An
Sorry for the Delays guys.
But i decided to make the next chapter end the ark since this chapter was in itself pretty long.
Chapter 22
My Prime
Ruined Pongo Village
Mid Night
Elsword's PoV
After the battle with Leviathan and Ignis, i went straight to sleep when i saw my friends come. I was too exhausted to really move so i didn't hear what anyone said but i saw Aisha came up to me but that's all i could remember.
When i woke up, we were in a ruined house and i was on a bed with Aisha and Rena sleeping with me. Well this is familiar scene. I sat up and looked around. I saw Raven sleeping on a separate bed with his sword in his hands, seems he was on guard.
Ah man, i need a change of clothes. The clothes i have on, which is really just torn pants and shoes, wont work. Seems the last one was meant for only physical fights and not magical ones. Maybe the alchemists will have some new clothes to craft for me.
The town seemed so, abandoned. No was in sight and the whole place was like a lost island of a civilization, wait it is. Everyone left durning the attack but why are we here? should they have took Rena and Aisha and Q- wait where's is Q-Proto.
I stopped at the front of the once Alchemist shack was. If Q wasnt with them...then was she taken? Ill worry for that later i need new gear.
I rummage around the rubble to look for anything good. "Nothin" i mused aloud. Maybe i could make my own enchantment, but ill need something from the blacksmiths place first.
I made my way to it and rummaged through therw until i found the same outfit i wore before but just pure black now. Meh, will do. I went back to the place where everyone was sleeping at and went upstairs and began mixing stuff i took from the Alchemist.
5 minutes later i heard someone come up and saw Aisha rubbing her eyes. "What are you doing.." She came up to me. "Mixing things together, need better protection." I say looking back to the mixtures. I really dont know what im doing here...
Aisha came and placed her arms on my shoulders and her head on mines. "You habe no clue what your doing fo you.." Heh you read my mind. "Gonna keep trying until something works anyway where's Q? i didn't see her." I asked leaning a bit back into her.
She went silent before and then answered. "She was taken...by Crow." Damn, that's why he left. We should have stopped him. I clenched my fist but then Aisha rested her hand on mines and leaned further. "Els be honest with me." I could tell she wasn't joking, something was up.
"Im always honest with you." I told her and i could almost feel as if she smiling a bit before going back to whatever her previous facial expression were. "Am i..weak." I, i, i have no words. Why would she think she's weak? what happened out there. I wanted to asked but held my silence. She wanted me to be honest and answer not a questionable idiot.
I stood up from the position we were in and hugged pulled her to me and hugged her. She leaned into my chest not wanting me to see her face i bet. "We all have those times. Those times where we can't do anything control what happens in front of us. Those times are something no one wants to wants to experience but-" i paused and started petting her head.
"but?" Her voice cracked. She must be crying. "But, those experiences help us get stronger for when we face a new challenge. It makes us grow and prepares us for next time." She hugged tighter and we stayed like that for sometime. I looked up and saw Rena behind the door with teary eyes and a smile.
Aisha pulled away from and Rena went around the door. Aisha would be embarrassed out of her mind if she knew someone was watching her moment of weakness. Aisha is always a strong willed girl and her coming to me like this puts a tear in my eye as well. Its hard to see tough people cry.
After that Rena went to the desk i was sitting at. "Whats going on here hm?" she said and Aisha hid behind me. "Nothing.." Aisha said blushing and Rena smirked. "I was talking about the desk you know." Rena said laughing abit.
After that we gathered back down stairs and saw Raven still sleeping but he seemed to be in a nightmare. He was sweating and had was clenching the sheets. "Raven...Raven wake up!" I shook him awake and he jumped up off the bed. "Oh, its just you." He said and wiped his forehead.
I ddint want to pry into his personal life and or dreams so i ignored what happened. "We're having a group discussion, cmon." I told him and he got up and stared at the ground. "Im, apart of this group?" Why would he ask that. He's been helping us for sometime now so it should not be a questionable matter.
