Saying that Wilhelm's demise was a moral boost for the people of Sanctuary would have been a grave understatement.
The moment word spread about the cyborg's downfall everyone celebrated. A lot of people had lost someone to Jack's enforcer, an old friend of the original Vault Hunters, Helena Pierce, and the many survivors of New Haven she had been trying to get to Sanctuary being among them.
Mason couldn't go anywhere in town without someone thanking him or trying to buy him a drink. Wilhelm had been Hyperion's cybernetic boogyman, the mention of his name had the CR bailing out of operations to avoid an untimely death. With him now scrap, the raiders' lost courage was renewed which spelled bad news for those on the corporation's payroll.
To the slayer, it was just another bastard to take down. Honestly, he wasn't even that hard. A Baron of Hell was harder to bring down and they attacked in pairs.
"I can't believe we missed it!" Mordecai groaned when everyone was gathered in the war room. The hunter still sore at not being able to see Wilhelm being cut down by Mason's Crucible.
"Sucks to be you, it was AWESOME!" Brick exclaimed with a shit-eating grin. "Four swings and the bastard was scrap! That Crucible thing cut through his armor like butter, ole metal head never stood a chance."
Roland nodded before turning his attention to Mason, "it was impressive. You have no idea how much of a load off this is for the raiders. Wilhelm was one of Jack's best. With him gone the rest of his employees will think twice before messing with us."
"And piss Jack off something fierce." Lilith added with a grin.
"He wasn't really that difficult." said the slayer with a shrug. "His first shot was a lucky one. He was too cocky for his own good, and I've definitely fought bigger and meaner than him."
"Regardless, with Wilhelm gone missions will go more smoothly now. On that subject," Roland turned his attention to the holo-table, "VEGA, anything stand out with the data you pulled?"
The AI's avatar appeared above the table, "There was quite a lot of data that could prove effective in your mission against Hyperion." an array of windows appeared for them to read displaying the information. "However, this here would be considered the highest priority."
An image of the Vault Key appeared amongst the displays. "Jack is keeping the Vault Key in the fortified bunker at Thousand Cuts. Given the level of security it makes sense something of such importance to his operations is being kept there. Many of the files regarding the bunker also hint toward something called 'Control Core Angel'."
"Sounds important." commented Lilith. "Does any of the files say what it is?"
"No. Whatever it is, Jack has done his best to keep it well hidden. Even from his own people."replied VEGA. "However, I was able to acquire the full extent of the defenses that are in place;"
An image of the location appeared with a massive wall surrounding the site with a lone entry point. "The first is classified as a 'competitor deterrent field'. An energy barrier emitting thermosonic energy that will atomize anyone who attempts to pass through it that isn't Hyperon personnel."
"The bastard has a 'Death Wall'?" asked Brick.
The image shifted to show the mountain sized bunker. "The next line of defense is the bunker itself. Outfitted with the best anti-air and ground weapons possible. At first glance you would assume that it is the facility itself, but after breaking through several security firewalls I discovered that wasn't the case."
Before their eyes, a large platform rose away from the facility and revealed to be a massive, ship-like machine that was armed to the teeth. "This is the BNK3R. Programmed to protect the control core with extreme prejudice."
"Damn, and I thought Wilhelm was bad." Roland muttered as they observed the defense system.
"The last line of defense is a doorway that will only open for Handsome Jack. Biometric and audio locks are in place to ensure no one is able to enter except the CEO himself." VEGA finished the presentation.
The group took in the information for a few moments before Mason broke the silence. "I can bring down the flying fortress. Doubt that armor could hold up against what I can dish out."
"What about the death wall? Nothing else is going to matter if we can't even get our foot in the door." said Lilith.
Roland sighed deeply, "The energy field will only allow Hyperion through, right? I might have a way for us to get through it."
All eyes went tot he commander before something clicked.
"Ahhhh man!" Mordecai groaned, "Please tell me you don't mean what we think you mean, Rol."
"Trust me. He's the only one that still classified as Hyperion tech that Jack can't control." said Roland. "If we want to get through that 'death wall', we're gonna need Claptrap."
X
After an hour more of planning, Mason had left the HQ and was making his way to Moxxi's to pick up Tina.
The thought of acquiring Claptrap had been most of the discussion after VEGA had explained the defenses for Control Core Angel. It was easy to tell that none of the former Vault Hunters were excited on the idea of getting the help of the robot to help them.
