"Die human"- Xan Kriegor
Chapter 2: The Escape
Swerto took another step forward holding the flak cannon level with his waist. His metal leg made a clanking noise on the concrete floor as he walked forward down the long narrow hall. He knew that this was going to be no easy task. The guards alone would be carrying enough weapons to tear him to shreds. The job was made harder by what he was wearing, a bright orange cloth that offered no protection and made it near impossible.
The weapons Swerto was carrying were all standard weapons in the tournament, and he could see why the man from Liandri left them for him and not a set of assault weapons. He took some time to examine the weapons he was carrying.
The ASMD shock rifle on Swerto's right shoulder was probably one of the most advanced weapons used in the tournament. It was a rifle sized weapon with blue tubes going from the ammunition cartridges to the barrel and back again. The weapon shot a high velocity energy blast that moved at speeds near light, making it an instant hit weapon that fit into a rifle, much more appealing than a rail gun. The weapons primary fire would shoot the high velocity blast at a steady rate, the damage it would hand out wasn't amazing, but it did its job. The secondary fire of the weapon spat out an energy ball at his target at slower-than-sound speeds. The alternate fire was more powerful than the primary but could also be dodged; however, when combined with the primary fire would create a "shock combo". Shock combos involved shooting the energy ball with the energy blast would create a large explosion that would decimate any nearby targets. The strengths of the weapon were its accuracy, its moderate damage, and the shock combo. The weakness however was its fire rate; you could easily be outgunned before you could get off a second shot, if it weren't for the fact that the energy blast also knocked back your target.
The Ripper was the weapon Swerto had holstered over his left shoulder. This heavier weapon was far more vicious than the ASMD shock rifle. The weapon had the rear end of a rifle but the front end looked like two metal bars holding a large circular disc, on the side was the ammo pack the discs came out of. In their compressed form Swerto didn't know how many the rifle would carry, he had to wait and see. The primary fire would send out a fast moving razor-sharp disc that would bounce off walls until it either lost its velocity or hit a target. It was possible to cut limbs off, including the head with this weapon, which made it very dangerous. The alternate fire would shoot five discs together at a slower speed that would explode on contact with their intended target. The shreds of razor would hurt anyone within twenty feet of the explosion, and could kill somebody it directly hit. The strength of the weapon was the high fire rate, the moderate damage, and the ability to kill somebody in one hit by taking off their head. The weaknesses were that the individual discs when bouncing off of walls could also come back at you and take your head off as well, it was best to be careful.
The Flak Cannon was the final weapon Swerto was carrying. It was a large orange/yellow weapon that looked like a large rounded brick with a round hole cut through it with the butt end of a rifle attached to the bottom. The weapon shot a spread shot of flak, stuff usually reserved for anti air combat, directly in front of the user. The primary fire would explode a round in the chamber and fire it out the front end and would exit in a spread fire. The shot would decimate anyone within ten feet instantly. Within twenty feet most people would be near death, at thirty they would still be hurting. Outside of thirty feet the primary fire began to lose velocity and heat and didn't do anywhere near as much damage. The alternate fire would heat up a round and fire it front the chamber without exploding it in a large molten ball. When the round connected with any surface or target it would explode sending the flak in all directions with some fire. The alternate fire was more useful at a range outside of thirty feet where it wouldn't hurt you. The strength of the weapon was its high damage it could deal out, it was one of the few weapons that instantly killed. Its primary weakness was its limited range; even the alternate fire could only be shot so far.
Swerto had found the deal he was given to be very appealing, he had always wanted to be in the grand tournament since before he fought in the amateurs. Swerto and his younger brother had watched the tournament daily. If there wasn't a game that day they would usually watch a rerun, and if there were no reruns they would watch a group of people debate on who was the best combatant and why. They had both dreamed of making it to the Grand Tournament. Swerto had made it into the minors first, but his brother only being 8 at the time was far too young to enter. His family had more problems as well, while in prison Swerto had received a grim message from his brother. Swerto's sister had tried to follow in his footsteps and had died in the minor leagues of the tournament; this event had made his younger brother think twice about entering it at the minors.