"Yea you are" and i walked out. I pulled up the table that was on the ground and the chairs and let Aisha and Rena sit down first before i did. Raven pulled up my seat and his and we all began. "So, whats the plan. Are we going go help the Pongos?" Raven began but Rena shakes her head.
"The Pongos does not want anything to do with us so that's out of the deal." She finishes and Aisha nods. I guess after all this, they wont be trusting any outsiders anymore. "Then we go save Q-Proto. I say she's first priority." Aisha declared. I looked over to Rena and she nods her head. I looked to Raven and he nodded as well. Then all eyes fall on me.
"Here's whats happening. We set out to rescue Q-Proto, and find out what is happening on this Island. I know im not the only one who has a bad hut feeling of what is going on here." i finished and everyone nodded.
We then heard a bang and the door opened and out came a person i really did not have the patience for. "Add" I say and stood up to face him. He had an annoyed face on but he seemed less hostile than usual. I walked to him and stood directly in front of him.
"I propose a deal." He finally said. "Ill help you find Altera's Core palace, you will be my backup." So he needs help huh. "You sure you know the way." There was no room to question him, we just need to get this over with.
"you." I looked back and saw Raven with a furious face. He walked up to Add but i held out my arm to stop him. "What! your going to protect him?!" Whatever Add did, it seemed to involve Raven and made him this mad. "Calm down, we need to sit down on this." He was still struggling to get passed me but luckily thanks to daily training since i was 7, i could hold my own.
Ads merely stood there smirking. "Heh so you're here too huh, well whatever. So deal or no deal." I nodded and held out my hand. He stared at it before grabbing and squeezing it and looking me in my eyes. "Dont do anything stupid." I looked at his hand and then squeezed it back but tighter making him flinch and try to take his hand away. "I could say the same to you." i say smirking.
This guy was the reason of the fall of the Elvish village. Because of that, Andus died. I wont trust him, but we need to get to Q-Proto.
Sigh... Lets hope this goes well.
Altera Core Palace
King Prime's PoV
Everything...Everything is finally complete. After so long, i have accomplished my goals, even if i am missing one component to my plans these two shall suffice.
I had sent Eve and Q-Proto-00 to a special vault i had built. I had them strapped to the beds spread apart. Eve showed resistance but it was nothing elite guards could not have handled.
I place them on both sides of the my created body i have been working on leaving only the top of it vacant due to the absence of the princess. It should still proceed. "My lord." Who is this? Crow? what a surprise.
"What do you request." Crow stood up and continued. "Your plans are still a mystery to me. You have changed my lord. You seem to have a motive that concerns none but yours." I have changed? such a feeble statement. "Do not worry, when this is over, i shall rule for an eternity and solve our races epidemic." I held out my hands but i could tell he did not seem to understand. Such a basic way of processing, he was made in the image of a human.
"Allow me to explain." He nodded and i continued. "There is a problem we are facing that have been kept from all. The Alterian spore infestation. It is an infection that is only able to spread to us nasods. It has been dated back to the times of the first Queen, where it used to infect those of a lower class. But.." I pulled up a screen for them to see.
It was red and orange spore with green tenticals sticking out it. "If i were to use the codes of the failed Queen and he new Queen, then it is possible to overcome this sickness. We shall truly be immortal and never die out. And with the codes of the two queens we can rule the world below.". "And do we do that" He seems skeptical.
"Long ago, during the war with humans, Alterians of the old built a function into this island. The Gamma Cannon. With the cannon we can secure complete control over all races."
Crow turned around and began to walk away. "Is that so." He then teleported away. Well he is of no concern, he was just a pawn.
"So this was your true intentions. That's why you never paid any mind yo whatever happened." Hmph, why can't she be more like Q-Proto-00, silent. "There is nothing to do anymore. I will not die out. I refuse!" I went over to the control pad and activated the operations.
