TALES OF THE RECLAIMER DIDACT
Disclaimer: I do not own Halo, or Marvel's Avengers. Any guest appearances do not belong to me as well.
Chapter 3-Dawn of The Barbarian
With his involvement in other realms, came the dawn of a new age. The Age of Hyboria. The Old Gods did matter in this period, but did not make any large moves, for fear of provoking the Reclaimer Didact, and his allies. John had become known as "He who Defied the Titans, and Friend of the Star's", a very significant title in these days, since a newer set of Gods had replaced the Elders.
Bor ruled Aesheim, Zeus ruled Olympus, and many other changes of the guard had happened. The Elder, and Titan-like deities no longer ruled the divine realms. Although, the preeminent threat of the Age, seemed to be Set, an Egyptian God of Chaos. Crom, the God on High and Lonely Mountains, was his direct opposite. As well, it seemed that Set had allies in other Gods of Chaos, that were trying to burst through the veil that separates the Earth from other dimensions.
Shuma-Gorath, and Chthon, were tempting humankind with promises of eternal life, powerful dark magic and sorcery. It seemed to be a time of high adventure, and darkness, all wrapped in one. John once again seemed to be eternally present in his armour, as 'The Invincible Green Knight'. He watched the second fall of Atlantis, thank to a bunch of intrigue, and betrayal. Although, the Prince it seemed, held promise.
"I'll be keeping my eye out for that Namor. I have a feeling he might become something much greater."
"A feeling, John? Your not one to normally hedge bets on a feeling. Kurt was the one for that." Cortana mused, as she observed her Spartan from afar.
"I always keep my eye out for prospects." John replied, while adjusting his armour.
"Well, Namor, and Atlantis will be sleeping for awhile, from what the sensors, and from what the divine prophets tell me. Maybe we can hedge a bet that he will become a protector..." Cortana said while laughing, as he continued his trek north in pursuit of a famous she-warrior that had carved a path through anyone that had tested her, and had come out out any quest in front of her with the heads of her enemies, and many pieces of gold. Soon he arrived.
"Zamora..." He thought. A more corrupt den of thieves, mercenaries, and soldiers for hire you could not find. Many kept their distance from him though. He was beyond them, so none would trouble the mighty knight.
John headed through the local taverns, clad in his signature green plate armour. Fully covered, and nearly 8'2" tall, he was a damn impressive and intimidating sight.
John trawled all the bars he could find, searching for the She-Devil, intent on finding her location. At the final bar he searched, in the near back, John suddenly found a sword at his throat, almost in-between the plates of his gorget.
One thing he had Cortana do, was to make a Mjolnir suit, that looked like Plate armour from the Medieval Age. It seemed that humanity had it during this age as well. Only the rich, or extremely powerful though...
"Stranger... You have haunted my footsteps all the night. I would know why?" Said a clear, but pleasant voice.
"I am searching... For Sonya, the She-Devil... I have need of her services-" The sword pressed harder.
"HAH! What does "The Invincible Green Knight" need of my so-called service?" Laughed the voice, clad in darkness.
"I need a warrior. One who would be interested in my cause, once they see me for who I am, what I have done, and why. Would you care to know more?" John twisted his head, knowingly along the sword, slicing open skin, and drawing blood. One thing he had not done, was make it an actual Mjolnir suit... No under-suit, no crystal layer... Just plates of Reclaimer alloy. He had to look inconspicuous after all...
Not to mention it was a great way to train. He had gotten stronger since wearing it, having to heave it around, his healing factor having increased his abilities many times. It hadn't made the first few weeks any less painful... Back to the present!
A quick gasp is heard from the shadows, before it is stifled. Soon, a woman comes forth. At least 6'4", and carrying the sword with Johns blood. She looks surprised, and amused.
"If you can defeat me, with only a common blade Black Knight, I will consider your offer. If not, I will place you in a grave, and send you to the afterlife that you sorely deserve, if the stories are true." She smirked as she strode by me in the moonlight.
Soon, I faced her, with only a loincloth, and a common blade. I remembered the look of surprise that she had, seeing my size, when I emerged from the changing stall, without my armour. Quickly, she had steeled her gaze. Drawing a small dagger in addition to the sword she wielded, she announced the terms.
"We can do 'First Blood', or until one gives up! I would prefer 'First Blood', as I wouldn't want you to lose a limb!" She grinned in wolfish anticipation. I looked back at her, and furrowed my eyebrows in apparent anticipation.
-Ken's Theme Street Fighter II Guitar Cover START-
"If that is the way you want it." I replied. I waited for the She-Devil to move first. And move she did! With a whip-crack, she sliced her sword forward, hoping to slip it under my guard, aiming to slash across my ribs.
