MERRY CHRISTMAS!
as I promised here is the next chapter, the one that you lot have all been nagging at me to post. In this chapter, The convoy has been wrecked and those who survived the vicious xenomorph onslaught are being rounded up to become the next converts of the hive. However, as the title suggests, things take a drastic and unexpected turn as the xenomorphs get on the receiving end of a saviour who seems very familiar.
I worked feverishly to get this done by Christmas, an almost purely action chapter, and I hope I have not ballsed it up.
To those who think that their cameos are over, you are mistaken as I will be including you guys later on in the story. In an even more badass role.
As always, read away, leave a comment ( update requests in PM please) and I will see you on the next chapter.
Chapter 26- Deus Ex Machina
It was at that point, at the darkest hour, that help came from the Heavens itself.
A bright flash with thunder roaring behind it erupted in front of Kra'vyx, blinding his vision and the xenomorph was hit brutally in the chest by what looked like a lightning bolt with a loud static impact, complete with arcing sparks of power. Kra'vyx instinctively covered his eyes as the xenomorph crashed hard into the snow, it's momentum causing it to tumble violently towards him, wracked with electrical arcs.
All the other xenomorphs halted what they were doing when they heard the thunder crack, looking towards their tumbling brood kin. And the humans and yautja, despite being bound up in webbing or hacking their way out of it, paused at the bright flash and looked to see what just happened.
There wasn't any snowstorms, or even thunderclouds, raging around them, so where did a lightning bolt come from?
Kra'vyx hesitantly uncovered his eyes as the xenomorph skidded up to him on it's back, it's spines crumpled beneath it and racked with arcing energy. Kra'vyx saw that the lightning bolt, much to his surprise, was still impaled into it's chest, ebbing and arcing with power that was slowly fading.
When the surging electrical discharge dissipated, the lightning bolt was revealed to be an intricately made spear of some kind. Kra'vyx could make out that the haft was about eight feet tall, with four feet lodged inside the xenomorph, and was topped with a footlong butt spike like a tall four sided pyramid.
The xenomorph strained to lift it's head, its armoured hide crackling from the strain and screeching weakly. It would soon be put out of it's misery. At that point, a figure in front of Kra'vyx in a large plume of snow, bringing an arm down on the xenomorph's neck. A solid thunk of metal connecting with a chitinous crack was heard. The xenomorph's head rolled down the snowdrifts, trailing a hissing stream of acid in it's wake.
The figure then stood up, hefting it's arm and was revealed to everyone.
It was what looked like an ancient greek hoplite. A hoplite clad a futuristic suit of armour, incredibly advanced and ornate yet resembling armour worn as in ancient times, glowing ornamentation adorning it. On it's back, in stark contrast to the blank surroundings was a crimson red cloak. The helmet was that of the intimidating Corinthian style with a large horsehair-like crest adorning it, trailing down it's back. Under the helmet was what looked like heavily ornamented hair, looking like ornate mechanical tendrils, trailing past the waist. The greaves it wore had winged effigies that swayed in the air. On it's left arm was a massive aspis shield adorned with a up-pointed arrow shape and a triangle-like symbol beneath, the peak meeting halfway up the arrow's shaft. And acid blood dripped from the bottom from where it decapitated the xenomorph, fizzing on the metal that did not dissolve.
What was most out of place on the hoplite was the inclusion of firearms, a rifle and a pistol, of an unknown design, holstered on it's back and chest. The pistol was adjacent to another pistol that was housed in a conventional holster of human make that was really out of place.
The hoplite turned it's head towards Kra'vyx so that the initiate got a side view of the helmet. The helmet, as intimidating as it was had an odd decoration on the cheek plates. Swirling blue tinged silvery flames seeping down from the eye. The eye lens was a vibrant blue with a brighter circle in the middle, almost acting like an iris. When the circle turned to his direction, Kra'vyx was sure the wearer was looking at him.
Kra'vyx recoiled in sight, rearing his kataras for defence thinking that the figure was going for him next. But he was in for a surprise.
"Kra'vyx, get to cover." The hoplite ordered in a synthesised but oddly familiar male voice before he turned his head towards the convoy. "Everyone clear the field!"
The hoplite walked forward, wrenching the spear out of the dead xenomorph with a skilled flourish, trailing lightning in it's wake. He then strode forwards towards the xenomorphs, his armour flashing in pulses. Kra'vyx's kataras fell out of his grip when he heard the voice, clattering at his feet. He blinked a few times like he couldn't quite believe what he had just heard.
"That voice?" Kra'vyx murmured, his arms lowering as he tried to process what he had just hearded.
The hoplite banged on his shield with his spear in a clear sign of challenge, sparks of blue erupting from it. He then yelled a challenge in a language that sounded vaguely familiar. The xenomorphs relinquished their prisoners, who wasted no time in scrambling for safety, in sight of this individual who would dare defy them. The initiates were quick to find cover the moment the xenomorphs let them go, diving behind a wrecked truck. The Archangels had their swords up as the xenomorphs dumped them hard into the snow before pacing towards the hoplite, keeping their blades ready. They lowered them as they realised that the xenomorphs were focused on the hoplite.
"What's going on?" Karl asked, picking webbing off his shoulders. "Who's that?"
Andrzej hefted Hicks to his feet, keeping his eye on the hoplite.
"I don't know, but I'd rather not be on the receiving end of that spear." Andrzej decided, getting Sergei to his feet. "Get everyone together!"
The Archangels quickly went about getting any survivors nearby together while they had the chance. Those who were out of reach made for any cover they could find. That said, the only cover was that of wrecked transports, trucks and downed loaders. The pilots of which, badly banged up and half-conscious from their defeat, were dragged to safety by considerate colonists.
