Authors Note.

Apologies it has been a tad late releasing this next chapter, my proof reader kind of forgot his purpose for the best part of a few months.

Been struggling a lot with procrastination, which has not helped either. Anyway. Chapter Two and I promise the other chapters will follow shortly.

Please read and enjoy, and review, nothing I love more than discussing the world of Gears.

Chapter Two - From Nightmares

As the sun reached its highest point in the sky the smouldering embers of the harbour bubbled and hissed as it sank into the ocean below it. The body count had risen to twelve and the burn injuries were numerous. The Lambent Stalk now spent of its cargo had withered and hung lifeless, like an eradicated weed not ready to succumb to defeat. Within hours two more Stalks had risen from the shallows along the coast line, their pods pulsing ready to burst. The inevitable emergence hung over them like a ticking clock.

Miles slipped momentarily on the muddy wet charred ground, landing awkwardly on his rear before he could stop himself. He let out a curse as he slid down the bank towards the water. A civilian reached out to assist him, gripping his hand as he scrambled out of the mud slide.

"This is just ridiculous," he wiped the worst of the mud off his rear and sought out his Sergeant, "Ol, we can't keep doing this."

A patch of Wilks' hair had been singed slightly from the night of tackling the flames. Even his armour looked like it had been charred. He rubbed at his forehead, smearing charcoal over his face as he did so. At Miles' voice he tiredly turned to him.

"Do you have any other suggestions then?" He asked.

"Why are we just waiting for those pods to burst when we could just blow it to hell now,"

"True," Wilks dunked his hands in a bucket of already grubby water to wash the worst of the dirt from him, then wiped his face with a rag, "But are we ready to face whatever comes from those pods?"

"Polyps Olly, loads of the bastards. We blow the pod to pieces now and destroy them before they have a chance to take us unaware again,"

"You think we haven't already tried that Miles?" He pointed to the inactive Stalk in the harbour, "we spent half the night shooting at the pods on that bastard and the bullets didn't even make a bloody dent. What makes you think those will be any different?"

Miles clenched his jaw and ground his teeth, frustrated that he couldn't do more to stop the attacking Lambent. He stared out at the nearest Stalk watching it twist and weave against the constant splashing of the waves. He could almost hear it groaning and creaking as its pod pulsed like a heartbeat.

"I can't stand feeling so helpless against it," he grumbled "I need some kind of control back."

"You and me both,"

The pair silenced as one of midwives approached the scene, stopping momentarily to take it all in.

"Can I help you?" Wilks asked flicking the remnant of water from his hands as she took him in.

"Excuse me Sergeant I'm looking for Private Farr," she nervously responded, her eyes hesitating over his scars, "It's his girlfriend. She's gone into labour and is asking for him."

"Of course," Wilks glanced around at the flurry of people around the harbour in the hunt for his Gear, "Tate!"

"I would have thought she could have done this one unassisted, considering she's already had about a Thrashball team's worth already," Miles commented wryly.

The midwife gave him an unimpressed look, "every life is precious. I don't see you helping out at any point."

"Believe me no one wants this DNA passed on, it's way too damaged. Might even be Locust at this rate,"

"Or Lambent," Wilks sent a dig as he watched Tate approach them.

"You're both a disgrace to your species, the human race is near extinction and what are you doing about it?" the midwife sneered, "This man is a credit."

"Is it time?" Tate asked her, an excited fatherly expression on his face.

"She's been asking for you, it won't be long now,"

He beamed sending Wilks and Miles a goofy smile, "I'm going to be a daddy again."

Aidie who had been shifting sandbags with Cam, placed the final one down and plodded back to catch up with Tate before he departed. Her face smeared in soot, every part of her caked in some kind of filth involved with clean up.

"Give it a normal name Tate," she called to him.

The midwife took in Aidie's appearance and tutted loudly at her, "the battlefield is not made for women. We have plenty of fine specimens who would be happy pass on their strong gene line to your offspring. You should come and see us sometime."

She then led Tate away towards his oncoming juggle of responsibility

Aidie frowned at her and glanced back at the others, "Is she for real?"

"Apparently so," Wilks commented dryly.

"Breeders," Miles sniped, "Who'd have 'em."

"It's a good thing Tate and Sofie have offered to repopulate the entire planet then," Wilks grabbed the bucket and carried it down to the waterline where he washed it out, refilled it and carried it back up to them. They watched him curiously as he approached them, placed the bucket on the floor and flicked his fingers in a come here motion. Aidie took the bait first and stepped towards him as he stood patiently waiting, one eyebrow raised, watching her. Then quicker than she realised he was capable, he picked up the bucket and threw the contents at her. She let out a yelp and leapt backwards from him, completely soaked.

"Bastard!" she cursed, "what the hell did you do that for?"

"Go get showered, you're filthy," he sent her a look.

"You didn't have to throw the bucket over me to get the point across, I'd have gone willingly," she admonished.

"Have some sleep whilst you're at it, you've already had a long enough shift,"

As they watched her trudge away cursing him Miles turned to his Sergeant.

