this day. He is only enthused that he shall have many a new soul this day to harvest, for the crop is ripe and ready for the scythe to be swung at its heads.
Alone, afraid, and that damned beast wont go to sleep either, or at least it looks awake. He always hated having the night watch, for this thing, it always looked ready to eat him. The tech grumbles to himself some more, "Well this is what you get for being a low level grunt, nothing more then guard duty at night, at least you have a job that pays well for your kids and wife to eat. God knows the Government is screwed up enough all ready. Huh? What was that?" The man turns about, his lab coat swishing in the dead air, creating a sound within the silence, the fabric breaking the air. He stares at the tank, it doesn't move, at least the thing has now closed that damned eye. "I would hate to be the one to battle that thing…" He mutters to himself, he stares at his PDA, realizing he has a whole another batch of experiments and mutations of these life forms to look at and tend, this one being at the pinnacle of research, he checks the life monitors, notes once again they are in the green, turns with his lab coat rustling in the dank, stale air, he heads for the next one that demands his attention.
A bubble floats, to the top of the stasis tank, it sits at the top for mere moments, before it bursts, the creature stirs a little, its eye cringes, scrunching its lids even more. "Awaken my pet, awaken." The voice sounds in it's head, but it doesn't want to awaken, its comfortable here, it wants sleep, nothing more then sleep at the moment, "Awaken my pet, I have a task at hand, one where you get to kill." Its cyan eye opens slightly, showing more interest as the voice continues with its alluring sounds, wistful noise, and its hallowed whispers. "You have a task at hand now, capture it and show me how well you do, and you will be ready to server me, or are you content in that small tube?" The Berla Biter, shakes it self, more air bubbles froth toward the top. "Good I see you are eager to get started then, do not fail me." The voice dies, the Biter, is confused suddenly, where is the voice, two images flash before its eye, burned now into its memory, with a signal thought attached to them, kill…
The Biter thrashes about, bubbles are free forming now in the tank, it begins to rock back and forth as it continues to try and break free, these two are in the facility, it can feel it, taste it, smell their stench! The beast roars, "What the hell?" The tech rushes to see what is going on, he whirls around the corner, his lab coat flirting behind him with the rather dark wall, clearly not its type based on pure color and material alone. His eyes bulge, the tanks crashes forward, water, fluids and glass slide across the floor, mist develops from the sudden exposure of them warm water to the cool air.
The Berla Biter steps forth from the carnage, its muscular legs pumping full of blood, its twin arms moving up and down slightly, stretching testing their limits in this gravity nestled world. Glass cracks and shatters even more as it steps forward, its trademark noise masked by the sound of flowing water and shattering glass. The tech stares awe struck at the beast, Twenty feet in height and seventeen feet in length, the thing is a monster, and a perfection to science, this was only the beginning too, a final prototype before they began to make them faster, stronger, smarter, deadlier, and controllable all at once, this one was the pinnacle of that research, the only one of its brood to survive the birth and alterations in its DNA.
The beast rears back on its hind legs, standing another ten feet taller, the room was almost too small to contain it. Its feet slam to the ground below, its bellow masked by the clang of steel and metal bending, and breaking as it's feet crush the floor below, dents appear in the floor, close to crashing through to the floor below its feet had come. The cyan eye stares level at the floor, its head slowly perks up its eye glows red as it catches the tech in its gaze, the voice in its head, fills with rage and malice, "Kill all who stand in your way, do not worry about such maggots, get to the two and kill them both." The Berla Biter Roars and then prepares to charge, the tech is thunder struck, fear courses through his blood, he cant move, his legs are ice, stone and concrete. The Berla charges, the tech can only watch, that is if there was something to watch, to him it seems the Biter never moved, it was still locked down in its charge position aiming for him, yet he knows it has struck and killed him. How else would he be flying through the air? How does he know he is dead as well, because, his legs are adjacent, to his head…
"… It comes…" "Gahh, What do you mean it comes, you freak!" HolyChaos' gaze does not avert from the far off creature he feels, its madness reaching out to him, calling him. He drops the stunned soldier, and dashes down the ill lit hall, his feet, making no sound as his heels bounce upon the metal grating and tile floor. "Hey, Hey! Halt!" HolyChaos turns to stare back at the guard, his feet never stopping, "I told you I have no time for you, do not interfere or die…" The guard, physically shutters, remembering the FOmar's grip upon his neck, the guard reaches back to his throat and rubs, hoping to make the memory fade, as if it were a bad dream, a nightmare that nearly killed him.
"…. I told you to halt!" The guard remembering his place, fires off three rounds of his Holy Ray, the blue bolts of energy crackle and lance through the air towards the FOmar, HolyChaos turns his body around, he ducks under the first shot, he dodges to the left of the second shot and weaves down and to the right of the third shot, the last one barely missing an outcropped lock of his hair by mere inches. The guard stares, his jaw slack, his eyes wide, his voice, gone from his throat only stutters and gasps arise from it.
"… I warned you I had not the time to deal with you, now it seems I must make time… You have forced this upon your self… By my hand, I cleanse thy soul… Tempest Atonement!" Lighting energy crackles from HolyChaos' fingertips, it lances out towards its target in streaks of yellow and white. The attack slams into the guard, it latches on to him and drains him of life, like a leech it sucks at the breast of his soul, draining him, the attack then reels him back towards HolyChaos. His right hand charges with Light technique energy, as the guard comes within striking distance, the FOmar concentrates, giving his physical attacks a strength boost thanks to Shifta, the familiar red glow encompasses his hand.
As the guard is brought forth, HolyChaos slams his elbow into the guard's chest, knocking the wind from him, his arms go lax, HolyChaos slams his left foot into the guards hands knocking the Holy Ray from his grasp, it twirls in the air, hanging there in the pale light, the guard reaches for it, a grave misjudgment. HolyChaos, his fist glowing with light technique energy, slams his fist through the man's chest. His arm exploding froth from the dead guard's back, the guard's breathing lax, his eyes grow pale, and he slumps. HolyChaos removes the man from his arm. The Holy Ray falls to earth, HolyChaos reaches for it and grasps it in his hands, He stares at the weapon for a moment, knowing it would be wise of him to save his technique energy until needed. Taking the Holy Ray, he turns and runs. His feet creating no noise as he goes, the guards white eyes starring transfixed upon the ceiling where they last fell before he fell to the darkness. "I must find him… Or all is lost for us…"
My knees buckle again. I nearly crash to the floor this time, only my hands stopping my face from meeting the floor in an intimate way. "Come on, you got to get up, you got to keep moving. Can't stop now." Rising to my feet I slowly churn these out of my voice. I get up and take off running again, voices enter my hearing, "...uick! He went this way!" "Damn it… Gah, my head, my body, it all aches…" My vision blurs, I got to get out of here, I got to find a room to hide and rest in, before it's to late. I see a door ahead of me, my eyes spin, giving my not one choice but three, my head swims in the pain trying to find the right door.