Mal'fax and his friends were quick on their feet too, heading for cover far away from the field behind the Archangels and their group.
"Who is that?!" Lyenta asked.
"Bugger who that is, I lost my trophy!" Fel'tak complained.
"Be thankful that's all you lost!" Mal'fax reminded, before he realised something. "Where's Kra'vyx?!"
he looked back and he saw Kra'vyx his back to a wrecked truck, looking as if he was in some kind of trance.
"Kra'vyx, get to cover!" he yelled out as he and the others reached their hiding place.
Kra'vyx was not moving however. He was transfixed in place after hearing the hoplite speak to him.
The hoplite banged on his shield again, causing arcs of power to flash around the shield and over him like a wave. The xenomorphs turned to face him.
"Come on!" he goaded in english, holding his arms out in mockery. "What's the matter? Don't you recognise a hated foe!? Or do you cower at the sight of a spartan!?"
The xenomorphs screeched at him as the Praetorian thundered up. The Praetorian roared loudly, echoing throughout the entire valley. All the xenomorphs amassed in front of it, ready to attack.
"That's right." the hoplite goaded, flourishing his spear. "I'm ready for you bastards this time!"
He then struck his shield again and this time, a wave of energy erupted from it, blowing a vast cloud of snow through the air. The xenomorphs roared and charged at the hoplite. The Praetorian held back in order to study this intruder, using it's kin as xenomorph guinea pigs.
"Now the real fight begins!" The hoplite roared, charging at the horde, armour flaring into life. "Time to DIE!"
Those watching this battle to come would be both amazed and utterly mind-blown.
The hoplite bent his legs, his greaves' wings glowing and with an mighty push, jumped hard and fast right at the lead xenomorph, sending a shock wave that billowed out snow from his launch like an explosion. In flight, he held his spear out and, his aim dead on, speared the lead xenomorph right in the face before it had time to react, the broad spearhead and ten foot shaft easily punching out the back of it's head. The hoplite flipped forward, wrenching the xenomorph off it's legs, landing on his feet and slinging the lifeless corpse over his shoulder and into the xenomorphs in front of him. The xenomorphs buckled into a heap as their dead hive kin smashed into them. Acid blood steamed on the spear but the spear showed no signs of breaking down.
The xenomorphs, having just realised that the intruder has penetrated their lines, span on their skidding heels and converged on the hoplite. The hoplite however would prove to be more then a mere nuisance. The hoplite, despite being heavily armoured, proved to be more agile as he dodged their swipes and jabs in blurring speeds, even jumping on and off the xenomorphs trying to maul him, almost like he was not wearing any armour. And every time he blocked with his shield, blue sparks erupted as the attack was repelled with substantial force, causing the xenomorph attacking to be rocked back. Every counter attack he made with his spear just punched right through their armoured carapace like it was made of soft chalk, puncturing vital organs within in.
Those watching couldn't believe what they were seeing. After everything they had been unleashing at the xenomorphs just to slow them down, be it military hardware or heavy duty mining gear, this stranger was slicing through xenomorphs like they weren't armoured in the slightest. And what's more, it was with weapons that shouldn't even be effective against there particular xenomorphs.
Mal'fax, who had taken shelter with his friends behind a burned out truck, looked on with awe, his jaw slack as he watched the hoplite engaged the xenomorphs with the skill of a seasoned warrior. Fel'tak was eyeing the spear as it punched into xenomoprhs again and again. Ly'enta on the other hand, couldn't stop looking at the hoplite's armoured physique.
The hoplite dodged the biting maw of a xenomoprh, the bug's teeth snapping with a loud crack. And he swung his shield dead centre into it's face. The xenomorph's face caved in with a loud cacophony of shattering teeth and bone, supplanted by a shower of blue sparking arcs. The xenomorphs was sent reeling back from the impact, the remnants of it's face spraying a wide arc of sizzling` fragments.
Talk about literally smashing someone's face in.
A xenomorph pounced at the hoplite when his back was turned. The hoplite, however, brought the butt spike of his spear up, impaling the xenomorph in the chest before driving it into the snow and bringing his shield's rim down into it's neck with a loud crack. The bug's head rolled from it's severed neck.
The hoplite, seeing two xenomorphs charge towards him from both flanks, jumped high and fast in a fluid motion. The xenomorphs narrowly avoided crashing into each other as the hoplite flipped in the air. His spear glowed, lightning arcing off it as he heaved his arm. The hoplite then threw the spear down hard below into the mass of xenomorphs congregating waiting for him to come down. The spear flashed into life as a thunderbolt, screaming down towards the xenomorphs. The spear impacted the ground in a loud flash and crack of thunder, creating an arcing sphere of lightning that threw the xenomoprhs back in smoking, electrified arcs.
The hoplite landed deftly on his feet as the storm subsided. But no sooner did he landed that a fresh group of xenomorphs, five in total, charged towards him.
The hoplite spun around, waving his shield arm out towards the xenomorphs. The shield disconnected from his arm and went flying through the air like a large discus, humming and glowing with power. The shield smacked the first four xenomorphs aside like bowling pins before it lodged itself into the chest of the fifth with a loud chitinous thunk. The xenomoprh screeched as it tumbled backwards, the shield stuck fast in it's chest with just over half of it lodged within, crushing it's vital organs into mush. Another of it's hive kin, this time a rammer, was quick to fill the gap.
