Ch.3 The Fall

AN: Hey guys and gales, sorry for the long wait for uploads but I've been really busy as of late what with exams and projects but i promise withing the next week ill be updating Tale of Two Hollows so stay tuned for that. Anyhow, lets get right into the next chapter of From Ash and Smoke.

"Ugh, brilliant. I suppose that someone would have attacked us eventually." Said Maximilian angrily.

"Artemis, initiate lock down protocols!" Shouted John as he began to frantically upload all their project files into a strange spherical device. As he typed the electricity like energy molding with the power armor stopped and the armor exited the testing room.

"Already on it boss." Replied the female AI as a set of thick, metal doors sealed shut behind the closed laboratory door.

"If these bastards vant a fight I'll give them one!" Shouted Eckhardt as he marched over to the prototype armor. As he reached the armor he unlatched the pieces from their shackles and began to don the armor. Eckhardt looked impressive encased in the armor he designed, with its sloped pauldrons and slanted vambraces. Eckhardt sighed as he remembered pleasant memories. "It has been too long since I have vorn armor as magnificent as this."

Maximilian walked over to his section of the laboratory and retrieved the large prototype weapon. "I guess this is a good a time as any to test out the weapon systems." He said with a displeased sigh. Strapping the large power pack to his back he flicked a switch upon the handle of the gun and a high pitched whirring sound could be heard. As the power pack started up the gas within the gun began to glow a blindingly bright blue color as the gas was super-heated into its plasma state.

"Boss, you aren't gonna like what's coming down the hall." Said Artemis as a video feed appeared on the view screen. The three men looked at the screen as several squads of soldiers in black armor marched down the hallway breaking into each room. The three stared in horror as they heard screams and gun shots come from the rooms the soldiers entered and pools of blood seep out the doorways.

Maximilian and John both heard a low growl come from behind them and turned to see an extremely frightening sight. Eckhardt was fuming, his armored fists were clenched in rage and his face contorted in fury. What truly scared the two was the old man's eyes, his eyes burned with such furious intensity it was as if the pair were staring into one of the levels of hell.

"Those covardly bastards!" Said the old man with gritted teeth. Without another word Eckhardt marched to his area of the lab were his weapons locker was located. After entering his code, the locker door swung open to reveal Eckhardt's pride and joy, his war axe. With a terrifying look of hateful zeal, the old man took up his old weapon and gave it a test swing. He gazed fondly at the old weapon as he thumbed on the weapons power and listened as the thruster's hummed to life. "John vhat are you vaiting for? Our enemy's shall be at our door vithin moments! Arm yourself!" Said the old warrior as he hefted his weapon over his shoulder.

As the download of their project files finished downloading John retrieved the sphere. "Alright." He said as he ran over to his locker and entered his code. From inside his locker he retrieved a picture a strange spherical device and a slim looking rifle. Folding the picture and inserting it into his shirt pocket John slung the rifle across his back and approached Artemis's main computer. As he reached the main computer he removed a chip from the computer and inserted it into the spherical device which began to glow a pale green color.

"You know I hate it when you remove me and place me in this damn thing." Said an aggravated Artemis from inside the sphere, which turned out to be her mobile transport unit as well as a storage device. "You promised a body for me, I hate this thing."

"Sorry, I haven't gotten to finishing that body you wanted, I'll finish it if we get out of this, until then this is what we've got." Said John almost apologetically as he pocketed the sphere and placed a fresh magazine into his rifle.

Eckhardt walked over to the two younger men and leaned his axe against a nearby wall and held them both in a gentle hug. "Vhatever happens know that I have come to love both of you as if you vere my sons." Said the old man as his eyes began to tear up. "You have both made me very proud to be your guardian." Letting the two young men go the old warrior retrieved his weapon and held it out parallel to the floor. Maximilian and John shared a brief look before each grabbed hold of the weapons hilt on either side of Eckhardt's gauntleted hand. The three bowed their heads in reverence and the old man began to whisper a warrior's blessing from his time in the Crusaders as voices could be heard from the other side of the sealed door.

"Today oh lord, we fight for those we love. May our aim be true, our strikes swift and clean, our minds sharp and our armor thick. If death take me today may you protect those I leave, let them find peace in my passing and help them to move on. This, I pray to you lord as a warrior" Said the three men as a pair of cutting torches burned their way through the thick metal doors. As they finished their prayer Eckhardt positioned himself in front with Maximilian directly to his side behind an overturned table with his plasma cannon perched on top and John crouched on his other side behind more cover. Eckhardt activated his armors shield barrier which unlike the one he used to have covered his armor like a skin tight shell.

Soon the torches receded from the door followed by a tense moment of silence. John wiped a few droplets of sweat from his brow and gazed steadily down his iron sights. With the force of a small bomb the cut out section of the door came crashing to the floor as several black armored soldiers barged into the room. With a roar, Eckhardt Slashed his axe upwards in a cleaving motion and sent a flaming projectile from his axe into the crowd of black armored soldiers. With a horrifying scream, several of the soldiers cried out in pain as they were set ablaze. Over the screams a low humming noise could be heard, suddenly a load crack split the air as a lance of bright blue plasma cam hurtling from the end of Maximillian's weapon. The beam of super heated plasma spelled the doom of several more soldiers as it burned through metal, flesh and bone as if they were tissue paper. Bullets screeched and whined as they flew haphazardly through the air. The soldiers having learned from their mistake now huddled behind the little cover they could find. Every now and then one of the soldiers would get cocky and poke his head out too far, only to have it jerk back as a bullet from John's rifle would bore into their brain.