The wires began to glow a deep blue light and traveled right the Queens and right back to my created body. "Now to leave this usless body." I plugged a wire to the humanoid body and myself.
I will not die.
Crow's PoV
So this was his plan eh. After his whole preach to me i went back to location he stationed me at, The foundery along with Sleshu and Muta.
"We are to wait here until he intruders are to arrive." I told the both them and they nodded. I went to the elevator that lead to the Altera Core Palace. I was the final guard against them if they managed against Sleshu and Muta.
I can't operate right. Those words the king told me, the infection that was kept away from us. I can't trust the king anymore. Someone needs to stop him for i feel he is no longer the king he once was.
I can't do anything against him. Even with my speed advantage, he has the Alterian guard on his side. Not even i would escape unscathed but his plan must be stopped. The war with the humans is over, there's no need to go back down.
All of sudden a nasod scout came to me while i was sitting on a higher platform. "Intruders have arrived." Ah so they finally came. It pulled up a screen for me to see them and.. huh? there was a new person along with them. Ah the white haired kid who attempted to break in sometime ago.
So he back but i dont care for him. I zoom in on the red haired kid. Him, he can be the one to stop the king. The kings plan will create turmoil in these lands and i don't wont to be apart of such a thing.
Your my only shot, so don't die kid.
Nasod Foundery
Late Night
Aisha's PoV
We were inside a factory of some sort that was creating nasods. When we got in we walked around for sometime before getting attacked by the nasod guards, but these ones were different.
They were black instead of the usual grey or white ones we encountered before. The had symbols on their heads as well that was in the shape of a crow. "Tch, security's tight as ever eh." Add flew up into the air and began to fire purple blast at them.
Add was pretty strong really, even though he has this air of not being trusted easily. There's something about him that i really can't stand. We were all surprised when Elsword accepted his help and wanted to protest but we had no choice. I dont know why we can't just ditch him here...
The walk around the factory was a simple one due to Add knowing the place like the back of his hand. Seems he's been here before. He up front with Elsword standing next to him. Me and Rena was behind and Raven ay the back.
We heard a cling sound and we all jumper back and scanned the area. "Up there!" Rena pointed and saw a large nasod scorpion, larger then the one we fought before and it was being ridden by that soldier me and Rena encountered with Crow before.
It fired electric orbs at us and we all scrambled. I was with Raven, Elsword with Rena and Add flew up. "Get ready, it comes." Raven said and it came down.
3rd PoV
The nasod scorpion charged at Aisha and Raven. Raven jumped in front and stopped its charge with his sword. "Fortify!" Aisha casted her spell on Raven and prepared another spell. Raven engulfed his sword in fire and slashed the scorpions head, but to no effect.
It jumped up and fired electric blast at them. "Ice Wall!" The ice came just in time to block the electric blast and cancel it out. "Rising Torrent!" Rena's hands gathered wind energy and she threw it at the nasod scorpion.
The wind began to make small scratches on it and even managed to blow Sleshu off it. He fell to the ground and drew his sword. The nasod scorpion was still suck in the wind vortex.
"Pulse Cannon!" Add's dynamos came together and fired a concentrated laser at Sleshu but he managed to dodge it. He fired a sword blast at Add but Add put a barrier to cancel it out.
Sleshu was then knocked by Raven's nasod arm and into a wall. "Lightning Stream!" Aisha slammed the bottom of her staff to the ground and a surge of electricity came from it and traveled to the nasod scorpion.
The scorpion then fell down but began to get up but Add got on top of it. "Lets see here." He said and his dynomos began to plug up to its head. It began thrash about knocking Add off he quickly recovered and narrowly evaded the scorpions stringer.
Sleshu began to run back to the scorpion but was blocked by Elsword. "Burning ash!" Elsword shot ash from his mouth at Sleshu who didn't pay any mind to it and charged Elsword. "Raven!" Raven took the intuitive and engulfed his nasod arm in fire. The fire began to shape into a bird in his palm.