The hoplite braced himself as the xenomorph got within ramming distance. The xenomoprh gave out a loud roar as it bucked it;s plough-like head into the hoplite. The hoplite, much to the xenomorph's surprise, just grabbed it by the head and rode it out, his feet skidding through the snow. Then the hoplite dug his feet in and they both skidded to a halt. The xenomoprh tried to shove back the hoplite as before, trying to crush him under it's weight, but the hoplite had other plans. The hoplite swiftly grabbed the xenomorph around the neck, pulling with inhuman strength as the armour glowed more intensively. The xenomorph struggled to break free from this vice-like neck lock as the hoplite wrenched it's head ninety degrees with a loud crunch before reaching under it's neck. The xenomorph gave a loud screech before a sudden song of metal was heard and the xenomoprh's head was flying through the air, trailing acid in it's arc from the hoplite's arm. The headless corpse slumped into the snow before the hoplite, acid blood spurting out of it's severed neck. The severed head landing in the snow a dozen or so feet away.
Those watching were flabbergasted. Especially when they saw the implement that resulted in the xenomorphs decapitation.
The hoplite was brandishing in the air a vicious-looking, two foot long forward curved short sword in his hand, acid steaming on it's blade. He then flourish his sword and readied it as more xenomorphs surrounded him.
The Archangels, who had taken cover behind an exposed rock formation with a burned out truck draped over it, couldn't help but look at their own swords, which failed to even scratch the xenomorph's carapace, with a mixture of surprise and a touch of envy. These blade, the best that humanity could made, was essentially cutlery by comparison. The initiates were doing the exact same thing with their weapons, except for Mal'fax on account of his hammer which was a blunt instrument. Though that being said, he was somewhat envious of the shield.
The xenomorphs charged at the hoplite once more from all directions. The hoplite dodged each charge before counter attacking with a slash or hacking to the limbs. Arms, tails and bits of pointy carapace were sliced cleanly off by the curved blade, whose forward curving design made it exceedingly efficient in slicing through flesh and bone. One xenomoprh that charged him dead on had it's head sliced clean in two diagonally, literally running into the swinging blade as the hoplite stepped smartly to the side as the xenomorph skidded into a heap, trailing its brain behind it.
The hoplite threw the kopis horizontally, the blade humming through the air. The kopis sliced through the neck of one xenomoprh, arterial acid gushing like a fountain, before it impaled the head of another xenomorph, cutting right to the brain stem.
The hoplite had now lost spear, shield and kopis, marking himself as helpless. But the hoplite simply surveyed the xenomorphs, no doubt planning his next move. The xenomorphs, having been losing so many of their numbers, were keeping their distance. Not that you could blame them. The hoplite had already decimated the horde to only the praetorian and four warriors.. Those watching from the sides could only wonder what surprises the hoplite had in store.
The hoplite reached for his hips and much to every onlooker's mind-boggling surprise, especially Kra'vyx, pulled out a pair of familiar axes. Axes that belonged to someone who was thought to be dead. And the blades of the axes seemed to shimmer in the air.
The hoplite flourished them, holding out his arms to goad an attack, before a xenomorph came charging at him. The hoplite charged forward and, just as the xenomorph came into range, he jumped hard and fast flipping fluidly over the xenomorph, lashing with both axes. The hoplite landed on his knees as the xenomorph staggered on the next few steps. It then keeled over and hit the snow as it's head fell apart into clean halves in a tide of acidic cranial matter.
The hoplite rose to his feet and flourished his axes before turning towards the next xenomorph that was rampaging towards him. He fluidly parried and evaded the swiping claws and lashing tail before he responded with a fierce swipe or chop.
For the initiates and Archangels watching, there was something about the hoplite's movements that seemed odd. His fighting style seemed... familiar.
In short time, the hoplite had slain the xenomorphs with a dazzling array of counter-attacks. Each one rent the xenomorphs limb from limb until there was body parts littering the field around him, twitching from severed nerves. The hoplite surveyed the surroundings, the lenses on his helmet flashing. Searching for any xenomorph stragglers.
That was when a xenomorph pounced out of the snow in a large cloud front of him, intending to tackle him to the ground for an easy kill. The hoplite didn't seem at all surprised by this sudden appearance. Especially how he had another set of eyes watching out for danger.
A shrill avian call was heard, echoing throughout the valley. And then from the sky, a streaming bolt of light shot down from the heavens. The bolt impacted the xenomorph with great force, punching right through it's armoured hide and bursting out in a bright flash. The xenomorph screeched as it fell apart, energy consuming it's body until it had been reduced to dust. The hoplite just stood as the xenomoprh collaspped into dust around him, leaving only a darkened stain on the snow surrounding him. The stream of light, which had now taken on a pair of wing flew up to the hoplite before landing gently on his shoulder. The light then died away, revealing a shining silver hawk with shield-like crest and diamond eyes.
Now this was something that no one had expected to see on this planet. A lifeform that was not a xenomorph. Although, judging from it's appearance, this hawk didn't look like it could be native to this planet.
The hoplite holstered the axes before holding his arms out, the gauntlets glowing. The spear, standing tall in the snow, the sheild, lodged in it's target's chest, and the kopis, stuck in the head of it's xenomorph's head, started to glow and quiver. They then sharply slid out of their prisons and flew back towards the hoplite in arcing patterns. The shield connected to the hoplite's arm with a soft thunk, an articulated shield ring encircling the hoplite's forearm. The spear landing in his open hand and the kopis landed cleanly in it's scabbard in one fluid motion.
The hoplite then turned towards where the Praetorian was. The bug in question had relocated to the outer edge of the of the ruined convoy.
"Just you and me now." The hoplite said, pointing his spear at the Praetorian. "Come on. Show me what you still got after millennia rotting in that prison."
The Praetorian at this point decided that this sudden change in the tide of battle had gone on long enough. It would deal with the problem itself.
The praetorian charged forth with a roar, it's body glowing once again as it kicked up plumes of snow in it's wake. The hoplite's armour glowed too as he charged forth, the hawk taking off from his shoulder and soaring forth.
"Here comes the climatic duel." Hicks said, ducking deeper behind cover.