He continued to walk down the hallway glancing at cells as he walked by. Most of the prisoners were standing up and going to the bars. They were screaming and spitting at him. One prisoner ran forward and through a large brick at Swerto that barely missed. Swerto turned and stared at the prisoner.
"Hey you, murderer, you aren't getting out of this prison any time soon… them guards are gonna blast you to pieces." He said in broken English. Swerto raised his flak cannon and pointed it directly at the prisoner. The prisoners eyes widened filled with fear. Swerto pulled the trigger and sent a spray of flak into the man's cell. The shrapnel tore the man apart and sent his body parts bouncing around the cell.
The rest of the prisoners backed away from the bars and went silent, sitting down and trying to avoid getting attention from Swerto. He turned and continued down the hallway at a faster pace. The clanking of his metal leg began to echo in the silence. Suddenly at the ends of the hallway the lights turned out. They continued to turn out systematically while moving closer to Swerto's position. Complete darkness surrounded Swerto and the prisoners silence gave Swerto an eerie sense of being back in the confinement chamber.
The sound of metal hitting metal sounded behind Swerto, it sounded almost like footsteps. He turned and pointed his flak cannon in the general direction and fired. Swerto heard sparks and a mechanical groan. The lights at the ends of the hallway turned back on and the rest began flashing red. Swerto looked down at the floor and saw the bloody; at least he thought it was blood, puddle that usually was left after he shot something this close. He looked around and saw parts, both mechanical and flesh, surrounding him. Then Swerto knew what he had just encountered.
It was a Liandri Angel. Liandri Angels were elite cybernetic enforcers for the Liandri Mining Corporation. They looked like beautiful women pulled apart and shaved bald and with most of their body parts replaced with metal. What gave the name angels were the two short metal wings hanging off their back. Under the wings were jump jets that allowed them to fly extremely short distances. They were grizzly reminders of what corporations are willing to do to people to get what they want. Swerto turned and began running down the hallway toward the exit.
A few turns later Swerto was at the elevator to exit the complex he now found himself in. With a few hits of buttons the large elevator began to descend to the lowest floor it reached, fifty. The thousand floor prison only had elevators that moved fifty floors at a time. Then every time they would stop there was another elevator on the other side of the prison. This security measure was made to stop an easy breakout; the only other way out was to drop hundreds of stories down to your death.
When the elevator door opened Swerto looked out and saw thirty or more guards were taking cover behind quickly built barricades. Swerto saw as the one who seemed to be the leader raised his weapon and aimed it at Swerto. Swerto jumped to the side and took cover in the elevator. Swerto pulled up his flak cannon and prepared to jump to the side while they were reloading. A hail of bullets flew into the elevator and tore holes in the metal box.
There was a pause while the men began to reload. Swerto jumped to the side and fired a flak ball into the crowd. The explosion sent people flying in different directions with their bloody limbs detached. Swerto ran across the room launching shrapnel in the direction of another group forcing them to take cover. Swerto pushed one of the barricades with his metal leg and moved it to be parallel with the rest of the guard's barricades. Swerto ducked behind it as a hail of bullets flew over him. Swerto raised his flak cannon in the air and fired. The trajectory allowed the flak shell to vault into the air with a sharp arc and land ten feet away behind the other guard's barricade. The barricades nullified the explosion before it reached Swerto but did its job on the guards. The few guards still alive were scurrying to get out of the bloody room.
One guard charged at Swerto with his rifle in front of him. Swerto jumped behind his barricade and shot directly at the guard. The shrapnel tore him apart and left his body parts rolling behind Swerto. Swerto began shooting flak at the retreating guards causing the ones in the rear of the line to trip and fall over their comrades severed limbs. The guards that made it around the corner Swerto decided to let go. Swerto continued forward walking slowly as to not slip on the pool of blood that had settled on the floor beneath him. The rectangular design of the prison made it easy to see all exits and entrances to every room from any point in the room.
As he continued through the area he was in Swerto had begun to dread what he knew was on the other side of the door he was now steadily approaching. It was at the center of the prison and was the only circular room on every floor. The room was full of coffin sized cells with psychopathic killers chained to the point they couldn't move. Around the room there were six entrances and exits, Swerto wasn't dreading the killers however, and he was dreading the security. The room was easy to get into, as to quell a riot, but difficult to get out of.
