Blood from vault 18

Nothing but rust and sand

"You know" Johnny said as he chowed down on something that looked slightly edible Kieron barely looked up from his food as he waited for whatever the red head had to say.

He tilted his head towards the group, Kira was off eating by herself, Eric and Jamie where doing their thing as usual while Jenn and Kurtz seemed to be done and decided to do their own thing now.

"How come that we are the only ones that are actually friendly? I mean fuck man, I hated your guts for a long ass time because I thought you were Braggs little bitch" Kieron snorted as he used his knife to remove some bone from the meat he had decided he did not want to know from what animal it came from.

He pressed his PipBoy "They are all dealing with loss in one way or another, give them time" Johnny snorted "If you say so boss, but this is good. I wanted to talk to you in private anyways… I have a proposal"

Kieron raised an eyebrow "Go on Johhny"

"I think we should consider the possibility, just the possibility, that we might have a better chance in surviving if we become raiders. You saw the old man, he lived long and seemed to still have some juice in him. Imagine what we could do, hell we would rule in a couple of years with what we know form the vault"

There was a pause as Kieron considered the possibility "Who says they would accept us Johnny, its too risky. Maybe for now its best if we stick to the shadows, live close to this NCR and… fuck man I dunno just see how things work out" Kieron said a he finished his meal and started to tend to his weapons, they all seemed to be working fine. Johnny grumbled but nodded "Fine I will follow your lead, don't think I would make it on my own"

Kurtz joined as he sharpened his spears "We need to begin our travel"

"I know I was just making sure we had everything" he informed his friend as everyone gathered, Jenn looked up from her pipboy and then to Kieron "So… how long do you think it would take us to reach the city?"

Kieron smiled "I think we can get there in a week or more, a consistent pace is all we need" a few more words where shared by the campfire and then began their long trek to this so-called Union City, to Kieron it was fascinating how much the scenario began to change around them. Black Bear Lodge had been moody, dark greens and greys seemed to be unending as the place remained untouched for generations.

But now red leaves, brown rocks and a livelier environment surrounded him.

The young vault dweller felt the air around them begin to warm up as he was glad he changed out of his vault suit. "Kieron, slow down. The others are lagging behind" Kurtz commented as he snapped him out of his small trance, Kieron nodded and gave a sheepish smile "Sorry I guess I was just thinking about something, Ben"-"Kurtz"

"Yeah sorry, I just wanted to ask you what you want. Jamie, Eric and Jenn want to go to Union City. Johnny and Kira seem to think heading towards the raiders is the best option. What about you, what do you want?"

This made Kurtz smile "While I appreciate you caring about my opinion, I do not have one Kieron. Regardless of what happens I will follow your leadership"

Kieron hummed "Why?"

"For the same reason I have trusted your judgment until now. It is rare that some jock from a vault managed to survive both an attack on his vault and an ambush by raiders, the gods favor you" Kieron frowned. He did not feel all that special right now, he just simply soldiered on and refused to think about how sad he was feeling.

But he nodded at his friend, there was much he wanted to say. Most of all he wanted to say he was tired and that he did not want to be their "leader" but it wasn't like he could back out now, so he just let out a quiet thanks and kept walking as the road began to turn into dirt and sand.

A simple goal, walking. That was all he had now, when he stopped to watch them rest or eat he could see the others getting tired but not him.

Mandrake lowered his binoculars as he felt a large grin begin to form in his mouth, it had been a good thing he stayed his hand.

Skinnier, weaker and younger. Sure he was not supposed to be an exact copy but this was not what the father had said and it concerned him. Mandrake felt something akin to worry form in his heart, super mutants did not feel danger the same as humans.

In the face of adversity, they fought, they rose above the problem.

But this was not what the Father believed, the Master Race could not possible depend on some child that did not even look like the mold he was created from. The Father lied to him once more and now his faith in this entire thing was waning, but Mandrake knew that he was damned to wonder alone if he just tore this Kieron limb from limb.

"But its not like he's going to stay intact" Mandrake muttered to himself as he watched as the boy foolishly lead his tribe to raider territory, this little shortcut through a ruined city with no name was going to be costly. He knew who was waiting for them, Elsdragon's minions. Mandrake prepared himself to sneak into the heart of the worst type of people humanity had to offer. He just hoped he could salvage whatever was left of the failed lab rat.

"Kieron! Look there could be something inside this buildings!" Jenn said as she sped up from the group. the boy chuckled as he followed her inside one of the collapsed buildings "Careful, this might fall apart any minute"

Jenn grinned "Not this part, the foundation looks solid and as long as we do not blow something up. It should hold for another two hundred years" she said Kieron snorted as he looked at the area, it looked like it had been picked clean long ago. Only rubble remained and some trash that would be no use to them, Kieron frowned as something began to dawn on him. There next to one of the open cans of dog food he saw it.

A fresh boot print.

"We should head back Jenn" the blonde tilted her head to the side confused "But I can see the others from here?" Kieron shook his head as he began to speak in a whisper and crouched "No, back to the road we came from… this is too clean. There is someone close to here"

Jenn's eyes widened as she followed Kieron footsteps, a loud bang echoed in the valley making both jump in fright. Sounds of struggle reached their ears and to their surprise they found their friends face down on the dirt as a group of raiders smiled at them "Well hello there"

Kieron stood up as he tried to hide Jenn behind him "Let them go?"

This made the bearded raider smile "And why would I do that? Here I have all your freak friends on the ground and is not like you are all that scary, this big fella went down in a single blow from one of my boys took him down and you're a lot scrawnier"

The raider dropped his shotgun to the side as he eyed Kieron up and down "Do you gamble boy?"