"if this guy made mincemeat out of these bugs, he shouldn't;t have any problem with this bastard." Sergei said, watching through his rifle's scope.
The hawk gave a loud call as it glowed once more, increasing speed. It dropped to the snow plain, kicking up snow as it passed over. It pulled up just before the Praetorian with a bright flash, creating an obscuring snow cloud. Out from the snow cloud, the hoplite jumped through with his spear out. The Praetorian dodged the incoming thrust as the hoplite landed on his feet before lashing out with a claw. The hoplite blocked it with his shield, blue sparks erupting as claws hit shield before thrusting his spear again. The Praetorian parried and lashed with the other claw, causing the hoplite to roll out of the way. The hoplite rolled to his feet and drove his spear into the Praetorian's side, the broad head punching into it's armoured hide but failed to penetrate. He was surprised when he found that this bug was more heavily armoured then the rest of it's kin.
The Praetorian grabbed the spear and pulled, yanking the hoplite off his feet. The hoplite was quick to twist in the air, slamming his shield's rim into it's face. The hoplite landed deftly on his feet as the Praetorian reeled back from the impact. But it quickly recovered and was onto the hoplite once again with added ferocity and zeal. The hoplite dodged the swipes and lashes raining down towards him, blocking those he couldn't dodge, finding that the Praetorian was resistant to the shield's energy field.
He had to switch tactics.
The hoplite quickly holstered his spear, the weapon retracting into an inert form like a yautja combi-stave before placing it behind him on his hip. And he then drew the kopis, blade down like a knife, in one fluid swipe, catching the Praetorian's right hand in mid swipe. His aiming couldn't have been more perfect as the blade caught the wrist, slipping between armoured carapace and slicing the Praetorian's claws off. The Praetorian screeched as it's appendage landed in the snow, acid blood spewing out of the open stump.
The hoplite swiftly flipped the kopis blade up and attacked. The Praetorian deflected the incoming slashes, the blade digging deep into it's carapace but still not penetrating. The hoplite was intent on finding a gap to exploit, even if he had to whittle the Praetorian's armour down shard by shard.
However, the Praetorian proved to be much harder to kill then the hoplite expected.
The Pareatorian got past the shield and the hoplite took a vicious swipe to his lower left side, sparks erupting from where the Praetorian's claws made contact with his armour. He was sent flying through the air before landing on his shield and skidding several feet before rolling to his feet. Those watching were certain that the hoplite would have been disembowelled by a blow of such force. When the hoplite stood up however, they were shocked to see that the armour had taken the full brunt of the damage.
The hoplite's linothorax was gouged and sparking from where the Praetorian's claws raked across his side. The inner suit was undamaged however. The hoplite looked down to the damage and, to everyone's surprise and even his, the armour reacted to the damage. The armour glowed as if bleeding light and that was when the armour healing itself like a flesh wound healing. The soft metallic sound of shifting metal was heard as the armour reformed itself until there was no evidence of any damage.
Sergei's jaw dropped when he saw it unfold in his scope.
"Hicks, does metal regenerate?" he asked, wanting to be remind of how physics worked.
"No, why?" Hicks answered.
"That guy's armour just healed itself." Sergei revealed.
Hicks' reaction was instant. Especially to someone with a mind like his.
"bullshit!" Hicks said in disbelief, butting Sergei away from his scope and peering in to see for himself. "That impact should've disembowelled him!"
Sergei shoved him back.
"Obviously it didn't." Sergei stated. "That guy is wearing... I don't know, that stuff you find in fantasy tales."
"Shut up!" Andrzej hushed, pointing out towards the Praetorian. "Something is up with the bug."
He was right.
The Praetorian glowed once again, energy flaring up from within. That was when the sound of chitin and flesh cracking and crunching was heard. The stumps that was it's tail and hand was bulging and pulsating. The armour plates on it's body was glowing and expanding.
From it's wrist, new bones were pushing out from the stump, cracking into position as tendrils of flesh and ligaments snaked their way around them to reform the hand. In it's place at frightening speed was a new claw, complete with large, sleek and utterly lethal talons. From the stump, a new tail erupted in a torrent of ichor. Heavily armoured, segmented, tipped with a tri-bladed barb like a harpoon, this was like the next step as far as xenomoprh tails was concerned. Especially how arcs of green lightning was arcing between the prongs.
To those watching, it was as if the xenomorph had just defied everything that was known about the entire species.
"You gotta be fucking kidding." Andrzej cursed in his binoculars. "It's grown its limbs back!"
Hicks once again butted Sergei from his scope so he could see for himself.
"Bugs can't do that!" Hicks objected.
"Not the bugs we're used to fighting." Mac pointed out, keeping one hand on his katana. "This bug is something else."
"How the fuck is this thing getting stronger?!" Karl asked.
"This is Darwinism on steroids." Hicks remarked, giving Sergei back his scope.
And right now, both man and bug were illustrating that concept.
The hoplite reacted to this new threat, dashing towards the Praetorian in a glowing blur. The Praetorian did the same, lashing out with it's new tail. From it's tail, green eldritch lightning surged forth in arcing bolts with each swipe. This show caused everyone who was not in cover to duck further. The hoplite evaded the lightning bolts, each one impacted the snow with bright flashes. The Praetorian spun mid stride, lashing it's tail out and sending forth a green arcing wave of eldritch power. The hoplite held his shield out in front of him, blue energy shimmering on it's the surface as he continued his sprint. The wave made contact and was deflected by the shield as a sphere of energy pushed the eldritch storm around him.
The hoplte's greaves glowed and with one forcefull push, he rocketed though the air for one hell of a dropkick. The Praetorian roared out a gout of flame from it's maw, engulfing the hoplite in a blaze of acid green. To many, that would spell the end for anyone foolish enough to be engulfed. But that thought was dashed when the hoplite burst from the flames, armour glowing from a shimmering energy field around him and not incinerated in the slightest.
