Chapter 26: Deployment

The last remaining vehicles that belonged to the Clan Hunters ripped over the plains of Middle Earth, sending dirt and rocks flying in their wake. Larry glanced over his shoulder to make sure the two warthogs that were tailing him were still able to keep up with him. He drove alone on the one mongoose leading the way to the lone Stargate that was to the west.

In the center of their formation sat a warthog that had been fit to carry extra people, and had Tex driving while Assim, Link, and Aragorn sat in the passenger seats facing outward. Each of them watched the horizon for anything that might prove to be hostile. Bringing up the rear of their formation was their last warthog which was driven by Fox while Section sat in the passenger seat and Beyond stood on the mounted minigun, scanning the desolate terrain to the rear.

Larry was not sure exactly what to expect if they reached the Stargate in one piece, but something told him he was making the right decision. Something had gone horribly wrong in DreamLand…not that it took a genius to figure that out, but Larry was unsure exactly why everybody expected him to fix everything.

Shrugging the thought off, he looked behind him again and qued the throat mic he was wearing, "Everybody okay back there?" he asked.

"Doin' just fine in the back," Fox drawled, "How much further till we're there?"

"Not long," Larry said, "Another few hours."

"The sooner we get there the better," Assim added over the radio, "With Vong ships in the air and God know what else on the ground…" he left the thought unfinished, and they continued to drive in silence.


Colonel Jack O'Neill stepped out of the Stargate and swept the surrounding area carefully, his P90 held at the ready, the Jaffa Teal'c and the rest of SG1 followed through behind him swiftly, followed by SG teams 12 and 13.

Using hand signals, the team spread out into a circular formation, each member looking out so that there were no blind spots. O'Neill made eye contact with the other team leaders and tugged at his collar, signaling the leadership to come to him.

"Lieutenant Haaser, I want you to keep you team here and guard the Stargate," the colonel said in a whisper to the SG12 team leader, "We might need to come back here in a hurry."

The Lieutenant nodded and walked off silently gathering his team and repositioning them around the gate. O'Neill motioned to the remaining soldiers and looked at Teal'c, who pointed at the ground and then in a direction leading off and to the right away from the gate through dense jungle terrain. He had picked up the trail of their intruder and the two SG teams fell into place behind him, ready to trap their quarry.


Snake sneezed suddenly, and he groaned softly to himself.

"What was that noise!" A patrolling sentry asked out loud, and Snake froze. The guard walked down the intersection toward him and Snake readied himself to attack. Just as the soldier was about to round the corner, his radio began to squawk loudly.

"Da?" the guard answered, to which the radio responded with crisp instructions, after which he turned and started walking away from Snake at a quick pace. As he was walking away, alarms began to sound.

Right on time, Snake mused to himself. Walking quickly he found his way as fast as he could to the center of the base, where prisoners were likely to be held. Finally he came to a locked door that required more than a toothpick and a skilled hand to open. Crouching out of sight, he put his hand to his ear and called the number saved to it.

"Otacon, I think I'm here," he said into his mic.

"Oh? Here let me check," the nasally voice on the other end of the link said, "Yup! If this place has any sort of practical design that's where they're at. You come up with a way to get them out yet?"

"I'm working on it," Snake said before severing the link.

Readdressing the door, Snake produced a small clump of C4 and pushed it into the lock. Pushing a detonator into the clay-like substance, Snake retreated to a safe distance. Covering his ears, Snake pushed down on the detonator and the explosive exploded with a loud BANG.

Quickly running down the hall, Snake ripped open the shredded remains of the door only to find himself face to face with a tall broad shouldered woman with a hammer. Snake dodged at the last second as the woman tried to bring the hammer down on his head.

"And where do ya think you're goin'?" the blond haired woman asked, "I'm God Killer number four…and I'm here to take you into custody, Snake."

Snake had his pistol out and trained on Number Six in an instant, "How do you know who I am?" he growled.

Number Six gave a shrill laugh, "How do you think you got the plans to this place? Or that we knew to lure you here with 'leaked' files of a new metal gear prototype?"

Snake swore under his breath, it had been a trap after all.


"Alohomora," Harry murmured, hand outstretched for the lock on his cage. The lock quivered for a couple seconds, and remained still.

Cao Cao gave a snort of laughter, "Was that it? That was our masterful plan?"

"I usually have a wand!" Harry snapped, "You think you could slice your way out of a paper bag without that sword you love so much?"