I reach for the first door, I see it open, yet my face slams into a wall, not the right one, I reach for the middle door, and it's the right one. I tumble into the dark room, using my feet, I kick the door back to close, I sit in silence now, waiting, watching, my vision blurring even in the dark. My eyelids begin to grow heavy, my vision clouds, I reach for two capsules at my side, taking both in my mouth at once, I bite down, letting the contents drift into my body. The Trimate and Trifluid, refreshing my body and mind, yet the tax begins again with new endowed vigor and animosity, my mind bends, my body aches.
A headache soon develops, sending my mind into a sea of pain. I try to stand, my knees sear in pain, yelling at me to rest. I rise and make for the door again, I open it, looking to both sides before I depart, sweat and nervousness form in my brow, I turn to my right and head down the dank hall. A voice then calls out to me, I wheel on my heels and stare into his blue eyes. "Hello Colt, my twin…"
My head burns, "What the hell are you talking about? I don't have a twin. I have no family any more…. None…" The FOmar stares at me, his eyes in a mask of concern and anger, "Colt, we have no time to argue this point." "Yes, we do! Now, tell me how your claim can be real!" The FOmar stares at me, his weapon drawn and aiming towards my head, he lets loose a bolt of blue photon energy, I duck to the right, I stand again, just as I reach for my weapons I hear a thud, a gurgled moan pierces the air, I turn about and notice besides my feet, two hands just out of reach. His eyes glazed over as the hole in his neck slowly leaks, the bolt lances into a wall, lodges there and then slowly fades.
"…. As I said, we have no time to discuss, this point, Colt, we must go… It comes for us, both…" "… I will not leave with you unless my question is answered…" The FOmar sighs and holsters his rifle, "Very well… Colt we are twins, not in the sense you are thinking but merely, ones who were born the same way, with the same taint within in us…" "What do you mean the same way, I was the only one to live, I was the only prototype to live…" "Don't be foolish Colt, you are more then a mere vessel, or a mere prototype for that matter. Why do you think Sojorian is so intent to bring us in under his knuckles, dead or alive? How can you be the only one who lived, there must have been others before you logically, they could not have happened upon you by chance if you were made… Also, why would they design you, for the singular purpose of being a mere vessel, even when they trained you to be a fighter, and then you choice to become a Hunter…"
I fall silent brooding on this… It makes so much sense, but my head, it is drowning in the pain of my headache, I can't think clearly, for once I do need time to think on something… I drop my two weapons to the ground, their tax eliminated from my body for the time… I feel the pressure on my temples relax but not retreat fully. "What do you mean by the "taint", that we have within us, that we share… I see nothing that can connect us." The FOmar runs his hands through his cyan hair, a color that cannot be natural. "… Look upon the window to the outside… What do you see in it."? I stare at the window, it shows the outside world, the ocean… Fish, a multitude of color and shapes swim by, as if time never passes for them, nothing that can concern them happens…
"I see nothing besides the fish…" The FOmar's reflection shows in the window now, his small mouth curling into a slight grin, as if I am missing something obvious. "Heh, what do you see in the reflection Colt…" I stare again at the glass, looking, "I see… myself, and you…" "Is there anything of obvious characteristics that are shown with us?" "Well yes, your hair is a cyan color, which can't be natural. My own eyes are…. Cyan…" "Oh, have you found something Colt…?" His grin forms into a small smile as I come to realize but what he means of the "taint" that we share… "Your hair… It's a natural color as such… Right?" "Heh, why yes it is Colt, yes it is, much like your eyes are a natural Cyan…"
"… What does it mean…"? "What, the Cyan color? It simply shows that we have been tainted by "it" That "it" has touched us in some way, your display of the taint is most likely the way it is because you were touched indirectly by the "taint". So it shows in your eyes, the gateway to the soul… Or more recently, in your case, your souls… Mine… is of a direct touch with the "taint" with "it"…As for the reason it manifested in my hair, and why I am not a creature of madness, I can not say, only that I was touched by it, the same way you were, we were created for this one purpose, to be tainted… To be the next generation of monstrosities, to be the next spawns of the Pioneer Projects…
To be the next generation, of Olgas…We are their, human creations." "Wait… Human creations, you mean… No, it can't be they wouldn't…" "They did and they continue to do so." No, this can't be, what would posse them in their sane minds to try this again! It failed with the initial coming of the Pioneer project, not once but twice! Twice they failed in creating these things, us! "It" cannot be controlled! It wont allow it self to be controlled! What were they thinking…? "Hahaha, what were we thinking? Isn't that obvious by now? I want power, I want to rule you all, crush you with a mere wave of my thumb. You are all meant to be ruled, and you two, you two are the keys to this…"
"Sojorian! Where are you! How many have you truly killed for you sick plan! How many were touched by "IT"!" "Oh, more then enough to satisfy the results we craved." His voice swoons in my ears, a sick, hallow, singsong voice. "HolyChaos, I did not truly expect you to actually be able to awaken, you were directly touched by "it" … Hmm, there is more to you then meets the eye, I suppose… If you count miracles as part of your creation." "Heh, well, well, this must be my creator I am hearing, it's been awhile since you last visited me down in that chamber was it not?" "Heh, so you were awake then, watching, gathering I suppose… I wonder just how much you know…" "More then you could ever hope to learn in your shadow of a life Sojorian…"
"Yes, I am quite sure the "taint", can have many benefits if some survives it I suppose…" His voice fades from my ears, I pivot my head around, trying to find the source, my body's energy is back again, after having the weapons away from it for so long, I begin to feel a small surge of normalcy in my muscles and mind. Sojorian's voice arises again from its murky grave, laughter grips it, "Haha, it seems he has found you both, I shall you two now to deal with him, have fun, I have more important guest to entertain here, such as Olga Flow, my, my, its been years since anyone has gone down to the disposal facility hasn't it?... I wonder if he is still alive. Heh, either way, both his soul and power is mine."
