Jak IV: The Avenging Angels:
Thank you everyone for being so patient. This has been a really rough past four weeks, and I've kind of been in a bad place as of late. Even by my standards, I was not in a good place. Plus I got sick again, which wasn't fun. Imagine listening to someone who just gargled thumbstacks and was using a really bad autotune, and you'll understand what it was like to hear me speak.
I'm doing a bit better now, I guess. Hopefully things will improve, if not…Well, I'll still have this thing done by April. Revisions for the story shouldn't take long, aside from adding in a few scenes along the way and changing up how some of the early chapters started out. My early work was shit, no matter what you guys say.
Did I ever tell you guys that you're the best readers ever? Well, you are. :D
Now, onto a bit of…sad news.
I would like to take a moment and ask everyone to say a prayer for the family of Monty Oum, lead animator at Roosterteeth Productions and the creator of RWBY. On February 1st 2015, Monty passed away due to medical complications that left him in a coma that he did not awake from…and he will be dearly missed.
He created an incredible world in the form of RWBY, one that inspired many to do what they love best- create worlds of wonder for the enjoyment of others through art and writing and animation. He inspired many to try and become animators or artists and to pursue their dreams, and helped make an impact in the world of anime and animation as well.
The man was a source of personal inspiration to me, and is one of the main reasons this story was possible. The fight scenes, music, and themes that he created were a great inspiration for this story, and for my future works as well. The way Project Freelancer was depicted gave me ideas to start this story, and that was possible because of Monty. So, I would like to take a moment to say…
Thank you. Thank you Monty, for everything. We'll miss you.
Now, I would like to take this moment and point out something I meant to do quite some time ago. As you may have noticed, I have made some changes to my FF. net profile page. I deleted some useless bits of info, and I now have a system in place to let everyone know how I am progressing from week to week in my various projects, from editing old stories like "Apocalypse: Dawn of the Dead" to working in new ones, like "PMD: ELD", which will be up sometime in the next few months.
This is helpful because it will let everyone know not only how I am progressing with other projects and give them an estimate to how long things may take to get done, but to also give my readers an idea of what I'm up to. This isn't my only story, and I've got other projects in mind to work on.
That said, I'd like to take a second a plug my Skyrim fanfic, "Scattered By Destiny." This is a collaborative work by me and my best friend, JC785. We're excited to finally be able to work on this story, and the feedback we've already gotten is awesome, even if we're only 6 chapters in. If you can, head on over to his page and check out the story. If you liked Apocalypse DOTD, then you'll enjoy this story, because it has a few of the OC's from that story.
MY OC'S. Not the fan-submitted ones, by the way.
Also, I'd like to promote the Freelancer Collaboration again, as one of latest chapters that went up this week were one of mine for Agent Minnesota. Muahahaha. Anyway, head on over to the Freelancer Collaboration's page and check it out. Say I sent you. ;)
I have to thank those who reviewed last chapter, which includes randomguy1980, Oblique Strategies, Mooman1706, and DaibenDarkKitty64, as well as three new reviewers known as olliboy123, KrimzonShadow, and JakMarThedarandlightgod. Thanks for the support!
This chapter will be set up in order of the Agent who joined, from most recent to the one who joined the longest (Meh, its not grammatically correct but…screw you.) I decided to do something different with the final character, and…Well, you'll see.
Also, I will take this moment and say that this chapter is what these character's backstories are. A short explanation of their backstory, and then its basically a scene that shows how each one was recruited into the Avenging Angels, forming the core group you know now.
This story is massive, and I don't know when and where I mentioned their backstories before, so some things may not match to what I've said before. I will be editing previous chapters so that they coincide with this one. Sorry guys, but this thing is too big to comb through at the moment. This chapter is what is canon, disregard whatever I put before this if it doesn't match up.
You have a criticism for this? Write a 400,000 word story and remember every detail in it. Then get back to me. ;)
This chapter also ended up being WAY longer than I realized. I was aiming for 10,000 words. This was…much longer…Oh so much longer than I imagined. As of my final read-through, its 20,845 words long.
So, here we go!
Enjoy.
Chapter 39: Origins
"Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real." ― Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses.
Last Chapter Recap:
Jak, Daxter, Nightingale, Tech, and Shadow descend into a icy stairway, leading to a small sealed chamber. Jak opens the chamber, revealing a hidden cache of Precursor tools and the hidden weapon that Tech had searched for several years-A Precursor Bomb- A weapon devised by the Precursor themselves to destroy the Metal Heads completely.
Usano, Elis, and Gud appear then, explaining the history of the bomb and how it can be used against the Queen and save the Universe, so long as Tech can finish the bomb and the group can survive the battle to come. Usano laments the fall of the Precursors and their inability to stop Lady Arranst, but has faith that the Jak, Nightingale, and Havoc can save them. The plan is to rebuild the bomb (known as the Kedical-The Rebirth of Hope- and take it through the Gate to Darkness and deliver it to the Queen's throne room. Destroying her and the seat of her power would destroy all of the Metal Heads and save the universe from their influence. The Precursors wish the heroes luck, but not before teleporting Daxter away and leaving the group confused. They then receive a transmission from Vin, who frantically tells them of an assault on the Sanctuary. After teleporting the bomb and tools to build it to his workshop, Tech warps the group away to the Sanctuary to deal with the problem.
Fathom, one of the three commanders of the Hunters, manages to break into the Sanctuary through the use of a Dark Eco-powered teleportation device, using it to break into the Chief's office with a squad of Hunters and steal several artifacts from the Avenging Angels, particularly the Precursor Rod that allows one to open the Gates of Darkness and Light. With this artifact in hand, the Hunters can now summon the Dark Goddess. The Avenging Angels, plus Tech and Shadow, begin to prepare themselves for a move to Haven City, to directly assist in the efforts for the fight.
Daxter appears in the Planet's Core, followed by Tess. The three Precursors, Usano, Elis, and Gud, begin to speak to the ottsel couple and explains that their time is drawing short and that Daxter now has a chance to become what he has always wanted to be: A true hero like Jak. After a bit of a confidence boost from Tess, Daxter agrees to learn from the Precursors and take their place as guardians of the planet and learn how to use his powers, with Tess learning the ways of the Precursors alongside him.
Nightingale and Torn share a brief moment on the roof of the Freedom League HQ, commenting on Nightingale's life so far and the battle about to take place in just a few hours. Torn and Nightingale then begin to argue, with Nightingale learning that the true reason behind her abandonment at the Marauder Stronghold was simply due to Torn's fear, of him being a coward at heart despite what he does. She sends him away, disgusted and hurt, while Torn feels a bit of relief at getting the weight off of his chest, albeit feeling ashamed of his actions in the past.
Blade appears to comfort Night, commenting on the battle that will take place in the morning and his own marriage with Chill that took place just a few days prior. Blade remarks that Nightingale needs to learn to let go of what Torn did, and learn to forgive him for what he did in the past, as life is short and should be filled with happiness, not resentment and hate.
As dawn approaches, we see our heroes enter the streets of Haven, preparing themselves for whatever is to come. Sig and Wastelanders appear and Jak receives the Peace Maker from Chief Disten before General Dark begins speaking to the people of Haven City, telling them that this is their final day and that the Hunters and Metal Heads will make them submit. The leaders of the fighting forces rally their forces, with Chief Disten ordering the Avenging Angels to attack.
As the chapter closes, we see the first shots get fired and the battle begins.
Tale I: Taking Aim (Agent Sharpshooter)-5 Years Ago
"Payback was a beautiful bitch. She was also a good friend of his, and they were just getting started." ― Thea Harrison, Dragon Bound.
James couldn't help but sigh in frustration as the rainclouds swirled above the city. It was another rainy day in Haven City, surprise surprise. Torn has sent him and few of his buddies on a scouting mission through the city, trying to find weakness in the Baron's latest patrol schedule for the guards. He knew Torn had a thing with Ashelin, but even she had her limits on info, and her knowledge wasn't infallible, that was for damn sure.
He didn't like to admit it, but he was a soldier at heart. He had grown up within the slums, hating the Baron and all that he stood for. His mother died when he was 12 in a raid at the hands of the Krimzon Guard, on a supposed lead that they were harboring escapees from Spargus at their house. There was a struggle, and his mother was struck and killed by the leader of the raid, a man who went by Kolson.
James had spent his entire life hating the Baron and his forces. They were cruel, savage, and loved throwing their weight around in any way that they could. It was a relief to know that he was a part of the Underground, a group that defied the Baron and was seeking out the true heir to Haven's throne.
But until that day, he would fight. Like his older sister had before him. He'd fight until the end, no matter what.
"Come in, this is Torn. Looks like we've got an unscheduled trip by Captain Kolson. Be alert." Torn said in their helmet radios, earning a nod from each of the men except James, who shivered at the name.
"James, you alright man?" Karl, one of his old buddies, said to him in a low voice.
"Remember, kiddo. You can't shoot shit if you can't hit your target." Kolson said as a 12-year old child tried shooting the man with his father's pistol, missing completely with his shaking hands. The man simply grabbed the gun and broke it with a smirk before grabbing the child and throwing him across the room, causing him to fall onto the ground harshly with a sob of pain.
"Learn your place, brat." Kolson sneered as he turned around to leave the room, stepping over the bloodied body of James's mother, taking care to stomp on her face as he left, causing the blood to flow from her shattered skull even more.
"Come. We've got to report in. This place was a waste of time, anyway."
James shuddered as he snapped at of his reverie. He knew it wasn't a good idea to wallow in past hurts, but god did it give him motivation. The group of soldiers awaited their chance to strike, and after about ten minutes a massive transport slowly floated into their range of vision. Kolson stood at the top, a rugged man with blond hair and a grizzled beard holding a wicked-looking rifle in his hands. He slowly put his helmet on and addressed the squad of guards standing by him curtly.
"Holy shit… it really is him!" James said with a dark grin as the convoy continued to go by. It was at about level with the second level of the Power Station, where the group of soldiers were hiding. James eyed the transport hungrily, though he knew the guns and soldiers would tear them to pieces. Another one of his friends, Erik, chimed in.
"We need to get out of here. Now! We're not prepared to deal with a transport like this." Erik said with a grimace.
"No way. Today that bastard gets a round in his skull." James growled as he slowly raised his rifle, taking aim at the captain of the Krimzon Guards, aligning the sights up with his helmet. The man then turned towards James and pointed at him directly, a sadistic grin visible through his visor.
"Move!" James muttered as he threw himself from cover, his squad mates jumping away as well. Blasts of energy began slamming into the side of the Power Station, probably scaring the living crap out of whoever was in there. James rolled into a crouch and took aim with his rifle, a bolt action Eco Rifle, and fired. The beam's aim was true, and slammed into a guard who threw himself in front of Kolson, getting sent flying off of the transport with a howl of pain. James and his partners got behind a large Zoomer that was stationed nearby, trying to find some form of cover.
"GET THEM!" Kolson bellowed.
"Shit! Get to better cover!" James barked as the Krimzon Guard opened fire with their gunstaffs, ripping apart the car the soldiers had taken cover behind. James felt a pang of fear in him, but he knew he wouldn't go out without a fight. Not a chance.
James glanced around his surroundings before he spotted a gleaming reflective panel a short distance away, reflecting the transport attacking them perfectly. James aimed at the panel and fired.
"The hell-!?" Erik yelped as the beam rebounded off of the panel and killed one of the guards on the transport.
"Maybe I should do a 360 no-scope. That'll get the people raving," James grinned before he realized the car they were standing behind was on fire. James opened his mouth to yell a warning to his comrades, to tell them to get away, but it was too late. The explosion threw James into the air, along with Erik and Karl, who both crashed onto the ground with him.
"Get to a Zoomer…run-" Karl gasped as he tried to get to his feet, only to fall as he broken leg gave out.
"No, not without-!" James began to say before one of the Krimzon Guards shot him in the back.
"MOVE!" Erik bellowed as he grabbed James and pulled him into an alleyway, where four extremely conveniently placed Zoomer were parked.
