Chapter 5: The Deadgrounds
Eirik's Home, Ruins of Bokn, Norway
09.09.2023
10.13 Hours
As Meia came to, she felt an immediate headache striking her head, causing her to lift her left hand to it. Her mind felt foggy, she couldn't remember what had happened earlier, although from the size of her headache she wasn't so sure that she even wanted to know.
She opened her eyes, expecting to find herself under the stars, like she normally did now a days, only to face an alien roof.
Meia looked around in confusion, how had she ended up on a bed made of a black garbage bag filled with leaves, in such a poorly built room, who's only whole appearance, was the roof, and it's two windows?
She tried to stand up, only to be forced back down into a lying position by a sudden jolt of pain in her back, grunting in pain from the sudden pain.
Her mind flashed back to yesterday, she had been stabbed by the Human Brick, and would have been raped, and possibly killed,if she hadn't been saved, by... by...
Who was it that saved me? Meia thought to herself, she knew she had been saved by someone, but she couldn't remember who. It couldn't be a Human, for they only cared for themselves, that much she knew. But then the question was once again, who saved her? A stray Morph perhaps, or maybe some soldiers of the Holy Morph Empire. Although personally she hoped for the first rather than the latter, she wasn't exactly popular in the HME anymore, thanks to her brother.
Suddenly someone screamed, then a crash sounded outside, before someone shouted irritated "Odin's Breath! We Have Got To Make A Fence Up There!"
"Gabriel! What Happened!" Another shouted, not that far away from the first, although this one sounded more feminine than the other, so it must have been a girl.
"I wanted to see if I could fly, What Do You Think Happened!" the male, Gabriel apparently, shouted, pained from whatever fall he had just suffered from.
"We need to get you inside!" the Female said loudly, before suddenly shouting "Tor, Stop Pretending To Guard The Patient And Get Out Here!"
Wait, What?
"I'm on it!" another male voice shouted from outside Meia's room, obviously surprised that the female was ordering him around.
The door to the room burst open, and in burst a Chansey pokemorph, as was easily seen by her pink skin, and round shape, along with the muttering of the phrase "oh my" which seemed to be a common trait amongst the Chansey morph whenever someone they cared about were injured.
The other two were someone she didn't expect, as they were humans, not Pokemorphs, add to the fact that Chansey Pokemorphs are pacifists by nature, it would mean that either there were at least one more Pokemorph here, or that this is a band of humans with a Chansey sympathizer, or perhaps a servant, although from the concerned look in her face, that would not be the case.
The one they carried looked to be the oldest of the group, with ragged clothes, and what Meia assumed to be black hair, although from all the dirt in his hair, it could be any color, with one of the few thing that looked even remotely new, being his beard, with the term, 'remotely new' being used loosely, obviously this had to be Gabriel, as his left leg seemed to be bleeding from injury.
The other that helped carry the injured looked no better, with dark red hair, although the dark was the dirt he had gathered over the years, his rags for clothes looking even poorer than the Gabriel person, although it only beat them slightly, and since he was the only other male, this had to be this Thor guy, or Thol or whatever his name was, he was a human so it couldn't possibly matter.
"Halt Vermin!" Meia said loudly, prompting the three to turn to her in surprise, although from Toll's face, he looked more frightened than surprised.
"Ah!" said the Chansey with a smile, before commenting "You're finally awake"
"get the humans out of here..." Meia said in a commanding tone, uncaring if her distrust for humans were obvious, she wanted some answers, and the only way she could get them was if she interrogated the Chansey, she was more likable to tell the truth than some humans.
"Gabriel has to-" Thor began, but Meia interrupted him before he could finish
"Get Out!" she shouted, barring her claws towards them, draining the color from Thor's face.
"I'll just let him on the couch in the other room" Thor said as the Chansey released her grip on Gabriel, although the sudden weight made him loose his balance for a few seconds.
"You mean the couch that could break apart at any time and skewer whoever is on top of it?" Gabriel asked as Thor got his balance back, the injured man looking slightly afraid, hoping that Thor meant another couch that Gabriel just hadn't been told about.
"Would you like to take your chances with the Absol?" Thor asked as he brought Gabriel out of the room, shutting the door behind him as he did, much to Meia's delight.
"now..." Meia said as she turned her focus back on the Chansey, the pokemorph gulping a little as she took a look at her possibly dangerous patient.
"Tell me what happened..."
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Meanwhile...
Deadgrounds, Ruins of Bokn, Norway
The area wasn't that far from Haven, although divided by the small lake that surrounded most of the small habitat, with the peninsula like landscape, only connected to the mainland in the south-west.
