Interlude I
Frederick's breathing was agitated and frantic. He was running as fast as his body would allow, affected by the weight of his armor. Behind him he could hear screams and explosions, the pleas of his comrades begging for mercy.
He was a proud captain of the Order of Holy Knights, a warrior chosen by the Church to dispense divine justice, with the duty of cleansing the world of the menace of monsters. He had been trained since childhood in the art of the sword, with his faith and spiritual purity tested in countless trials. And yet, there he stood, fleeing like a coward as the men in his charge were torn to pieces by those abominations. His sword, the ancient heirloom of his family, had broken before his very eyes, and his shield, blessed by angels, had flown from his hand, plunging him into deep despair.
Why this was happening, he did not understand. His original mission was to lead his company and meet with the main army of crusaders under the order of his most holy authority, the Pope. His objective was to carry out an offensive tactic and recapture the lands conquered by the ungodly monsters through an invasion, thus seeking to regain the favor of the Chief God. The main army would gather in Lescatie and from there they would leave for the Crusade, but fortune decided to play against them.
The main road to Lescatie had been blocked by the sudden appearance of a huge crater, one so immense that it easily encompassed the area of a city. It was in the middle of the mountain range, effectively blocking the only safe road connecting the northern lands to the rest of the continent. The only options were to traverse that strange new territory, or set sail from the northern ports and travel by sea on a journey that could easily take weeks. They had no time to proceed with the second option, so they chose to take the risk and cross that crater, a decision they now deeply regretted.
It was a hell like no other, not even the haunting legends about the hellish Demon Realms did justice to what he witnessed with his eyes. There were strange buildings like none he had ever seen before, consisting of tall towers of curious designs rising into the heavens, constructions that seemed to lack any logical form, electricity running unleashed through steel cables and, most remarkable of all, a huge dome that glowed as brightly as the churches of the holy capital, a sight both beautiful and terrifying to a God-fearing man like him.
But it was not only the strange and terrifying landscape that struck fear into their hearts, but also the hideous creatures that inhabited the crater. Frederick was no stranger to the cursed creatures coming from the Demon Realms, for he had already had several unpleasant encounters with those walking blasphemies, but he had never before faced anything like the monstrosities that now haunted him: unholy abominations that looked like the blasphemous mixture between snakes and canines, huge blue-colored wasps that flew with impossible speed, enormous scorpions with bodies made of strange metal and savage humanoids that, despite looking human, seemed to lack any kind of humanity. The latter represented the greatest danger, since they carried devastating weapons that easily penetrated the armor of their men, and worst of all, they knew how to work as a team, easily ambushing them in that treacherous crater.
Now only he was left. The rest had died at the hands of the beasts or had been taken prisoner by the humanoids, who showed a disturbing interest in catching as many as possible alive, dragging them all towards that immense dome, to do with them the Chief God knows what. Frederick managed to barely lose his pursuers, finally finding refuge in a nearby cave. Once he was sure he was safe, he let himself slump against a nearby wall, his trembling legs no longer able to support the weight of his own body.
The once proud knight was reduced to a nervous wreck. His decision had cost the lives of his men, and now he was alone, unequipped and exhausted, an easy prey. Was this how it was all going to end? Would he die a meaningless death instead of perishing with honor on the battlefield? There were so many things he wanted to do. He did not dream of dying of old age because of his occupation, but at least accomplishing something that would change the world before his eventual death.
He would die without participating in the Crusade. He would perish without having fulfilled his duty to the Chief God. He would pass away without ever getting married to his true love.
"Teresia…" he said in an agonized whisper as he covered his face with his trembling hands. "Please, forgive me."
That was probably his worst regret. Teresia, the woman he had loved since childhood, the one who had waited for him so faithfully at home, someone for whom he had moved heaven and earth to propose marriage despite the difference in class, he would never see her again, thus breaking the promise he had made to her years before.
His spirit was shattered, he didn't even have the willpower to get up. He merely sat on the floor of a dirty cave in an unknown territory, a ruin of a man instead of the proud holy warrior he once was. Slowly he lost himself in his thoughts, beginning to recall different events in his life: the first time he hunted with his father, the day he began his training as a knight, his first mission, his promotion to captain, and much more. However, there was one memory in particular that stood out among them all.