Kieron simply glared "Cause ol' Wilco has something for you" he pointed at him "Their freedom and even the one of the pretty girl behind you if you can beat me in a fistfight" this made some of the raiders grin in anticipation. He was putting on a show for this group. He saw the way everyone was looking at him, Eric shook his head, Kira seemed to mouth 'Fuck him up' Kieron heard a weapon being loaded, it was rested on the temple of Jamie "Well?"

"You want to loose teeth so badly, fine. Come get it" Kieron said as he took off his shirt, this made the raiders scream and fire some rounds into the air, there was nothing they loved more than violence and Kieron could see it in their eyes. Wilson Wilco nodded in approval "Good, you see us survivalist are old school and we like to give your type a chance, but I wont be taking my shirt. Hope you don't mind"

And with that he charged at Kieron and slammed his fist on the side of Kieron's head, the blow pushed him back but to the surprise of the raiders the young vault kid slammed both of his hand on the ears of Wilco disorientating him. Using his elbow as a blunt object Kieron slammed it against the nose of his opponent, blood erupted as Kieron felt like he had the upper hand.

That was until something blinded him, Kieron yelped in pain as he tried to rub his eyes to see again "You know that was not bad, but you forget that we raiders fight dirty" Wilco said with a grin as blood fell down his beard.

He raised his boot as Kieron finally managed to see clearly "Night night"

"Fake… its all fake!"

A low growl was heard as a massive figure pushed forward and stared down at him, Kieron did not know where he was, what was happening. He was just fighting someone a minute ago!

"No, this one is complete. The one that slayed the…" the world began to blur and fade as if a movie film was burning before his eyes, it suddenly shifted back into focus as the massive being that he assumed was a demon out of hell grabbed a decapitated head from a table "So many times I have failed, but every time I failed I was brought closer to perfection. From my own flesh I carved a new generation! And now we will finally achive…"

"Unity"

A cold splash of water startled him awake, Kieron gasped for air as he looked around and could only see faintly lit torches in the dark abyss. "Look who is awake" a whip sliced the air as blood splashed from his chest. A scream of pain and a shower of blood, Kieron tried to struggle but the chains that tied his hand to the chair did not let him move, another strike from the whip this time it landed square on his lip and chin.

Lash after lash struck him until he felt he could scream no more, blood dripped to the ground as he felt his consciousness begin to slip again. "Oh no, not yet" his mouth was forced open and Buffout was shoved down his throat.

"That was for every single man that you killed" a voice said from the darkness, Kieron felt his hair being pulled back as a raider forced him to sit straight "And I must say… I am very fucking proud of you"

Kieron felt his body spasms as waves of pain ran through his body "W-who…"

"Oh you mean you don't know, those men that you slaughtered back in that cursed piece of land yeah they had a boos. A psychotic, ruthless leader and that motherfucker is me. Elsdragon leader of the raider tribes here and I must say I am very fucking pissed" the raider boss said as he stepped into full view. The old snake grinned as he ruffled Kieron's hair.

He chuckled "Oh but not at you, you're going to have the chance to do that it in just a second. You come from the vault I have my archnemesis there, Rossman, where is he?" Kieron looked down at his feet "Dead, the explosion took everything out"

"Good, one less thing to worry about. You're the gift that keeps on giving, Vault Dweller! First you take out undesirables from my company, prove that my protection system works and now you give me the best news I have heard in a long time. Because I am feeling charitable, I have a bit of a proposition for you"

Kieron looked up "What do you need?"

"To put it simply, you're fucked. No actually scratch that, you're working your way back up to that point you are less than a slave now and that means that you need to prove that you're worth investing in."

Less than a slave "But I see that glimmer in your eyes, you have what I takes to do what I need right?!" Elsdragon slammed his hand on the chains that held his hands. Kieron winced but nodded anyways, the leader of the raiders then snapped his fingers "Good, I like you. I'm going to give you a name, MurderFace how does that sound?"

Kieron gritted his teeth "Splendid boss"

"Good, you already get it. I have a pest problem in my property" Kieron felt whatever he was in be pushed and then twisted Kieron screamed in fright as he was almost thrown into an abyss that seemed to have no end. "A monster… no, a thing. A super mutant is rampaging through the lower levels of the mine and you my friend are going to kill it" Slamming Kieron down and turning him back to how he originally was.

With a cruel grin Elsdragon freed Kieron from his chains and forced him to stand up "Ready?"

"No… wait… how can I kill this thing… I need my weapons" a large raider walked next to Elsdragon as he picked from a bag "Oh your things, we have them right here. But you're not going to get them, they are mine you understand that don't you slave?" Kieron could only gape in horror as he realized he had to kill a mutant with his hands. Elsdragon to his raider "And you know what the best part is Noss?" Noss grinned as he reached for his weapon, they began to advance as Kieron took some steps back and the chair behind him fell into the abyss.

There was a pause as Elsdragon grinned "You're taking the short way down!"

Kieron felt as if a massive hand pushed and then he felt it, he was falling down into the darkness "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry" closing his eyes Kieron hoped it was painless, then something hit him. A massive gust of wind began to push him upwards, hot air burned his skin and then he crashed into the ground.

As his blood began to pour into the rocks and the cave fungus, a pale hand began to reach toward him, from the shadows a faint flicker of a stealth boy could be seen as Kieron's eyes tried to adjust to the darkness.

A/N: Thank you for reading!