This place however, looked quite stunning, compared to the rest of Bokn that is, as there were very few bombing craters here, the ones that were having been filled up, and the grass regrown, along with plants of various kinds, all planted by the Brotherhood, planted in what appeared to be a small garden.
However, the most notable thing on this place, was the Obelisk raised at its island like head, stretching over twenty feet into the air, its four sides filled with names of those long gone, of friends, or of family, who's lives were lost in the war, or afterward.
In front of it, Eirik sat in prayer, feeling quite calm in this place, as it acted as a commemoration for his family, the one whom seems to haunt his dreams for his cowardice.
Eirik took a look on the name on the top of the Obelisk, reading the name that haunted him in his sleep, the one who fought with courage, strength and valor to the bitter end, while his coward of a little brother ran away from the fight when he had the chance to matter.
'Abraham Ringen Halldorson
Hero of Norway, Hated by the Empire. Betrayed by a friend, and died with a broken heart.'
How the tables had turned, hasn't it big brother? Eirik thought as a small tear fell from his eye
We had always expected me to be the first to bite the dust from overeating He thought with a smirk, before his face once again fell into that of depression. Yet it was you who took arms, while I just ran away from my duty, like a coward...
"Again in a prayer to your family?" Eirik heard behind him, making him turn in surprise to take a look at the visitor.
The man was quite old from the looks of it, his hair having mostly grayed, leaving very few spots with his black hair remaining, the scars on his face, as well as his missing left ear, remaining as the proof of his many battles. Like Eirik, and the rest of Bokn really, this old man wore rags for clothes, although his shirt had been mostly ripped to pieces, resembling more or a tattered and sleeveless training shirt.
"What is it now Alv?" Eirik asked, although he already had a clear idea of what the man wanted. As the leader of the Bokn Resistance, along with the elected ruler of Agaard's Hole, which he had named in honor of the deceased majority of his family, it was his job to try and gain as many followers or allies as possible.
"The same as always, and I hope that today will be a yes..." Alv responded, although from the look on his face, he didn't exactly expect the answer to be any different than the other times
Eirik gave a sigh, getting slightly annoyed with the constant request from the rebellion, turning his head back to the Obelisk in front of him, afterward simply replying "It is the same answer as always, I will not join your rebellion, nor become it's ally"
"I actually figured..." Alv sighed, although he was far from finished with the matter "but I must ask, why do you still refuse the offer? with our protection the pillaging from the local bandits would be quick to end..."
Eirik knew well of the positives with an alliance with the Rebellion, they would keep him safe from bandit assaults, he would be free to trade whatever he needed from the inhabitants of Agaard's Hole, and he wouldn't need to worry about the empire constantly brutalizing him.
Yet he also knew full and well of the dangers of joining or allying the rebels, especially if one of them squeals, he would easily be found out.
Eirik took a deep breath, before explaining "It ends with the promise that we will have to fight, either bandit groups, or the Empire later, and I have no wish to fight either, I wish to live out my days here in peace"
Alv looked at Eirik like he had just told something he didn't believe, before commenting "You get the poop pounded out of you monthly by the Empire, and get pillaged by bandits all the time"
"I said it's a wish"
"But with us protecting you, you wouldn't have to worry about either" Alv commented, somehow seeming confident that his statement would be the tipping stone for Eirik to join him.
Eirik however, did not share his confidence, simply stating "If I join you, then I will have to cut of my charity to visitors, and I'm not as rude as to deny travelers a meal, however little it may be"
"we're not heartless, we would gladly share..." Alv said, offended that Eirik could give such a harsh statement, Eirik had to give them credit, as not all resistances would be so forgiving towards the Pokemorphs after all they had done, yet he still knew of one of their biggest flaws...
"even to the people you view as enemies"
This made Alv stop to think, he had many enemies, not only several bandit groups, but also among other groups of survivors.
"I thought so" Eirik said with a sigh. He had known Alv from before the war, he had actually been one of Eirik's neighbors, so he knew very well how the man thought, and while he would gladly help others, he rarely helps out of pure charity.
"And besides..." Eirik Began as he turned his head back to Alv, feeling the urge to point out further problems with his idea "the Empire has made a sport of kicking the daylight out of me, in trade for leaving the brotherhood alone, I can't end that deal either, it would mean loosing the house, and the farmland."
Alv didn't reply, knowing full and well that Eirik had gotten him there, he knew of the deal between Eirik and the HME, and the balance that it kept the two parts in, however, Eirik had to use one more comment in an effort to get the rebellion of his back Simply stating "And lastly. I don't trust that all your soldiers can shut up if they were caught, I'm at the Empire's good human list, and I don't want to change that."