A cackling laugh leaves my bones shivering within my body, a faint sound is heard down the hall, HolyChaos turns to it, unafraid yet drawing his weapon, aiming, waiting, deadly… "Colt, I suggest you pick up your weapons… We are about to face of the other experiments they made here… This one shall show no mercy to us either…" The sound becomes louder, as it moves closer, the sound is similar to something I have heard before, it's almost a faint memory now. Suddenly it clicks, "Delbiter… They, they used Delbiters?" "Yes they have, this is the only one to survive to adult hood though, the others… Died soon after birth, and the DNA alterations and augmentations…"
"It sounds bigger then it should be." "It is… Be ready, it is not just one creature now, but two…" "What do you mean… Two?" "… Hurry, get ready before it rounds the corner, it will either charge us first or fire its arms at us." "Arms? When did it get arms?" "When they combined it with an Indi Berla…" My skin goes cold, the life drains from my face, my heart slows… An Indi Berla… No they wouldn't have… The sound picks up, a roar echoes, I turn down the hall and see a green cyan eye starring at us. I hear the familiar charge, an Indi Berla arm is getting ready to be fired. The Berla Biter, release the arm, it screeches towards us, HolyChaos dodges to the right, rolls on to his knees, he picks up his Holy Ray and fires, aiming for the creatures eye. I am further down the dank hall. I lunge forward, hitting the ground face first, the arm flies over my head, I feel the wind of it as it passes by, and slams into the far wall, tearing a hole within the ten inch thick steel alloy.
I grab my weapons off the floor; their siphoning of my strength begins, fresh and new, ravenous for my energy. I strap Tears Partisan to my back, I draw for Lavis, searching for that power, I find it, locked away. I reach for it, smash the lock that binds it, my own mind. The power surges through the blade, I scream releasing the energy into the ground as a wave attack.
HolyChaos' blue bolt reaches the beast, it bounces off its hide effortlessly. My wave attack streaks towards the beast, the Biter roars and slams its feet down into the steel grating, a shockwave of energy is produced from it. The two waves clash, sound rocks the hall, my ears filling with a deafly ring. I cringe for a moment, waiting for the ringing to end, it does. I open my eyes again, my world slightly spinning, I shake my head, then, from the corner of my eyes, I see the Biter, preparing a charge. It comes for me, streaking past HolyChaos as if he wasn't there, the FOmar lets loose a Rabarta attack, hoping to make the hall slick enough for the best to skid, lose control and spin into a wall.
The beast out speeds the ice, instead of losing control, it gains traction as it comes for me, I roll to the right, narrowly avoiding the Biter, it turns on a dime and begins to prepare another charge at me. I get upon my feet, the Lavis still clutched in my hands. I run towards the beast as it prepares to charge, it roars and then motors towards me in a blur of black and cyan, I jump over it, as I go I aim my Lavis blade for the beast's eye. I stab at it, yet the blade repels from the eye, like they were two magnets of the same polarity, the shock and sudden jolt, sends me into a wall. I slam into the steel alloy hard, the wind knocked from my lungs, I slump to the ground, I can't breathe, I struggle, my eyes going wide with terror. Am I dying? What has happened? Why do I feel a burning in my lungs?
I open my mouth again, trying to draw air in, it rushes into my oxygen-starved body with a burning pain. A pain that says I am still alive. My eyes water, I rise to my feet slowly, my breathing labored but there all the same. The beast turns to me now, howling in anger and rage as I refuse to die. Its singular eye stares towards me, embers of rage burn with in it now. I pick up the Lavis from its position on the ground, I feel the familiar pull of it on my physical energy. The burden, calling out to me, I grasp it harnessing its power. I let loose another wave of my own energy from the blade, its waves shooting forth towards the Berla Biter. The beast counters with another downward spike of its feet releasing another energy wave, the two clashes again, and break each other. I release another round before the beast has time to regroup. Exhaustion over takes me though, I crumple to my knees.
My hands upon the handle of the Lavis, using it as a support, I tilt my head towards the beast; it begins to rear again trying to counter my wave attack once more. It is all in vain though. I watch as the waves lance through the creature. It howls in pain, a scream purely of demonic essence, the Biter staggers backwards, then stops looks at me, its eye begins to change, the color warps, becoming a sickening blood red. It steadies it self, its feet locking down on to the steel grating, I hear a hum, the air crackles around me as the beast draws energy.
The air pops and hisses with a sickening urgency. The sound increasing, multiplying, its eye becomes blood, color swirls with in it now, blood and cyan mixing, intertwining into one. A whine pierces the small hall, a small twinge of energy emits from the creature's eye. Suddenly the tiny beam widens its path clear, and set on me, the beast fires. Two quick successive rounds of dark energy swarm towards me. Their cyan color, its shine bathes the hall; I can't move in time, I am drained of my strength from the successive use of the Lavis blade. I can do only one thing, the only thing I can take a chance and have it succeed. I bear my arm forth that holds the Purple Ring. The blast slams into my raised shield, bright light engulfs my vision, I am blinded. I feel the heat of the energy split off in two around me as the blast splits from my ring.
HolyChaos stares in wonder, "He doesn't need other rings around him to activate the effect? How is that possible… Unless… Yes, that has to be it… That is the only thing possible… Anna…" HolyChaos see his chance, the beast is drained of its strength for the moment. His hands glow with a white light. He rises and looks towards the beast, the glow intensifies, HolyChaos charges the beast, aiming for his side he fires a Grants attack towards the beast. The knife of light streaks towards its target, it juts into the Berla Biter's stomach, striking clean to the other side. The Biter roars in pain and anger, then collapses upon the ground, its breathing slows, and then drops.
My head spins my vision whites out, an ear-piercing cry is heard, a solid thud resounds through the hallway, then, all goes quiet. I can only hear my breath as it is drawn in slow shallow gasps.
My vision begins to darken again and re-adjust to the light in the room. Soon another's breathing enters my ears, it is in short gasps. I turn towards the source of it. I see HolyChaos on his knees, his breathing labored, sweat, pouring from his brow, his purple bandana, now loosely hangs from his head, his cyan bangs matted to his forehead. The beast is to the right of him, dead, or at least dying… I am unsure, a gaping hole is upon its side, dark black and purple blood ooze from the hole, like tar seeping into the cracks of a chipped surface below.