"Shit…SHIT!" James growled as he hopped on one of the Zoomers, Erik giving him a look.
"They knew what they were getting into. We should get out of here and report in." Erik said to James, who nodded. Both men revved their Zoomers and shot out of the alleyway, and into the fire.
"THERE THEY ARE! GET 'EM!" Kolson shouted as James and Erik sped down the streets, weaving in and out of gunfire.
"Idiots! Why not just except the Baron's rule? Why fight it? I guess some people just don't know how to submit…To allow others to take those reins. You will learn."
"Because the Baron's an asshole, you sadistic bastard!" Erik yelled back.
"So be it. Turn the guns to full blast. Make an example out of them." Kolson said coldly.
"This is it!" Erik yelled.
"No, its not!" James yelled back.
"Looks like you boys need a hand." A woman's voice suddenly called out as the transport turned the corner, guns aimed at us as the trio shot down the road.
"THIS WILL SHOW YOU AND THE UNDERGROUND!" Kolson roared into the microphone.
"Yep, looks that way. I'll head in first Rune. Watch my back!" a second voice replied.
"Wait, what the hell?" James said as a he felt something shift on his Zoomer, seeing a…cloaked figure standing up now, their outline changing and shimmering. The figure kicked off of the Zoomer and landed on an overhang while a fireball slammed into the side of the massive transport, throwing off the aim of the Krimzon Guard soldiers onboard and causing the transport to stop dead in its tracks.
"Hey there, boys. Hope you don't mind if we have a bit of fun?" one of the woman's voices said to James, humor in her voice.
"What the-" Erik began to say before the cloaked figure suddenly dropped down on the transport, slamming into one of the soldiers and knocking them clear off the transport.
"What the hell-!?" Kolson yelled as he took a step back, with the seven other Krimzon Guard soldiers raising their weapons at the cloaked solider, who revealed themselves. The woman was wearing a strange purple-colored armor and was holding a strange-looking rod in her hand. With a flick of her hands the rod turned green and she vanished once again.
"The Avenging Angels say hello, Captain Kolson!" the cloaked woman cheerfully yelled as the Guards opened fire on her, but their shots were blocked by the green reflective shield produced by the rod in the woman's hands. Another fireball suddenly slammed into the ship, though this time a red-armored woman landed on the transport, throwing a flaming knife into the chest of one of the guards, killing him instantly as fire erupted from his body.
"Erik…What the hell are they?" James muttered.
"Avenging Angels…I didn't even know they were real. I thought it was a conspiracy or something." Erik said in an awed voice.
The two women were easily decimating the forces that Kolson had protecting him, killing or incapacitating them with little effort. As the red-armored one vaulted over one soldier to kick another one in the side of the head, Kolson decided to finally make his presence known and fired his rifle, sending a series of glowing blue bursts of energy at the cloaked woman, who swore and dove to the side to dodge the bolts.
"Think they can take him? He's ruthless, bro. You know it." Erik said to James, who suddenly shot his Zoomer towards the transport. Erik quickly followed his determined comrade.
Despite the battle raging on top of the transport, the soldiers operating it were still doing so, albeit distractedly. So a barrage of gunfire erupted down the street as the two Underground soldiers shot towards the transport. James urged his Zoomer to go faster, towards the man he wanted dead so badly. To the two women helping them, albeit indirectly, deal with the cruiser and the men onboard.
He wasn't letting this chance slip him by.
"James! I'm hit!" Erik suddenly yelled as flames erupted from his Zoomer.
"Erik! Bail man! BAIL RIGHT-!" James yelled before his friend's Zoomer exploded, killing him instantly. The bike crashed onto the ground as the man's charred body rolled out of the vehicle, curled in a ball.
James had a second to mourn another of his fallen comrades before directing it towards the bastard who did it. James drove the Zoomer up another ramp, even as the gunfire rained down on him, and drove the thing forward, even as he readied himself to stand on it.
"Shit, don't do this at home, kids." James muttered as he raised his rifle. The red-armored solider fell to the ground with a yell as Kolson punched her in the gut, and grabbed the other woman by the throat, pulling out a pistol and jamming it against her skull. James raised his rifle, taking aim, before the Zoomer went over the edge and he jumped off of it.
Time slowed down…James pulled the trigger as he lined the sights up, oh so perfectly. The bullet flew from the end of the gun and soared through the air, and after what seemed like an eternity…
It met its mark.
Kolson's helmet began to leak blood as his body crumpled to the ground, causing him to drop the purple-armored woman. The red one scrambled over to check on her as James crashed down on top of the transport with a howl of agony.
"Ow…Just…all of pain…All of it…" James groaned as he pushed himself off of his hands and onto his knees.
"Who are you?" the red-armored woman asked before two more Krimzon Guards appeared from two hatches behind the women, coming from within the side.
"Behind you!" James yelled as he raised his rifle and fired two shots, downing both soldiers with ease. As both men's bodies fell off of the transport, the women took a moment to reassess the situation.
"That was awesome!" the red-armored woman yelled excitedly as the flames died around her. James lowered his rifle with a sigh before taking a moment to calm himself. Kolson was dead. FINALLY…Finally, finally dead. And as for his partners…his friends…
They weren't the first comrades he'd seen fall in battle…Won't be the last. He'd mourn them later…like all the rest.
"I agree, that was pretty cool." The purple-armored woman said before both of the woman removed their helmets. Both of them were identical, very pretty blond-haired women in their mid-twenties, except that the one wearing red armor had streaks of red, orange, and yellow in her hair while the other one simply had tattoos on her neck. James removed his helmet as well and smiled warily. They may have helped him, but he had fallen for a pretty face once. Not a fun experience, and he wasn't looking to repeat it. He doubted he could resist two hot blond twins though…He could try-
Nah, who was he kidding? He'd fail in a heartbeat. On purpose.
"Whoa...Can we keep him?" the purple one asked the red one, who looked at her sister in dumbfounded amazement.
"He's cute, so what!?" the blond twin with the purple armor scoffed, blushing bright pink.
"Excuse me?" James said after a beat, looking between the two women with a look of bemused curiosity.
"You're cute, hotshot. Or so my lovable sister says. Personally, I think Rush is much better. Plus, he's a gentleman." The red-armored sister said with a grin.
"Um…Right. Introductions?" James said after a moment, earning a shrug from the two women.
"I'm Rune," the purple-armored sister said with a friendly smile before gesturing to her sister and saying, "This is Phoenix, my twin."
"Hey." the other woman said with a grin.
"You both know your way around a fight, that's for damn sure. What the hell was that?" James asked the two women, who exchanged a glance.
"Nonstop training to improve yourself, and some of the most badass technology you'll ever find. Its way ahead of even the Baron's best technicians. Helps us when we're taking out Metal Heads too." Rune grinned at James, who smirked in reply. Sounded interesting to him…
"Really? Any chance of me getting in? I'm always up for a change in scenery, and I doubt the Underground will give a shit. Besides, if you're killing Metal Heads, that's always a plus," James asked the twins, who shrugged at the same time.
"The Chief decides who can and can't join. We're here doing a favor for Torn while a few of the others get a bit of info. You know how it is." Rune said with a small smile.
"Besides, you can't actually get in our group unless…Well…" Phoenix trailed off.
"What?" James asked Phoenix.
"To join the Avenging Angels, you must know the pain of loss. We're a bit particular about it, but basically, you have to have a loved one who's died at the hands of the Metal Heads. We're a group of Metal Head hunters, dedicated to protecting humanity from them and living up to the legacy of the Precursors." Rune explained.
"That pain will give you focus. Pain, hate, anger, and a desire to make sure others don't go through what you have. We avenge those who have fallen why protecting those from the monsters that want us all dead." Phoenix said quietly.
"Well, I pass that requirement. My sister died in a Metal Head attack in the Wastelands three years ago. Damned Metal-Pede came out of nowhere and…" James stopped there, feeling the old stab of anger and hate that usually came up when he thought of his sister's death.
"You don't have to keep going, James." Rune said quietly, earning a small smile from the man in reply. She seemed like the more level-headed of the two sisters, that was for sure. Much cuter, too, though he wouldn't admit that to anyone. Yet.
"Yeah, sorry. It never gets any easier. But my grudge lies with the Baron, more so than the Metal Heads." James said to the twins.
"We often help the Underground and participate in more…direct ways of screwing with the Baron. We've got training and technology backing us now, so you're more than welcome to join and help us in missions concerning the Underground. Hell, a few of our Agents used to be in the Underground themselves." Phoenix replied with a grin.
"Really…Hmm…Screw it, why not? Lets see what this is all about." James said with a grin as he shouldered his rifle.
"You sure? This is a commitment we're talking about here. You're kind of in this for the long haul, James." Rune said to the man, who shrugged.
"This seems like a better idea than the Underground. If you two can kick that much ass, who knows what I could do after spending some time with you guys. Spending time with a bunch of badasses tends to turn people its badasses themselves. I want to help hurt the Baron, and take out as many Metal Heads as I can. If joining you ladies is what it takes, then I'm in." James said to the twins, earning two nods from both of them.
"Come on then, sharpshooter. Let's get on back to the Sanctuary. We can introduce you to the group." Rune said with a wide grin as the woman gestured towards a nearby dark alleyway.
"Because that's no ominous or anything. Should I just bend over, take in in the ass, and give you my money?" James asked sarcastically, earning a snicker of laughter from the twins as he walked into the alleyway, only to see a small transport waiting for them in a empty space between the buildings.
"Here's to a new beginning." James thought as the two twins sauntered ahead of him, with Rune beckoning him to come with them as the back of the transport opened up. He walked towards the back of the ship as Rune stretched out a hand for him to grab onto, as though to be the first one to welcome him to his new life.
He grabbed her hand, and never looked back.
Tale II: Together (Agent Rune and Agent Phoenix)- 6 Years Ago
"For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands."-Christina Rossetti.
"Alright, they're out here somewhere. Damned Metal Heads…You four flank left down the path. You three, go down the right side. You two, you're with me as we take the high path. Stay quiet and find a good position to survey the inner nest from."
Michelle and Allison nodded and followed the captain into the nest, pistols drawn. Michelle had a series of knives strapped to her armor while Allison had more clips of pistol ammo than was usually warranted in the Krimzon Guard. Both wore the standard red armor with gas mask-like helmets, though a series of colorful marks adorned the armor of one of them. Allison liked to stand out, so to speak.
"Sir, you think the numbers are as low as the report said? It just doesn't sound right…" Allison asked quietly.
"No…But we've got to take out this nest like this being so close to the city. I even heard that Wastelanders and…well, other groups were looking to take this thing out. We're not going to let them get these monsters before us." The Captain said with a growl.
Michelle and Allison nodded, feeling the all too familiar stab of hate toward the monsters they hunted. Metal Heads. Creatures that thrived on Dark Eco and lived only to slaughter them all. Their handiwork was widely known, especially by the Krimzon Guard. They had lost many friends to the creatures outside of the city.
The twins had a fairly decent upbringing within the inner areas of the city, with their parents being utility workers within the city. Having grown up together, Michelle and Allison had grown as close as twins could get. They did everything together. Learned to walk together, learned their first words at the same time. They went to school together, and graduated at the top of their class together. They were a team, through and through.
Everything in life had seemed to go the twin's way, until the death of their father. A Metal Head attack at the Strip Mine while he and a band of technicians were installing eco-efficient upgrades to the well-processors. The Strip Mine had been closed down for months, afterward, and it was only recently that they were able to retrieve the body of their father…
The sisters found a new reason to fight after that.
Allison and Michelle had joined the Krimzon Guard so that they could confront the threat head on, but all they had ever done was patrol and city and deal with skirmishes with the Underground. It felt like a waste of time, at times, to the twins. They wanted to deal with the monsters that had killed their father, not walk the streets and keep an eye on the Underground.
But then there were times like this, that made joining the Guard worth it. A mission to a newly discovered nest within the depths of the Wasteland. While the number of soldiers they had weren't ideal, the numbers had indicated that this wasn't an impossible mission.