"Enough," Yuna growled, and both of the other two captives turned to regard her. To their shock, the air around her glowed a bright crimson color, "Let me try my key…"

Bahumut, King of the Dragons materialized in her cell and smashed her cell door to pieces, and without hesitating ripped open the other cells and the door to the next room before dissolving as though somebody had splattered acid all over it, and Yuna dropped to the ground unconscious.

Gaping at the small summoner, both men rushed over to where she had fallen. Cao Cao quickly picked her up and swung her over his shoulders.

"Quickly boy! Now's our chance!" Cao Cao yelled, motioning Harry forward, "Lead us out of here!"

Harry nodded and ducked out of the now shattered door that had served as the entrance to their prison, to find an antechamber where their weapons had been stashed.

"Why do they always keep our captured weapons so close to where we are being kept prisoner?" Harry asked to no one in particular. This time the lock opened without a problem now that Harry had his wand back.

In the next room was a large hanger like area, complete with several aircraft which were parked in regular intervals around the room. Harry and Cao Cao looked around the room, looking for a way out when after a couple moments the far hanger wall began to open. A ribbon of white light spilled over the threshold and the silhouette of two people, one tall and muscular one short and wiry, became revealed.

"We can't let you do that," the bigger one said, a pair of double edged swords in his hands. They were shaped like tuning forks, with blades on each of the outside.

"Yeah! After all the trouble we went through to find you!" the smaller one growled, he held a pair of sickles, one wreathed in blue flames and the other in black.

"I don't think you have a choice!" Harry snarled, wand held at the ready. Cao Cao dropped Yuna against the wall of the hanger carefully before drawing his own sword and turning toward their two opponents.

"You are just another obstacle in my ambition," Hero of Chaos growled.

"I love it when they say that!" the smaller of the pair cackled, "It makes it so much fun to rip them apart!"

"We need them alive, Five," the bigger man said calmly, "At least for now."

"If you say so Three."

The pair moved suddenly, the bigger one raised his arms and clinked the two swords together, suddenly making a pitch that screamed into the ears of both Harry and Cao Cao. While the two bent over in pain, Five slammed his sickles on the concrete floor sending a long streak of ice along the floor touching the feet of the two escapees. Their feet froze to the floor instantly, rendering them unable to move.

"There, you see?" Three said bringing his bizarre weapons down, careful not to touch anything so as to keep their paralyzing hymn playing.

"Look, the boy is trying to speak," Five laughed, "What was that? I couldn't hear you boy," the small man took another step toward the two stunned men.

Harry pulled his wand hand away from his ear and yelled, "A-accio!" pointing behind their attackers.

The two God Killer's eyes widened and they turned around to see a large Russian Hind come barreling end over end on top of them. They quickly scattered and the paralyzing tune of Three's forks stopped while he sprawled on the concrete. Harry acted quickly, and pointing with his wand at their feet and green fire spread along the floor melting their bonds.

"Thank you, boy," Cao Cao yelled, running forward at number Five before he could recover.

Harry motioned with his wand and the Hind stopped flying toward him and was instead thrown against the hanger wall. Turning his attention to Three, he pointed his wand at the swords in his hands and yelled loudly, "Silenco!"

Three came to his feet and smacked his swords against the ground, only to find that nothing happened. They had been silenced, and he looked up in shock at his opponent.

"The silence spell works to prevent things from vibrating to create sound," Harry explained, "Usually it would stop a person from using their voice…but here it works just as well."

The large man regarded his opponent with cool eyes, but kept silent. Without warning, the large man charged Harry, but the young wizard was ready for him, "Locomotor Mortis," he snarled, and the God Killer's legs snapped together and he fell forward. As he fell though, he flung one of his swords at Harry, and the sword caught the side of his leg as Harry went down in a heap. Five got to his feet with some difficulty and, giving Harry a glare, began to strain himself against the magical bonds that held him. Harry watched in horror as, after a few seconds, the binding curse on Five's legs snapped as though it had been tape that had held them together.

The big man stretched for a moment before he started toward Harry again, swords upraised. Gulping silently Harry raised his wand, but before either could attack the other Three came flying from across the hanger and smacked into the taller Five. "I've fought against the greatest warriors and sorcerers in all of the Three Kingdoms!" Cao Cao screamed, "I will not be bested by the likes of you!"

Harry ran to the side of the Cao Cao and squared off against their opponents as Three and Five got to their feet.

Both God Killer's faces were dark, "You do not understand what you do," Five said. "I understand that you killed my friends," Harry shot back.

