Chapter 8 - Construct of a War Tulpa
"Fire!" one of the patrol captains ordered.
With the machines within range, all the warriors fired their crystal head arrows into the air. The S.W.A.T. bots continued walking till they reached within range. Not stopping, they lifted one of their arms and aimed. Firing laser blasts at the numerous targets, warning signals began blaring internally. Sensors indicated projectiles above were bound for impact arcing toward them. Looking up and seeing that they were just arrows that would not penetrate through their metal platting, they bypassed the warnings and continued firing. One arrow impacted a shoulder of one machine and it penetrated through the armor.
Reacting only in self-defense, all others quickly shielded their heads. As arrows did a short rain on them, only two mechanical beings collapsed to the ground disabled. Hearing a shout from one of the targets on doing another volley, the remaining bipedal mechs uncovered themselves. Bringing their other arm up, they activated all weapons. By the time the organic voice shouted the word fire again, the robots unloaded their weaponry.
With arrows being shot into the air again, lasers and pocket rockets were sent to the village army. Instead of the sound of air wisping down, there was the sounds of blasts and small explosions. Hearing cries and a couple of people being flown from their spot from the eruptions, two more bots were impaled. Electrical sparks flew out of one while the other did a large discharge that blew off its head. With only a handful of the S.W.A.T. beings left, the tank behind them had stopped. Its turret began moving towards where the most concentration of the opposing force was at.
[Tank is aiming for your locations! Get out of there!] Chief Zorn barked through the comms.
"Fall back! Fall back!" the patrol captains yelled.
Rushing out of the makeshift barricade the Zorn villagers made at the edge of the village, the military craft fired its cannon. Impacting in the center of the small walls, it created a large and loud explosion. The shockwave and hot air rushed through the establishment to which everyone felt a small quake from it. Despite a few warriors being launched back off their feet from the blast, no one suffered a fatal injury from the cannon fire. However, the aspect that they were not fleeing from the warfare became increasingly unsettling for the rest of the people.
"...damn..." Zorn muttered loud enough for Oberi to hear. "That tank will level this village and kill everything."
"...yes..." the other village leader agreed and gritted his teeth. "We've already lost warriors from the initial frontline attack...anything more would be suicide and putting the rest of the people in jeopardy."
"...unfortunately...yes," the other replied then sighed. "They will take us hostage...since their main purpose is to enslave us than to kill us."
"No...they won't," the wolf man disagreed. "The foot androids engaged all weapons and used the tank to fire directly at us. Before, they aimed wildly to just frighten us to submit. Even with the tank and rockets, they always missed their mark. When we tried escaping with the hovercraft, their aim sharpened to disable it."
[Chief! We got men down and injured! We can't take a direct hit from that monster again] one of the captains reported over the walkie.
"If we retreat...we won't be able to save everyone," the ape man stated with frustration. "If what you say is true, then half of the villagers will be mowed down from where they are."
"..." the canid commented with frowning. Crossing his arms over his chest, a thought came to mind. About to suggest something suicidal, the speakers cracked a little.
[Chief! I picked something up several miles north east from here...what the...] a recon patroller mentioned from where he was stationed. [Whatever it is, it is coming in blazing hot!]
"...!?" both leaders reacted.
Leaving their post to go to a place outside, they found cover. Able to see what was north-east from their position, they took their zooming tools in their hands. Staring in the direction mentioned, it was still with a lot of smoke still left in the forest. A couple of seconds later, something black was coming toward them dangerously quick. It was as if a comet was coming at them from the ground. Only able to blink as a reaction, it began to slow down hard.
However, it threw something at them that was blue. Oberi only had time to react by letting out a breath of air. Colliding with him, it knocked him off his feet making him let go of his scope. Dropping to the ground and groaning from the impact, Zorn quickly glanced over. Despite being speared by something blue into his stomach, the wolf appeared to be okay. Focusing on the object that hit him, the ape man's eyes widen. It was the missing boy that his peer was dwelling about. Looking back to where the black object was, nothing was there.
[...!?] one person gasped in surprise. [C-Chief...someone in a black cloak just materialized and is standing at our frontlines!]
'What the heck is going on?' he thought then went to his downed comrade.
"Oberi! Get up!" Zorn spoke. Without waiting for a response or movement, he grabbed the man's arm and pulled him up to a standing position.
"What the hell hit-" Oberi began then was pulled by his arm.
"Snap out of it. That black moving object is at our frontlines confronting the machines."
"What?" he stated confused. Stumbling along and holding onto whatever hit him, he felt quills. Looking down, his eyes widen to see Sonic looking a bit dazed. Feeling more focused, he hurried to where Zorn was running to. Getting cover behind a hut wall, both carefully peered around the corner.
Standing amongst the destruction and charred ground was a lone figure in a heavy black cloak. Whispers were heard on the comm channel about who that individual was as well as who would be that suicidal. Oddly, the androids had ceased firing on the village. Both the remaining ground troops and the tank had turned to the unknown figure that just appeared. An awkward silence passed by as the suspension increased from watching the showdown scene.
[Being] one of the S.W.A.T. bots spoke. [You are not a target here. Step away or be destroyed]
"..." the mysterious individual responded and just stood there. Another tense window of time passed with the sound of small fires burning to the right of the silhouette. To the villagers that were watching, the scorched ground where the dark covered stranger was gave an eerie atmosphere to the individual.
[By not responding or moving creature...you will be treated as a target] it stated.
"Has that person lost their mind?" Zorn wondered. Hearing movement below the two adults, the looked down. The small hedgehog was peering around the corner as well. He turned his head toward them.