"Eat this Overwatch scum!" Shouted one of the soldiers as he jumped out of cover and fired a rocket at where John was crouched behind cover reloading. Johns eyes widened in fear as he looked around his cover to see the rocket hurtling towards him.

With a roar Eckhardt lunged between John and the rocket. With a blast of bright light and a shattering sound Eckhardt's Shield shattered like glass as it absorbed the rockets blast. Eckhardt grunted as bullets ricocheted off his thick armor as he shielded John with his body.

"Eckhardt! John!" Shouted Maximilian as he fired blast after blast of super heated plasma into the advancing soldiers. He watched helplessly as Eckhardt's armor was pierced in several places under the constant barrage of bullets.

Eckhardt looked through his helmets visor at Johns unconscious form shielded by his wide armored frame. The old man sighed with relief that he wasn't badly hurt. Eckhardt teeth gritted in pain behind his helm as he felt a bullet pierce his left pauldrons and bite deep into his shoulder. He saw several more soldiers advancing towards Maximilian, firing almost endless salvos of bullets and slowly chewing away at Maximillian's cover. The old man new what had to be done.

With a roar a large hidden thruster on the back of the old man's armor fired up and sent him hurtling towards the black armored soldiers like a speeding train. With a surprised yell, several of the soldiers tried desperately to get out of his way. With an earth shattering crash Eckhardt's large armored form smashed into the crowd of soldiers and sent several of them flying like pin balls. One unlucky soldier got caught directly in Eckhardt's path and was turned into bloody paste upon the opposite wall.

With the attention of the soldiers diverted Maximilian took the chance to fire blast after blast of plasma at the dazed soldiers. Eckhardt slashed and jabbed his axe at the downed soldiers without mercy and soon the last soldier fell to their combined assault.

"John!" Shouted Maximilian dropping his cannon and running over to his downed friend. As he reached him he dropped to his knees and razed Johns head. As Maximilian raised Johns head he saw John's eyes flutter and begin to open.

"What did I miss?" Said John as he looked blearily around with a hand to the side of his head. With Maximillian's help John was back on his feet in seconds. As soon as John was up and walking the pair then rushed over to Eckhardt who was on one knee in the center of the carnage.

"More of them vill be here soon, ve should get moving." Grunted Eckhardt in a low pained voice. His armor was drenched in dark crimson blood and was pockmarked by bullet holes and cracks. As the pair watched the armor began to glow with a pale blue electric aura as the nanite mesh activated. Slowly, before their very eyes the armor began to mend itself and Eckhardt's slow pained breathing began to ease as the nanites went to work healing him as well. After a few moments Eckhardt gazed down at his arm and flexed what had at the end of the battle been a shattered shoulder with perfect ease. "This…This is amazing my boy. This new armor vill save countless lives." Said Eckhardt with profound astonishment.

"Boss, sorry to interrupt the celebration but I'm tracking several hostiles converging on this area!" Said Artemis from her sphere. "I apologize for being the one to quote obvious facts, but we should probably evacuate as quickly as possible. Just saying."

"Artemis is right Overvatch has been compromised ve should make our vay to one of the transports and go into hiding." Said Eckhardt to nods of approval from Maximilian and John.

After retrieving some supplies from their lockers, the trio advanced into the science wings hallway with Eckhardt protecting the rear, John holding the middle and Maximilian on point. As they reached the end door they saw the doorway to the science wing had been cut open. Through the opening they saw the carnage aftermath of the destroyed main hall and the devastated courtyard beyond. "My God!" Said the trio at the same time as they gazed at the devastation.

"Come on, let's get out of here. There's nothing ve can do." Said Eckhardt solemnly. As the trio was about to pass through the doorway they felt the ground beneath them rumble. "Vhat vas that?" Asked Eckhardt as he tightened his grip on his war axe. After a few seconds, another rumble shook the building accompanied by the sound of a far-off explosion.

"That's coming from the power wing, that's where the generators are." Said John as his eyes became wide with fear. The trio began to run flat out towards the science wing entrance. As they were about to reach the entrance a third rumble shook the building, shaking the very building to its core followed by a torrent of flame from a massive explosion. Debris rained from the ceiling as the Overwatch headquarters began to fall apart at the seams. With fear in their eyes the trio continued to run, Maximilian being the first to reach the door.

"Come on hurry!" Maximilian shouted, but as he passed the threshold a fourth massive explosion racked the crumbling building once more igniting everything in flame and sending the ceiling of the headquarters crashing down sending Maximilian flying backwards into suffocating darkness as his vision blurred and his breathing slowed; the last thing he could hear were muffled screams.

AN: And that is the end of the third chapter of From Ash and Smoke.

As always

I will see

YOU

In the next chapter

BYE BYE