John, unfortunately, was much faster. He dodged to the side, raising his arms, and allowing the stab to go beneath the right one. He then drew a dagger with his left.
Sonya attempted a slash across his chest with her left handed dagger.
John blocked with his right handed dagger, then countered with the left arm going forward, sword blocking hers diagonally. John then thrust his arms out sideways, splaying her arms out as well. John noted the look of panic on her face, before she reacted far faster than before!
Spinning, and attempted to deal slashing blows in succession to my person, Sonya leapt at the Green Knight. John deflected every single one, albeit he was impressed considering he hadn't seen this much potential in a human in ages. She was faster, stronger, and probably more durable than any regular human from Johns home universe's era...
John knocked the dagger from her hands with a clanging sound, and pressed his advantage grabbing her wrist and pulling her forward.
She attempted to stab him with her sword. John trapped her thrusting arm underneath his left, and manoeuvred her other arm behind her back, which he locked in with a bear-hug clasp of both hands. She struggled, and tried to knee gim in the groin. John smirked as he deflected the blow, with his own knee.
She was as fast as a Spartan II. How the hell was that possible.
"Don't struggle, I could break your back like this. I don't want to do that." John said, while holding her as gently a I could.
She spat in his face. Lot of fire in her, that clearly matched her red hair.
"You don't want to break my back, but you clearly want something from me! I will not be used for your pleasure, Green Knight! I would rather you break every bone in my body first."
It wasn't really surprising that she thought like this. Yes, though it was an age of High Adventure, humanity was progressing through very... Basic times. John didn't say barbaric anymore, because he had seen examples of barbarians far more nobler, and kinder, than any civilized man could possibly be.
John smiled as warmly as he could at Sonya, and set her down.
"All I really wanted, was for you to hear me out. I do really want you to join my cause, and to fight for something greater than that which you do right now. I never wanted you for pleasure."
The She-Devil looked at John, with narrowed eyes, trying to discern what was going on in his head.
"And who would I be fighting for?"
"Humanity."
Soon thereafter, John was able to take Sonya to the ship. He had long since made many installations on all the planets, moons, and planetoid's within the solar system. The Inherited Legacy actually had mining equipment on board, and with it's sentinel system, it could send out swaths of miner-drones.
John had worked extremely hard alongside Cortana to crack the Precursor's Neural Physics, ever since mastering Forerunner Technology, and preparing an expansion and preparation of the Milky Way for the time and troubles of the ever grinding closer future. Ever since the Second Host, roughly 10,000 years ago, John had worked hard to start placing secure bases, where they would initiate my project from.
The study of the bridge between physical and metaphysical energy sources allowed for the plotting and charting of the various Pantheons, Hell Dimensions, and other Supernatural dangers humanity was simply birthed into the midst of. And it was this cataloguing that lead to their greatest discovery.
Hyperspace, is a metaphysical realm. It's energy is manipulable. The legendary Star Roads were create-able, and Superluminal Travel became standard speed for his fleet. This allowed for Line Installations to be established, and extraction of energy from Hyperspace to be made much easier. Followed by revolutionary Fusion of Antimatter-Hypermatter, coupled with Phase-Pulse principles, two inexhaustible resources to be utilized as the next-generation reactors, for every level of mechanism.
The Inherited Legacy was now going to be the Command and Control for a Galaxy wide network of Line Installations, and Sentinel Drone WarShip Fleet's and Ground Forces. With the Chief's innovative abilities, tactical strategic and interstellar experience, and Cortana's truly massive knowledge, and calculating capacity had led to a significant renovation and change in Forerunner, and Precursor design, or what was known of it.
Sonya was bedazzled, as she looked on in wonder.
"I did not know such things could exist! Are you sure this is not Sorcery, or works of the Gods?" I nodded.
"No, this is all human." Chief said, striding to a console and reading a set of symbols that flashed across the screen.
"We can assure you, that this is one hundred percent, homegrown human achievement. With a bit of alien knowledge base. No, this ship represents what we, as humans, can achieve. Without the interference of Gods, and Aliens." Cortana elaborated while Sonya frowned a small bit.
"I thought you said this was also made with Alien knowledge?" John nodded.
"I excepted help when I needed it." He stated stoically.
"They gave us aid, when we desperately needed it. The Aliens that aided me had decided that humanity would become heirs to their race, and all that they owned anyway. So it would have been rude to deny such a helping hand." Both the AI's and Knight's face hardened.
"We are against Aliens, and Gods, and enhanced Megalomaniacs manipulating, and harming humanity for their own benefit. Our ultimate goal in this new organization I'm setting up will be to prevent this at the least, and to prevent this at the most extreme." Cortana gestured, and a hologram came up on the table, showing swarms of Covenant eating human bodies, then Wraith tanks obliterating human structures in waves, and it finally zoomed out into space, where the Covenant Fleet started plasma bombardment of the planet.