And the Praetorian was now wide open.
The hoplite's boots connected to the Praetorian's chest and that was when the tables turned. Their was a sudden surge of power as the hoplite's boot and greave flashed into life as the hoplite pushed off. The Praetorian roared in pain as a punishing wave of invisible force rocked through it. The resonant force was powerful enough to crack it's armoured carapace at point of impact into a shower of shards and make it's back armour and dorsal spines fracture as the force moved through it in a visible shock wave that billowed back the fallen snow.
The Praetorian was thrown back hard, arcing through the air in a shower of shards before crashing hard into a rock formation, the formation itself exploding into dust from impact. The hoplite executed a fluid back flip before landing on his feet and swiftly drawing his spear again.
There was a few cheers coming from the colonists from this feat but it was short lived.
The Praetorian heaved itself up, it's armoured hide cracked and splintered from the force of the kick and the impact with the rocks. It shook itself, a shower of chitin, snow and gravel falling from it. It then snared in a seemingly frustrated tone. From it's posture, bent down and tail swaying violently in the air, it was evident that it was losing it's patience.
It growled as it turned it's gaze towards the scattered survivors before it made it's move. Rearing back, it fired out balls of flame in volleys at the smaller groups of surivors. The colonist's were forced from their hiding places, running for their lives while carrying their children or wounded as the fireballs detonated on impact near their positions, engulfing the immediate area in green flame. The hoplite realised what the Praetorian was doing. It was herding everyone into one spot.
Evidently this was to draw the hoplite into a trap of some kind.
Some colonists however went the other way and braved the green blazes in a bid to get to the Archangels. The Praetorian however showed no signs of trying to herd them back. It would get to them soon enough after the hoplite was taken care of.
The initiates were still in hiding as the Praetorian seemed only focussed on the humans, watching as the Praetorian herded the humans into one massed bunch. Kra'vyx had not moved from his spot. He had not moved for the entire fight, seemingly transfixed by what the hoplite said in a voice he thought he recognised. The Archangels, with their group of survivors, remained in their hiding place observing the sudden change in tactics.
"This bastard is getting frustrated and desperate." Andrzej said, surveying the scene with his binoculars. "It's trying to lure that guy into defending the colonists."
"Getting him to where it wants so it can kill him." Hick's quickly postulated. "I hope this guy has another trick up his sleeve."
The Praetorian's plan worked however as the hoplite raced to the massed colonists who were now forced up against the snow bank of the eastern valley wall, skidding in front of the terrified populace. The Praetorian now had the hoplite where it wanted him as it jumped opposite them roughly a three hundred feet away in the middle of the inferno ravaged valley. Once this pest was out of the way, it can then focus on the Archangels and the initiates.
So what if it looses a few hosts in the process
The Praetorian glowed again, eldritch light seeping out from within it's body and through it's cracked and fissured carapace as it drew up energy within itself. The hoplite stood his ground in front of the huddled survivors. But this time, he was not raising his weapons.
Andrzej watched on in his binoculars.
"what is this guy doing?" he said, keeping his view centred on the hoplite.
Instead, playing a trump card of his own, from his shoulders two appendages that looked vaguely like yautja plasmacasters unfolded from his back, pivoted up and pointed towards the Praetorian. No sooner did they aim that they began to hum, the decoration glowing with power.
Andrzej eyes widened.
"Are those what I think they are?" he said to Sergei.
"Shoulder cannons." Sergei confirmed before he scoffed. "If our weapons couldn't scratch that fucker I doubt those would."
Hicks wasn't as cynical as he pushed Sergei out of the way so he could get a look to judge himself.
"If that spear and sword can punch through their carapace, I'm thinking these might as well." he predicted.
The Praetorian's aura of invincibility faltered a fraction at the sight of this unexpected feature. Like it recognised what this weapon was. It had to win here and now.
"Look at that." Hicks pointed out, pulling back from the scope. "It recognises them."
The Praetorian, after charging up as much as it could, finally gave out a loud roar, filling the entire valley as it shot out a searing green fiery beam of energy from it's mouth. The hoplite's plasmacasters were now drawing in energy, particles of light streaming into the barrels with increasing speed. The colonists behind him were making their final prayers and bracing themselves for the inevitable, shielding childrens' eye from the conflagration roaring towards them. The Archangels and initiates could only watch on in horrified anticipation as the beam soared it's way towards the doomed colonists and their unexpected protector.
That was when the hoplite showed defiance to death itself.
"Eat THIS!" the hoplite roared.
When the beam reach within ten feet, the hoplite fired. From the plasmacasters were fired massive blinding beams of blue energy, fiery and arcing with lightning. The snow all around them billowed and evaporated as the beams soared forward, those who still watching covered their eyes from the blinding light that the beams produced. The Archangels and the initiates half ducked for cover, Andrzej and Sergei rubbing their almost blinded eyes from looking at the brightness through their gear, but were instinctively drawn to watch this awesome display of power. The beams impacted each other with massive correlating light show of conflicting green and blue.
The hoplite's beams were pushing back the Praetorian's breath like a blue tide of power engulfing green land. The Praetorian realising that the hoplite was forcing it's attack back, spewed more power into it's attack. And the hoplite did the same, the beams glowing more intensely. The two power streams conflicted with each other, crating massive flares of intertwining blue and green that lashed out into the surroundings, melting snow and charring wreckage and corpses.
The Archangels watched this awesome display with a mixture of anticipation and ongoing dread. The initiates were thinking the same.
What if the hoplite failed or if the conflicting energies caused a massive chain reaction?