The trio arrived at their desired spot to survey the area below them.
The eggs were everywhere, protected by Grunts as they prowled around. A faint growling sound was audible every few seconds, but due to how the cave was set up, it was hard to tell where it was coming from.
"Looks like a fairly big nest…There's the overseer of it. She's the one in charge, not that I know shit about Metal Heads in the first place. That's John's job." The Captain said in a low voice, pointing to a bipedal Metal Head with red streaks going down the sides of its armor.
"Shoutout to John the intel guy." Michelle said dryly.
"John isn't here, Captain. You are. What else do you see, sir?" Allison said in a low voice.
"Good vantage point for you and Michelle to take them from the side there. We've got eight Comet DFI's between the three of us, it should be enough to wreck some havoc, once the others are in position. The others should be able to help with their own explosives once-"
"Come in! Does anyone read me!?" a frantic scream suddenly burst out of their radios.
"Kells, what the hell are you-" the Captain began to growl before a loud screech interrupted their transmission. A series of gunshots rang out down below them, and three soldiers watching the Metal Heads from above watched on in horror as their comrades were forced into the center of the next, firing at the advancing Metal Heads from all sides.
Until a massive armored tentacle descended from the ceiling and decapitated them all at once. The bodies of the seven Krimzon Guards fell to the ground, blood pouring from their necks as the tail retracted to the ceiling. A pair of bright yellow eyes suddenly opened up on the ceiling before looking straight at the three soldiers watching the Metal Heads from above.
"Captain…I think that's the real overseer of the nest." Allison whispered hoarsely.
"Run. Now." The Captain whispered as he snatched both of the explosives on his back and hurled them down into the nest. The bombs exploded in midair, transforming into a series of smaller glowing bombs that attached to the Metal Heads and the eggs below. Michelle and Allison hurled their bombs into the eggs as well and ran for their lives.
"Now what!?" Michelle growled as she drew two elongated daggers from her back, flicking them nervously.
"Get to the transport! Those idiots…What could have possessed them to-" a loud roar cut him off, causing him to swear and glance behind him.
"MOVE!" the Captain yelled as he pulled out a gunstaff ad fired it a few times.
"What is that thing!?" Michelle asked as she fired her SMG into the dark behind them, with Ali firing her pistols into the dark.
"Pedeline Metal Head. Watch out for the tail!" the Captain yelled as the figure burst out from the shadows, snarling and giggling strangely. It was a massive black and green armored abomination that was vaguely humanoid with spider legs and a giant barbed tail sticking out of its back. Five large eyes on stalks glared evilly at the trio from its head, its eyes narrowing after a moment.
"Run! I'll hold it off!" the Captain barked as he fired his gunstaff at the Metal Head. Michelle stepped forward and hurled two knives at its head, but the creature easily dodged the projectiles while Allison picked a small hand grenade from her belt and rolled it on the ground towards the creature, with it exploding at its feet and causing it to fall to the ground with an annoyed growl. The trio turned around to leave, but saw a horde of Metal Heads surrounding them. The trio turned around and darted down another side tunnel, praying it would lead them to the surface.
To their horror, it led them back to the egg chamber.
"Aaaaaahhh…Cooooome baaaaaack, little humans. Soooo loooong…We do not care muuuch for fleeesh, but I…Maaay bee willing to paaartaake…" the Pedeline sang in a vaguely feminine voice.
"Ali…" Michelle said in a low voice, eyeing the glowing yellow eyes that were appearing from all sides.
"I know…they forced right back where we started…" Allison whispered, her grip on her pistols tightening.
"We'll go out fighting then…It was a pleasure, ladies. I'm proud to have had the pleasure of fighting with you, this day." The Captain said with a small sigh as he got into a fighting stance as the Metal Heads began to appear from the shadows. Laughter began to spread throughout the room, horrifyingly loud.
"Goooootcha!"
A familiar-looking tail shot from side, causing the three soldiers to scatter as they fired at the horde that approached. Michelle tossed her sister a dagger as a Stinger Metal Head shot her pistol out of her hands.
The tail shot out of the shadows again towards Michelle and Allison, but not before a red-armored figure threw himself in between them.
"CAPTAIN!" Allison screamed as the tail ripped through the man as he dove in front of the twins, the Pedeline Metal Head cackling maniacally as it tore the man apart, a look of determination in his eyes that was swiftly extinguished. Say what you want about the man, but he died protecting his own.
"Ali…Now what?" Michelle whispered as the Pedeline laughed, its voice echoing off the walls as it advanced towards them. Metal Heads drew closer on all sides.
"We go down with as many of them as possible…" Allison growled, eyeing the retracting tail of the Pedeline Metal Head as it disappeared into the dark with the Captain's body.
"HEY!"
The Metal Head's attention turned to some point in the room, but the two sisters didn't bother looking as the Metal Head leader chuckled evilly and advanced towards them.
"Looks like they need some help. Think we can take them?" a female voice asked, her voice reverberating through the room.
"Hardly. Chill, distraction please!"
"You've got it, hot stuff!"
Allison's eyes widened as a series of blue bursts of energy suddenly flew from across the room and slammed into the tail of the Pedeline Metal Head, causing it to scream in agony and move its now frozen tail out of the way as it looked towards the source of the noise. A lone woman stood at the far end of the room, her hands glowing with a bright blue energy as ice slowly began to incase the blue armor she was wearing.
"One distraction, coming up!" the woman presumably-named Chill said as she let out a yell, charging up a ball of surging blue energy that suddenly shot of towards the Metal Heads, crashing into the thick of the horde. A huge blast of icy air sent the twins flying backwards into the horde, only for a red figure to tackle them both in midair and sprint to the side of the cave. The twins were dropped on the ground as more and more of the nest was incased in ice. Michelle looked up and saw that they had been retrieved by man in dark red armor with a black streak running over his armor, two SMG's at his side, and a machete clipped to his belt.
"You two OK?" the man asked the twins.
"Y-yeah. Who are you two?" Allison asked as she got to her feet.
"The Avenging Angels. I'm Agent Rush, and that down there is Agent Chill. Shitty codenames, I know, but what are you gonna do? Anyway, we heard the Baron sent a team to deal with the nest, so we figured we'd watch to make sure everything went alright. Didn't think your teammates would mess things up like that though." The man remarked.
Allison sighed and said, "They probably didn't think the Metal Heads would see them…I don't know."
"Sorry about your loss." Rush said after a beat before he looked down at the fight going on below. Rush looked at the two women by his side and said "You two wouldn't be opposed to helping us deal with them, would you? Back up and all that?"
"Sure." Michelle said as she pulled out an SMG and put away one of her daggers, holding a gun in one hand and a dagger with the other. Allison made sure her two pistols were in order before nodding to Rush, and with that the trio dove back into the action.
Allison opened fire with her pistols, sending bits of deadly metal into the horde circling Chill as she shot icicles from her hands at the advancing Metal Heads. The Pedeline was still trying to free itself, and was having some success. Rush flew by its head and punched it in one of its five eyes, causing it to explode rather nastily.
"That's…one of the nastiest things I've ever seen." Michelle shuddered as she stabbed a Juice Goon through the head and ripped the blade free. As the Metal Head screamed in pain, Michelle saw Chill dodge the tail of the Pedeline with a yell.
"Little help here?" Chill yelled.
"Sure thing!" Rush said as he fired with his two SMG's, ripping into the flesh of the Pedeline, who turned her attention to the two soldiers. Michelle and Allison turned their attention to the horde that was attacking them.
"Hey," Allison said to her sister as they stood back to back.
"Yeah?" Michelle said as she flicked the knife in her grasp.
"You know I love you, right?"
"Ditto." Michelle replied with a grin.
Allison smirked at how she never could quite get her sister to say the words. She knew her sister loved her, but she was one of those people who could never say it to anyone. She knew she cared though.
"So, I guess since you spend so much time protecting me, I'll have to be here to protect you. Huh." Michelle grinned before she took aim at a trio of Juice Goons and shot each one in the face, tearing through their brains and killing them instantly. Allison fired with her pistols, accurately hitting vital spots all over. The sisters knew exactly when the other would move and how they would react. They knew how the other fought, how they would turn to face another approaching foe.
When Rush turned towards the twin Krimzon Guard soldiers, he gaped when he saw them winning against the horde attacking them from all sides. They'd run out of ammo eventually, but they were holding their own.
Michelle stabbed and slashed viciously while Allison shot anything that came close with terrifying accuracy. Rush smirked as he turned his attention to the Pedeline, who screamed as Chill shot a long and sharp icicle into two of its eyes at once. Chill barely managed to get out of the way as the Metal Head's tail swung by her, nearly decapitating her.
"Two for one. Nice!" Rush yelled as he made a move to finish it off. He began running towards the creature and sped up, his body becoming a blur as he kicked off the ground of the high ledge he was on and flew towards the Pedeline, crashing into it and kicking off of the monster's back.
The Metal Head crashed onto the ground as red man spun around the kicked the Pedeline in its remaining eye, causing it to explode into bloody goo from the force of it. It let out a painful roar and fell to the ground with a whine, where it didn't rise again. The man landed on the ground lightly, reloading his SMG's with a practiced motion before putting one of them away as the blue-armored woman sauntered over to them.
"Hey there, ladies." The man said with a casual wave, earning an elbow in the chest from woman in blue armor.
"Hey, I'm the easy one on the team. Not you, Rush." The woman said with a small growl in her voice.
"Aww, that's boring. I want to be slut, damn it. You get to have all the fun…The struggle is real, man." Rush said with a sigh, earning a kick in the shin from the woman, though a grin was visible through her visor.
"Care to explain who the hell you two are?" Michelle said to the two warriors, who exchanged a look.
"Ever heard of the Avenging Angels?" the man in red asked the twins.
"Who?" Phoenix asked the man, but her sister replied with a nod and said "You're Metal Head hunters. You protect the innocent from the Metal Heads and help the Underground and Spargus from time to time."
"Bingo. Now, we're not fans of the Krimzon Guard nor the Baron, but since you two seem to be fairly reasonable two ladies, how would you like an escort back to the city?"
Michelle made a move to walk towards them, but was stopped by her sister.
"You two just took down that huge Metal Head with little to no effort. How?"
"We train all the time and have access to advanced tech. We're trained to take these things down. Its kind of our job. We recruit from the best of the best, and work together to protect the world from the Metal Heads." Rush said as he crossed his arms.
"And deal with some other issues, should our services be needed, of course. We have to pay the bills somehow, you know." Chill said with a laugh.
"But for the most part, we deal with the problems that the Baron can or doesn't want to handle. The Metal Heads are a threat that need to be dealt with, despite the Baron's plans to do whatever the hell he's been doing. We're a bit proactive in our approach, and take the fight to the Metal Heads." Rush explained further.
"…Hold that thought." Allison said as she pulled Michelle to the side a short distance away.
"Ali, what's up?" Michelle asked her sister, who sighed.
"Ali…What are we doing?"
"What?"
"In the Guard. Seriously. What are we doing?" Ali asked Mich, who opened her mouth to speak, but she closed it after a moment. Neither sister had ever been dedicated to the guard, and the often complained at how tedious it was and rarely they got to do things like this…And look what happened even then?
"Exactly…All we're doing is helping enforce the Baron's damned rule. We're not helping put the Metal Heads in their place. We barely held out own out there. Those two ruined that Metal Head with ease. They were playing with them, Michelle…You heard them…They've got the resources and equipment to make a difference. To kill Metal Heads and make this world safer. Isn't that why we joined the Guard. To protect people?"
"But we…You've got a point. We haven't been doing much protecting in the Guard, have we?" Michelle said to her sister, who shook her head.
"No…We haven't. We have a choice, Michelle. We can go back to the city and face demotion for letting the Avenging Angels take care of the job we failed to do, and be stuck in Haven doing nothing…Or we could go with the Avenging Angels and start working towards something better."
"Is that what's best?" Michelle asked uncertainly.