Sonya gaped. Never would she have guessed that such destruction was possible. What could she do- Never mind that, she would do anything to stop such creatures from ever harming humanity again. There was definitely a reason the Black Knight had called on her.
"So... My purpose... Is to aid humanity, Green Knight?"
"Yes." He nodded.
"To aid it from within, and without. To be it's sword and shield. To be the protector of Earth, and all her colonies eventually. To protect them from all threats, foreign and domestic. To operate outside any nation, legitimate government, and prepare them for their eventual role among the stars. I am what's called a Contender Class AI, and his official title, is The Reclaimer Didact, humanities technological protector. Spartan-117. The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy." John reached his hand out as Cortana finished, to the red-haired warrioress.
Sonya looked at him bemusedly.
"Why a number, don't you have a name?"
"Spartans were given numbers, as a way to identify us in the field of combat. They were not allowed to keep a family name. Our family was all of humanity, but their true brothers and sisters were our fellow Spartans." Sonya looked surprised.
"Your army did not discriminate against women, and consider them inferior soldiers?" John shook his head.
"Absolutely not."
"Quite the opposite in fact. Actually, the fastest of them, and the one with the greatest accuracy were both female. I will explain all this to you in time. Come, we have another to recruit." She raised an eyebrow.
"I think you should give her the treatments first, John, and a suit, before you go anywhere." He shook his head.
"We need to be sure."
"So, you do not trust me? Why not?" Sonya inquired.
"Sonya, you have to understand. The abilities you will gain, what you will become... You will stand apart from humanity. You will be-"Cortana, is that what I think it is?"
"Cross-referencing the with the information that Uatu gave us... Verified"
"HOW THE HELL DID THEY GET IN!"
"John, I don't know, but we need to go now, and stop whatever they are planning!" Sonya walked over to the two.
"What's going on?"
"This." John gestured, and a virtual form of Earth was brought up, zooming in over the Himalaya mountains. A ship was there, disgorging legions of soldiers.
Soldiers with BLUE skin. They were using technology to detain humans with... Genetic variations...
"I really want to swear right now." John said, as he summoned his armour through a slipspace portal. It unfolded, and allowed him to enter.
"That's OK, I can do it for you. Just go take out those bastards before they get away with whatever they are doing John!" He grabbed his Viking-style shield, and sword.
Then left without a further delay.
~Attilan, Himalayan Mountains~
The Accuser stepped forward. He snorted. Why did such a pitiful looking race hold such genetic potential... Why did The Kree need it...
He fiddled with his hammer. He liked his Universal Weapon. Especially when he was atomizing Skrull with it.
The Accuser started to get a little antsy. Something was going to happen. Even if they could disable the inhuman experiments with ease, so they could transport them to the front... Something was going to happen.
Still his duty to the Supreme Intelligence required him to be on guard, and see this mission.
-Klendathu Drop-Starship Trooper Soundtrack START-
BOOM
A figure smote the ground in front of the cave entrance, just before the soldiers could reach it. As the dust cleared, he saw it stand up. BY HALA! It was as tall as him!
"I'M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONCE KREE!" A powerful voice boomed out from the Green metal clad man.
A soldier braver than the rest, stepped up to him.
"And what is that, human-swine!"
KTHAM
With a casual swat, he sent the soldier over the horizon. The Accuser looked incredibly surprised.
"GET THE FUCK OFF MY PLANET!"
With a roar, the Kree hoard charged, trying to saturate him with energy blasts, while the closer ranks made their way to him.
An energy shield popped up, as John waited for the first rank to reach him. He then started deflecting blows, slicing into the soldiers.
How John wanted to show no mercy. But he would give them one chance. He disabled the first rank in seconds, with cuts to the tendons in their hands, legs, and arms. They flopped over, unable to combat him.
"HOLD!" The Kree stopped firing, and turned to a figure far behind, standing beside the ship, holding his hammer up. They knelt down, and parted for him.
"Accuser..." John heard them all mutter. The figure strode forward. In a few seconds, he was a few feet from John.
"I am Galdron, Grand Accuser of The Kree Empire. By what authority do you attempt to send to deny us this planet?" The Accuser held his hammer out horizontally, in a sign of parley.
"I am the Master Chief, Reclaimer Didact of Humanity, it's Sword and Shield." The hoard stuttered, and many Kree had turned pale. Legends had reached across the stars to the Kree Empire of the defiant but powerful Reclaimer Didact.
"If you have heard of me, you understand just what I can do." Thrashed God's, stood against Giants, held up Titans in mortal combat.