I rise, bearing my Lavis with my hands. I slowly walk towards him, I crumple to my knees, and stare at the drained FOmar. "Is… Is it dead?" HolyChaos looks at me, unknown fear, uncertainty, and anxiety swirl in his eyes, his face, shows the complexion of a man who just doesn't know. "We will know soon huff enough, Colt… Soon enough we will know if it-." A wail sunders through his words, the beast rears upon its hind quarters, malice, anger, defiance, rage, all show within its singular eye, its singular looking glass.
Its feet land as the howl ends, a growl, from the depths of shadows awakens within its stomach. It slowly turns towards us, the growl growing harder, stronger, with each tilt of its head, more malice enters its throat. It wails again, anger and rage, the only things echoing from its body. I look towards the wound, just as I feared, the wound slowly closes, its body, infected by the taint of "it" begins to move into gear. Much like Achrion, the muscles are whole once again, bigger, faster, and stronger then before.
Fully tainted by "it" That is, the only way this monstrosity, could breathe, and live… The others of its brood must have died, either because they were not strong enough for the "taint", to accept them… Or they just gave in, and let "it" consume them… The Biter moves closer to us, its feet echoing within the hall, yet, the growl, over shadows the thud of its feet. It stops, motioning into its charge, its body, readying, for the final attack. I rise, sheathing my Lavis; I draw forth the Tears Partisan now. I will the tax on my mental strength to begin, knowing the more I put into it, the more damage I can cause. The pull becomes intoxicating, drawing every ounce of my mental strength into the blade, it hums now, I stare at the beast as I ready for this strike.
The Berla Biter roars, the bluff has been called, it's done, it charges forth. Like nothing I have ever known before, it comes for us. The Biter's charge is faster then before, I can't keep up with it, the world slows suddenly, I see the Berla Biter in its triumphant stance, readying to kill us in this final swoop of vengeance and hate. I take my Partisan up, pushing all I have into the blade, I call forth its taxation, I encourage the pull of my mental strength. The beast comes within range, I swing the brand, and it strikes the eye. The beast howls in pain, unable to stop, the beast rips through the brand. Gore and blood spill forth as the two halves separate from one another. Purple and black blood, loose forth from the gash, I wheel about missing the blood, I pull HolyChaos out of the way as I spin about, missing the blood and charging carnage, the blood however, lands upon HolyChaos, staining his robes in a dark purple and black. The remains slam into a wall behind us, crashing half way through to the other room.
The sound echoing as its death cry fades into the silence that now entombs us. I turn towards the FOmar; his robes soaked in the blood of the beast. He turns towards me, looks at his robes and sighs, "It seems that "it" has a rather poor sense of humor…
I turn towards the carnage that is the beast. The top is the only thing visible from the derby, split in half from the eye. Blood, purple and black, slowly seeps from rubble, in a sickening slow river, it bends away from the derby as it seeps into the metal grating, disappearing into the darkness below. "… We have to move on, we must stop Sojorian before he absorbs Olga into him as well." HolyChaos says to me, his voice showing no emotion, only that Sojorian must be killed. My weakened mind does a double take, "Huff Wa-Wait, you, you mean to tell me that, Sojorian, can absorb Olga! That's not possible, Olga was directly tainted by "it"! Flowen was cursed by "it", its not possible, Sojorian could not control that! Sojorian cannot absorb something directly touched by "it"! Its just not possible, if he does he will become just like Olga, a monster without purpose, a thing of darkness…"
"Colt, do you honestly think we have not been directly touched by "it" ourselves? The proof is in us, displayed on us, to show all we are a part of "it", to show we may have escaped "its" sickening desires to absorb and control us, but… We, did not escape "its" touch, "its" "taint", that… We can never escape from "it", "it" is a part of us now… Besides, how do you think you survived the direct "taint" of "it" I did because "it" did not directly touch me, it was brought to me, a sickening injection of D-Cells into my body, time after count less time, I was infused with that veil "taint". My hair changed to show, that "it" was a part of me from then on, only growing in intensity as my powers grew with each new injection of the D-Cells. You, however… You were directly touched by "it", I remember hearing one day, how Sojorian brought you down to be touched by "it", how he brought you down to its tomb, the ruins beneath us…"
"You emerged from the crypt, shaken, scared, no physical change was seen upon you, except for your eyes, from that day on, your eyes were a bright cyan color. Sojorian explained this once to Serena, I just lucky enough to be conscious enough to hear that. Colt, the reason you were not taken by "it" was because, "it" could not take you, you had… another, within you… That other soul, was taken by it… That is why you survived the direct touch of "it" your core was not tainted by "it", while your body and the other soul were… That is how Sojorian will absorb Olga, how Sojorian will control the power of Falz, by the use of that soul instead of his own. He can contain that soul, the other two beings will try to touch him directly with their power, only to have a backlash set upon on them, where in they would have normally been the ones pull the strings, Sojorian will be the one that takes them now…"
"No… No, no I don't believe it, I have heard the reports, seen the pictures, been to the ruins before, I have even fought Olga before… No one can survive what you say, none, can kill them… They are ever living, souls, born anew and whole after each death, tainted phoenixes… He can not kill them"
"Colt… He will not kill them, he will merely add their souls into his own, their power to his own. He will grow, his power will become that we cannot fathom, unless we stop him now… Unless we kill him before he reaches them, for if he does… All is lost…" HolyChaos falls into silence, keeping one secret from Colt, that although what he says is true, that if Sojorian does take both, none will be able to stop him… None but Colt…
… A death cry pierces the calming air, hanging there, thick, covering us in its mass. I choke, "That-That was Olga's first form dying… His soul, will be released soon to be reincarnated, for the next victim to head down there…" "No, Colt… Not this time… This time… He is truly gone he is a part of him now… Do not delude yourself in thinking that is not so." His words, they show no sign of play, no sign of emotion at all. He is cold in his words, no emotion slips through his teeth, or from his eyes, when speaking, he is death…
A groan of steel, a quake of the floor, dust tumbles from the ceiling for a brief moment. "… It's falling apart around us, we are near the surface we should go…" HolyChaos comes to his feet, and slowly begins to walk down the dim hall, lights flicker in and out of working order, giving the appearance that he is moving from light to light flicker. Giving the image that he is moving through shadows, that he is a geist.