"No matter where you go, as long as you carry this with you, I will be by your side."
The knight thought he had run out of weapons, but he had forgotten something special. Something that despite not being as powerful as a sacred sword, carried greater sentimental value for him. He searched through his own body, quickly finding a small weapon.
"Promise me you will give it back to me on our wedding day, okay?"
It was a seax, a small dagger made of silver and with inscriptions typical of the northern lands. Not only that, that specific seax had his initials on the handle. An ancient pagan tradition was for husband and wife to exchange seaxes during the ceremony as a symbol that both would protect each other in their new life together, a tradition that nobles stopped applying when they converted to the Chief God, but which remained a popular gesture among commoners.
A nobleman like Frederick had no reason to follow such a pagan tradition, but he still carried that seax wherever he went, for it represented his bond with Teresia. No matter what happened, no matter how bad his situation was, as long as he had that seax with him he would have the strength to do anything for his beloved.
"My dear... wait for me, I will return!"
Revitalized by the memory of his beloved and his promise to her, Frederick jumped to his feet, gripping the small weapon tightly. He was going to fight his way out of that damned crater and back to Teresia, whatever it took.
Now full of hope and courage, the man turned so that he could head for the cave exit, only to find one of the wild humanoids in front of him. Apparently, it had managed to sneak inside while the knight was admiring his seax, too focused on his memories to notice the enemy presence.
The savage merely watched him silently for a few seconds, his face hidden behind a half-broken leather mask and strange round, bluish glasses that hid his eyes, eliminating any human trace of him. Frederick froze, unable to even cry out in surprise. When he raised his arm to attack it was too late, for the savage struck him full in the face with a harsh, ferocious punch, knocking him unconscious instantly.
It was dark. Frederick could not see anything, but he felt that he was awake, albeit in a state of semi-consciousness. His body felt cold and, although he could not describe it well, he could feel that he was in a kind of bed, albeit hard and rigid.
He could not move his arms or legs, but he could feel them. His wrists and ankles were bound, even if he could move it would be impossible for him to get up.
"Now, let's begin the operation."
He could hear a soft yet raspy female voice speaking, although it was in an unknown language. Suddenly he felt immense pain in his chest, as if someone was thrusting a knife into him.
It was painful, absolutely torturous and horrible, so much so that his own body managed to react by giving a violent jolt. Not only that, he was also able to open his eyes, although the scene he managed to perceive was so twisted and horrible that he wished he had not.
"Why, this is surprising. It appears that the Teddy Bear is still awake. How… rare. My little skinvelopes, did you not apply enough anesthesia?"
Frederick found himself surrounded by those savage humanoids in a dark and cold room. Not only that, right next to him lay an abomination the likes of which he had never seen before: a mechanical-looking creature that seemed to be holding some sort of mirror that showed gigantic eyes and a human-looking mouth.
Worse, he looked down, discovering to his horror that he was naked, with what appeared to be a scalpel stuck in the middle of his chest. He was being cut open, Chief God knows what for.
The knight began to scream in desperation, both in pain and terror, shaking violently but unable to break free.
"Now, now, no need to get so grumpy."
One of the savages approached him, violently placing a mask over his mouth, silencing his screams. Slowly he began to lose consciousness, his vision dimming once again.
"Sleep, my little Teddy Bear, sleep."
A/N: In addition to the typical chapters, there will also be short interludes to show what is happening in the world while Courier and company go about their business.
Oh yeah, one last thing. Here are the stats for Courier and his current teammates for your enjoyment. And yes, you read me right, current. There is much to come in the future. I recommend you to take a good look at the perks, they will be crucial later on.
"The Courier"
Real name: Top Secret.
Race: Human/Cyborg.
Alias: Courier Six, Traitorous Mailman, Nuntius ab Occidente, Boss, Grognak.
Age: 39 years old.
Height: 6 '2.