"Ignition Crow!" He threw the crow tat left a trail of fire behind it as it soared into the burning ash. The crow struck Sleshu before exploding followed by a larger explosion due to the explosive ash veil.(An: Its essentially similar to gun powder)
The smoke cleared and reveled a molten Sleshu on the ground.
The nasod scorpion was jumping around to avoid Aisha's spells and Rena's arrows. It jumped onto a higher platform and charged its stinger. "Electric volt!" Aisha shot a single lightning blot at the platform causing the scorpion to fall.
Rena took this as a chance to attack. "Storm breaker!" She fired a arrow a single arrow but when it passed through the inside of the scorpion a large wind explosion came from inside it.
After everyone saw that it was over, they sighed in relief. "That's done anyway hey Rena, where did you learn that technique?" Elsword asked rendering to the wind vortex skill.
"Something i was creating myself, your not the only one with surprises." She poked his nose with a smile. "Heh is that so?" He said back with a smile of his own.
"Lets go you two." Aisha got inbetween the two and pushed them up.
They were walking for sometime without encountering any nasod resistance. "This is strange. Its like they all left." Add said looking around the vicinity. Last time he was here, they were in every part of the factory.
"Maybe that's why." Rena pointed up to the ceiling and there it was. It was a large mechanized eagle colored white with parts of the wings being red. On its back was the nasod Muta and its lighnting mace all charged.
The mechanized Eagle came down with a screech and landed down in front of all them. Everyone got into attacking position but then something surprising came. Raven was first to notice "Crow.." Crow said nothing and drew his blade. He came down to them but not at them.
He came down with a slice that cut both Muta and the mechanized eagle in half. A large explosion came from it and Crow got up to look at the others. Everyone was shocked at the turn of events. Was he with or against them now.
"I only want Raven, the rest of you go yo the elevator. It will take you to the palace." Raven walked up to crow and stared at him. Crow didn't move and simply waited for the others to pass. "Guys go, ill take care of this." Raven finally.
"If you say so, careful." Elsword said and they began to walk pass Crow until he spoke up again.
"When you get down you will be in a hallway. Keep going down until the halls break into yo entrances. Take the left one and there will be a pad that will be able to teleport you all into the Core Castle." He finished and they nodded.
"Thank you." Elsword said before pulling the lever down. Crow looker slightly to his side. "Just dont screw up. and save the Queen." He said lowly but it was enough for Elsword to hear and nod.
Raven then turned around and walked back some distance and began to talk again. "Why are you helping us now." He asked more then demanding.
Crow looked to his right. Looming at the beautiful blue lights the Core Palace gave off. "Maybe because i dont always follow orders. Maybe because i might wanna be king. Or maybe." He paused and looked back at Raven.
"I was made in your image." Raven drew his sword. They pointed their blades at each other then twirled it into their nasod arm and scraped it against the palm before going going into their fighting positions. (An: The pose Raven does when he awakens in game.)
Rena's PoV
We followed everything that Crow told us to. Go down the hall and into the left hall and onto the teleport pad. Add however, decided to take the right hall, saying that the deal was done and that he wouldnt trust some nasod. Well no big loss there. But is still worry for him.
When the light of teleportation disappeared, we found ourselves inside a room full but, was really inside a room?
The whole room was blue and was holographic. It was almost like glass victorian mansion. "Talk about the best of the best." Aisha said still with amazement. Even Elsword was speechless.
We walked out and found a staircase and walked up it. When we reached the end we were were in large room with large view of the whole place. This place was like straight out of a fantasy book that Elsword likes.
"It really is like glass." i mused aloud. The place really could leave you speechless and breathless. It had an luminous blue glow to it making it seem even more magical.
There were also guards all around the place patrolling but these guards were more advanced.