"I protect humanity from any external interference, be it mystical, divine, or extraterrestrial..." Galdron stared at him. The Supreme Intelligence had heard of this particular human. He had been involved in the last Celestial Host to come to Earth...
-Klendathu Drop-Starship Trooper Soundtrack END-
Many had dismissed these reports as rumour, or said that Earth's Gods were ridiculously weak. Galdron however, had never been one to underestimate a potential enemy, and the little he saw from that display... Made him believe that this being was every inch the man he was reported to be.
"Yes, though we had dismissed much of what we had learned as legend, and exaggeration. It was, after-all, almost 10,000 years ago... What are you offering us."
"You leave my planet. You leave my solar system. You never return, unless it is in a diplomatic fashion." He flared his weaponry and his power level's, pinging their sensors on purpose.
"And I will uncover exactly what you have done here on my own." Galdron smirked, thinking they got away scot free.
"Know I spared you today. If you try to find any way around my words, I will hunt you until the stars themselves die." Galdron's face fell. He placed his hammer behind his back, and held his hands up, in a placating fashion.
"There are weapons of-" He was interrupted as a different clothed individual, what appeared to be a scientist.
"NO! Grand Accuser, you cannot tell this human-swine of our achievements here! So much is lost already!" Galdron held his hand up to the scientists face.
"It is unavoidable Head Scientist. He would annihilate us all, if I do not tell him. Did you not see what he just did? He could kill us all!"
"Our lives do not matter, the cause matters. The experiments have shown dividends, and we must find a way to continue them." Then John stepped in.
"What makes you think you can experiment on humanity? What gives you the belief that humanity needs to be your weapon's?" The scientist looked taken aback, then gave an appraising look at the Didact.
"We need to make advancements, for our war... We've been fighting a war with another alien Empire for hundreds of thousands of years..." John looked at her, then set his shield on his back, and holstered his sword.
"Shi'ar, or Skrull?" She looked aghast, and the Accuser looked impressed.
"How could you know what is out there? Granted, your suit is impressive, but there should be no way that you could have any hand in Intergalactic Affairs?" She asked incredulously. John tapped his ear.
"Cortana, you can de-cloak now." He felt her smile on the other end of his mental connection. He pointed upwards.
The Scientist, and Accuser's jaw dropped. As did all the Kree soldiers who were still conscious.
The Inherited Legacy now hovered around 2 km above the battleground.
"That is an impressive ship." John turned around.
A man had emerged from the cave. With a Gold Crown-Helm, with 4 points, each with a jewel set in it, he had a fair face, and a mane of brown hair. His suit was red, with a central gold pillar that connected his belt to his gorget which also held a flowing cape. Gold boots with shin-guards, and gold bracers adorned his arms and legs.
John had questions.
The Scientist was first though, as she rushed forward.
"By Pama... It worked. He is definitely more powerful than anything we have ever come up with! This is perfect! If only we had more time!" She found a black armoured arm in her way.
"That is as far as you go."
"Please, do not bar her from observing this achievement. I have already disabled the safeties they implanted in our race's DNA." John looked warily at the new arrival.
"What do I call you?" As he let the Head Scientist rush forward, and observe her work.
"I am... Goldagar Boltagon, and I suppose I will be... King of the Inhumans... Yes that's what we will call ourselves... Inhumans..." The Scientist held a needle up, but he waved it away.
"My DNA would not aid you in your experiments... It will not help you in any way. The Terrigenesis Crystals cannot help your kind in your war. No matter how many experiments you conduct." The Scientist took a step back.
"How could you possibly know that?" He made a gesture, and in a moment, several crystals appeared out of thin air.
"My specific ability, is that I embody the entire Terrigenesis process itself. Anything it can do, I can do... I might even be able aid your race, if you allow me." He stepped towards the Scientist, who looked up at him, apprehensively. Placing hands on the sides of her arms, a warm glow attached itself to the frightened lady Kree.
"Hmmm, I see... There is an energy source, that reinforces your physiology, allows you to bond with your technology, and enhances your abilities... However, it has severely damaged your races ability to evolve... I do not know if I can undo the damage done, or disconnect you from that energy source, while leaving you living... Would you like me to try?" She shook her head.
"Much as I would like to be an experiment, for someone else... I am needed to continue to find a way to for my experiments to produce fruit for the Empire. Is there anyway for you to give me the information on the process you were about to try, so we can try it with Terrigenesis Crystals?" Goldagar rubbed his chin in thought.
"I may be able to write down what I was going to do... But, I warn you, it will cost quite a bit of crystals to even try the process." He manifested sheet upon sheet of crystal, eventually forming a book, with instructions written in Kree.
"How did you know the Kree language?" Galdron had stepped up.