"You throw a bucket over me and I'll punch you,"

"Wasn't even going to attempt it,"

"I see you're still pushing her away,"

"She sleeps next to me every night, Miles. It's killing me that I can't be anything more than her Sergeant. This is the only way I can keep her at an arm's length,"

"Well you better think of something more inventive because you're running out of excuses, and buckets," Miles chuckled.

"Don't I know it,"

Wilks spent the rest of the day watching the Stalks carefully whilst he sent Cam and Miles to shuffle the civilians to a safer location away from the water's edge. He then sent them off to rest so they could relieve him when his shift ended.

The bell tower had always been the best location to watch the Stranded Village as a whole. Now with several Stalks looming in the distance Wilks needed the best vantage point possible to work out his next plan of action. He sat watching as another Stalk erupted from the sea, no pod this time, it twisted and groaned, reaching out as if the vines were searching for land. He had started taking notes the moment each one had started moving differently. It was like the Stalks were alive, the way they moved against the ocean and swayed towards the land.

The sun was setting by the time Cam returned for his shift, the skyline was filled with a deep red. The civilians had often talked about the foreboding significance of a red sky, they said it meant that blood would be shed that night. It wasn't that Wilks believed them but the movement of the Stalks unsettled him enough to keep around and continue to monitor them whilst Cam remained on shift.

"Yer an idiot," Cam cussed watching him from the opposite side of the bell tower, "yer doing my job."

Wilks looked up from the notebook to take in his second in command then back at the Stalks.

"Don't let me stop you from doing your usual duties Cam, I'm just monitoring the Stalks,"

"Yer know I can do that, right?"

"It's not that I don't trust you, but we were caught out last night. I'm not going to risk it again,"

"One man can't stop the end of Sera,"

"No but I can certainly try to shed some light on what we're dealing with,"

Cam tapped his pistol thoughtfully against his palm like he did so often these days. He was a mature man with a history as dark as it was controversial. Originating from the Islands he was a shorter build than most Ephyrian Nationals but this had never seemed to concern him.

Trained as a Plastic Surgeon, Cam had encountered Ollyvar's father whilst treating his severe leg burns. Colonel Richard Wilks enticed him into the COG as he regaled him with stories of heroes and villains until he was suitably brainwashed. Cam remained with him through the darkest of days. He witnessed the birth of Wilks' only son and watched helplessly as the child's mother was torn away from him. Cam kept many secrets for his Colonel and even now since his death there were things he would keep to himself until the day came that he too would meet the earth in acceptance.

Cam sat and watched the only son of his former squad Leader. Olly had grown to look so much like the mother he had never known, dark attractive features now marred with the scars that had changed his life. A son birthed into Sera to serve a higher purpose as a saving grace for his father's questionable actions. A tiny child meant as a bargaining chip. An exchange for indoctrination into the COG's programme until he was able to hold a weapon and think like the Gear in the machine he was bred to be. But Ollyvar was very much his mother's son, challenging the choices his father made, rejecting the conformity that was expected of him. A rebel in heart and soul.

Which explained why this man was able to love so unconditionally when he had never experienced pure affection himself. Ollyvar was often able to defy what was expected of him. Not only had he been instrumental in getting a group of youngsters to Jacinto alone but he had also won over the loyalty and affections of the woman who would follow him to the end of Sera.

So different from his father in so many ways.

"Do you think I'm losing it, Cam?" He asked quietly, tapping the notebook with his pen.

Cam and Ollyvar had always viewed their relationship as an unwanted foster father type role, Cam expressed the emotions his father had reserved from view. They were honest with one another and despite their unspoken history trusted each other deeply. Even the day Wilks had been ripped apart by a Wretch Cam had felt his soul tear from him as he desperately worked to patch him up using the skills he had gained as a plastic surgeon. He felt helpless as he witnessed his old friend and Colonel turn the Gnasher on himself to blow his brains out. 'Forgive me' he'd said, Cam had still felt bitterness.

"I think yer taking too much on yerself kid," he responded, "We're a team remember, what use am I if I can't help yer?"

"I'm watching Stalks, I could be resting but I'm watching Stalks. What does that say about me?"

"Aside from hiding from yer actual responsibilities, I'd say yer were taking yer duties as a leader seriously,"

"I don't think I would ever forgive myself if we lost more people to these Stalks,"

"As long as yer know what yer doing,"

"Do I ever?"

Cam let out a sigh, "I'll go for a patrol through the streets then. Do a perimeter check and see if Archer an' his lot have anything to report."

"Sounds like an idea,"

Wilks watched as Cam descended the stone steps and made his way down the darkened streets, pausing midway to light a cigarette, his hand cupped over his mouth as he held the lit match to the end. Wilks had always wondered how Cam had managed to get his hands on such rare commodities, but then Cam had always played well to people so he had usually gotten what he wanted.