"Isn't that what Dad wanted? For us to make a difference in the world…together? Where would me make more of a difference, Michelle?" Allison quietly asked her sister, who looked at her for a long while.
"We'd be deserting the guard…But…We should at least find out more about the Avenging Angels. After all, they're offering us a ride out of the desert. We can hear them out at least. These two seem pretty nice, at least." Michelle said after a while.
"And you're an awesome judge of character, too, so I think I can trust them if you're willing to give them a chance." Michelle said in a low voice, nodding to her sister, who smiled at that.
"If I went with them…Would you come with me?" Allison asked her sister, who grinned and punched her sister in the arm.
"Ow." Allison said as Michelle said "Naturally. Someone's got to watch out for you, sis."
"So…What's it going to be, ladies?" Rush asked as the two Krimzon Guards walked towards them.
"You wouldn't happen to be accepting new members, would you?." Michelle and Allison said at the same time.
"Of course. And since you already mentioned your dad was killed by Metal Heads ages ago, and you've got a military background of sorts with the KG, that means the two of you shouldn't have any issues. With a bit of training and the right gear, you'll fit right in." Rush said to the two women, who suspected he may have been intending for the two of them to join them. Later they would come to find out years that this kind of was the case, and that Rush was in fact one of the main recruiters for the AA, seeking out talented soldiers with good hearts.
"Sweet! We can talk more about it on the ride to Sanctuary and get you both checked out. The Chief looks over new recruits himself. And if it turns out your spies for the Baron, we'll kill you and leave your body to rot in the Wasteland." Chill said with a smirk as she sauntered out.
"Ignore her. She's crabby because I took her away from her boyfriend for the day for this mission. She's a nympho if I've ever seen one." Rush said dryly as the twins began to follow him out of the cave.
"So what's it like?" Allison asked Rush.
"You learn what's worth protecting, in the AA. What's worth fighting for…Who your true friends are…You learn quite a bit. Its all about taking the things you learn and experience and turning them against the Metal Heads, and those who support them. We avenge the fallen…That's pretty much all there is to it." Rush said quietly as they approached a nearby transport.
"What's really worth protecting…" Allison murmured before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She didn't need to turn around to know it was her sister. Her twin. The only person she knew was always supporting her, always by her side, always…
Together, they'd make their father proud, and protect this world. Together.
Tale III: The Stalwart Hero (Agent Blade)-8 Years Ago
"There was a time when I thought I was doing a good thing with good guys for a good cause. Looking back, I think I really wanted to be a warrior."-Steven Seagal.
Russal grit his teeth as he stormed out of his house, clutching his sword, gunstaff, and a single pistol. His sister yelled out his name as he stormed through Spargus, but he mounted a Leaper Lizard and bounded off, leaving her far behind.
The mount he was riding would allow him to easily get to his destination before anyone could be the wiser about what he planned. It also gave him some time to reflect, given that the actions he would commit in just a few minutes would likely earn him exile from Spargus, but he didn't care. Fury and hate pounded through his head as he urged the Leaper Lizard to go faster.
The monster had been sighted…
Russal arrived at the Garage and dismounted the lizard, patting it on the head before slipping through the massive door set up, even as it slowly opened. Kleiver was sitting on the hood of his newly completed Slam Dozer, eyeing him warily.
"Bit late to be heading out, dontcha think? Damas said there'd be a storm coming. Big one. No one goes in, no one goes out." Kleiver said gruffly as Russal walked towards the Sand Shark. Fast, reliable, and capable of dealing serious damage very quickly.
Perfect.
"Sorry to say I have business in the Wasteland, Kleiver. I won't let anyone get in my way." Russal said as he grabbed the handle of his sword. Kleiver scowled and jumped down from the hood of the Slam Dozer, pulling out a pistol-
Only for it to go flying out of his hand as a flash of metal. Russal spun around and grabbed Kleiver by the arm, pulling him forward and slamming his hilt into the man's forehead. Kleiver snarled in pain and lunged at Russal, but the swordsman was quicker and tackled the man to the ground. The two continued to struggle before Russal slammed a pistol into the side of Kleiver's skull, knocking him out cold.
"Stubborn idiot…" Russal murmured before he crept over to the nearby control panel, which opened the doors that led into the Wasteland. Russal hopped into the driver's seat of the Sand Shark, smiling grimly. He may have been about to break the rules and be branded as a traitor to the Wastelanders, but today…He would make his brothers proud. He'd make his family proud.
He'd make his best friend proud, by avenging his death.
It had been a little over a year ago when his childhood friend, Jameson, was attacked along with five others in the Wasteland by a massive Metal-Saur. He had been a part of that group, and had been the only survivor. He had also seen when the lead Metal-Saur, a massive creature with black streaks running down its sides and massive teeth, smashed apart Jameson's car and crushed him to death. Russal had been knocked unconscious, and would've died if not for a passing party of Wastelanders returning from an artifact run who managed to pick up his distress beacon in time. He had survived, but his friends did not…Jameson, his best friend and brother-in-law, had been a painful loss to him. A loss that drove him to the Wasteland, in a final act of vengeance.
Blade had grown up in Spargus, raised there as a child after his parents fled from Haven City, due to being supporters of the Underground. His parents had proved their worth and were well-received in the Wasteland, and they grew up within the city and learned how to become strong.
He had always been the polite one growing up. Chivalrous, attentive, and never prone to flights of fancy or rage. He was usually incredibly level-headed. His twin sister, Helan, was the opposite. Passionate, hard-headed, and always itching for a fight. The two were inseparable and had grown strong together, earning the praise of the King for being two of the finest Wastelanders of their age.
Russal's best friend, Jameson, had proposed to his sister and the two were married. Russal gladly became his best man and Spargus was given one of its few weddings that took place within its walls. Things were good…Happy, for the family of Russal.
Until that damned mission into the Wasteland. The mission that changed everything and spurred him onwards. He had thrown aside his calmness and his penchant for thinking things through.
He'd die out in the desert, and make sure to take that monster down with him.
He spotted it after a short time, stomping through the Wasteland with a sense of purpose. Russal floored it and shot towards the beast, a scowl appearing on his face.
"HEY!" Blade bellowed as he opened fire on the Metal-Saur Leader, causing it to growl in agony as blood streamed from the small wounds the bullets created. Nothing but pinpricks, but that would change soon enough. The Metal Head's face turned to face him, its mouth contorted into a horrifying snarl.
"Grrr…DIE!" the Metal Head roared, surprising him with speech as it began rampaging towards him. As he barreled towards the Metal-Saur, a second car suddenly shot out of the dunes and began firing a stream of explosives that slammed into the side of the beast, burning and ripping through its flesh.
"Take that you scaly bastard!" a man from the driver's seat yelled furiously. Russal saw a man garbed in dark red armor with a helmet on his head. The driver shot towards the Metal-Saur, shooting a stream of bullets that tore into the rough skin of the beast. Russal added his own bullets to the attack as the Metal-Saur rampaged through the dunes, stomping towards him and trying to attack him with his mortars, but missing due to the two targets attacking him at once.
"BUTT OUT!" Russal yelled to the man, who flipped him off and unleashed another barrage of bombs at the monster, causing it to roar in pain. That, however, caused it to lash its tail out and smash into Russal's car, flipping it over and causing him to bail out of it.
"So, we're going to take this thing on without the cars? Now we're talking!" the man yelled as he hopped out of his car, wielding two SMG's as he body glowed bright red. Russal scowled, but allowed the man to continue helping him, even as he got out of the transpott. So long as this beast was put down…He knew it was suicide to take one of these on alone, and he wasn't a great driver. Russal traded his sword for his gunstaff and fired repeatedly at the Metal-Saur as the man in red armor continued to shoot at the beast. He then became a blur, a red blur that rushed around the Metal-Saur, confusing and dazing it.
"Come on, I'm barely breaking a sweat!" the man yelled, only for the Metal-Saur to bring its tail down with a snarl of rage, sending the man crashing into the said with a yell, clutching his leg.
Russal shot the beast in the face, trying to draw its attention. As the monster stomped towards him, he felt a stab of hate towards the creature. Nothing but evil parasites who slaughtered and destroyed.
"OI! Did you forget about me?" the man in red yelled as he got back to his feet, running at the beast as Russal fired his staff at it. The man laughed as he slammed into the Metal-Saur and kicked it in the face, causing the creature to roar furiously as it stomped around, waiting for another chance to attack and firing its cannon as the man sped around it.
"COME GET ME!" Russal bellowed as he sprinted at the rampaging monster, who roared in response before a red blur slammed into the side of its belly with his glowing red feet, throwing it off balance.
Russal jumped into the air, drawing his sword back as the Metal-Saur fell to the ground with a roar of fury. Russal fell to earth and plunged the sword deep into the Metal Head's skull, cracking the gem on its face and killing it instantly. The Metal-Saur's body thrashed for a moment, sending Russal flying away into the sand, before becoming still.
Agh, I think I may have broken my leg from that. Shit." the man gasped as he tried to get up in the sand, failing miserably. Russal pushed himself off of the dune and got to his feet, grinning wolfishly.
"Jameson…" Russal panted as he walked over to the corpse of the Metal-Saur, pulling his sword free. He looked over at the man who was leaning against the rock, taking off his helmet. A brown-haired man with dark blue eyes regarded him for a moment before the man tapped his helmet.
"Rush here. Got some help from a Wasteland with that Metal-Saur. Tell Havoc and Twilight to hurry up, would you Boss? My leg hurts like a bitch." The man said with a small laugh.
"Of course, Rush. We'll send an extraction team out ASAP. Any casualties?"
"No, but a Wastelander was nearby and helped me take down the thing. Not too bad of a showing, to be honest. I think he had personal reasons for helping me though." Rush said with a small knowing smile. Russal heard the man's exchange for a moment before the man ended the transmission.
"So…What's your story, man?" Rush asked Russal as he walked towards him. Russal smiled tiredly and sat down on the rock next to Rush and said "Revenge, I guess."
"Revenge?"
"That Metal-Saur, the one with the light blue strips down its side, killed my brother-in law. He was my best friend. The husband to my sister…I owed him a debt that needed to be paid. And you helped me deal with it…Thank you." Russal said to Rush, who waved his hand.
"No problem, man. We've all got to work together to deal with these things, you know?" Rush said with a smile. He put pressure on his leg before yelling out in pain.
"You dislocated your leg pretty badly. How did you even do that? Its not natural for a person to be that strong or fast." Russal said to Rush, who laughed weakly at that.
"Armor Enhancements. Our tech-wizards at the Sanctuary outfitted me with some experimental stuff to test out. It helps give us an edge against the Metal Heads, and help us stay safe." Rush explained.
"Pretty fancy stuff."
"Yep. So…What are you going to do now?" Rush asked Russal, who looked away.
"From what I recall, there was a ban on travelling out into the Wasteland issued from Spargus. What the King says is law, yet here you are." Rush said to Russal in a somewhat accusing tone, causing him to sigh.
"I've waited a year for this…I didn't want that monster to slip from my grasp again. The storm was nothing more than an obstacle to overcome…But yes, you're right. If I return to Spargus, after what I've done, I'd likely be thrown out into the Wasteland or forced into the arena to prove my worth again, though the latter seems unlikely. Damas's mood has been pretty bad, lately, so he'd probably just execute me." Russal remarked as he looked out over the dunes, where the wind was beginning to pick up.
"Hmmm…You ever hear of the Avenging Angels before?" Rush asked Russal after a moment.
"Group of Metal Head hunters or something, right?" Russal asked Rush, who nodded.
"We've dedicated ourselves to hunting down Metal Heads and destroying them, to protect humanity. We're allies of Spargus, the Underground, and Haven City-despite our disagreement with the Baron. We are those who have been left behind by those who have fallen to the Metal Heads…victims like your brother-in-law. Victims like you, Russal." Rush said in a low voice.
"I see…"
"Do you? Our pain…Our desire to justice and vengeance is what fuels us. Its what gives us our power and motivation. Whatever we can do to make the world safer, we do it. Whether it be exploring the Wasteland for any gifts left behind by the Precursors, or simply helping others in the cities, we do it…"
"Sounds like an offer to join, if you ask me." Russal commented, earning a small smile from Rush.