Three and Five traded looks with each other, "I do not understand," Three murmured to five, "They were not this strong when they were apart!"

"Then it would appear that they are stronger in numbers," Five whispered back.

An explosion rocked the hanger, and number Four came crashing through the ceiling, landed on her chest and bounced until she came to a halt on her back. Pushing herself up took a great deal of effort, and when she did she stared with shock through the hole that she had come from. "How? You should have run out of rockets by now! Where were you keeping them all?" She demanded.

Snake stepped through the hole that had been made by the flying God Killer, an RPG on his shoulder. Taking one hand off the long tube-like weapon and with fingers slightly spread he tapped the headband that was wrapped around his forehead, "Infinite ammo," he said gruffly.

The two other God Killers rushed to their comrade's aid, Five picked up the large woman and threw her over his shoulders, "I think a retreat is in order!" he said and they ran off toward the entrance that they had come from, Three covering their retreat.

Harry and Cao Cao turned to reguard the newcomer, "Who are you!" Cao Cao demanded.

"Who are the Patriots?" Snake asked, the RPG gone from his hands suddenly. Instead he was holding an M4 rifle, pointed right at Cao Cao's chest.

"La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo," both Harry and Cao Cao said together automatically, before looking at one another astonished.

"How…" Harry began.

Snake lowered his weapon, "Name's Snake. I'm here to get you out of here."


Larry brought the Mongoose to a halt, the lonely eye of the Stargate void of life. A wind hallowed ominously over the plain it was on. Larry stepped off his ATV, and reached out with his senses. Nothing, but it's not like that meant anything, the Vong did not appear in the Force like all other life did. "Let's go," Larry said as the remainder of the vehicles together. Without delay, the Jedi pulled out his PDA and began to dial the gate to the location that had been given to him by Nikita. "I'll go through first," Larry said, "Then Fox and Tex, then the Ta'veren and then everybody else." The small squad nodded their consent and Larry pushed the last button, and as with every stargate, the event horizon appeared like usual.

"Let's do this," lightsaber at the ready, Larry walked forward through the stargate.


By the time Snake, Harry, Yuna, and Cao Cao made it back to the gate the forces of the God Killers were in a full fire fight with the SG teams that Snake had lured through the gate.

"Otacon, it's working," Snake said into the Codec.

"That's good Snake, how's the gate looking?" Otacon replied.

Snake paused and glanced over the rock behind which he was hiding, his eyes widened slightly and he ducked back down as a rocket flew over his head and exploded behind him.

"Crowded," Snake replied, "How are we supposed to get past all that?"

"Aren't these friends of yours?" Harry shouted over the gunfire.

"…Not exactly."

Yuna shook her head, "I cannot summon another Aeon," she offered, "This place…makes it difficult."

The small group of heroes looked at each other solemnly, when suddenly the stargate activated. The two fighting parties seemed not to notice until the event horizon appeared, and the fighting stopped briefly. Out of the gate stepped a tall, broad shouldered man with dark red hair and blue-grey eyes. He was dressed in a red tunic with a black and red cloak with sleeves cut away to reveal gold-red dragons that curled up his arms, like tattoos.

The fighting factions regarded the newcomer solemnly, and he regarded them in the same manner. After a moment, his eyes shot to directly where the companions were hiding and he spoke, "I am Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn! I am Ta'veren!"

Several of the God Killers pointed their weapons at the Dragon Reborn and opened fire. Their bullets stopped in the air around him, before falling harmlessly to the ground.

"We should use this chance!" Cao Cao declared as the fighting around them resumed. The others stood up quickly and ran as quickly as they could toward the stargate.

Rand regarded the others cooly, "He said that one of you would know where to travel next," he said calmly. Bullets pinged all around them, but none touched the collected Ta'veren.

"I got it," Snake said gruffly. He walked over to the dialing interface in front of the gate and began pushing symbols in sequence before pushing the large orange orb that sat in its center, "This is what I was told to do next."

The gate opened, and Yuna went through first, followed by Harry, Cao Cao, Snake, and last…a very calm Rand.

"Hello?" Larry asked, "Is there anyone there?"

There was nothing but darkness around him, no way to tell what direction he was facing, when suddenly a bright light appeared in front of him. Standing in the bright circle of light was Carth…complete with a long tan trench coat and holding his gunblade.

"Hello Harrod," He said grinning, "You've finally made it."

"Carth?" Larry asked.