My gaze falls upon the carcass of the fallen Berla Biter. "… I hope no more are ever made of your kind again…" I turn on my heels carrying both the Lavis and Tears Partisan, I feel the pull, and yet I do not anymore, as if, it is merely a part of who I am now. The strain is something that is my own now… I control it, not the tax controlling me… The need for it to feed, demanding my strength is still there, that is unwavering, yet, now, I control when I release them into the weapons, not the weapons constantly taking.
I do not fully understand the reasoning why I was unable to do this before, I merely accept it, trying not to draw my mind away from my other thoughts, I must contend with now. If, what HolyChaos says is true… None will be able to stop him; he will be the source of the "taint" now… He will gain all their powers, all their memories… All their brutality… Another quake and groan of steel shudders the facility, we are running out of time, the building is going to collapse soon. HolyChaos picks up the pace, his feet glide across the steel mesh below him as if he were on ice. I run to keep up, a rumble shakes the facility again, its coming from down below, sirens go off and on, their power being cut and then turned on again. The noise rises; panic strikes the building, guards, aides, techs, and scientists, all fall out of doors and pour into the halls, running frantically to find out what is wrong.
"You two! Halt!" I turn on my heels, a small group of guards, no more then four stand behind us with weapons drawn, the group contains two RAmars, one RAcast and RAmarl. One bears a Rifle, a simple Visk model by the color, another bears a Custom Ray handgun, the RAmarl bears a model of mechs, by the looks, it's a hair dryer of sorts. The last of the group bears a Guilty Light, a photon launcher, compared to its RAcast owner though, it seems only to be a mere toy. "Dirigo, scan these fools and tell us our odds." The RAmar holding the Visk shouts to the RAcast. "Calculating... Scanning, HUmar, calculated battle level at…. Error. Error, unknown anomaly detected, unable to determine battle level, D-Cells present in him, Error, extreme caution is deemed necessary. FOmar, Scanning… Calculated Battle level at…. Error, unable to determine FOmar battle Level. Error, Error. D-Cells present in FOmar, unknown origin."
"What, What the hell do you mean you can't scan him! D-Cells! Damnit, I knew I should have opted for the system check on you when you told me Achrion, Damocles and Sojorian were also infected, you worthless tin can. Oh well it doesn't matter, as long as we put holes in them they wont be able to fight back. Well boys, and girls. Let's Rock!" They open fire, hot shells of photon energy sizzle in the air, causing it to pop, and explode with heat, I round on my heels and dive for an open door way, HolyChaos does the same, I hide within the door frame, seeing him directly across the hall from me. HolyChaos draws forth his Holy Ray from its holster. Photons impact the walls and doors thrown open before us. Cracking and sparking in the air as they are fired.
"Great… Talk about bringing a knife to a gun fight." I look down at my arsenal; all I have is close range weapons. One does have the capabilities to hit targets from afar, but I don't know how much I would need to give up in order for it to be enough… We need to escape from here…
A whine screeches over the alarms, the photon launcher is being charged to fire a shell. I hear it fired from the gun; I roll to my right going father into the room. I sit up and turn towards the door, it is blown off its hinges and flies back ten feet into the solid steel wall behind. I cover my eyes as dust explodes forth from the shell impacting the ground where I was. Coughing, I open my eyes and peer across the hall, HolyChaos is well, all though dust covered but all right, the familiar whine of the photon launcher sounds again, but this time it is different, it is cooling down, reloading itself for another shell of photon energy to be fired.
HolyChaos stands behind the door, points his gun up towards the ceiling in a silent gesture, gently, placing the muzzle upon his fore head for a brief moment. Looks towards the ceiling for a brief second, gathering himself. Then he charges out from cover, he fires three shots, two miss, the third strikes home. The blue bolt of photons strikes the RAmar with the Custom Ray right through the heart. It pierces his body and lances into the far wall behind him. "Sir… I am sorry… I-I-…" The guard slumps to his knees, falling face first he hits the ground, a small thud resounds from his body. Blood trickles from the wound, dribbling froth from his mouth, a small pool begins to collect underneath him and stain his Ranger's garb.
HolyChaos dives for cover within the room, just as he lands on his stomach within the hallowed walls of the room, photon shells rip asunder the air he was just in. Crackling, hissing and spitting, each one lances through the thick air, cutting through it to strike nothing but cold steel on the far side of the hall.
"You're crazy, you know that." I tell the FOmar as he rises to his feet, brushing his robes off of the dust that has settled on to the floor. "No, not really, this is the first time some one has said it to me…." His voice is cold, showing no emotion for the joke I just made. "I see…" "Colt, don't worry I got the joke, I am not completely devoid of a heart, just of most emotions." I grin, his eyes show with a small hint of laughter in them, yet his voice remains flat as he speaks again, "Come on, you have to find a ranged weapon, and I don't count that blade of yours as such, We don't need you killing yourself by using its power…" I laugh as I look around the room trying to find something worthwhile. A noise catches my attention, "Hey do you hear that… It almost sounds like a…"
Deep below the facility, Sojorian walks to the elevator. A Del Biter stands in his way, it roars, preparing to charge at its victim, disemboweling him in the process. Sojorian looks at the beast, waves his hand forward to taunt it, laughing all the while, "Come you ignorant beast, come and meet the hand of the grim reaper." The beast charges, its head put forth, the top of its skull is like a spear, Sojorian laughs, his body moves with a fluid motion. The beast lances straight towards him, Sojorian throws his hand out, the beast slams into an outstretched palm stopping dead in its charge, its neck broken from the impact. It falls to the ground howling in pain.
Sojorian retracts his hand, not a single scratch upon it; he looks down at the broken monster, "I warned you… Yet you failed to listen… Oh well, its time to die." His palm opens, a dark purple glow surrounds it, his fingertips crackle with an un-fore seen force, "I shall take the taint that has been wrought upon you, I shall show no mercy to all who oppose me… Not even worthless dogs." The black energy fades from his hand, drifting to the broken Biter, it constricts around its neck. Drawing from it something, something that isn't of it self… The beast's head contorts, its voice tries to let out a gasp of pain, the constricting mass crushes its larynx. Nothing escapes its mouth. The beast dies, the black mass returns to Sojoiran's hand, bearing with it the fruits of its labor.