"You don't have much of a future now that you've pull this stunt. We can offer you one, where you help others against the very monsters that hurt you and your family."
"How about this? I'll wait here with you for whoever is coming to pick you up. I'll ask them about the Avenging Angels, and if I like what I hear I'll go with you." Russal said as he extended a hand to Rush.
"Deal." Rush said as he shake the swordsman's hand.
Twilight and Havoc would eventually come and tell Blade more about their organization, and for their efforts they would gain a teammate loyal and chivalrous as they come…But also a warrior hardened by the cruel sands.
Tale IV: Hell's Angel (Agent Havoc, Champion of Darkness)-8 Years Ago
"Inside each of us, there is the seed of both good and evil. It's a constant struggle as to which one will win. And one cannot exist without the other." -Eric Burdon
Jazon grinned as yet another fight broke out between the Underground and the Krimzon Guard, just outside the entrance to the Pumping Station. Watching was a simple pleasure of his that no one could deny him. He hadn't paid attention to all of the particulars, but it had something to do with the water supplies to the city. The KG of course were trying to end the Underground, at the cost of innocent lives. The Underground forces were there to stop them.
At the wonderful age of 21, he was pretty much in the prime of his youth. Slim but toned and with a rather handsome face, and a devious mind for carnage. His hair was long and unkempt, a ragged mane of black that made him seem wild, but his eyes gleamed with excitement as the fight got underway. He saw two soldiers from the Krimzon Guard fall to the ground with a gurgle and a scream as the leader of the Underground squad took them down with his pistol, dropping his staff to the ground.
Jazon glanced down at his ramshackle set of armor, a mishmash of white and red armor made from scraps and from some spare bits of Krimzon Guard armor. Nothing to be proud of, but he sure as hell wasn't going to go into places like this unarmored. He glanced back down at the fight, and felt a frown cross his features as he saw the Underground forces get pushed back, with their numbers getting swiftly cut down. There were soon only seven left, as opposed to the 12 KG there. Even if he was going to screw with the Guards...He had to do something…He casually plucked a small sphere from his belt and hurled it down into the fray, with the ball exploding a few moments later in a great flash of light. He leapt down into the fight, a small laugh escaping his throat.
"What's going on!?" one of the Underground soldiers yelled.
"I'm friendly, no worries…Now, its about time these boys were taught a lesson." Jazon said as he threw another ball at the feet of the KG, which exploded in another flash of light.
The soldiers screamed as the light from the ball blinded them completely, causing them to stumble and swear in agony. Jazon grinned sadistically as he pulled out a magnum he had 'acquired' earlier today and took aim at a Krimzon Guard close to him before pulling the trigger three times. The man jerked back as the bullets ripped through his chest, sending several fine sprays of blood through the air before he fell to the ground. Jazon jumped forward as he flipped a blade from his belt and jammed it savagely into the chest of another Guard, twisting the blade ruthlessly as he did so, before ripping it free as the Guard howled in agony and was shoved to the ground with a pistol blast to the chest.
Jazon ducked as a Krimzon Guard blindly swung towards him, grabbing his arm and swiftly dislocating it before jamming a gleaming knife into his back and kicking him to the ground. He felt a strange energy course through him, but he didn't even care what it was. The rush of battle, the rush of creating this source of…chaos, all the while doing some little bit of good. This was what he lived for.
"GOD I LOVE THIS SHIT!" Jazon yelled as he kicked the body to the ground and dropped to the ground, dodging the gunshots that were fired as soon as the others heard his voice.
"Its H-H-Havoc! He's returned!" the Underground soldiers yelled out as gunfire erupted on all sides. Havoc was a stupid name they had given him since he started his own little campaign against the Krimzon Guards. Little battles like this would play out, and he would intervene. He'd help the Underground kill whoever they needed to and he'd slip back into the shadows.
Why did he do this?
Because he enjoyed wreaking havoc where he could. Chaos, discord, destruction. He lived off stuff like this. It made him feel absolutely alive…It didn't mean he didn't want to help people. As cliché as it was, he did have a heart and wanted what was best for this city…He just did it in a way that made him an asshole. He had some good in him…deep down, of course. He'd never admit it, of course, to anyone.
Jazon grabbed a knife from his belt and hurled the knife into the visor of another one of the Guard. He let out a cackle of mirth as he slipped away, dropping another bomb on the ground and weaving in and out of the soldiers. Each of the Underground soldiers managed to finish of the Krimzon Guard, leaving them with a bloody battlefield they didn't know what to do with.
"Where are you, Havoc? Show yourself!" one of the men yelled.
"Don't feel like it. Run along back to Torn, solider. Your work here is done." Jazon said in a bored tone from the shadows.
"Why do you do this? Help us, but run away. Its as though you don't want to help others, you just like the killing part."
"Not that we can stop you. You've helped the Underground more than we care to admit. You'd be accepted if you came with us, Havoc." One of the women in the group said loudly. That gave Jazon pause for a moment.
"Accepted…Don't tempt me…" Jazon murmured, fighting a shiver. He instead walked out from the shadows and grinned down at the Underground soldiers, saying "Heh, like I need your acceptance. I just like showing these dicks that they're not all hot shit. Tell Torn I said hello though, and that I'll consider it. If anything, this may get boring after a while and I'll properly join you. I want a free beer though!"
"Sounds good!" the first man yelled back and as the others began to leave, heading back to their transport. Jazon felt a pang of guilt, he had been lying about joining the Underground. He didn't care much for the Baron, but fighting the Guard was a means of relieving boredom. It wasn't as if he had the resources to kill Metal Heads. If he did…
Well, he'd hardly have a reason to be in this stupid city.
He had been born and raised in the slums of Haven, where his mother had raised him and his brother by herself. His father had died of lung disease when he was ten and after that, it was just him and his brother. His older brother, Caleb, was his best friend. He looked up to him as his hero, his role model, someone to aspire to be.
He had spent his entire childhood trailing behind his big brother. Learned pranks from him, learned how to make small little weapons, things to defend himself, from him. All sorts of things…It was a happy time for him, looking back.
It was at least until they travelled to a small area of outside Haven Forest, following a small detachment of soldiers sent to investigate reports of strange Metal Heads within the forest.
The two brother had followed…They had been so careful, and it was to be their greatest venture yet…
Until Caleb was captured by the Metal Heads, and tortured…Eviscerated with horrifyingly…He didn't even know how to describe it…How do you explain someone getting ripped apart while still alive? And he watched…every…single…second…
Jazon shivered and closed his eyes at the memories. God, it still hurt. He ran for his life once the Metal Heads had set him free, leaving his brother behind. He had never even gotten a chance to bury him…He had run, and run, and run until he got to a warp gate and arrived back at the city. He spent a week in the city, avoiding the Krimzon Guards and his mother, trying to find some measure of peace. Some way to stay sane…
In time he found that the simplest way to was cry and break down. After that…He never cried again.
Jazon became rather dark, after that. He became a devoted son to his mother, and supported her in her side business. It didn't exactly bring in a lot of money, but they made due with what they had. Jazon managed to get into fighting shape over the years, due to having a few friends in the KG and a few in the Underground.
And that was when he learned that he got a certain level of enjoyment when it came to messing with people. And things…He learned he had a penchant for destruction and mayhem. He began to dedicate himself to small acts of heroism, such as aiding in a few rescue missions of the Underground under the guise of a armed civilian. Other times he simply lurked in the shadows and deactivated an alarm or triggered a trap. Simple things, really.
But in the end…It never did slake his thirst for blood. Revenge…
See, in the end, he wanted vengeance for what the monsters did to his brother. What they did to him…His innocence was ruined by the Metal Heads after they forced him to watch his brother die like that…
They would pay…Oh so dearly…
But that brought him to here. To now. The Underground soldiers left the Pumping Station, leaving Jazon alone with his thoughts.
Or so he thought.
"Why didn't you go with them?" a curious voice asked Jazon from behind him. Jazon flipped a dagger in his grasp and flung it behind him, but saw a red blur moving to the side, landing in a crouch and aiming an SMG at him.
"You're quick." The man said with a grin. He was wearing dark red armor and armed to the teeth with weapons. He had a second SMG on his thigh, and a series of knives on his belt. He seemed to stand a bit shorter than Havoc, but he was ripped. This guy could probably kick his ass with relative ease.
"In Haven City, you have to be to survive." Jazon said as he drew his pistol.
"Hmm…I guess so. It's the kind of world we live in." the man smirked under his helmet.
"Yeah."
"So, you have a name?"
"Jazon."
"I go by Rush. I'm an Avenging Angel." the man said as he lowered his SMG.
"Right, and I'm Hell's Angel. Charmed." Jazon said with a smirk.
"Oh god, another smartass. We've got enough of those around here." Rush sighed dramatically.
"Considering you have yet to do shit to me, you're in no position to call me anything. Unless you'd like to-" Jazon ducked as Rush suddenly appeared above him, swinging a foot where his head was before. The man dropped to the ground and began exchanging blows with him. Jazon swore as Rush darted past his guard and delivered a series of quick strikes to his chest and stomach before he hurled Jazon into the nearby rock face, where he slammed Jazon's face into the hard surface.
"What's wrong, you were just saying I haven't done shit?" the man laughed.
"Agh, take a joke, asshole!" Jazon snarled as Rush slammed his face into the cliff, shattering his nose.
"Yeah, and everything you say just pisses me off!" Rush growled as he slammed Jazon into the mountain again. Rush remained still for a moment before Jazon began giggling.
"You done?" Jazon laughed
"…Huh, so you saw through all of that?" Rush asked, sounding confused.
"Yep. You just don't have it in you to be truly sadistic like that. You're not me. You can't go full asshole on a whim." Jazon said, still laughing.
"True. I guess I lost the bet, after all. Though…I can kill with no remorse. I got over that long ago."
"So did I." Jazon replied.
Rush let him free and took a few steps back as Jazon moved away from the wall. Rush walked away, gesturing for him to sit down on the ledge with him. Jazon obliged, seeing as how he had nothing better to do for the day.
"You know, that was some pretty impressive stuff earlier." Rush began.
"If you're going to ask me to marry you, I'm going to disappoint all of the shipping fans out there by saying 'hell no'." Jazon said with a smirk.
"Wha?" Rush said in confusion before shaking his head. "Doesn't matter. Anyway, that was some pretty impressive bits of shooting and improvisation. Something we need in the organization I'm in."
"And you think I'm a fit match for your organization?"
"A devious and skilled bastard like you could make your way through the rankings with ease. With the advanced tech and weapons we have and the training we go through to make sure we're at our best, you'd be able to help more people than what you do now."
"…I'm listening. It seems like you at least know a bit about me, and how I work. I'll hear you out." Jazon said as he crossed his arms.
"We're a group of Metal Head hunters, known as the Avenging Angels. We are all victims. Those left behind by those killed by the Metal Heads. We have banded together and merged our strength, so that we can take the monsters on directly."
"Proactive. I like that. What kind of things do you do?"
"Me? I'm the best damn guy they've got. I like to take part in the risky stuff. Metal Head nest raids, breaking into the Baron's palace to get plans and stuff, and when I've got some spare time, recruiting. I heard some whispers about Havoc, a man who had become an ally to the Underground, and figured I could meet you and see what you're about." Rush said lightly.
"I'm about chaos. I dislike the Baron and wouldn't mind seeing a decent leader in power. It'd help my mother out, in any case. But for the most part, it gives me a sense of doing something. I'm helping in my own little twisted way. And it's fun." Jazon said with a wide grin.
"We help with the Underground as well. You can still do this, and be a part of the Avenging Angels." Rush said to Jazon, who nodded after a moment. Rush sat down on a rock, while Havoc sat down on the ground before laying down, his back on the dirt and his face to the sky, starring at the stormy sky above him.