The protagonist, a jovial and charismatic courier who, after the Second Battle for Hoover Dam, established the Mojave Federation, a successful nation that managed to keep the Republic and the Legion at bay. A kind-hearted and easy-going man, though sometimes a snarky bastard, he often uses his silver tongue to avoid conflict or get what he wants, though he has no problem resorting to violence and cruelty when necessary, sometimes revealing a Machiavellian and harsh side to his personality.
Known as a great womanizer, the Courier feels the innate need to court any lady who catches his eye, although due to a certain event that occurred some years ago he does not allow himself to consummate it, limiting himself simply to a playful flirtation.
He is currently searching for the way back to the Mojave and the location of the missing Big MT. At the moment he thinks he is in Canada, unaware that he is in a whole new world. He also has an unhealthy addiction to sarsaparilla.
SPECIAL:
Strength: 9.
Perception: 8.
Endurance: 9.
Charisma: 9.
Intelligence: 8.
Agility: 7.
Luck: 7.
Karma: Very Good.
Traits:
Good Natured
Wild Wasteland.
Skills:
Barter: 100.
Guns: 100.
Speech: 100.
Medicine: 100.
Science: 100.
Lockpick: 100.
Repair: 100.
Explosives: 100.
Energy Weapons: 95.
Melee weapons: 90.
Unarmed: 90.
Sneak: 60.
Survival: 80
Perks:
Adamantium Skeleton.
Animal Friend.
Better Criticals.
Bloody Mess.
Cowboy.
Demolition Expert.
Explorer.
Fight the power!
Ferocious Loyalty.
Hand Loader.
Heavyweight.
Implant GRX.
Jury Rigging.
Lady Killer.
Laser Commander.
Mysterious Stranger.
Piercing Strike.
Shotgun Surgeon.
Stonewall.
Slayer.
Strong Back.
Terrifying Presence.
Toughness (2).
Thought You Died.
"ED-E"
Real name: Eyebot Duraframe Subject E.
Race: Duraframe Eyebot.
Alias: Lil' buddy.
Age: 15 years old.
Height: 2 '1.
The faithful companion of the Courier who has been by his side for the past nine years. An adorable and capable eyebot who will not hesitate to reduce to ashes anyone who wants to attack his friend. He also has a bad habit of recording everything he sees.
Like his human companion, the eyebot has undergone a long series of modifications over the years, making him an effective and lethal fighter. The adventures and experiences he has had with the Courier have caused the eyebot to regard him as a father figure, so he protects him fiercely from anyone who dares to harm him, possibly in an attempt not to suffer the same loss he had with Dr. Whitley.
ED-E has a deep contempt for Sofiva, as she managed to circumvent his sensors and sneak away from him, which is a great offense to him.
SPECIAL:
Strength: 6.
Perception: 10
Endurance: 5
Charisma: 5.
Intelligence: 5
Agility:7
Luck: 9.
Karma: Neutral.
Perks:
Enhanced Sensors
Camarader-E.
"Birdie"
Real name: Sofiva Bhancri.
Race: Owl Mage.
Alias: Sage of the Forest, Forest Sage, Birdie.
Age: 33 years old.
Height: 5 '2.
A mamono with a calm and collected demeanor, but with an immense thirst for knowledge and magical improvement. Her thirst for knowledge is often at odds with her better judgment, so she has decided to leave the forest and follow the Courier despite their violent first encounter. She is determined to uncover his secrets, whatever it takes.
Despite being normally calm and collected, there are some things that can provoke a strong reaction in her, the two most common being life-threatening situations and having her magical abilities called into question.
A powerful sorceress with a wide repertoire of spells, and with a specialization in illusionary magic, she could easily pose a threat were it not for her passive, non-confrontational attitude.
SPECIAL:
Strength: 3.
Perception: 8 (10 at night).
Endurance: 5.
Charisma: 5.
Intelligence: 8 (10 at night).
Agility: 6.
Luck: 5.
Karma: Neutral.
Skills:
Barter: 40.
Speech: 50.
Medicine: 60.
Science: 90.
Melee weapons: 10.
Unarmed: 10.
Sneak: 70.
Survival: 60.
Repair: 30.
Destructive Magic: 65.
Protective Magic: 60.
Illusion Magic: 90.
Alteration Magic: 70.
Healing Magic: 30.
Perks:
Illusional.
Night Person.