"When the Terrigenesis took place, I learned it. I don't know how... It seemed to come from the Crystals themselves..." He held up his hands if to say, 'I dunno'.
"So... Can we end this, today, without any casualties? Without any War starting?" John held up his hand, to ask all parties involved. Galdron and the Head Scientist stood together, as Goldagar stepped forward.
"I have no reason to be hostile."
"The Kree... Will make no move towards this star-system. Whether that will change in the future, I do not know."
"I hope with this data, that it will not happen however." The Scientist stated, looking over the Crystal Book that had been compiled by Goldagar.
"Remember Accuser, Scientist... My warning remains in place, as long as humanity exists. Understand?" The Grand Accuser nodded, and motioned for the soldiers to lead the way to the ship, and reached out to shake the Didact's hand.
Hesitantly, John shook it.
"You still need to find out how they got in."
Cortana popped into the back of his head, as he watched the Kree board their ship, and blast off.
"Scan their departure. See if they exit the same way they came..."
Cortana snorted.
"I don't think they are going to stealthily exit the same way they came in."
He mentally nodded, but then came to a realization.
"Maybe it was their method of hyper-spatial flight that allowed them to penetrate our network... They can materialize within the atmosphere, not only because of their type of travel, but because they have been here before... Why didn't I detect them before?"
Cortana shrugged.
"Maybe they were phase-cloaked? We haven't developed a way to counter our own cloaking yet. If they landed close enough to the mountain, they could enter it quite easily. Tracking Hyper-Spatial method now."
John nodded, as he turned to the Inhuman King.
"It is good to make your acquaintance, Reclaimer Didact. There are many legends of you, along with the other stories about your time as 'The Invincible Black Knight'... I hope to have the pleasure of showing you around the great city of Attilan! Please, follow me."
John was about to object, before he followed the man through, and into the mountain.
"This is a good opportunity to establish ourselves with another branch of humanity! Don't turn it down John!" Cortana's words echoed in his skull.
A little time passed. John got to know the King of the Inhuman's, his family, the City, the race known as the Inhuman, and the Alpha-Primitives that the King loved so much. He thought it was wondrous that a branch of humanity could achieve so much. Even the Alpha-Primitives, which could have been treated as slaves, were treated as treasured beings in the city under the King's rule. Each of them was allowed to do as they wished, allowed to work at anything they wanted. It was refreshing for John to see that someone who was strong was not lording over those who were very much weaker than themselves, but protecting them and allowing them to evolve.
Relations were established, and John had a Human Embassy established for what eventually would be the United Nations Space Command's successor. And all permutations of it. This way, he would maintain relations for humanity with inhumanity during the entire time they were developing, and ensure they would have a proper amount of historical information to work with when relations began between the powers later on.
Soon after, John returned to his ship. Sonya was waiting for him.
She was going through human history. He strode up to the console, and placed his hand down, as she watched an atomic bomb go off. It seemed to be on replay. He looked at her.
"Is this our destiny? To make larger, and larger implements of war, and destruction? To keep killing ourselves off, for all time?" Her tears had long since dried(yes I know that few people can imagine Sonya the She-Devil with a Sword crying... But even to the hardest killer, or warrior, when exposed to the entirety of war and death that they had not thought humanity possible of... Yeah it's possible).
He nodded at her distress..
"Life is not without adversity... What we leave behind the, whether it's a generation from now, or a day from now makes all the difference if we are not there to defend humanity. That is our mentality." Cortana sprang from a hardlight projector.
"But our purpose, is to ensure that humanity not only develops without outside interference, but as well we protect them from the worst that threatens them. Foreign, and domestic. As history goes, we will save as many as we can. One thing that is not for us to change though, is the outcome. We can save lives, eliminate corruption, we will ensure that humanity progresses safely."
Suddenly she was hugging him. Unsure as to what he should do, he saw Cortana winking at him, and slowly hugged the woman back.
"I will do whatever it takes, to save as many lives as possible. That will be my goal, as long as I am at your side, part of your cause."
"John, I think we can trust her now. I've maintained a vigilant scan on her brainwaves the entire time she has been here. I'm so glad we have that tech now. It makes the polygraph look like a rock. She is wholeheartedly telling the truth. There are no lies in her. You can make her a into one of us now." He chuckled.
"I don't know if she will ever be one of what I am, but we will try." He slowly pulled Sonja back.
"Are you ready to become a Spartan now?" She nodded.
Months passed, and Sonja went through the Spartan-II training regime. She excelled at first, so John modified it for her physiology. She seemed to have the strength of ten women... What was easy at first for her, soon turned into long, and gruelling days. Not just physical training, and hand-to-hand combat, no he jammed her head full of tactics, history, combat techniques, and various operations throughout history.