They had humanoid bodies covered in white and black armor. They also carried spears and shields and looked quite experienced. "Those things will kill us if they find us." Elsword put his hand to his chin.
"They must be better models than the ones we encountered before." I told him and he nodded. We have to sneak by them somehow.
"Hey guys there seems to be another elevator here." Aisha said and we all walked inside it. It had locations instead of floors you could goto.
There was
Kings Room
Queens Room
Armory Facility
Research Department
Containment Room
And others but i can't name them all. "Lets go to the Queen's room. That must be Eve's room right?" I suggested. "Yea maybe she could help out." Elsword pressed the floor and the gated closed.
The elevator glowed white and then a ding came on. The doors opened up and revealed a lavish pink and white room really fit for a Queen. We walked out and looked around the room but found the room empty. Was she out?
"Look around, therw could be more to this room." Elsword said. He always had a good initiative when it came to this kind of stuff.
We looked around for sometime until Aisha sat on the bed. "Im tired. Im going to take alittle break now." She said and layed down. "Aisha we need to look for clues. Not relax." I told her but she hid under the covers.
I tried to get her out but she kept etting out of my grasp. Why is she so slippery!
"Huh?" She said underneath the covers. She rumbled around under it before the walk in closets doors opened. The clothes inside slid upward and another door revealed itself.
She got out the covers "Guess i found something." Well guess something good came out of this.
Elsword's PoV
We walked down the pink hallway until we were now inside a new room with pink patterns and wires all over the walls. I didn't peg Eve for the girly type, more of herself?
What really stood out was a pod that was at the center of the room. I walked over to it while Aisha and Rena examined or really look at the room in awe.
Inside the pod was... a girl who laying forward and was staring at me like how Eve did when i met her. "Who, are you." Her voice was soft and melodic. "We are looking for our friend, have seen a girl that looks like Eve?" I told her but she shakes her head no.
"Im always inside this pod. I am sickly." She says and the only thing i could think of was those spores from the cave. "Ah i see sorry for the disruption." She shakes her head again. "I very much so appreciate company."
"Oh whose your friend?" Aisha plops her head in my shoulder. Rena also came around and leaned on me. "Im Elsword, that's Rena and this Aisha, whats your name?"
"I, am apple, princess of the nasod race." The princess? huh. "I see well we have to get going, do you know where Eve is?" i asked she finally shower some emotion.
Her eyes widened before speaking i have not seen my sister for a while now. She always comes to check on me 3 times a day." She began to move abit before she slowly began to rise from the bed.
The pod automatically opened and smoke came from it. When it cleared Apple was now standing up in a loose pinkish white dress. "Something must be wrong. I can't lock onto her." She sounded more worried now. Now we have another person to find.
"We can help you find her." Aisha spoke from my side. She looked at us and nodded. She tried to walk but she just fell to the floor. Luckily i caught her in time before she got hurt. If she is always in that pod i dont think she will be walking any time soon. I put her on my back and hung on.
We walked out her room and looked around in case any guards came by. It clear so i asked Apple can she scan again for Eve. "No lock on. Need better reception." She needed to be in a higher place then.
"Lets goto that lookout place we were at before." Rena went to the elevator and we all go in.
We were back at the the lookout and let Apple scan again. "She is still here. But its not a location that is accessible to any. I will lead you there." Aisha looked nervous. "Uhh im pretty sure thise are elite guards. How can we get passed them." Apple simply shakes her head.
"No other option but to use stealth." Ah well...
Elsewhere in the palace
3rd PoV
Eve and Q-Proto layed motionless on the beds. King Prime slowly rose up in his new body. "Yes..." He opened and closed his armored hand. "Yes!!!" King prime goes to a monitor and looks at the his body.
"Perfection, Now. I can rule."
An
Gonna get started in the next chapter right away hopeful it wont take this long again.
If you want a refrence to King Prime's new body then think of Optimus Prime body from the latest Transformers movie but in White and black.
Thanks for reading and peace.