"A small amount… Either way, it is mine now." Sojorian steps over the body, its mass creating small ripples in the water. The hall begins to light slowly, becoming clearer as he makes his way towards the end. Soon he comes to the teleporter that leads to the test subject disposal facility. He steps into the teleporter, his eyes close in solemn thought for a brief moment, his arms cross his chest as well, he appears the clam before the storm. "The time is at hand… I come for you Olga Flow, be ready to die."
With that he winks out of sight, his body re-appears on a platform, his eyes remain closed, his arms across his chest still, a voice invades his thoughts, taunting him, testing him, it is Olga Flow. His words are jumbled; unknown sounds originate from him, the taint causing his body to have mutated into such a way that lies before Sojorian now. Sojorian's arms uncurl from his chest, his black and blood red robes billowing slightly as the elevator begins its decent.
His eyes open, a fire glows within them, turning them a dark blood red; an ice blue enters them as well. "You wish to fight me Olga? You wish to know the taste of death. You shall feel it at the end of my palm, before this battle is through you will know what it means to taste death… I claim your power now, with it, none shall oppose me, not even Dark Falz it self… Prepare Olga, for now, the time is at hand, your death whispers on the wind, it is time to die." Olga descends into his view, with a roar he issues his challenge, Sojorian stands his ground, his arms hang by his sides loosely, his eyes stare into the mutation's, "If you wish to taste my blood, come and claim it!"
"Sir! Some one has just entered the Test Subject disposal area!" "What, what in hell are you talking about!" The Principal whirls on his aide, he has had enough headaches this day, five hunters missing and the guild is demanding compensation for them, two of which were class SS hunters, this was turning into a very bad day, his aide was only adding to the increasing explosive pain under his temples. "An unknown FOmar entered the Test Subject disposal area, alone sir." "… What color were his robes?" "We did not get a good image on security protocol sir but we believe them to be black and blood red."
The Principal's blood runs cold. His eyes glaze over, sweat breaks forth from his bow, he falls to his knees. "Get-get, get me a camera droid down there… Now… I mean it!" "Sir-Sir, Yes sir!" He returns to his feet, shakily makes his way to his desk and sits down. "It, it has come… What ever was I thinking allowing that man to continue the Pioneer 1 project's research…? What have I unleashed upon the world?" His hands shake as he waits for the visual to appear before him, "… For what I have done… I am sorry…. I am sorry, I have failed you all." "Sir, we are patched through." "Display it now." A halo screen winks on, he sees Sojorian and Olga face off, Olga has morphed to its second battle phase already… "… I fear I am witnessing the birth of a god… One that shall wrought nothing but ruin and chaos upon us… And I… I was the one to give it life…"
The principle watches as Sojorian delivers the final blow to Olga, his hand slams into Olga's chest, he rips it out, drawing with it Olga's soul and taint. The mass lances into Sojorian, the principal hopes against hope, that with it Sojorian will be consumed by the darkness, his mind will break, shatter like fragile glass. The Principal dares to believe it true, Sojorian's body falls to its knee's for a brief moment it seems that it will claim him, yet slowly, he rises and lets out a scream, even though the display has no sound, the Principal still hears and feels the scream shake his very bones, cold sweat falls down his nose now. "… The end has begun…"
An ear-piercing cry billows through the mines. Cranberry, Sage, Mewone and Samus stop their trek. "What was that?" Cranberry asks astonishment fills her small voice. "Unknown voice source… Origin is unknown… Scanning… No traces of it can be found within a hundred mile radius", Samus says in his monotone voice, his scanners still whirring at top speed trying to identify the source of the noise.
Sage stops, his mind screaming with pain of another, he falls to his knees, the pain over sweeping him. His eyes close for a brief moment in pain, images flash before them. His eyes snap open, cold sweat envelops him, "Sage, what is it?" Every one turns to him, his eyes dart back and forth, as if his life was hanging in the balance. "Something has been born… Something which the likes we have never encountered before has arisen…" The others stare confused, baffled by what he could mean.
"What ever it is… It craves death and nothing more… Come, we must hurry and reach Colt before its too late." "But-But Sage, we are to far away, even when we make it to the teleporter, we still have to get access to Gal Da Val, you know its off limits. Also, the teleporter in the mines isn't strong enough to get us to our destination." "Cran, I am not saying we have a choice in this, we must reach him in time. Or he will die." "… I know some one who can help us, he should be on Gal Da Val as we speak, last I knew, he took a quest for the guild to investigate recent increases in creatures infested by altered DNA there." "Good, send him the message, tell him to look out for a HUmar with spiky brown hair and cyan eyes, also tell him… To try and not break him in half should he have to drag him to us."
"A scream…" "That was no scream Colt… It walks now…" "What does...?" "The birth of our end." My insides shake, I am cold now, I feel my throat tighten… "Are you sure…? Maybe you're wrong." "I fear in this Colt, I am not." His voice falls, no attempt to convince my otherwise is seen in his face. I fall silent, the only noise being that of the occasional shot fired off by HolyChaos from his Holy Ray to keep the guards busy. My insides twist, "We have to kill it before it gets to Falz…" "Even now Colt… I fear we may already be too late." "No one ever got anywhere by not trying." I rise, a fire burns in my eyes. I walk towards the door way, "Stand aside, I will handle them. "Colt…" I ignore his cautioned tone, I push him gently out of the way, the fire of their weapons stops as I present myself in front of three guards left. "Well, well, one of the rats came out to play no did he, Sona, show them how we treat those that kill one of our own." "With pleasure sir." The RAmarl aims her mechs at me, I stand, the Lavis within my right hand, I close my eyes momentarily, whispering softly too myself, "If what I am is true, if I am a weapon, let my hands guide this blade well." I open my eyes, the world is so slow now, lost, and I see each bullet tug through the air struggling to reach me in time. I close my eyes again. So it is true… I am a weapon of the "taint."
HolyChaos watches as Colt steps out into the open, knowing full well what Colt seeks out there. "I am sad to say, you will find it Colt, and you will have to come to terms with it… You and I are weapons… Twins, of Chaos…" He steps out from the door to watch the seen unfold, like Colt, the photon hail appears as slow glimmers in the air. He sees Colt step aside of the bullets moving to his target, slowly gliding between the bullets as he makes his way towards them, knowing full well now that he is a weapon, designed originally to kill, secondly to hold a great evil… He reaches the RAmarl first; her eyes go white, unable to even utter a scream before the blade is through her stomach, she lulls on to his shoulder, her body limp as he slowly lays it down upon the ground.