From the intensity of the energy beams, which was essentially ship based ordinance by any racial comparison, these would clearly atomise anything caught in their path.
That was when the hoplite's armour glowed more intensely then before, arcs of lightning surging around him as an electrifying aura. The beams were now like a supernova in beam form, burning bright with the force of a sun. At this critical moment in humanity's favour, the hoplite's beams proved stronger as they forced back the green flames. The Praetorian futilely spewed more flame in an attempt to divert the tide. But that only delayed the inevitable.
"You will not live past this day!" the hoplite declared. "You will answer for everyone you took!"
The Praetorian gave out a loud roar as the beams finally broke through its own and engulfed it. Carried by the blue energised tide and being slowly burned into dust in the process, the Praetorian was brutally smashed into the cliff face, being driven into the rock by the sheer force of the beams. The icy rock around the Praetorian fractured and started to break apart, large boulders crashing down from high above, atomising when they fell into the beams.
"THIS ENDS NOW!" the hoplite roared.
The beams with a loud surge of energy, expanded exponentially both in size and power. The force of which was causing a fierce blizzard to erupt in the valley and creating seismic activity to shake the valley for several moments before the cliff face in turn, with the Praetorian giving off one final roar of defiance, was blown away by the sheer power of the beams. The sound of atomising ice and rock could be heard as the beams continued to punch their way through. Massive clouds of atomising rocks and steam from flash-heated snow erupted in a massive trail that reached high into the sky.
The hoplite stopped firing, the beams of power fading into the air as the plasmacasters retracted back down, trailing a glowing stream of ionised air through the air as they locked into the hoplite's backplate. In the distance, following the hazy trajectory of the energy beams, the snow had all been melted away, exposing bare glowing and melted rock and icy edging in the snow banks. In the distance, the valley wall had been completely devastated. A new valley had taken form, thirty hundred feet across and the wall worn so smooth as if it was glass. And, from the way the walls glittered as they cooled in the cold air, they had indeed become something akin to glass. The valley stretched as if for many many miles, such was the awesome power of the weapons of this unexpected saviour.
But, a more pressing matter then geological creation was the fate of the last of this hive.
The Praetorian, for whom had taken the full brunt of the attack, was nowhere to be seen. Atomised or thrown far into the depths of this planet, no one knew.
And the survivors were thankful for it.
The hoplite dug his spear into the snow in victory. He then looked to the group of colonists, pointing a thumb towards the steaming valley he had made.
"I think I got it." The hoplite said, pulling up his spear and walking off, the hawk landing on his shoulder. "Scratch that, I DID get the bastard." the hoplite corrected, gesturing to the devastation he had caused.
And with that, the battle was finally over. But the damage had been done. The convoy was wrecked, many of the colony was dead, predominately the always chewed up colonial marines, and those left were stranded in the bleak Arctic environment.
But that was the price for the destruction of xenomorphs from an age long past.
Mal'fax and his friends had survived the ordeal and were trying to put together what had happened. No sooner were they destined to be hosts for the God-Prey they were then saved by a warrior who would be, for all intents and purposes, like a god. Ly'enta was certain that her prayers had been answered.
"Ly'enta?" Mal'fax called, not taking his eyes off the field.
"Yes?" Ly'enta replied.
Mal'fax turned to her and he was surprised when he saw here with her mask still on. However, the lenses of her mask was blackened and cracked. The optical system of her masked had been fried.
"Tell me you recorded that on your mask!" he said in anticipation, hoping that her mask wasn't broken
Ly'enta typed on her wrist-pad to find out. After a pause, she nodded after her mask showed her what it had managed to film. It did catch most of the fight in the convoy and the intervention of the hoplite. And it cut out when the beams from the hoplite and the praetorian impacted one another.
"I got most of it." she said, slipping her mask off and shaking her head. "But the light of those beams had fried my optic sensors."
Mal'fax nodded at that confirmation, relieved that they did have some information to pass on and slumped down. He and Fel'tak had almost been blinded by the bright flashes, taking more then a few blinks to restore sight.
"This is going to take more then an oral description to explain." Mal'fax said, wiping his head and looking to Fel'tak.
Fel'tak was slumped down, head in his hands in defeat.
"What are you moping about now?" Mal'fax asked, shaking him on the shoulder. "We survived."
"How can we go back home without a trophy?" Fel'tak lamented. "Ours got blown up and that guy killed all the Prey!"
"After everything we've been through, I'll be happy if we even get back home." Mal'fax declared.
Fel'tak looked to him like he was insane before ranting how nothing had been going right for him.
The Archangels too were completely and utterly blown away from what they had witnessed. Some of them rubbed their eyes hard to make sure they weren't hallucinating from the cold or from head inuries. But even from this distance from the fight, they felt the heat coming from the beams.
"Good. Fucking. God." Hicks managed to say.
"I don't think God had anything to do with this." Sergei pointed out., looking at his blackened scope.
The lenses were charred and cracked from all the light that had been focusing through it. Merely tapping on it caused the fragile lenses to crumble.
"That's a hell of a weapon." Sergei added, dumping his rifle in the snow. "I take it back."
"It like that guy was shooting a plasma engine's exhaust from his shoulders!" Karl compared. "I saw a guy falling into one once and he was vaporised before he could even scream."
Sarah was checking her eyes with her flash light to see if she had gone blind from the light show.
"No, I'm not blind." she said, putting her light away "All that just happened."
Andrzej looked through his, miraculously intact, binoculars, rubbing the lenses clean of snow from when he ducked for cover and he saw that the hoplite was walking in the direction of Kra'vyx. Looking up, he caught sight of the silver hawk swooping down to the hoplite. And, much to his suspicions, at the axes on the hoplite's hips. And when the hoplite's cloak billowed form the wind, he caught sight of a very familiar great axe on his back
"Who is this guy?" he questioned, lowering the binoculars. 'Where did he come from? And where did he get those axes?"