Four heavy repeating turrets were in the room, they were the least of his troubles. Above him for thirty floors there wasn't a singly room, there instead was a large empty tunnel. The floors, as well as the ceiling, were both made of glass. For every thirty floors there was a psychopath chamber, this was another security measure. Incase of a riot the prison guards could simply flush out the rooms by breaking the glass. The psychopaths in their cells suspended by beams would be unharmed. Anyone outside the cells, however, would find themselves either being cut to shreds or falling to their deaths.
Swerto put his hand on the door and checked the ammunition reader on his Flak Cannon, it was empty. Swerto tossed it to the side and pulled his ASMD Shock Rifle up and held it in front of him. Swerto bashed the door open with the butt of his weapon and jumped in arching side to side, sweeping the area for any threats. Swerto didn't see anything in the room except the cells. Swerto looked in the corners and didn't see any turrets, for some reason they were either retracted or removed since he arrived here nine years ago.
As he walked through the room Swerto stood in a strait line not wanting to grab the attention of one of the prisoners and have them raise an alarm that would most likely bring the turrets out. Swerto continued forward in the dimly lit room then the lights flashed off. Swerto heard the sound of breaking glass above him. Swerto wasted no time; he took cover under one of the cells while the glass fell around him. Swerto rolled from under the cell and pulled his rifle up and aimed toward the center of the room.
The ASMD shock rifle sent out a ball of energy toward the center of the room that abruptly exploded when Swerto shot it with the energy blast. Swerto looked around the room and saw ten Liandri Angels keeping their distance from the explosion. Swerto cursed to himself and pointed the rifle at the location he last saw one of them. He shot an energy blast that streaked through the darkness and hit one of them in the leg. The blast knocked her forward and quickly into the glass floor. The glass began to crack around her. The section of glass she was on gave way to her weight and she fell through the empty hole.
Swerto turned and shot another energy ball in the direction of another angel he saw. When he saw the reflection from the blue energy flash off the floor and show another one with a rifle pointing directly at him Swerto jumped to the side and narrowly dodged a shot that flew past him into another Angel. Swerto lifted up his rifle and shot a stream of energy into the Angel's face; the head quickly snapped back and the body went limp.
The lights turned back on and the remaining six Angel's pulled out weapons. Swerto raised the ASMD to be ready for another attack. Two Angels charged Swerto. One was carrying a chainsaw and had it revved up. Swerto aimed his rifle carefully at her neck and shot. The beam of energy cut her head clear off and sent it back at high speeds into the Angel behind her. The distraction was enough for Swerto; he aimed carefully and blasted her into the wall.
Another Angel tried to rush Swerto with an impact hammer. Swerto pointed the rifle at the floor under her and fired. The glass gave way and pulled her along with two other Angels to their dooms. The remaining Angel threw her weapon to the side and prepared to jump into the air. Swerto shot a blast into her right knee disconnecting her leg from the rest of her body. Before the Angel hit the ground Swerto got a final shot off into her head snapping it back.
With no more movement in the room Swerto decided that the danger was over. He carefully made his way across metal beams to be sure not to break any more glass plates. Swerto aimed the ASMD at the ground and pulled the trigger, when nothing came he threw it to the side.
"Damn, empty." Swerto said quietly to himself. Swerto made his way across the rest of the complex to the remaining elevator. When he had the doors closed and the elevator was descending Swerto pulled out the Ripper, his final weapon. Swerto aimed it directly at the door ready to shoot any Angels or guards on the other side.
The elevator doors slowly retracted showing a dark main hall. Swerto looked across the room looking for any sign of movement. The lights flashed on showing a room full of guards. Swerto jumped to the side taking cover again. Swerto pointed the weapon across the elevator to the rear and took fire ricocheting the razor sharp discs into the room behind him. Three shots later he could hear the screaming of soldiers unlucky enough to be hit. Swerto moved the weapon slightly down and took fire ricocheting the disc from the rear of the elevator into the floor and into the ceiling of the main hall.