"In a manner of speaking," the image shifted and became Allied…and then again to become John Call, before shifting back to Carth.

Larry blinked, "I don't understand."

"Naturally…so I'll explain…but I'll have to start from the beginning," Carth paused briefly, "How do you think that DreamLand was created?"

"Well, I don't know…I would imagine it required a lot of hardware," Larry replied after a moment.

Carth grinned, "Why yes, more than you would know. But no ordinary computer would be able to handle the processing power required to run an interactive immersive environment like this."

"So…how?"

"Well, there is one thing that is able to run such a complex system," Carth took a step forward and tapped Larry's forehead.

"The mind?"

"That's correct!" Carth said, "So in order to make it possible to create such a world, John Call used himself and six others to create a network able to support the immense data necessary to run DreamLand."

Larry remained silent, "The problem is that John's own mind took on so much of the processing power required to run the system…and that put a strain on his psyche…one that no other human in history has ever had to bear," Carth continued, "It shattered into different parts."

"You're one of those parts, aren't you?" Larry asked.

Carth grinned, "Yes, I am …I what is left of John's ability to love."

"Well, then what about the one who keeps appearing in the game? The one who's talked to me?" Larry asked.

"Ah, well, that is the part of him who managed to retain control over his body and the rest of his mind…he is pure hatred," Carth said sadly, "Every single Ta'veren in the game represents some aspect of the Creator's psyche or the things he believe in strongly enough to affect his mind.

"Ambition," an image of Cao Cao appeared, "Fate," Link appeared, "Duty," Harry Potter appeared, "Loyalty," Aragorn, "Honor," Solid Snake, "Power," The Dragon Reborn, "Faith," The High Summoner, Yuna.

"Even though Hatred took over DreamLand and John Call's mind these were feelings he was unable to be rid of completely. So he sent them to the different parts of DreamLand as major NPCs and pitted them against their own demons. Voldemort, Liquid Snake, the Dark One, etc," Carth continued, "Only by gathering them in one place would it be possible for their collective ability even stand a chance against him."

"It can't be that simple," Larry said, "If he's that smart he must have realized that somebody would have tried to do exactly that. There's gotta be a fail-safe in place."

"Indeed," Carth motioned to the room around him, "This room is a reflection of DreamLand. Normally it's at least illuminated, but when the Ta'veren were taken from their various locations nothing stood in the way of Hatred's extension. Almost all of DreamLand has been immersed in this darkness, the players, the NPCs, all of the worlds. It makes it almost impossible for people to move and coordinate when they're locked in a struggle for their life."

"Their life?" Larry asked.

"Quite literally. John's hatred extends to the whole human race, with the millions of people in game he now holds as hostages…well you get the idea. Whereas before a death in the World was only a temporary setback, now the game gives more serious consequences."

"Sithspawn," John swore.

Carth raised an eyebrow in surprise, "I didn't take you for a role-player."

John shrugged, "What do I have to do with this?"

Carth's image shifted again, this time to that of a crippled and hunchbacked old man, a leper, "Because this is all that is left of me now," he rasped, "Time after time again, Hatred has found me and tortured me squeezing me until there is nothing left. I can no longer be the champion that is needed to fight Hatred head on…only you can do that as the Worlds only Ta'veren."

John was silent for a long moment before he nodded, "You said that there was John's mind and six others who make up DreamLand?"

The leper nodded, "You've already met them. Unlike the original they still retain most of their former selves, but they cannot leave DreamLand like Hatred can. You have one that follows you still."

"Beyond, and the other God Killers," Larry said, "Where are the other Ta'veren?"

"The address through the gate that was given to you sent the Ta'veren to fight the forces of Hatred on their own worlds, the only way to ensure his destruction is to force the fight between all elements of him," the light around Carth/Allied/the leper flickered.

"And it seems he is on his way here, to fight you."

"Already here, as a matter of fact," the light shifted and there stood John Call ten feet away, head and shoulders taller than he had been when he had last seen DreamLand's administrator. He was dressed in armor as black as the room around him and in his hand was a Heron Marked blade.

The leper shifted to regard his rival, "Hate," he said coolly.

"Love," Hate sneered, "For the last time," Hate opened his gauntleted hand and the old man flew across the room, and was impaled on the outstretched sword. Love groaned softly, and Hate lifted him above his head and ripped him in half before throwing him away into the darkness.

The light that was left in the room faded to pitch black, and after eerie silence the voice of Hate echoed through the darkness, "And now Ta'veren, you die!"