"What about my mother? She kind of relies on me a bit, when I'm not faffing about." Jazon said to the man, wincing inwardly at the notion that he may be a momma's boy. He would have to light someone's house on fire or something tonight to make up for it and kick a puppy. Again, acknowledging his good side…He just didn't like it.
"We can arrange something to send funds to her, if we need to. We look after our own." Rush said seriously. Jazon remained quiet, thinking it over for a while.
"Is it worth it?" Jazon asked Rush, after some time.
"What I gained was worth what I lost…I gained a family, one that I never would have had. I'm confident in what I am and what I stand for. I help people, and I help make sure none of them go through what I did…It keeps me and the others going."
Jazon hesitated, just for the smallest moment, before saying "I think…That may work for me."
"You want in?" Rush said with a smile through his visor.
"Yes, but only if I can get a beer before we go. I'm kind of craving some alcohol at the moment." Jazon said to Rush as the two men got to their feet.
"We'll see. I've got to take care of a thing before we go..."
"…Is there beer involved?"
"I know a guy, trust me man. I can us both tanked before you meet the Chief. That might throw him for a loop." Rush said to the man, who held out a hand to Rush, who blinked for a moment.
"Really? That's what it took? Beer?" Rush said as he grabbed Jazon's hand
"Meh. I could really go for a beer right now. The weapons, chance to kill shit, and having a badass team watching my back seems pretty awesome, but I really could go for a cold one." Jazon admitted with a shrug.
"You don't seem like an alcoholic." Rush pointed out.
"I'm not. I'm just thirsty and it sounds really good right now." Jazon said with a smirk.
"Good, we've already got enough weirdos as it is."
"Well, you added another one."
"Don't remind me, man. Come on, we've got a bit of walk to get to the transport. I kind of snuck away from my intended destination when I saw a weirdly-armored guy sneaking behind a group of Underground soldiers."
"Sounds like you've got issues, Rush."
"Nah."
"Denial, man. Denial."
"Just follow me, Jazon. I'll explain more on the way. I'm glad I'm not the way flying back." Rush said after a moment as the two began to make their way back to the city. Jazon smirked as he pulled out a knife, flicking it in his grasp in excitement…
"All according to plan…" Jazon heard a soft, sweet voice whisper in his ears. He glanced around with a dazed expression, feeling cold and weak all of a sudden. Where had that come from? It sounded…familiar. Like a long lost friend, or a lullaby he had heard as a child…
"You OK, man?" Rush asked Jazon, who turned to him with a grin.
"No worries. Nothing a few beers won't fix. Lead the way, Rush. I've got a life of danger, weapons, slaughter, and beer ahead of me!" Jazon said cheerfully, throwing his knife into the air.
"I think you'll fit in just fine, so long as that's not turned towards us. Just prepared to be the weird one in the group." Rush remarked.
"I'm not just prepared...I fucking thrive on it."
Jazon was always torn between his good and bad natures, his penchant for cruelty and destruction was tempered by his desire to help others. He believed in chaotic good, and that's what he was, deep down. He'd never admit that he was good, though, despite what anyone would say about him.
He'd never admit to being the hero, no matter what he did.
Tale V: The Genius and the Prodigy (Agent Tech)-10 Years Ago
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man."-Elbert Hubbard.
Stephen grinned as the servos came back online, lights blooming into the room and shattering the darkness. Baron Praxis smiled widely and said "You have outdone yourself once again, Stephen."
"I try, sir. I believe you'll find everything running three times faster than before, if power output reaches what's indicated here." Stephen said as he pressed a finger onto the monitor. The two technicians behind him nodded as the Baron turned to him.
"The offer is still on the table, my boy. You're only 19, with your entire life ahead of you. With the two of us working together, we can change the world." Praxis said with a charismatic grin.
"Ah, but there's my problem sir. I want to see the world, I want to create and benefit humanity. It wouldn't do to be here, in your beautiful palace. And besides, if you ever need my services, you always know where to find me, sir. You did by right by my parents, and I am always willing to assist you when needed." Stephen said with a smile to the Baron, whose smile faltered for a moment.
"Take the compliment, and let me leave…" Stephen prayed.
"Of course. Being limited to the palace would be a shame, especially for someone as gifted as you. But know that my offer still stands, Stephen. The two of us would change the world together." Baron Praxis said in a low voice.
"I'll consider it, sir. After all, your generosity is limitless and so it our potential. But I've got so much ahead of me…I'll keep at this for now, assisting the city as I do, before I decide for sure. But I will let you know when I do make a decision." Stephen extended a hand towards the Baron, who waited a moment before shaking it firmly. A moment later their hands separated.
"Of course. Erol, show our young friend out." Praxis said to the Commander, who nodded. Stephen was escorted out of the Palace and put on a transport that would take him to his home in the Industrial District. Erol tried to talk to Stephen, but he didn't say much in reply, too deep in thought about his life and where it had gone so…right. The Baron himself was trying to get him, he was beloved by the city as a sort of celebrity for his technological innovations, helping make the city safer and more comfortable to live.
He had started out with his mother and father, living the simple life of a maintenance workers that worked for Baron Praxis. His parents were both fairly skilled at their craft, a bit more so than the usual technician, so they eventually got into freelance work, helping the wealthy with expensive projects and even delving into the creative field.
Stephen had grown up learning that the greatest kind of living you could have is one where you could help people. Where you could make people's lives easier and safer. He however, had also gained a love of weapons. It had happened on accident as a child, stumbling upon the then Captain of the KG training his soldiers in how to use their newest weapons, a sort of energy SMG that was horribly inefficient and was hard to use correctly.
When he had gone to his parents, he had asked them why they didn't use their skills helping make better technological advances in weapons as well. Armor, guns, vehicles, and even medicine for emergency purposes. His parents supported him and his thinking, and began to help him as he devised small plans and like to build things on his own. He started out small, but as he grew older and learned more and more from his parents and about how mechanics and electricity worked, he became something more. His mind understood things others didn't. He absorbed information like a sponge.
He began venturing out, helping his parents as he worked even as a teenager, and began making improvements on their designs. At the age of 16, he had become the official 3rd member of the small business his parents had made, which was growing rapidly. Stephen swiftly learned at that age what it took to keep and run a business, being called a prodigy by the Baron himself when he demonstrated his first successful weapon, a gunstaff so advanced that it made the KG models seem archaic. Baron Praxis proudly supported Stephen's parents, despite their unease about it.
Stephen's grandparents were exiled when Baron Praxis took power, and they were always uneasy about the Baron and were wary of getting too close to him. However, this was good for them, and they began helping keep the city running smooth at the Baron's request while developing many small innovations that took Haven City by storm. Stephen focused on improvements in weapons and armor for the KG while helping the local medical centers out by creating more efficient machines that preformed better with less energy. Stephen became a local celebrity at a young age, known for being humble, polite, and passionate about helping others.
And then his parents were killed when Metal Heads slipped into Have City through the sewers system while his mother and father were working on a way to send small armed drones down into the sewers and flesh out the hazards. The funeral was just a few days later, and after that…Stephen's resolve for change hardened.
He began working on making the city safer. Improvements to the Shield Wall, improvements for the armor and weapons of the KG on top of what he had before. He had even devised a set of robots to be used in the events of emergencies, to keep the KG casualties to a minimum in case of an emergency. He handed these designs off to the Baron, however, and continued other branches of development…
But as he slipped into his workshop, a small but nice apartment lined with metal and monitors, he wondered. Was enough being done to stop the monsters that lurked out there, waiting for the citizens of Haven City to drop their guard?
There had to be a better way of dealing with them…A bomb? A organized invasion of the main nests?
Or perhaps a crack team of specialists who were driven to kill the Metal Heads…
He had heard about the final thought, once upon a time. The Avenging Angels…
Stephen smiled and kicked his chair, flying across the room to one of his other monitors and pressing a few keys. "I wonder if I can..." Stephen trailed off, smiling a little. "Hmm, looks like they have their own…Lets see, there's two of them in the city…Huh?"
One of the beeps on the grid began heading towards his apartment, followed by the other one. But that was impossible! He had sent was a low-energy pulse to detect any radio systems not being used by the KG or the Underground…
How could they tell what was tracking them and where the pulse was coming from?
Heart now pounding, Stephen hopped out of his chair and kicked open a small chest, locked with a set of codes.
"Override code 1157873." Stephen said to the box, which opened up. Stephen pulled out a massive Yellow Eco-powered LMG that he could barely hold, but had enough firepower to destroy half the block if he wanted to.
"Come and get me." Stephen breathed as he aimed his weapon at the door.
He didn't have to wait long for his visitors to arrive. However, they simply knocked at the door instead of breaking in, to his dismay.
"Hello?" a pleasant female voice called out.
"Anyone home?" a man added after a moment. He began knocking on the door repeatedly, earning Stephen's annoyance.
"Nope." Stephen called out, "And I wouldn't recommend coming in. I've got a bad surprise for you if you-"
"What kind of surprise?" a soft voice asked him as a knife was pressed against his throat. Stephen froze in horror and dropped the LMG to the ground, where it clattered to the ground.
"…H-how?" Stephen said in a low voice as the knife drew blood that stream down his shirt.
"It wasn't that hard to break through your defenses and come in through the balcony. It was the best challenge I've had in a while." The woman said with a small laugh. She let go of the young man and aimed a pistol in his face. She was wearing a set of white armor with a set of purple streaks decorating her legs and arms.
"Open the door for my friend. We need to have a talk, Stephen." The woman said to the genius, who nodded and calmly deactivated the security system and opened the door for a man in dark red armor, armed with a simple rifle. One of his own models, come to that.
"You're not very polite, are you?" the man said as he walked into the house.
"I am, usually. Just set up a appointment and I'll be as polite as you want. Now…what do you want?" Stephen asked the two strangely armored soldiers. Inefficient designs, but still better than what he had come up with in the past for the KG. If only the Baron was as fruitful as he was…He was only one person. With a partner?
He could work wonders. Revolutionize modern weaponry and warfare, but not for keeping the Underground suppressed or keeping the city under the Baron's thumb. No, this was to deal with the real threat. The Metal Heads. He could never hunt the creatures himself, only help others do it instead.
"Honestly? Just to talk. We've heard tales of your work for a while, but we have been bust lately with a bit of drama going on and we're only just now getting around to it." The man remarked casually.
"And trust us, we're really interested in your work. Well, I am. Rush isn't." the woman said with a smile visible through her helmet.
"Twilight, you've got to stop fawning over geeks like that. Not cool, sweetheart." Rush said with a shake of his head. The woman sighed and ripped off her helmet, revealing a rather pretty dark-skinned woman with long black hair and electric blue eyes.
"He's too young for me, you know. And I have my eyes on our lovely leader, you know this." Twilight said with a small sigh.
"Bah. Imma go mess with experimental stuff. Page me if you need me." Rush said in a bored tone.
"We don't have pagers. And I can just do this." Twilight said as she tapped her helmet. Rush suddenly screamed in pain and fell to the ground, twitching horribly and clawing at his helmet before hurling it across the room.
"The fuck was that!?" Rush yelled.
"An experiment. And it worked." Twilight grinned.
"…OK, how?"
"Simple. Using the same technology that lets me use the radio in your helmet, my new armor enhancement lets me emit a high frequency burst of sound that made you experience a great deal of pain. Ten more seconds of that, and you'd been bleeding from your ears." Twilight said casually.
"…I'm going to go now. Get me when you're not being mean." Rush said as he got to his feet, only to fall to the ground with a howl of pain.
"Crap…Well…This sucks." Rush said as he laid facedown on the floor.
"Yep. Side effect of getting hit with that directly. It should pass in a few minutes," Twilight said with a shrug before she turned her attention to Stephen, who grinned at her.
"You make weapons?" Stephen asked Twilight, who shrugged.
"It's a hobby. I'm the only one who has a knack for it in the Avenging Angels. I specialize in the same kind of thing you do. Making things better, so that others can live easier and safer. Hence, why I recognized the signal you sent out. We've been looking for you, Stephen. And here we are." Twilight said to the genius, who nodded.