The initiates were wondering the exact same thing. More so because the way the hoplite fought the xenomorphs was very familiar to them.
Kra'vyx, who had not moved from his spot for the entire battle, watched as the hoplite approached him. As the hoplite drew closer, the hawk stretched it's wings and light shimmered in it's plumage. Kra'vyx was now nervously trying to shuffle away as the hoplite walked closer to him, the silver hawk perching on his shoulder, but he was futilely pushing against the wreck behind him. Having seen the hoplite make mincemeat out of the xenomoprhs, Kra'vyx wasn't taking any chances The hoplite retracted his spear, the weapon shrinking in size before holstering it on his hip. He then held a hand out in a reassuring manner.
"Stay away from me!" Kra'vyx demanded, reaching for a katara.
"Kra'vyx, put the weapon down." the hoplite said, surprisingly in yautjan, gently but firmly.
There it was again. The voice that sounded very familiar but this time in his native tongue.
"What... What are you?" Kra'vyx questioned, keeping his blade up. "How do you know my name?"
"Kra'vyx, it's alright." the hoplite said assuringly, kneeling down to the initiate. "It's me."
Kra'vyx listened to the voice again and sure enough something in his head clicked. The accent and tone sounded exactly like someone he saw fall to his death. And the weeping flames decoration on the helmet's cheek-plates resembled war paint of a very specific individual.
One whom he had seen wear it on many occasions.
"Alaric?" Kra'vyx hesistantly asked asked.
The hoplite reached for his neck and placed a finger on a certain spot. A quiet hiss of escaping air whooshed from the helmet. The hoplite lifted the helmet up and off his head, black ornamented hair hair draping down like a chime. And when the helmet was past the nose, the face of which was bearing faint blue stains, Kra'vyx was met with ruby red eyes.
Kra'vyx's eyes widened and his jaw and mandibles dropped to the proverbial floor. His katara fell out of his grip and clatter on his leg. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, despite wishing for it so hard.
"Kra'vyx?" Alaric asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost?"
Kra'vyx blinked and rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. When he did, Alaric was still kneeling there in that armour with the shimmering hawk on his shoulder.
"Alaric?" Kra'vyx asked. "Is that..?"
Alaric reaching to his neck and pulled up his dog tags and locket. Something that no one else would have been able to take from him.
"Real enough for you?" Alaric asked, holding his tags up.
That was all the confirmation needed as Kra'vyx's eyes lit up with a renewed flame.
"Alaric!" Kra'vyx yelled in joy.
He immediately lunged forward, catching Alaric in a bear hug causing him to drop his helmet. Alaric returned the hug as the hawk hopped off his shoulder and landed on the snow next to them to avoid getting crushed.
"I knew you weren't dead!" Kra'vyx yelled in heartfelt relief. "I knew it!"
"I made a promise to Ja'anya, remember." Alaric reminded. "And I'm not breaking it now."
To the Archangels watching, it was like they were seeing a ghost. For the second time in one mission. Andrzej lifted his binoculars up for a better look and his jaw dropped from what he saw.
"Is that..." he started.
Sergei, who suddenly snatched the binoculars from his captain's grasp and nearly garrotted him with the strap, beaten him to it as he looked through.
"Fignya!" Sergei said, vaulting himself up and over the wrecked truck. "It can't be!"
"Sergei, wait!" Hicks yelled, chasing after him.
The Archangels were quick to rush after the sniper to see for themselves, leaving the colonists to wonder what was going on. And when the spec ops marines did, they just couldn't believe what they saw. Alaric was there in the flesh, more accurately in an armour suit that annihilated the xenomorphs.
"Are you serious!" Sarah said. "You're not dead!"
Sergei looked like his head was going to explode from this revelation.
"It can't be!" Sergei exclaimed, pointing to himself and Mac. "I saw you fall! WE saw you fall!"
Mac just gave some choice words in Japanese at this revelation, having seen Alaric plummet to his supposed death. Maybe his prayers to the Shinto spirits came through after all.
"When have I ever been easy to kill?" Alaric joked in English as he tried to get Kra'vyx off of him.
The young yautja however didn't intend to let go yet.
"I'm sorry everyone but I think I'm going to faint." Karl said, collapsing onto his rear and holding his head. "Come to think of it, did those bugs bash me on the head back there?"
Hicks was more calm about this. After seeing so much mindblowing and throwing-pyshics-out-the-window moments from this battle, he decided to take this one thing a little easier. It would save him from a headache or two.
"Normally, I hate Dues Ex Machina's but today I'm making an exception." Hicks said, sheathing his falchion as everyone did the same.
Andrzej was silent as he took in what was revealed. Alaric, who Sergei and Mac reported had fallen to his death down an abyssal chasm while fighting a psychotic yautja, was here in the flesh. Albeit in a highly advanced suit of armour and weapons that made their swords look like cutlery by comparison.
"I'm not going to ask what you've been up to." he decided, holding his hand out. "Welcome back, Reaper."
Alaric took hold and pulled himself and Kra'vyx up. He was immediately greeted by his squad with the customary shoulder shakes and the like.
The initiates, having just realised what was going on, rushed up. And they were just as surprised as the Archangels, considering they all saw Alaric fall to his supposed death. Fel'tak, being the sceptic, was the most surprised. Considering after seen Alaric fall into the abyss, followed by gargantuan blocks of ice. If anything, he thought Alaric was pulverised at the bottom of the chasm.
"I don't believe it!" Fel'tak exclaimed. "You're not dead!"
Kra'vyx walked up to Fel'tak, pointing a finger right in his face and a victorious smile on his face.