He returned to his Stalk watching, making notes each time the vines would sway in the air against the flow of the winds. As the streets darkened the Stranded emerged to light the Imulsion lamps to fill the dark paths and alleys with an eerie glow. He observed the flame flicker and dance before leaning slightly towards the direction of the coastline and the Stalks. Maybe his eyes were playing with him but he thought the Stalks were swaying towards the lights as well. He jotted his insane assumptions on the notebook and continued to watch.

Darkness eddied suffocatingly around him. Panic squeezed at his insides as the demons echoed inside his head. He swung himself round, desperately seeking his fears within the obscurity. Just blackness, a deep dark ebony ghoul that rippled and played with his mind. It kissed and nibbled at his extremities, swirling and twirling around every inch of his body until he felt it merge into him. He fought against it, swimming against the tide, except his limbs were heavy and immobile. Every move drew him deeper and deeper into the abyss, as the monster consumed him from within. Then, a light. An ominous glow that glided along the horizon and edged ever closer. He felt himself fighting the darkness, urging himself out into the light as his mental shackles fought to keep him in place. The glow pulsated temptingly, teasing as it pooled around his legs, slithering up his thighs to his waist. Terror surged through him as it fused into his body. An excruciating pain burned through him as the Lambent light churned into him combining with the monster inside, devouring the human as it grew stronger. As it reached his brain he was aware of his body altering around him. His legs snapped and cracked to reform into a different shape, he tried to scream in agony except now Imulsion dripped and poured from his lips each time he opened his mouth. His eye bulged, throbbing from his eye socket until the pressure behind it forced it out of his skull with a pop. His fingers bent and crippled as his nails elongated into talons. His spine burst from his back as it warped him over into a hideous creature. He let out a screech as his last agonising human feeling seeped out before the Lambent light ate the final part of his brain.

Wilks woke up screaming, jolting himself upright. His heart beat so rapidly inside him he thought it was going to explode. Two hands placed firmly on his arms and a voiced soothed back at him.

"It was just a dream Olly," it said, "you're okay. I'm here."

It took a while for the haziness to clear and his heart rate to slow, as it did his vision focussed on Aidie who had been sitting beside him. One of the few people who knew how to deal with his numerous nightmares.

"A dream," he tried to repeat to himself, "it was a dream."

It had been the most vivid dream he had ever encountered.

"Are you okay? You kept screaming but I couldn't wake you." She told him a concerned look on her face as he wiped at the sweat soaking him.

"I fell asleep," he felt annoyed with himself for succumbing to his exhaustion and subjecting himself to the nightmares again. It had taken a long time to fight the Wretch dreams away and now they had replaced themselves with something more horrifying. Worse still he was putting Aidie through it all again.

As his consciousness was able to take control he realised that he had not been able to continue his note taking. He quickly scrabbled for the note book to see that two other people had been writing further notes in it. He looked back at Aidie with a frown.

"Cam told me to keep making notes of the Stalks, he said it was important to you," she explained.

He flicked through the pages to see that Cam had clearly taken over when Wilks had fallen asleep and Aidie's handwriting had continued once she had started her shift.

"Stalk watching is boring Wilks, no wonder you fell asleep,"

He was filled with an immense amount of affection for his squad, despite his insane hunches they had still supported him when he was unable to continue.

"Anyway Cam pointed out that you were onto something, so we took particular note of the lamp light and the reactions the stalk had to it,"

As he read the notes he could see that Aidie and Cam had been experimenting with the light suggesting that the Imulsion somehow was directly affecting the Stalks. His nightmare now a distinct reminder as to how terrifying the consequences could possibly be.

"Come see this," she elaborated as she hoisted herself to her feet and offered a hand out to him.

He followed her through the streets, watching as she unhooked a lamp from its perch and carried it down to the waterside. The flame fought against its restraints inside the glass container reaching out towards the Stalk. Then ever so slowly the Stalk started to move, twisting in its place as its vines crept closer towards them. The pod started undulating like a heartbeat rapidly increasing, it began to glow and swell.

"Shit," Wilks exclaimed and swiped the lamp from Aidie's hand letting it smash to the ground, extinguishing the light and letting the Imulsion pour into the dirt.

They watched as the Imulsion started trickling towards the water, it snaked across the ripples making its way towards the Stalk. As it reached the Stalk it merged with the structure and it started to grow again.

"Did you jus..." Aidie mumbled in confusion.

"Remind you of anything?" He glanced down at her as she frowned back.

"You mean the cave?"

"That's exactly what I mean,"

"But Wilks that was years ago,"

"But the Imulsion moved Aide, remember even then,"

"But that means..." she searched his face for answers, "the glowing Wretches, those Locust... They were all infected."

"This isn't Locust Aide, this is something completely different. And it's a lot more powerful than what we have ever encountered."

The pod had swollen to double its size now, they could see whatever was in it was moving and writhing against its sac pushing at the membrane.

"Aidie," Wilks breathed a warning.

"Yes?" she could sense his tension.

"You need to run, get the others now," he unsheathed his Lancer from its sling.

She took a few steps backwards as she witnessed the pod tear open spurting forth Imulsion and with it a hundred Polyps birthed themselves into the sea.