Realizing that he had lost, Alv sighed "I understand..." in defeat, while Eirik turned back to face the obelisk, a little grin appearing on his face.
"Good day for now" Alv said as he turned around to leave, although he stopped a little to say "just remember, the offer is always open."
"I know..." Eirik said as he was left to himself once more, grabbing his small Thor's hammer pendant, he gave a small prayer to the names on the Obelisk, the same one he always gave whenever he would finish his visit to this place.
"Glory to those who died in glorious battle, may their battles in Valhalla be honorable, their weapons always sharp, and may their receive the glorious treatment they deserved in life..."
"Honor to those who chose not to fight, may their stay in Hel be pleasant, and their eternal dreams be of their desire..."
As Eirik finished his prayer, he rose from his sitting position, preparing to head back to the camp, until a sudden shout made him turn to the direction in confusion, seeing Tor running towards him in full panic.
"Eirik! We've Got Problems!" Tor shouted, sounding almost as if the Pokemorphs had decided to wreck the remaining human population of Bokn
"Tor, stop freaking out!" Eirik shouted as Tor reached him, panting in exhaustion, indicating that Tor had actually ran from Haven to the Deadgrounds. While it wasn't exactly far away, it would tire many out to run that distance.
Continuing to gasp for air between the words, Tor immediately countered with "I have a right to freak out now, dammit!"
"You always freak out" Eirik said irritated, although Tor seemed to already regain his breath.
"I told you before, I only freak out when something goes wrong!" Tor said, stopping only to gasp for air once between the sentences, as well as afterward.
"Something always goes wrong, get a clue already!" Eirik said loudly in annoyance
"This isn't the time!" Tor said, his voice almost sounding desperate to get to the point "The Morphgirl you saved has woken up!"
"Really?" Eirik asked in confusion, the news didn't sound that deathly important that Tor made it out to be "What's so bad about that?"
"It's bad because you forgot to tell that she hates Humans!" Tor Shouted, and Eirik could quickly figure out what had happened. Either she has taken a hostage, most likely Gabriel, or she had chased the group out of the base.
He immediately took action, spurting towards Haven, with Tor, despite not having fully recovered from his earlier run, following behind him.
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Author's Notes:
Introduction of a new area within the Lost Brotherhood... nice...
Meia having awoken in a cranky mood... not so nice
As a further notice if you might be wondering, I have at least one (maybe two) more area that the Brotherhood partly control's that I have yet to mention, as well as other rooms inside Eirik's house, which will be revealed later in the story, however only the Deadgrounds will look even remotely whole, whereas the rest will be filled with either bombing craters or other sort of damages
I should probably also inform that several of those names on the Obelisk of memories are going to have some importance with several of the characters (or all of them really, although some have more importance to the story than the others).
On a more personal note, I apologize for not having posted in a while, I've sadly had little inspiration on this story lately (or at least the current part of this story), along with several ideas for either new stories, or stories I've already written, as well as reading stories others have made.
anyhow, here's this chapter's time-line:
12 May. 1999: the European Continent starts arming itself for war, as a massive invasion of America is planned to liberate it from the Empire of Truyale.
14 May. 1999: the State of Hawaii secedes from the remnants of the United States, forming the Republic of Hawaii, led by President James Morris.
19 May. 1999: Vietnam is again divided between North and South Vietnam, Laos has held a Purging, killing all pokemorphs in their lands, opening full support to North Vietnam in their new war
31 June. 1999: the Armies of Europe leaves to assist America, only to find Morphetra betraying them half way, destroying the majority of the armies, and sending the rest into disarray. The Invasion of Poland, France and Denmark begins.
3 July. 1999: The armies of the Scandinavian Consortium returns in defeat, while Denmark, France and Poland finds itself overrun without the protection of its armies.
5 July. 1999: the Morphs on Iceland Rebels, and without the protection of its armies, the Morphs quickly gain the upper hand. Several Invasions and Rebellions occur across the Continent.
19 July. 1999: the Remnants of the Armies finds their way to Iceland, and under the leadership of the New Emperor Bjartur Helgarson the Island is liberated within a short amount of time.
4 August. 1999: major cleansing of the Population in Iceland, every Pokemorph is executed, removing any chance of morph rebellion in Iceland. Meanwhile the Majority of Europe has fallen to the Empire's hands, save for UK, the Scandinavian Consortium, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The battle of Ottawa is lost to Canada, and the majority of their army is Defeated.
And Lastly, I'm still accepting OC's, I'm up to two suggestions, both from Raziel Beyon, if you include the suggestion for the sister of his Original OC
Finally, Read and Review, even if you hate it, suggestions are welcome.