Just like he was taught. With one exception. During practice exercise's, she defended against every enemy from human history that he could conjure up. Every lesson had a portion he could conjure up on the battlefield. From antiquity, to space. From Titans, to the Flood. Sonya learned many lessons.
Soon, she was ready. He prepared everything. Soon, would become a Spartan.
~Later~
Sonya moaned in pain, as she laid on the recovery bed. The enhancements, and activation of her DNA had been very painful. Her body had restructured itself, and even the nanotechnology delivering painkillers directly to her brain, was not enough. Many things had changed about her.
Limited telekinetic abilities, or "psychokinesis" as Cortana was calling them. They had the potential to disrupt the synapses in the brain of organics, due to them having a living will holding them together, and unbind matter that was inorganic. In limited fashion. So limited ability to affect the environment around her, could disrupt others in battle, and possibly disintegrate things. And that was just her manifested powers.
Her height had increased, she was now easily a 7 footer. Muscle density, size, bone density, and nervous system had all ratcheted right up. Sonya marvelled at her new strength, as she lifted a vintage Warthog high over her head with ease. Setting it down, she ran around the aerodrome sized storage area. John had quartered what was left of the "Forward Unto Dawn's" vehicle ground complement.
In a few seconds, she had completed a few rounds. Not even panting with exertion, she grinned.
"Having fun?"
She turned around, to see Cortana had popped up. She raised an eyebrow.
"Keeping an eye on me?"
"Not really, no. John is engaged doing something else. He was getting your suit ready, but something... Came up... Plus, you should really have seen how John and the others acclimated to their abilities when they first got them. Both when they were first enhanced, and when he got his armour. He performed a salute so fast, he smashed his fist into his face." Cortana giggled, as Sonya looked amused.
"So, even with all that I have become... I will be more than this?" Cortana nodded.
"The main function of the suit, originally, was protection. To protect elite human soldiers on the battlefield. You've studied our history, and seen tanks right?" Sonya nodded.
"The suits were supposed to make soldiers faster, stronger, and like tanks. But the originals... They worked too well... Meaning they tore apart the test pilot, Making him move too fast, ripping his musculature and ones apart." Sonya looked horrified.
"Only the Spartans could wear them. And it made them stronger, like a symbiosis. After a while, they bonded with their suits, on a deep level." She then brought up a new diagram.
"The greatest version of the MJOLNIR ever attempted, marked as Laevatein. Named after the two most powerful weapons in the Norse stories. One, the great weapon of destruction-Mjolnir, and the other a weapon that transcends existence-Laevatein(Maybe... It's not too clear. It's possibly that it is Frey's sword, given for Gerd's hand in marriage, and ended up in Hel, becoming a sword that transcends life and death.). We named it Laevatein, because of how it amplifies the abilities you gain, the telekinesis, and its variants. A power that transcends existence... Crazy huh?"
Sonya nodded, before following Cortana's avatar, leading to a rack of suits.
A suit of crimson red armour awaited her. It had her swords with it, as well, or what appeared to be her swords...
"You made me weapons? Ones that are like my previous custom ones? What about projectile weapons?" Cortana shook her head.
"Unless there is a credible threat, that ranks the use of Hyper-Tech, it is locked out. We use period tech... Or what appears to be period tech. Everything we use, will be made of stronger, and more durable materials. Enhanced up to everything, able to undo even magic... We hope... Magic is finicky, and doesn't like being told what to do... So we manipulate more dependable energies, and imbue them into weaponry." Her swords lit up with a series of Atlantean Runes.
"In this case, these runes have technological meanings for indestructibility, piercing, cutting through the hardest of substances, but may not actually have any meaning, as it has a small shaped field of Hypermatter running though it. Making this weapon intensely 'Arcane', and deadly."
Sonya pouted. Cortana sighed.
"Imagine, if you will, you going onto a battlefield, to put down some random warlord. And going in fullbore, weapons loaded. You devastate the battlefield, destroying the entire enemy force. However, one escapes. Tells others of your magnificent weapons. So they turn to something they do not understand. A magician maybe. A god. Perhaps an alien. Forever changing human history, possibly destroying the world." Sonya's eyes widened in realization.
"So, what your saying is-"
"You need control. The first thing the Spartans learned was control. Maximum efficiency with minimum force expenditure. The first missions they conducted were secret. They did not become Giants smiting people down on the battlefield immediately. Even when they were publicly revealed, they still conducted surgical missions, destroying key points in battle, taking out commanders, and wiping out regiments of the enemy using weapons and tactics." Sonya scowled.
"It sounds dishonourable. I prefer to fight enemies head on!"