He had been wondering about the annoying little garbage can since he first arrived on Pandora. As much as he had faith in the Praetor suit and his supernaturally gifted strength, he wasn't prepared to get fried trying to pry his way through Angel's first defence checkpoint. Better to play it safe that way.
"VEGA, was the message sent?" the slayer asked his AI partner privately.
"Sent and received. Are you still planning on keeping what we know to ourselves?" VEGA asked inside Mason's helmet.
"For now. When we have everything we need to get into the control core we'll have Angel speak for herself. How is she?"
"Difficult to say. But from what I can gather from the brief messages she has been able to send without Jack knowing, she's more than happy to be free of her confines." said the AI.
"Can't blame her. Being used as a power source against your will for so long is torture beyond understanding. I only hope that we can get to her before her body becomes too dependent on the Eridium being forced into her system."
He knew that it had only been going on for a couple years at best, with any luck they could get the young Siren out of there without killing her.
Mason had wanted to get Angel out of the control core right off, but he needed to be sure of every angle and variable that could have changed or might change. Hence the assault on the data cache which thankfully gave them everything they needed.
As for keeping it all this from the others, he knew that they would be onboard to rescue Angel. Though there would be distrust considering it was she who led them to open the first Vault on Jack's orders. More than that though, Lilith would pull out all the stops to save her fellow Siren. But the risk of what could happen to her within the control core had too many bad outcomes.
Simply put, the slayer had to play it safe to ensure everyone made it out of there.
Entering Moxxi's, Mason was greeted with the sight of Tina sitting at the bar drinking a large glass of soda while the barmaid herself was tending to a couple customers.
"Hey Little T! Have a good time without me?" he asked as he came up and sat on the stool beside her.
Tina hiccuped in surprise at his arrival before beaming up at him. "Yeah! Moxxi's fun! She showed me how to break a man's privates!"
The slayer blinked as Moxxi returned to the bar laughing, "Some fella got too hansy. So I used him as a...'learning aid', to show Tina here how handle men who are like that." she said, inspecting her nails with a grin.
"Thanks again for watching her, Mox." said Mason gratefully.
"Think nothing of it, Sugah. Little Tina was a delight. Makes me think about old times with my own little ones." Moxxi replied with a distant look in her eyes before coming back to the present. "Heard you took out ole' Wilhelm. I think that calls for a drink on me." she added while setting a beer infront of the slayer.
"One less asshole on Jack's payroll." Mason said as he took off his helmet and took a long swig from the bottle offered to him while Tina continued to sip happly on the soda infront of her.
"Figured I'd find you here." the slayer and his charge looked up as Lilith came in and sat on the little girl's other side. "Have fun with Moxxi, Tina?" the Siren asked the girl between them.
Tina smiled at her and nodded. "What brings you by, Lil?" asked Mason as Moxxi brought the red-head a drink.
"Do I need an excuse to hang around our resident, interdimensional badass?" Lilith asked with a coy smirk.
The slayer sent one back, "Not if said badass gets to hangout with a particular hot Siren." he replied with a not so subtle double meaning.
Looking between the two adult confused, Tina decided to speak up. "Are you two going to start kissing now?" she asked innocently.
Mason and Lilith both blushed while Moxxi giggled behind the bar, "Tina, be a dear and come give me a hand for a moment. I believe Mason and Lilith could use a little alone time."
The little girl hopped off her stool and followed the barmaid into the back room, leaving the slayer and the Siren the only ones at the counter.
"Gotta love her childish innocence." Mason said before finishing his drink off.
Lilith nodded, "Yeah, not much of that around here these days." They lapsed back into silence for a few seconds before it couldn't be avoided anymore.
"We-"
"Let's-"
Both froze when they tried to talk at the same time. The slayer shook his head, "Obviously there's something the two of us need to talk about." he said while moving into Tina's vacant spot so they could talk lower without others overhearing.
"Understatement of the decade." Lilith replied, her glowing ember eyes meeting his glowing red. "Look, Mason..." she paused for a bit, thinking on her words. "You wanna get out of here for a while?" she finally asked.
"Just the two of us?" asked Mason, though already knowing the answer. The Siren nodded in confirmation. "Mox, do you mind-"
"Have fun you two!" the woman called from the backroom, Tina's giggling followed right after.