"What? What the! Jeana? How in hell… You will pay for that! Die!" The last RAmar charges towards Colt, a Galduis drawn and ready to strike, Colt merely turns to the advancing mad man, Colt's eyes show remorse as he slices through the RAmar's Galduis, straight through to his neck, Colt turns as two distinct thuds are heard behind him, he begins to walk away. "Target sighted, termination imamate…." The RAcast begins to charge his Guilty Light, HolyChaos quickly takes aim with his Holy Ray, he fires a single bolt of blue towards the intended target. The bullet bypassing Colt's head by inches, true to its aim, strikes through the RAcast's visor. The bolt travels through ripping out wires and other hardware as it lances through the metal impacting upon the far wall behind the RAcast. The RAcast's body functions only a minute more before it shuts down, falling to the floor with an earth shaking bang.
I look upon the carnage as I continue on, "We should go now…" HolyChaos nods his head solemnly as we walk down the hall. "Colt!" I spin on my heels; a dark tentacle greets my face, slamming me up against the wall to my right as it grasps at my throat. The Lavis tumbles to the floor below me. HolyChaos whirls, his Holy Ray aimed towards the target, another tentacle of the same matter lashes out at him, flinging him into the far wall, knocking the wind out of him.
My eyes squint shut as I fight to draw breath into my lungs, I hear foot steps dance down the hall, they stop, I hear the breathing of another below me. I open my eyes, there is Mint, the hole, where I plunged the Lavis through her, still there. "So you thought I would die so easily, heh I pity you fool." I look towards her, the hole in her chest pulsates with a cyan color oration around it. "So, it uses the dead as well, to breathe new life into them… Such a worthless thing." She glares at me, "Do not, call the great one worthless, for you will bond with him soon enough. I am to take you to him, your body shall become his new vessel." I look down at her and laugh, throwing my head back as I see so many flaws in her thoughts. "What is so funny HUmar?" Her voice not her own now, simply her masters, "What is so funny you ask? Your lust for power is funny, your thoughts that you can win are funny. Heh, your own existence is funny, you worthless puppet."
Mint screams in pure rage, the tentacle entwines around my neck tighter, her rage seeping through her. My eyes water as the pain increases, "We will see who is laughing when I squeeze the very breath from your throat, for he shall have you body, with or without your life still beating in it." "I have no intentions of becoming a worthless puppet to "it" like you have become." My words echo softly in my mind, the Lavis is below my feet now as I dangle in mid air, the tentacle still pulling the life from me as my airflow dies. I reach towards the Tears Partisan strapped to my back, I grasp its handle, I wrench the blade from its resting place and swing it forth, the photon blade activating, It slashes through her neck. The tentacle lets go; I slump to the floor, rubbing my neck where the veil thing had once been. Her body slumps to the floor, hopefully truly dead now. I grab the Lavis, strapping both weapons back to their respective holsters.
I walk towards HolyChaos, he stands now, brushing the dirt and dust from his robes. He returns the Holy Ray to its container and places it in his storage PDA. He begins to walk ahead of me, I follow suit being thankful for the silence besides the screaming alarm in the background. We reach the end of the hall, we turn towards the right and see at the end of it, a teleporter is set, its power not lost yet. I turn towards the left just to be sure, I notice a door slightly ajar. I walk towards it, my Lavis now drawn. I open the door it glides open smoothly. I stare inside, it is an office of some kind, the glossy desk and carpet beneath my feet make it seem as if it shouldn't be a part of the dreary building it is contained within.
I walk towards the desk, upon it is a small Gauntlet PDA. I walk over and pick it up, strapping to where mine once was, it activates. Showing the name of its owner, which turns out is me… I stare at the gauntlet and notice the slight teeth marks upon it where Sato bit down on it. "Heh, I never knew she would come in so handy, especially when not here. Thanks Sato." I strap the gauntlet securely on and check the inventory, all my weapons are still there, along with one or two mates and fluids left.
I return to the hall, re-holstering my Lavis behind my back, HolyChaos is leaned up against a wall waiting for me. He lifts his head up, "Come, we have to go-." A sudden shock quakes the building upon its foundation, steel groans, metal screeches, a laughter echoes from below us, "What?" HolyChaos rises from his position and steadies himself as the building continues to quake.
I look towards my feet as the building rocks. A sudden hole is ripped through the steel, there, floating in the air above us is Sojorian. "Haha, like moths to the flame I see." He slowly descends to the ground, his feet making a small metallic thump as he lands. He walks towards us, his stride, arrogant, cocky, knowing he will win should we battle. "I knew you would be here when I was through, with, that worthless creation of Osto's… What a foolish experiment that was, a true waste of his efforts and he knew it. Still, it has served its purpose now. Hahaha."
Sojorian walks forth, a dark aura encompasses him, cyan lights flicker in his skin, his blood thoroughly tainted now by "it", and yet he is still in control… "Colt, you have a choice now, two paths lay before you, one runs the road of power. The other runs the road of your death and ruin. Which do you choose? Remember, the lives upon Pioneer2 hang in the balance, you can either join me, and together we can rule. Or you can stand against me, and all shall suffer in the surf of darkness that follows you." I pause for a brief moment, unsure of how to answer. I think of all my friends, Cranberry, Sage, Mewone… Katt, Antherone, Eriror, Alexis…. I cannot simply throw their lives away for this…
"Colt, you know what you must choose… Either choice, either decision, it only holds death in its tide, you must choose which will better save the people and their future…" I look towards HolyChaos, his demeanor, it shows that he has made the choice, that he is not going to be controlled by either side, that he will fight to his last breath to keep it so… I look in myself; it is only I now, I and my taint, my curse…. It wishes to be with its master, I can feel it yearn to join either of them… It sickens me; I wish to be rid of this evil within me…
Sadly, I know I cannot be rid of it though, it is a part of me, as I am a part of it now. I feel it stir again, suddenly I realize something that my mother was trying to teach me long ago. The memory comes back to me now, I can finally see what she meant by it "Don't ever lose who you are Colt". I smile and thank her quietly, my taint becomes somber with the memory of our mother. I slowly open my eyes and stare towards Sojorian, he looks into my eyes and scoffs, his face contorts into a look of loathing, he knows my choice, and he wishes to kill me for it.