"You still can. Operations can still be conducted as such... When the time comes, you terminate the objective in a fair fight!" Sonya scrunched her face in thought. That was certainly one way to look at it. And if John had taught her anything about War, especially from the book of Sun Tzu, it was that some people just needed to die.
She eyed her new sword.
"I will at least give them an honourable death."
Cortana smiled. She was getting through to her.
While this was happening
-Poof-
Immediately, John was on guard. Sonya was just starting to stir, and it looked like she was waking up. However, what was now taking his full attention was the puff of smoke that had bypassed his ships defences, and appeared on his bridge. Mentally, he initiated a shift into his armour, and primed his weapons.
He had been working on that trick, ever since incident where the Kree had completely bypassed his defences, and he needed his armour in a split second. Now he could mentally shift it to his position. Using slipspace, it was easy with his telekinesis abilities. All his weapons pointed themselves at the intruder.
"Who are you, and why shouldn't I shoot holes through you?" A human appeared out of the smoke. Dressed in a high collared red cape, with a blue and red outfit.
"I am Aged Genghis... I am this Planet's Sorceror Supreme. It's Mystical Defender." John put down his sword, primed his weapons, and beckoned for the man to continue, while offering him a chair.
"I was not supposed to become a Sorceror Supreme during this age... However, your presence, and the presence of many other beings in this time made it a necessity. A Mystical Defender was necessary, and the universe compelled me to seek you out, to better co-ordinate the defences of Earth through the Ages."
John raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know if I can co-operate with you." The Sorceror looked at him, amused.
"I may not be trained, and deadly as you are. But I will help in times when I am needed. I just felt that we needed to establish a working relationship, before I would aid you in battle. I am here to show you I'm an ally." John pointed at the smoky dust on his bridge.
"This is inspired by showing up on my bridge, bypassing my defences, and penetrating my secret lair?" Genghis looked a little sheepish.
"Well, yes there is that. I apologize. I have no way of contacting you, and I cannot travel through space... So it was near impossible for me to get on the ship without directly teleporting to it. Do you understand? I had to do it this way." John nearly smirked. He could see how the good Sorceror was trying hard to manipulate the conversation, appearing to be weak, and a good ally. He may be good, but he was really pressuring John into trying to make an ally out of him.
"Hmm, if your here to help, then you'll tell me how I can block magic from my ship. I need to be able to stop hostile magic users from reaching this place, if they discover my home base." Genghis looked to protest.
Cortana popped in at this point.
"Think of it as making up for lost time. What I mean is, where was the mystical defender of Earth, when the Titans tried to overthrow the natural order of the Universe? I honestly am really annoyed that you are trying to convince us that it's a good idea, through persuasion... Good thing your not using any visible energy, or detectable magic... Because I would tear apart your higher brain functions before you could even blink, understand?" John said, face stony.
Genghis nodded, while nervously gulping.
"Alright. The reason I had no presence, in those previous incidents... Was that the universe had decided there would be no Sorceror Supreme until recently... After the Kree Incident, and you deputizing a warrior of the Era... The universe has decided that Earth must have a Sorceror Supreme... So, you will see that coordinating with me is in your best interests..." Chief scrunched his face up in consternation. This guy was trying to order him around... Hmmm, damn, what to do...
He was clearly more powerful than John... But John had the edge in telepathy... He could tear him apart on the mental level, if he felt his aura spike... If it went into a prolonged fight, John felt like he would actually be screwed...
"Mmmmrrrr... I hope that you don't prove me wrong in trusting you..." He nodded to Cortana.
"But we shall give it a try... As long as you help shield our ship against Magic Users, because if you are fighting by my side then your enemies may seek me out in hopes of destroying your allies..." Genghis paused before nodding in contemplation. He went to make call upon his magic.
"No, not like that. I want to study your method of energy usage... So I can shield against it. I do not want your arcane symbols on my ship..." Genghis raised an eyebrow, before he nodded.
"Cortana... I'm going to need your help with this. Our work with Neural Physics could prove to be the key to help us shielding against magic." Cortana popped up, and started calling up various bits of data.
Neural Physics was a concept that the Forerunner had been exploring before the War with Ancient Humanity, and the Flood. It had been used to devastating effect during the Flood War, as the Flood had reached a level, where they could wield neural physical weapons... Such as Precursor Artifacts... The War had turned against the Forerunners then, as their Slipspace Drives had been made unstable by the "Star-Roads" that the Precursor travel enabled... The Gravemind eventually used it's newfound abilities to detonate a Star, millions of light-years away to threaten the Forerunners who came to negotiate, the Iso-Didact, and his companions. But that was sheer Psionic power...
"All data, here it is John. If he demonstrates short-range teleportation enough, I think I can come up with a prototype Neural Phasic Shield..."