The duo looked to one another again before getting up and leaving the bar. Making their way to the main gate. Neither of them seeing Moxxi and Tina watched them leave with matching smiles before high-fiving each other.
X
"Mason, you're heart rate is a bit erratic." VEGA said while Mason was driving his technical through the snow covered wasteland with Lilith riding shotgun.
"I'm fine, VEGA." the slayer replied with the external speakers of his helmet muted for privacy. "It's a Human thing, that's all."
The AI was silent for a moment, "I see. Does this have anything to do with the emotions you are harboring for Lilith?"
Mason rolled his eyes at VEGA's inquiry. "Right on the nose, V. I'm going to be flying solo on this one."
"I understand. I'll be available if you require my assistance." with that the AI went silent, leaving the slayer to his own devices.
In all honesty, Mason couldn't believe he was going through what he was. He killed demons, walked through Hell itself as though it were a spring day in Central Park, and struck fear into the hearts of monsters birthed from humanity's worst nightmares. Yet at the very core of his being, beneath all the badassery and rage-fueled violence, he was still Human.
And currently he was sitting next to a drop-dead gorgeous woman with the power to melt a man's face off with her brain. A woman he was pretty damn sure shared the idea of the two of them getting together. Neither of them had been subtle with the flirting he and the Siren did back and forth on a regular basis. He wouldn't be surprised if most Sanctuary knew.
Parking the technical on a hill that overlooked the valley below, the duo climbed out before sitting on the hood next to each other with a six-pack of Rakk ale between them that Mason had nicked from Mordecai's hidden stockpile.
"So...you wanna start?" he asked, offering the Siren one of the bottles while cracking open one of his own.
"No point in bullshitting, huh?" Lilith said casually. "Look, obviously there's something between us. I know it, you know it-"
"VEGA knows it." Mason cut in with a chuckle which caused the Siren to laugh too. "In all seriousness Lilith, you're not wrong. The question is, where to we go from here?"
The red-head sighed and leaned back against the windshield, "No idea. Been single since Roland and I broke up. Relationships were never one of my strong points, and not just because I'm a Siren."
The slayer snorted, "I'm not exactly a fountain of knowledge on the subject either. Even before I was locked in that sarcophagus, feels like forever since I had any sort of connection with a woman."
"I take it there's no hot demoness' waiting in Hell?" Lilith asked with a joking smirk.
"Not a chance. " Mason joked back, "Besides, I'm more partial to Human women that can kick a lot of ass." they lapsed back into a comfortable silence, watching as a couple of Skags began fighting on the valley floor.
"If you want my personal opinion. We can take things one step at a time, see how it goes. No point in jumping headfirst into something where-" the slayer was cut off when a warm pair of lips silenced his. Catching him off-guard for the first time since becoming the Doom Slayer.
Lilith broke the contact and smiled at him, "Life's too short. And there ain't no rest for the wicked."
Mason grinned back, "Till we close our eyes for good." he recited back.
"Amen, slayer-boy." the Siren slid across the technical's hood until she was in Mason's lap, arms up around his broad shoulders. "Now, let's see if those hands can do more than rip and tear."
They kissed again, deeper and more emotional than the first. The slayer's hands coming up on Lilith's slim waist to hold her in place with their eyes sliding shut...too enraptured in each other to notice the Siren's markings glowing orange while her ethereal wings stretched out behind her.
An old bond being formed for the first time in thousands of years.
A/N: Shortest chapter to date, but a decent enough intermission considering a long waited pairing can be established. It's still up in the air on whether or not if I'm making this a harem, and if I decide to go that way there won't be no more than four women with Lilith as the primary.
I know a lot of people have mixed feelings about the idea, but I can assure everyone that if I do go with a harem I will give it my all to make it tasteful and worthy of this badass fic.
For those wondering if elements of Doom Eternal will be included, I will put those thoughts to rest now.
Doom Eternal will play a big part of this story's plot in the future, along with the events of Borderlands 2 and 3. The Vault Hunters are going to get a personal crash in fighting Hell's legion, but there's going to be a lot of build up before we get there, so enjoy the ride for the time being before things really start to get crazy.
I may step away from this story for a bit and give the rest of my archive some attention, keep the reviews coming and I'll be sure to keep up the good work.