"Well, since you've invited yourselves in, close the door so I can reset the alarms. Praxis hasn't gotten me yet, nor will he get me because I have to accommodate people who let themselves into my apartment." Stephen said dryly. Twilight dragged Rush away while Stephen locked and armed the door, before turning around and seeing Twilight sitting down at the kitchen table, smiling at him. He knew she would be the one doing the talking, trying to recruit him to their cause.
"So, do you both have actual names or do I just go by a codename with you two?" Stephen asked the duo.
"Rush is my name, though for my real one…You have to earn it, newbie. I abandoned it ages ago." Rush said dismissively.
"Fiona. Friends call me Twilight." The woman chirped as she leaned against the monitor.
"I'm Stephen. I'm the tech-wizard, apparently. I guess you've heard of me?" Stephen said with a small smile. May as well be nice to the one who gave him a name, at least.
"Absolutely. You've revolutionized the city as we know it. We were hoping we could talk to you and see if you wanted to join our group." Twilight said to the young man, who looked away.
"Baron Praxis has been wanting my skills for years, but I won't give in to him. What's your offer, if you think you can sway me?" Stephen asked Twilight, who's smile widened.
"Purpose." Twilight replied.
"I have a purpose. Ensuring Haven City becomes the utopia its name says it should be. Within years, I can revolutionize weapons and defense her in Haven. With time, I can render the KG's entire arsenal obsolete." Stephen said to Twilight.
"But time is not on your side, Stephen." Twilight said with a raised eyebrow.
"How so?"
"Do you really think the Baron will keep letting you stay independent? Your parents worked for the city, but remained independent. If you keep making a name for yourself, that will cease. And we both know someone like you won't abide by being restricted by the Baron."
"I've managed to avoid him so far."
"Because you're too valuable for him to lose. If he took you, he'd risk losing out on a lot of tech that he needs to stay in power. But having you and losing that, is better than nothing. He'll act soon, with force." Twilight said to Stephen, who nodded.
"Fair point. So why go with you guys instead?" Stephen asked.
Twilight held up a hand, showing a glowing yellow circle in her palm. "Prototype enhancement for my armor, which allows a small charge of Yellow Eco to shoot out of my hand. Still in development, but it works. I made this in my downtime, when I'm not working on coding and finding ways to break into the Baron's networks and messing with his technicians."
"Ah, so that was you?" Stephen said with a small laugh he couldn't help.
Twilight nodded and said "It let us slip into the city with no issues. Point is, in the Avenging Angels, some of us are designated to roles that benefit the group, rather than just heading out and trying to find Metal Heads and artifacts. Chief Disten allows me complete creative freedom to do whatever I want with the resources and funding he gives me."
"Go on."
"With you in the Avenging Angels, we could work together and revitalize the fight against the Metal Heads. You're the only person I've ever met who puts as much passion into your work as me. And you can only get better from here. The advancements we make help us fight against the Metal Heads, while the Baron uses his technology to horde artifacts for power and to keep the city oppressed."
Stephen's eyes left Twilight and landed on a photo on the wall. The last photo he had taken with his parents, before their deaths. A death done because the Baron just hadn't done enough. He was more concerned with the city's occupants, rather than dealing with the threat. They should have never been in danger in the first place…No…He would not serve him. He'd rather die…
"The Metal Heads are an issue, and the Baron has been getting annoying lately. What all do you do?" Stephen asked the woman sitting down, who launched into a brief history of the organization. They were apparently rather important in the founding of Spargus and had been involved with several of the Baron's greatest triumphs over the Metal Heads, despite not being credited with any of it. They also had access to rather promising technology, including a mainframe system that rivaled the one set up for Haven. The more he found out the more…interested he became. A group of people dedicated to the sole destruction of the Metal Heads, all the while helping out the Underground (who he grudgingly had sympathies for) and Spargus, a group of people he had always admired.
"Maybe…Maybe maybe maybe…" Stephen said to Twilight, who sighed.
"I won't lie, this is probably a lot to ask of you. I'm a stranger, and we're asking you to abandon your life. But think…Wouldn't the world be better off with you than without? You've got so much promise…Don't squander it with the Baron." Twilight said in a low voice to Stephen, who nodded slowly.
"Say I say yes. What happens to me?" Stephen asked Twilight.
"We start training you up, while you work with me to make weapons and armor for us, as well was whatever else you feel like doing. Like with me, you get absolute creative freedom. We're working to protect the world by attacking the Metal Heads directly, and by intervening when we're needed. You could help us protect the people of Haven City. With your help, we can make even more of a difference." Twilight replied quietly.
"And what of my business?" Stephen asked Twilight, who smiled.
"All of that can be taken care of, trust me. You'll be able to do whatever you wish with that. We can even get you set up as an operative in Haven City so you can keep it running." Twilight said to Stephen, who opened his mouth to speak when Rush said "Wait, shut up guys."
"What's up?" Twilight asked Rush, who hold up a hand to silence her. A few of the monitors showed a cluster of figures moving towards the apartment.
"Oh no…" Stephen murmured, closing his eyes and sighing deeply.
"You expecting visitors?" Twilight said as she drew a pistol, her hands glowing yellow.
"Surround the perimeter! Don't give him a chance to escape!" a voice barked outside.
"Krimzon Guards. Lovely." Rush remarked as he walked over to Twilight, limping slightly. Stephen swore softly, glancing around. He ran over to a small bag on the ground and tapped it, causing it to start glowing. He then looked at the two soldiers and said "Rush, can you keep them busy? I've got some stuff I need to grab that I'd rather them not get their hands on."
"Does that mean you're coming with us?" Twilight asked Stephen as he made a move to walk into the other room. Stephen hesitated a moment, before realizing that if he planned this right, he could get away from the Avenging Angels if they turned out to truly be untrustworthy. If not, well…He had a good run. He needed to escape the KG, and well…He'd hear them out, and if it wasn't what he liked, he'd find a way out. He fancied himself much smarter than most people, though he didn't like to admit that. Twilight extended a hand to him, which he looked at for a moment before he felt himself smiling.
"I accept." Stephen said to Twilight, grabbing her hand and shaking it, forging the greatest meeting of the minds the world had seen since the days of Mar himself.
Tale VI: Inheritance (Chief Disten, Leader of the Avenging Angels)-23 Years Ago
"It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well."― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
"RANDALL! ADVANCE!" the Chief of the Avenging Angels, Charlles Disten, barked at Randall, who nodded in reply as the group continued to sprint through the clearing.
"On it! I'll keep up the pressure!" Randall barked as he flipped his gunstaff in his grip, unleashing a barrage of swift gunfire that cut through a few Grunts with ease. A figure in all white armor with orange highlights, holding a wicked looking staff ran by him, flanked by two other Agents. A small crowd of battered men and women, some carrying children in their arms, scurried by after them. How did such a simple escort mission go to hell so quickly? The Chief wouldn't let them down though…He was his father, after all. He always found a way to make sure they pulled through in the end.
Randall let out a growl as a Juice Goon fired a series of blasts at him, only to be swiftly deflected as a woman in white and purple armor rushed by, throwing out her hands, creating a small flickering protective field in front of him. The blasts bounced off of the shield and blew apart the Metal Head where he stood.
"Thanks, Twilight." Randall said with a small smile as he drew a pistol and began firing with both it and his staff. The young woman grinned at him and began firing alongside the son of the Chief. The two of them saw a figure ran past them, a burly figure who moved with a horrifyingly incredible speed as he wielding two bladed gunstaffs, mowing down the Metal Heads attacking them. Gallus Jarkas, co-founder of the Avenging Angels, was a demon on the battlefield, and a hero to them all as he protected the refugees alongside his father, the Chief.
It had begun, so long ago…When Randall was but a child, he had experienced his first loss. His mother had been an advisor on Grand Council of Haven City, and was the head of a small group dedicated to trying to expand Haven City in ways that provided protection from the Metal Heads. Randall's father had been part of the Haven City's Protection Force (the Krimzon Guards before the Baron's rise to power), and was a captain when Randall was only ten.
When Randall was 12, his mother and her entire team was torn apart while visiting a small site just outside the walls of Haven City.
Her body was never recovered.
After that, Randall and his father began training together. Within months, Gallus was introduced into the mix and the three of them made a vow to never let the Metal Heads hurt anyone else again. However, as it stood then, that was an impossible goal.
As Disten grew older, he began to develop the mindset and of a solider in Haven and loathing the Metal Heads with every fiber of his being. He discovered that he was a natural born leader as well despite his distaste for leading, excelling in many areas of thought and physical activity. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant and led several successful attacks against the Metal Head forces outside Haven City, earning a name for himself within Haven's walls. More and more people began supporting a group of elite soldiers to fight the Metal Heads directly. A group of saviors, angels of justice and vengeance…
Damas had approved of the group and quickly began backing Randall's father and Gallus, who began creating the foundations of what was to become the Avenging Angels. A location was selected with Haven City and in the Wasteland to serve as bases of operation. Wealth and resources were collected over the years and eventually, the Avenging Angels were formed. A group of the best of the best warriors, devoted solely to the destruction of the Metal Heads and protecting the world from them.
Randall lived, breathed, and thrived on what he did. His comrades were his brothers and sisters in arms, who protected and helped him become something…more. He was often called out into the field because of his inventive mind and unbeatable will. As the years went by, and Haven City experienced a coup, the group found themselves backing up Damas and what would come to be the founders of Spargus. After the city was set up, Randall's father and Damas set up several agreements, forming a powerful pact between the two groups for survival. The Avenging Angels had to move out of Haven City, and relocated solely to the Wasteland, hidden within the depths of the mountains, where they could rest their head in peace.
And so, here they were. Leading more refugees from Haven City to a transport to Spargus. Things had gone to hell along the way, but it was nothing they weren't expecting.
"So Atlas, you think the Chief was expecting the Metal Heads to attack?" Twilight asked Randall, who nodded in reply at the use of his codename, Atlas.
"He was expecting some form of retribution for the attack last week on that nest by Haven. But in these numbers? Something seems amiss." Atlas replied as he suddenly dashed forward, running at a Spyder Gunner that had pinned down a few of the refugees from Haven City. Atlas slid on the ground as the Metal Head turned towards him, firing several deadly shots from its Dark Eco Blaster. Atlas trusted his gunstaff upwards, stabbing the bladed edge into the soft under center of the creature, causing it to snarl in agony. The snarl turned into a scream of pain as Disten unloaded a series of blast inside of the creature, ripping through its body and killing it. Disten ripped the staff free and rolled underneath the creature as it collapsed underneath it.
"That was…brutal." Twilight said as she casually shot a Grunt in the face with her pistol.
"Whatever gets the job done." Atlas glanced forward, seeing his father and the others get to the transports. The trip from the vehicles they had travelled here in and the transports for the refugees was relative short, but the Metal Heads had chosen a prime chance to attack, in the transition between the two spots.
"Rose, get to the site. Don't check back in until tomorrow. We don't know what kind of forces may be lurking in the area." The Chief said to the pink and green armored agent, who saluted him before hopping in the transport. The vehicles rose into the air and shot off towards the water.
Only for all of them to explode violently, killing every single person on board.
"NO!" Atlas heard the Chief shout, running towards the cliff. He stopped at the edge, starring down at the water as the fiery chunks of metal fell.
Atlas walked over to his father and said "The Hunters…They're the only ones who could have set this up."
"I am aware of this, son…We will make them pay for this." The Chief hissed as he turned around.
"SHOW YOURSELVES!" the Chief bellowed, activating his staff. The Light Eco Staff activated, with white lines flowing down the length of the Staff and blades to appear on both ends of it, creating a weapon for blocking, attacking, and stabbing. It had been dubbed the Ivaline-Lighting the Path, in Precursor.
At the Chief's proclamation, a series of figures suddenly appeared out of thin air, as though they had been waiting invisibly for some time. The ten Avenging Angels shifted their positions as they raised their weapons, ready for a fight.