More screams of pain filled the air as the blades quit moving. Swerto looked into the pack and saw that he had quite a bit of ammo left. Swerto jumped to the side and fired a combination of discs into a group of guards. The disc landed into the middle man's crotch. The man died nearly instantly sending his body parts along with blades into his comrades giving them similar fates.
Swerto took cover again as the guards opened fire. The bullets flew into the elevator tearing the rear wall completely off revealing the elevator shaft behind it. Swerto hit the button to close the doors and jumped out of the elevator as it ascended. When the elevator was clear he wedged the ripper in the doors and twisted to the side forcing the doors to open. Swerto ducked under the floor into the space under the ground floor. Swerto lifted the Ripper into the air to use as a mirror. When he looked into the reflection off of the weapon he only saw three guards left. One had a Minigun fixated directly onto the open door. The two flanking him were holding assault rifles and had them aimed at the same place.
Jumping into the air Swerto aimed the ripper directly at the middleman and fired. The razor-sharp disc flew through the air and hit the man in his neck. The blade cut his head cleanly off and lobbed it to the side into his comrades open arms. The man jumped back and screamed. Swerto took another shot and hit his other comrade in the leg cutting it clean off. He quickly fell to the ground and landed on his neck. An uncomfortable crunching noise filled the room. The remaining guard turned and ran at top speed toward the exit. Swerto stood and climbed onto the main floor.
As he walked across the room Swerto looked up and saw the corpses of the angels above him crushed against the glass. He looked closer and then noticed from further up Angels descending attached to wires. The six angels pulled out weapons and shot the glass underneath them shattering it. Swerto got out of the way of the falling glass. Swerto aimed his weapon and fired at the nearest Angel hitting her in the chest. The blade jammed itself into her chest and stopped turning. The Angel was still standing so Swerto let off a few more shots. Swerto went to pull the trigger again but didn't see a blade move from the barrel. The Angel took two steps toward him; blood oozing out of her, and then fell to the ground, dead.
Swerto lifted the weapon vertically like a sword and took hold. Swerto rushed forward to the nearest Angel and thrust the weapon forward directly into her chest. The sharp edged weapon cut directly into her. Swerto swung to the side and cut the rest of the way through her. Swerto kicked down the dying Angel and continued onto the next one. Swerto raised the weapon and swung violently to the side cutting her head clean in half. Swerto quickly twisted back and stabbed at an Angel rushing him. The sharp end of the weapon swung into her face cutting through her. The Angel dropped a chainsaw that skidded to a halt directly in front of Swerto. He jumped forward and grabbed it rolling to recover to a standing position. Swerto revved the chainsaw up and looked at the remaining two Angels.
One Angel was holding her own chainsaw, the other Angel was holding an assault rifle that seemed to be malfunctioning. Swerto beckoned for the Angel with the chainsaw to come. The Angel rushed him with the chainsaw held high over her head. Swerto thrust forward and threw the blade into her throat. A metal whine filled the room as the blade cut through cybernetic limbs the rest of the way down her body.
Swerto turned to meet the final Angel. He lowered the chainsaw as he ran at her. The Angel braced herself ready to dodge to the side of Swerto tried a vertical slash. Swerto slashed low horizontally catching the Angel in the knee. The blade cut her knee clear off and sent her flying toward the ground. Swerto corrected the blades trajectory and sent it flying through the Angels face. The Angel went limp and quit moving.
The chainsaw dropped to the ground as he stood up. Swerto looked around the room looking for any signs of life. When he found none Swerto turned toward the entrance and began walking. Blood was dripping from his fingertips, and Swerto was sure there was barely a spot on him that wasn't red.
Swerto walked through open doors out into the cold air of the penal colony. There, standing not even twenty feet away, was the man from Liandri holding the suitcase that held his release papers, and his future. Swerto walked toward the man slowly taking his time to breathe in the clean air. The man sat the suitcase down and began clapping.
"Bravo, bravo, magnificent performance. You are perfect for the Grand Tournament, my boss was right about you. Please follow me, after you get washed up and changed we'll head out for your future." The man turned and picked up the suitcase walking in the other direction. Swerto didn't know of anything else to do so he fell in line and followed cautiously.