Book 1: Chapter 1:
To Congregate with Destiny
Sunlight reflected off broken glass and danced through an empty shop. The room was filled with posters and advertisements and was remarkably clean, considering the surroundings. As the morning heat began to rise Mordecai finished his morning workout and headed for the front. The air smelled of cold dirt and old sweat but it was a familiar stink. Mordecai walked by the vending machines and plugged them in kicking the med vendor when it started to flicker. He picked up his water jug and walked outside giving a long stretch while taking a look about the small town. The walls were made entirely of steel panels and were held together by lead rivets and poor welding. Each building was little more than the length of a runner and as wide as a two runners across. It was just enough space for a small family or shop. Windows were mere metal shutters that had been rusted into place over the years or cloth draperies flapping in the morning wind. As Mord passed by generators he would check them for fuel before starting them. Power started humming through the town and as he started activating the defense turrets. The town was only defended by a line of concrete barricades and a few repaired turrets. He stopped and sat down on a barricade in front of the town garage. As Mord watched the sun rise he felt exhilaration fill him.
He'll show today...it's too good of a day for him to waste the opportunity...
For a boy Mordecai understood many a things beyond his years. He could feel the changes of the weather before it happened. He could bond with animals easily and normally without words. He even understood being an orphan would mean he did not have a set home, or family to rely on. Mordecai grew up a hard life of being thrown from town to town and living with marauders and thieves and prostitutes. He never knew his parents and the people that surrounded him were always dieing. Until Yujinny.
"Heya Mordecai! I see you woke up before the sun again! Ya want some bacon, Meryl is fryin some up right now?"
"Heya Ol' Will! Ah, na, you know I don't eat skag. Thanks though. Hey, did you see Yuj last night?"
"Wha? Yujinny? Na, hadn't seen him in bout a week. How long has it been since he left?"
"Eight days."
Eight days and no sign of him…Not even Bloodwing has come back…
"Alright, well, thanks fer turning my power on!"
"Sure, sure."
Mord walked to the northern edge of town and filled his jug from the town's water tower. Money wouldn't trouble him today since he made a small fortune from the rakk raid from the night before. Health packs sold like crazy and people needed to restock ammo. He walked out past the barricades to the eastern tip of town and started dragging rakk back to his shop. Few rakk were left after the skagg's feast. They went crazy at the smell of burned rakk meat. By midday he had skinned five whole bodies and de-boned the remains for the meat. Rakk meat went for a pretty penny so he ground the meat and canned it.
After refilling the stock in his vendors he topped his water jug off and headed out of town toward Liz's Drop. It was about two kilometers northwest through skag dens and a colony of spiderants. Along the way Mordecai's thoughts drifted off to the last time Yujinny came back this late. He was broken, bruised, bloodied, and most of all, content.
The man loves a challenge… forever playin that angle…
That time he came back with a rare make of an Atlas sniper rifle the Cyclops which caused Mordecai's lips to curve ever so upward. But what made Yuj happy was the story he got out of the marauders.
Another piece to that fabled treasure…
Mordecai sub-consciously pulled out his revolver and spun the barrel. It was an old habit from living on the streets and in hell holes. The old man loved fables, and most of all, loved the thrill of getting out of trouble. No sane person living on Pandora actually believed the myth, but everyone loved to egg Yuj on about finding it. He knew it too, but he only laughed when Mord asked him why he kept searching. Still Yujinny persisted with every traveler, whore, and merchant, grabbing at their words as though they were cash floating in his face.
I've gotta find him... he has to be in somethin deep...
The hot sun was nearing its pinnacle and the desert winds blasted the sand around Mordecai when he came upon a den of skags. Desperate for shade, he pulled out his Cyclops and started picking them off about half a kilometer out. When all of the pups had fallen he holstered his rifle and took a step toward the prospect of shade. Then the Alpha skag came out of the den, and started at a mad dash toward him. He fired round after round but the bullets would bounce off the rough hide but he did manage to blind the beast fully before being run down. He ducked out of the way and ran toward the nearest set of rocks hoping to confuse the brute. The Alpha stopped and turned to sniff at the air.
Ah shit, this one can smell…
He climbed atop a small boulder and readied his six shooter for the next assault. The beast found his mark and charged at the boulder and leapt at the small boy. Mord let himself fall backward in time and reached up to grab the hind leg of the mutated hound. He was hurled off the boulder and swung his revolver around unloading all six slugs into the dog's ass. They both landed hard against the rough earth. The sun beat against his face until he lifted himself up and studied himself. Dark black skag blood covered his arm and chest along with a sharp smelling pulp from his foes ass.
Nothing broken at least… and I still have my water…but that smell could be dangerous…
He walked over to the den and crawled inside and passed out from heat and exhaustion.
A few hours later…
The roar of another skag woke Mordecai from his dreamless sleep.
Another one already…shit…
He grabbed his revolver and reloaded the barrel and gave his throat a nice long chug of water before gathering the courage to head outside. He waved the gun out first before being certain there was no threat. Jumping out and hoping from side to side with his gun at his hip he realized it must have been in his dreams.
Hrwaooooooorrrrrrrrrr.
I guess not… that sounded like it came from below the drop off…
He tied the water jug around his waist and started toward the drop at a jog. The sun blazed against the desert sand baking his feet in his boots. Sweat was dripping off of his brows by the time he reached the cliffside. As he looked over the side he could hear a faint echo. "C'mon, I know a spot over there by the cliffside. Hurry!"
The drop was about ten stories down with loose rocks being the only handholds one could hope for. He saw two figures running from a large skag in his direction. The skinny figure was faster and jumped the riverbed with ease. He watched as the larger figure attempted to jump the rock clusters only to come up short and roll on the ground. The skag was on him within seconds slashing and biting ferociously. Mordecai had enough time to look around him before being catapulted off the drop off by a spiderants death roll.
Ahh... son of a ....
As he spun in the air he pulled out his revolver and fired blindly at the beast hoping for the sweet spot. A grin appeared on his lips when he heard screech of pain from his assailant.
The ground was rushing up to greet him when a burning pain took hold of his arm and wrist. When he looked up he saw torn bloodied flesh, deep onyx talons, and what he considered the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Bloodwing. In a contrary placement of emotions the pain in his arm brought such joy as a baby would have of a tit.
Not today…hahaha!
Bloodwing couldn't keep him in flight but he did slow the departure so the ground still rushed up at him but slow enough to not be lethal. The claws let go of his arm and he landed with a tumble a few yards from the attack. His left wrist ached from deep scratches but the pain was subsided by the sight of the boy. Deep gashes covered his face and arms and his shoulder was swollen. Dark blood covered the ground around him as he screamed and fought against the onslaught. Bloodwing screeched through the sky and attacked the mane of the hulking mass. Mordecai leveled his sights at the figure and unloaded two slugs. Each bullet ricochets off without a notice from the raging skag.
Fuck... an Elder...
Two shots rang out as the beast staggered sideways.
Where the hell did that come from…
Mordecai looked back at the cliffside thinking the other person had fired. Noticing that the other figure was not holding any gun and in fact, was a girl he looked back at the skag.
The hounds head lolled from the impact of the shot and the beasts eye dilated as it slumped over on its side. The other half of the head had a gaping red hole about six inches in diameter where its eye should have been. The Elder's hind leg was being held on by a string of skin and muscle from where the other shot had landed.
"Hey... who are you?" The voice from behind him asked.
Ignoring the person he looked down at the boy and sudden realization came to him. Bloodwing. Mysterious shot. He peered out at the distance and saw a frail form walking steadily toward him.
It can't be...
Yujinny...