"Father…Orders?" Randall asked as his father shifted his grip on his staff. The Hunters laughed lowly before a man stepped forward, his helmet caved in and leaking blood, cloaked in a black shroud.
"You…Our fates are intertwined. Hunters and Avenging Angels…We will oppose you with all our might. We will oppose your existence, until the end." The raspy voice said to the Chief.
"Bastards…Only a Hunter would ever stoop so low as to attack defenseless souls like them." Gallus snarled at the man, who laughed in reply.
"The Metal Heads wished for them to be gone. We wanted the same with you. It is of no consequence."
The Chief shook his head said, "And you would fight alongside monsters such as these?"
"Anything to eradicate you…Even if it means an alliance with the Metal Heads, we will destroy you. Your so-called fight is nothing more than a lie. You seek to meddle and pry in things you have no business prying in…Submit or die."
"Then we die today." The Chief said coldly as he swung his staff, releasing a beam of Light Eco into the crowd of fifteen or so Hunters, who scattered as the Metal Heads closed in.
"Atlas! Rouse the others! I've got the leader!" the Chief barked at his son. Gallus stepped next to him, looking at him for a long moment.
"Remember who you are, Randall. Remember we stand with you. You may hate to do it, but you can lead well," Gallus growled as he reloaded his staffs, offering his godson a grin. The man simply grinned back at his godfather and turned to face the horde, leaping into the battle.
The son of the Chief was merciless in attacking the Metal Heads, using every trick he knew to press his advantages, mowing them down his gunstaff. Twilight stuck close to Atlas, firing away with her twin pistols and wrecking havoc on anything that dared attack them. After a few minutes of repeatedly shooting at anything that moved, one of the Hunters attacked him.
He was armored in a black and orange suit of rugged-looking armor, holding a sword-like gunstaff that he fired at Atlas, who spun his weapon in a quick circle and ran at the man, slashing at him with his staff. The Hunter laughed as he easily blocked the slash, forcing Atlas back a few steps as he quickly unleashed a series of swipes and slashes, each one being blocked. Atlas then smirked and broke away from the Hunter, jumping back before rushing forward and slashing downwards with his bladed gunstaff. The Hunter blocked the attack, laughing once again.
"Pathetic little angel, thinking that you could-" the Hunter began to say before Atlas brought up his other hand, holding a magnum, and shot the Hunter in throat. The Hunter fell to the ground with a gurgle as Atlas began firing at a few Grunts charging at him from the side, downing them with relative ease. The battle continued as the Avenging Angels slowly began repulsing the assault from all sides, tearing through the sheer numbers that the Metal Heads were coming at them in.
Atlas looked to the side and saw a circle of Metal Heads off in the distance attacking two figures in the middle. Gallus and the Chief, back to back, fending off the Metal Heads with ease. Two legendary warriors making their final stand against the Hora Quan. Atlas grinned under his helmet at the sight of his family spitting in the face of their enemies by holding their own so well. It made him strive to fight harder.
"Everyone! PUSH THEM BACK!" Atlas bellowed as he rushed back into the fray, shooting at two Centurians as they took aim at Royal as he quickly fended off two Grunts with his Gunstaff. The two Metal Heads went down after a few shots to the face, sending him falling into the sand.
"Much obliged." Royal said as nodded at Atlas before throwing a knife into the face of a Mantis as it crept up behind him, causing the creature to fall to the ground with a squeal of agony.
"Atlas! Help!" a voice yelled out through the cacophony.
Atlas whirled around and saw a cluster of Ginsu Metal Heads and several Wasps circling Twilight, who was barely dodging the Dark Eco blasts and keeping the smaller Metal Heads as bay as they circled her. Atlas felt a burning surge of hate toward the monsters and ran towards his teammate, firing at the airborne Metal Heads. He knocked one of them out of the air before pulling out a small makeshift explosive, one that Rose had made for him just a few nights prior, and hurled it into the air. The explosive caught onto the bottom of the Wasp, who growled in surprise before becoming consumed in a almighty explosion that ripped apart the two others Wasps as well. Atlas ran alongside a length of rock and jumped over to Twilight as she expertly gunned down the Ginsu, now that she was able to focus.
"Randall, you know I love it when you get fierce like that, right?" Twilight said playfully as she reloaded her pistols, with Atlas firing at the Ginsu even as more spawned around them.
"Fiona, you know I'm not good with-" Atlas began to say.
"Yeah, I know, you have about as much experience with women as Royal does nowadays."
"Low blow…" Atlas muttered, knowing full well Royal's wife died more than twenty years ago. It was her death that got him into the Avenging Angels as the Chief's and Gallus's advisor, though he lacked all of the details of Royal's backstory.
"I can make it up to you, if you want." Twilight said with a laugh as she and Atlas broke away from the Ginsu, finally having a moment of reprieve. They ran into to help Royal as he frantically fended off a few Grunts and Stingers, attacking him from all angles. The trio was able to fend off the wave of Metal Heads and began pushing the creatures back. They were winning,
Until they heard an anguished scream.
"Gallus! NO!" a familiar scream was suddenly cut off.
"That was the Chief." Twilight said quietly as they turned to the horde that had been circling the two founders of the Avenging Angels. Atlas felt his breath catch as he saw his father fall backwards, blood streaming down his body as he fell to the ground, his helmet rolling off of his head.
Gallus, who was riddled with wounds and drenched in his own blood, let out a wild bellow of fury and before a massive explosion of black liquid consumed him and several of the other Hunters, eradicating them completely.
"NO! Father…G-Gallus…" Randall shouted as he ran to his father's downed form. Around him lay a hundred Metal Heads, slaughtered and dying as Dark Eco slowly oozed from their forms. The remaining Avenging Angels surrounded the father and son, protecting them as the Metal Heads approached.
"Dad…Get up." Randall hissed as he placed a hand on his father's face.
"Randall…My time is up…Its time I joined your mother, and the others…You…Its your time now, my son. You must finish this fight…for me…for Gallus…for everyone…Avenge us, my son…Protect the world…Be the light that fends off the darkness…" the Chief whispered, reaching up and cupping his son's face for a moment, pride in his eyes, before they finally shut.
The Chief's hand fell to the ground, and he was still. Randall looked over at the bloody piles of Dark Eco, where Gallus had been consumed and destroyed. Randall looked back to his father, who seemed to be peaceful in death, a small smile on his face. His grip on his staff had loosened, and now it lay on the ground. Randall grabbed the staff, the Ivaline putting away his own, and rose to his feet.
"Father…Gallus…" Randall hissed as his hands tightened on the Ivaline. His father's most sacred possession…
"Randall…What now?" Twilight asked quietly.
"I…I don't know…" Atlas whispered, fighting back the anger and the grief. He just wanted it to end. The fighting, the death, the chaos…All for a never-ending war that would consume them all.
"Randall…Will you lead us?" Twilight said quietly, looking to the son of the Chief with a look of respect. Respect for a man who could follow in the footsteps of his father and godfather. Become the leader the Avenging Angels needed…A leader he never wanted to be…But would have to become. For them.
"I…I accept the position. As Chief of the Avenging Angels…For my father and Gallus…I will lead us." Randall Disten turned to face the remnants of the horde in front of them, starring down the Hunters that drew their weapons once again. Randall Disten let his grief tear through him as he bellowed out "We will defy you, and whatever hellish alliance you have forged with those monsters! Until the end! ATTACK!"
The fight resumed, but now, with the fresh pain of grief urging them onwards, the Hunters and Metal Heads seemed to fall like flies. Disten blocked out all thought and left his body on autopilot. Attack, defend, act, react. Shoot, stab, protect, dodge, kill, kill, kill.
Kill the ones who took them away!
Kill the one's who murdered his father!
Kill the one's who destroyed his godfather!
He'd kill them all…He would avenge them…
Sometime later, Disten snapped out of his blood-crazed fury and took stock of his surroundings. His armor was slick with blood, and he stood alone on a small outcropping, surrounded by the bodies of the Metal Heads and the few Hunters that lay before them. Disten looked at his hands for a moment, slick with crimson, and looked away. They were all gone…all dead…The stains of destruction were on his soul, now…
"Such…anger…" Randall whispered, horrified that he had let something like this come over him.
"Sometimes, you must let your true fury burn forth. Anger gives you the strength that sometimes you did not know you have. There are time when it just becomes necessary…The Avenging Angels were born out of that anger. That pain…Our suffering and our pain became our shield. Our anger and anguish, our sword." Gallus's words called out to him, but it did little to stop his horror. He looked out into the distance, trying to find some way to justify what he had done. He hadn't just fought…he had slaughtered them…What kind of-
"Randall." A quiet voice broke him out of his musings.
Disten looked behind him and saw Twilight and Royal standing behind him, watching him warily. Twilight hugged the son of the Charlles Disten and said "You were a hero, today. You killed because you were protecting us. Because you were protecting those that would die at their hands later. And because you were fighting to avenge those you had lost…"
"I just…lost control, Fiona. I…" Randall seemed at a loss for words before Twilight smacked him on the head.
"Ow…What was that for?" Randall asked tiredly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Not listening to me. And this…" Twilight leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek, causing him to blink in surprise and blush fiercely, "Is for what happens later."
"Um…I-"
"You need it. Trust me." Twilight said with a smile as Royal approached. She simply hugged Randall again before slipping away.
"Randall…" Royal said with a tired sigh as he took off his helmet. He looked so tired, much like how Randall was. Exhausted and grief-stricken. They had lost so many…both of the leaders of the Avenging Angels, two men Randall had known his whole entire life…who were the last bit of family he had left…
Gone…
He felt the grief consume him, and he let the tears stream down his face as the grief took over. He looked away from Royal, who stood by him, silently offering his support for the young solider. Some time later, the tears stopped, replaced by a sense of resignation and newfound resolve.
"Never…again…We will never walk into a slaughter like this…" Randall whispered hoarsely.
"They knew the risks. We knew the risks…The Hunters have suffered a defeat, despite what we've lost. We can recover, again…We just need someone to lead us." Royal shifted in front of him and said "We should get back…Chief."
"Yes…Yes, you're right. We can get back home and rest. Recover…Have Silhouette retrieve the bodies of the fallen with a few of the others. Put them on one of the transports…"
"Of course. What about the…other bodies?"
"Leave them to rot." Disten spat bitterly.
"Of course…" Royal murmured.
"Maybe wisdom will come with time, for me. For now…By the Precursors, I just feel hate. Hate for what they took from me…They'll pay for this…" Chief Disten growled as he walked away from the carnage.
"And we stand by you…Sir." Royal said with a small smile visible through his helmet, placing a hand on the new leader of the Avenging Angel's shoulder. Disten smiled sadly and turned around, and saw the rest of the Avenging Angels standing below, waiting for him.
His family…The only thing he had left…
"Come...My Avenging Angels…Let's return to Sanctuary. We have a long road ahead of us, before things are OK. But…We will recover…And we will return stronger than ever…" Disten said in a low voice, allowing the adrenaline fade away, his grief clear in his voice…How could he lead them, like his father had? His hero…His father…Gone.
Chief Disten sighed then, removing his helmet and letting his hair fall down his shoulders, a tangled and sweaty blond mane that blew in the wind. His misery was etched clear on his face, showing the depths of a horrible pain that only fresh grief could create. Disten regarded the soldiers that had followed him into battle with a sad smile…His soldiers. His family…The only family he had left…
A family he would protect.
End of Chapter:
Again, sorry this took so long. At least it was a long chapter.
Next Chapter! The Battle of Haven City!
YES. I know there have been many battles of Haven City. Many, many, many battles. I'm still calling my chapter that, because this is the LAST battle of Haven City. THE battle.
So, please leave a review in the section below and tell me what you thought. Who's introduction into the AA did you like the best? What did you think of each one? What's your favorite type of pudding?
Let me know, in the review section below! :D
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Stay tuned for the best chapter yet. Who will survive the deadliest battle our heroes have ever seen? Will the Avenging Angels make it out alive? Or will they fall to the combined might of the Hunters and the Metal Head Queen?
Stay tuned.
Until next time, FlygonNick out!