Genghis looked confused, not knowing what he was talking about, but still doing as best to follow the conversation...
"From what you are saying, you think it is possible to block magic with technology? Impossible!" Genghis shook his head. Cortana popped up.
"No, not really. Neural Physics is a branch of of technological study that combines the metaphysical with the highest form of science known. Even our... Teachers were unable to attain it... But we have had a long time to experiment. We have been here since, around 800,000 years ago... Long time to tinker, and develop new things... Still having a lot of trouble with it, considering that it is the highest technological tier possible... Where supposedly Magic becomes indistinguishable from Technology." Genghis looked a little confused, but shrugged his shoulders.
"What do you require me to do, to help you?" Cortana gestured around her.
"Hmm, I was originally thinking about just having you teleport short range right here... But we could utilize this chance to generate experience for our newest team members." Genghis looked around, not seeing anyone. Cortana jumped off her holotank, and expanded to full size. She gestured to the Sorceror Supreme to follow her, as John walked beside them. After a little while, they reached an observation room, and halted. They watched from the room, as it viewed the inside of large-scale sparring room, with a crimson armoured warrioress inside.
She moved swiftly between targets. The scenario was a base assault, with many robots wearing exo-skeletal armour. They wielded weapons of the age, such as swords and shields. They were well-organized. They were numerous. They were powerful.
They were being decimated.
The Crimson Warrioress sliced into their ranks, damaging one after another, cleaving them to pieces. She made her way through the dozens of outer guards, and soon was in the fortress. As she made her way down the halls, she was able to successfully, and silently kill the confused robots, who were programmed like the various warriors of the age.
Using the obvious destruction of the outer guard to confuse and disorient, she shifted into silently eliminating her opposition. If only for the exercise...
"Hmmm, it's good she is doing the exercise as directed... I just hope she can do as such in battle..."
Soon, Sonya made her way to the final chamber, where her final enemy awaited... She crept quietly through the chamber, and made ready her sword, stowing her shield on her back. Silently, she made her way around to the throne.
In a thrusting strike, she immediately punched her sword through the rear of the throne, and it emerged on the other side.
Through the head of Cyborg target, splitting it in half.
Chief hit the intercom.
"Sonya, that is good enough. Take a quick break, and grab something to eat. You have a new sparring partner..." The fortress structure dissolved into motes of light, leaving only the robots. Parts of the floor opened up, swallowing the scrap, ready to recycle. The Matter-Composers did very good with scrap cleanup duty.
The Sorceror looked on, surprised that such technology existed.
"Only the greatest of illusions can do such a thing, I had no idea you were this capable with your ship." He scrubbed his chin with a hand, as he raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Hardlight Technology. Using light, compressed into a physical form, we can form structures, and use it for a variety of things. From structures, shields, to weapons. Very useful." Cortana stated, getting an agreeing nod from John.
He then produced a short blade of hard light, projected from his gauntlet. A six inch assassin blade, nothing fancy.
The Sorceror was taken aback. Such manipulation of energy, and it was at the highest calibre.
Genghis entered into the central area, and Sonya began to engage him after both exchanged a short bow. Sonya's limited psychokinesis made a frustrating opponent for Genghis, and she proved agile and quick enough to evade his spellwork. Several times, Genghis resorted to area-effect spell's, and time again Sonya danced out of his range. Eventually though, Genghis proved to be too wily and adapted to her strategy, before subduing Red Sonya.
John and Cortana began training both of the newest additions, coining them "The Secret Warriors". It was shortly after they began training, that the Era came to an end, and the continents began to regress even further into the antithesis of civilization. John recruited more than a few different individuals of the time, and turned them into biological immortals to add to his roster.
Tsubutai, the Hyrkanian Archer.
Namor, the Submariner.
Conan, the Barbarian.
Ikarus, the Eternal.
To name a few. The Secret Warriors ended conflicts and flare-ups before they began, but did not interrupt the flow of civilization. John had them deal with technological, divine, alien, and mystical threats that humanity could not handle in it's present state. And while the Hyborean Age came crashing to an end, some of it's greatest warriors survived to become an Eternal Team of Watchmen, who preside over humanity.
It would not take long for civilization to arise once more though, and soon would come the time of Aegyptus, Grecian, and Avalonian dominance in the west, and Hindu, Shinto, and Taoist domination in the East. And even then, humanity would go much further beyond even that.
~Chapter End~
Author Note: We now head into the more modern times. I will talk lightly about the civilizations and how things are slightly shifted, and move on to the modern age as fast as I can. The fourth chapter will be another data-esque one, and with the fifth I hope to start the story at the first arc of Avengers:Earth's Mightiest Hero's.
Kindly drop a review, would you?