"Ha, that is no question. I choose the path of my death and ruin, I will not be controlled by you or by that worthless puppeteer, I choose my own path, the one that stops you. I will save Pioneer 2 from your ideals, you will not have these people to rule as your own. You will not succeed Sojorian, you will fail, just as Osto did. You can not control it, no matter what you believe, you will die before you succeed in that goal, you will not bring Pioneer to ruin either with this ideal you have. I will make sure of that… For all my friends…"
The fire in my soul burns, my eyes show it, HolyChaos comes to stand by my side. Sojorian looks towards the both of us. "You both sicken me, I thought you two of all the creations I made would understand… You are both flawed, you will be purged from this earth before you cause any harm to my goals, Falz is not a threat, he is merely the final tool in my plans. Even if he does know of what I am trying to do, I shall still succeed where Osto failed."
"Very well Colt, you shall both die then!" Sojorian lifts an arm, energy collects at his fingertips, it softly hisses for release. "Divine Punishment!" I turn and run for the teleporter, HolyChaos upon my heels, I hear the crackle of the attack being released into the air, we reach the teleporter, a destination is already set, not thinking, I slam my hand upon the console, I feel the familiar weightless sensation and then, my sight goes dark.
Sojorian lets his arm wilt to his side. The room once containing the two is now merely a hole of burnt cinders… "They got away it seems. It matters not, heh, they are already too ensnared in my web to escape." He touches the PDA upon his arm, an image comes up of a blue haired RAmar, his hair, a steely blue it's slicked back to points, much like the FOmars. "Damocles, are you in position?" "Yes Sojorian, all is going well." "Good, when you find them, kill them both. They have chosen to die rather then join us." "How would you like them killed? I can simply put a bullet through their skulls, but… That won't be much fun, heh." "Ha, quite agreed… Use your best judgment in this Damocles. I have, other matters to attend to." "As you wish Sojorian."
Cranberry is the first to step upon the teleporter pad, anxious to be off she bobs back and forth on the balls of her heels "Come on you guys! Let's go already!" The other three continue to walk towards the teleporter pad, their smaller counter part's hair bobs as she moves back and forth, anxious to be off it seems. A noise is heard, the others take it for a mere groan of steel that the mine is constructed of and pay it no mind, Samus turns from the teleporter and walks back a few feet, his distinct foot steps heard by all.
"What is it?" Sage asks, slight frustration shown in his voice that they are not off yet, and that his headache is still present. "Unknown sound source. Determining origin now." Samus states as his scanners begin their work, taking in all viable data from the mines.
"Heh, clever RAcast, very clever… For an old model, I must say… Very clever… Too bad it's over for you now, ha-ha, you and your little entourage." Achrion throws a small orb down from his position in the shadows, with that he vanishes; nothing is left of his presence but the small orb that tumbles to the ground below.
The small tink of the orb catches the RAcast's attention, the orb rolls towards an iron support beam, it touches the beam and rolls a few inches away, and there it stops. Seeming unimportant, Samus returns to re-check his scans once more before departing. An explosion rocks the ground he stands on, Samus whirls; his metal feet clanging against the steel floor as he turns, dust and rock start to fall from the ceiling. Turning to the metal support, he sees it begin to crumble, it topples over, Samus throws his hands up and locks his arm servos in place as the beam crashes into his palms.
His gears groan, his arms try to buckle on him. He grunts and forces his arm servos to lock up again. As the dust settles, he sees before him Sage, Mewone, and Cranberry, within the doorframe to the room of the teleporter, covering their mouths and eyes with hands or sleeves. "Go, now before the mine collapses. My arms can only hold this weight for so long." Samus states, his voice monotone, as if he could choose to make it sound no other way. Cranberry looks at him and then towards Sage and Mewone. Both the other Forces look towards one another, and nod solemnly, it must be this way. "Come on Samus you can make it! Just let go and run, you cam do it!" Cranberry says, encouragement shows in her small eyes. "Negative small one. I can not, my arm servos are locked in place, the moment I move them or the load becomes too much to bear, I shall be crushed. Go now hurry or I will have to kick you in to moving."
Samus' arm servos groan, his arms begin to buckle, his metal casing begins to shutter and crack under the pressure and weight of the derby. "I said go." Cranberry looks towards Samus once more and then steps back into the teleporter, her feet on the pad, Sage press the button in for the coordinates, then in a flash of light they are off.
Steam hisses from his arms, his metal casing shatters, the weight slowly subdues the proud and strong RAcast, his knees slowly begin to buckle, "It is now up to you all." The weight then crashes down upon Samus, his arms finally having given all they can, and taken all they could receive. Dust rises from the rubble, a single RAcast hand is seen jutting out from the derby, its circuitry still firing off signals as it at last looses power and falls into silence.
The teleportation ends, I step out of the teleporter onto soft sand. I look around me, the sun is out, I hear soft waves in the distance, the smell of the ocean fills my nostrils. Suddenly a buzz is heard, I turn on my heels, HolyChaos emerges from the teleporter then. "Hurry, get down!" He hollers at me, suddenly the teleporter explodes in a flash of dark energy, a piece of the metal sky rockets towards me, I throw my arms in front of me, the metal slams into my Purple Ring, the force sends me back slamming into a tree, I slump down and fall upon my face, the last thing I see before me is the sand and the sea as the sun sets.
Colt and HolyChaos have made it alive from the Seabed facility. Sojorian's powers have increased and continue to multiply with each dark creature tainted by "it" that he claims as his own. The proud RAcast Samus, has fallen in battle, his sacrifice made to save the others and give Colt and HolyChaos a fighting chance. Yet, a new threat emerges in the shadows of an unknown figure of Damocles. Achrion is still stalking the other group, having been the causes of Samus' death. A new player enters the field as well, a new ally unknown to Colt, yet he is already making his way to help him. The question remains, will Damocles allow Colt to live long enough to see this new ally?
Next Chapter:
Recollection on the Beach of Warfare
Cranberry: Oh, is this a hint to something?
Colt: Meh who knows, it very well could be, you will just have to wait to find out.
Cranberry: But I don't want to!
Colt: … Damnit all, I hate when you make that sad face… I never win.
Cranberry: Hahaha, PWNED!
Colt: …. I give up…
Sage: You always lose to Cran, it can't be helped, she is the fruit after all….
Cranberry: That's right .
Colt: …