'I told you he wasn't dead!" Kra'vyx declared. "I told you but you wouldn't believe me!"
"Okay, okay!" Fel'tak relented, pushing Kra'vyx back. "Don't poke me in the face!"
Mal'fax was more reserved in his astonishment, asking a blatantly obvious question right away.
"Alaric, how could you survive a fall like that?" Mal'fax asked. "It's not possible, even for a yautja!"
Alaric shrugged off the accusation.
"Oh that, I was using that bastard as a landing pad." Alaric joked, keeping the truth hidden.
Ly'enta was more direct in her praise. She rushed up and caught Alaric in a bear hold of her own. Alaric's face was soon smothered by her chest as she held onto him tightly.
" I knew the gods haven't abandoned you." Ly'enta praised. "I prayed for you every moment you were gone."
This was a somewhat awkward situation for Alaric. Considering how she was taller then he was and his head came up to her chest in a rather specific location.
"Thanks." Alaric mumbled in yautjan, amusingly muffled her cleavage. "Mind letting go please?"
Ly'enta, realising what she was doing, sheepishly let him go with a blush. The Archangels were somewhat bemused by this show of emotion. Though it didn't take them long to determine the embarrassment factor from the way Ly'enta react to Alaric's plea.
'That's a first." Hicks snickered, patting his helmet. "And, if our cameras weren't damaged, we caught that on tape."
Alaric picked up his helmet, shook the snow from it and held it in the crook of his shield arm. He looked around at all the wrecked vehicles, the xenomorphs he butchered and the half buried bodies of slain marines and colonists who gave their lives to defend the convoy. The surviving colonists were even now coming out of their hiding places and congregating around him. Alaric saw their faces, scared but thankful to be alive. The few surviving marines hobbled up, carrying the loader pilots between them.
"It's fortunate I got here when I did." Alaric commented, looking at the devastation around them. "If I'd been a few seconds late, Kra'vyx would've been bug bait."
"I think we all would've been birthing the next generation of bugs." Hicks corrected.
Alaric paused at that assumption. He knew first hand the truth of how these xenomorphs reproduced. Not by birthing from a host but by complete assimilation from human to xenomorph. He still had the images of that miner and that fully transformed bug in his head. And he wasn't sure if everyone was ready for such a truth.
"Alaric?" Andrzej asked, seeing how Alaric was suspiciously silent from what hicks said..
Alaric snapped out of his thoughts.
"Yeah I'm fine. I just... remembered something that's all." Alaric answered.
He looked to where he entered the valley, where he had slain the xenomorph going after Kra'vyx. He knew that there was a tunnel system that led most of the way here and camo out around the valley.
"I almost lost track of the bugs on their way here." he admitted. "Bastards move faster then I thought."
He then held out a hand to the hawk at his feet. The hawk jumped onto his hand and then up to his shoulder.
"It's a good thing Aegis here never lost track of them." Alaric praised, giving Aegis a scratch behind the head.
Aegis gave a soft trill of delight as Alaric scratched away. It was apparent that Aegis had not got a good scratch for a long time. Thousands of years to be exact.
"Aegis?" Andrzej said, toying with the word. "This bird has a name?"
"He's my shieldhawk." Alaric revealed. "He keeps an eye out for me. We knew that the bugs were going to attack so we followed them, knowing that they would lead me back to you guys."
Foreman Hernandez, who had miraculously survived the attack and was busy peeling off webbing from his overalls, walked up to Alaric and looked more closely at Aegis. Aegis looked at the foreman, cocking his head while Hernandez looked to Alaric.
"There's no native life on this planet." Hernandez pointed out. "Surveys showed nothing. Just a lifeless ball of ice."
"I didn't think there would be any form of life, let alone a bird." a colonist spoke up. "Doens't even looks like it's adapted to the cold."
"I didn't say he was native." Alaric clarified. "Still, doesn't look like the cold disagrees with him."
"If so, then how and why is this hawk here?" Hicks added. "Those hunters didn't bring any beasts with them."
Aegis turned to glare at Hicks at the mention of him, a proud avian, of being described as a mere beast. His eyes flashed white and his shield crest shimmered with arcing energy. Hicks backed off a step from this sign of aggression. Considering what they saw Aegis do to one of those xenomorphs, it was prudent not to get on the wrong side of the hawk.
"Oh dear." Mac said, grinning as Aegis hopped onto Hick's shoulder and glared right in the marine's face. "I think you insulted him."
"Whoa, easy!" Hicks apologised as Aegis shifted on his shoulder as if ready to peck his eye out. "I didn't mean you specifically. It was a broad term."
Aegis nodded in a manner saying 'that's better' before jumping of Hick's shoulder and back onto Alaric's before getting comfortable once more.
"Looks like the bird is the word." Karl joked, getting back on his feet.
"Great, I've been put in my place by a bird." Hicks said in joking defeat.
The squad chuckled at that. But then Andrzej got back to how serious Alaric's reappearance was. For one thing, the circumstance behind it and from what Sergei and Mac told him about Alaric's... change at the refinery. And now that Alaric was here, and there was no immediate danger, he wanted to get some information out of Alaric.
"I hate to break up the reunion so early but there is a serious matter to attend to. Aside from more bugs showing up and freezing out here, obviously." Andrzej stated before turning to Alaric. "Alaric, in your own time and as brief as possible, what happened back there when you got separated? And where did you get this... armour and weapons?"
Alaric shifted on his feet at his captain's question. Evidently, this was going to take some in-depth explanation and Alaric wasn't sure if he could them the truth.
The whole truth.
Alaric was still coming to terms with it himself.
"I know you lot have a crap-ton of questions on what happened to me." Alaric said to everyone. "Trust me when I say it is a long and overly complicated story."