"He'll clean their clocks," Sonic stated with a confident smile.
"He?"
"Yeah," the boy answered then looked back to the stare down.
"How do you know?" Oberi asked.
"Just watch him Chief. You'll see."
All the remaining bipedal machines lifted their arms and fired at the person. Despite the appearance that the lasers went through the figure, it kept standing there. When the pocket rockets came, they exploded upon hitting the ground. Strangely, there was a sound of sharp booms as if one of propelled grenades had a high amount of charge. Within a second or two, the boom occurred in the same area that seemed to push the smoke and ash hard to the right.
"...!?" everyone reacted with astonishment.
Feeling their eyes widen and mouths open, the black cloak person was facing the other way. Holding with its left hand against its chest, there was 5 sets of metallic arms. Seeing sparks coming out of the shoulder sockets, there were electrical arcs that came out from the mechanical foot troops. As if the sudden loss of their arms surprised them, all the heads of the robots looked down a little and side to side. Dropping all the arms to the ground, the figure got into a stance. Not able to see its face, the black silhouette then moved frighteningly fast.
As if multiple shadows of itself were trying to catch up to its speed, all of the arms were picked up and thrown at the androids. Launching them hard like a being shot out of a cannon, the severed limbs impaled the mechanical beings. One lodged in the head and the other through the chest area. Watching them fall to the ground and dying happened way too quick for people to process readily. Seeing movement stop, the lone ranger was facing the remaining unit of the enemy.
Without notice or warning, the tank fired its cannon. Within half a second after firing, the image of the stranger blurred and faded quickly. The higher pitched boom was heard again followed by wind being blow backwards. Only reacting, a number of villagers blinked while the rest leaned back confused. Sonic hyper focused on the same spot and forced himself to not blink. He caught only a glimpse of the individual's speed dashing away along with the cannon shell.
As if on cue after his mental observation, the hedgehog saw the glimpse again. This time, the figure was dashing forward along with the large projectile facing the other direction. Within a fraction of a second, the villagers saw the unknown being reappear. Back in the same place it once stood, it extended its left arm out hard with an open palm. Jumping, the tank suddenly exploded violently as the turret part of it shot up in the air. A hard wind from behind the establishment rushed forward as electrical discharges came out of the damage war vehicle.
"Well I be damned," Zorn spoke in quiet shock. It drew the attention of Oberi and Sonic.
"...the stories from the Great War were true."
"..." the child reacted with an enthusiastic smile. Getting out from the covered spot, he dashed over to cloaked hero.
"...I am hard pressed now to disbelieve the stories as well," the other village leader stated watching the child. Seeing him go to the mysterious stranger and get in front of it, the boy had no fear on his face. Instead, the man observed his smile which seemed to make him feel a little better at the sight.
"My question is...were there more than one of these legends...or was there one being that did all those feats?"
"That...we will have to ask our savior," Zorn answered and put a non-firm hand on the other's shoulder. "Come friend...let us meet this person and get to recovering both our people."
"...yes..." he agreed. Upon walking towards the two, villagers were slowly coming out of hiding in huts. Each one that looked to where the robots were, a relieved expression washed over them. Some of them dropped to their knees on the ground towards the aspect that the battle was over and no one else would die today.
[Chief...my scouts say there is no other detection of robot activity for miles around] one patrol captain called in.
"Good. Start recovery and give me a report of damages and casualties," Zorn stated over the walkie he had.
[Roger]
"...and you did that vanishing act and grabbed all the metal heads arms," Sonic spoke getting excited and animated. He mimicked the act of ripping something out then doing the pose when the tank exploded.
"And you did it in like a second! You got to be the one with superspeed. Just like in the legend!"
"..." the cloaked individual responded with its head moving down.
Looking down at the fidgeting hedgehog, it was an interesting sight to see. A boy that was exhausted physically, emotionally, and mentally from being hunted, now was full of energy. The enthusiasm for anything superspeed and fast seemed to generate zeal in the child. About to get out the small monitor to communicate, the figure's ears perked then moved back. Hearing footsteps, the individual turned its head towards the two officials. Recognizing them, the person just watched them.
"Hello good sir," Zorn first spoke with a small smile. "I am Zorn. Chief of this village. My colleague here is Chief Oberi from his village. You have our eternal thanks for saving not only the village, but the people from both establishments."
"Not only that," Oberi continued then gestured to the blue boy. "You saved and brought back a child that is part of my village. We thought we lost him in the midst of fleeing from the ambush attack on my village. Everyone was able to escape...however...the machines fired upon our hover vehicle and he fell out."
"You have my thanks as well as my villagers thanks for saving and coming to our aid," he said then held out his right hand.
"..." the cloaked being spoke and did not say anything. An awkward silence passed for a few seconds until the child piped in.
"Sorry...he is mute," Sonic mentioned and then pointed to his right arm. "And he can't use his right arm."
"...!?" both village leaders reacted with veering their head back a little. Processing the information and looking at the individual, both still have not seen the person's face or what species it was. Getting a suspicion from how the person was behaving, the adult canid was about to open his mouth when someone from the left spoke out loud.
"Well holy shit!" Onel stated loudly then started walking over. Looking in the trader's direction, more villagers were slowly coming out of hiding and looking around in surprise. Going toward where the covered being was, he put out his left hand.
"If it isn't the Stranger!"
"..." the unknown person said. Slowly moving its left hand out of the cloak, it was grasped firmly by the Oberi trader.
"Hahahaha...I still can't believe my eyes. I knew ya were fast, but God damn. Ya turning me into a believer of those ol' war legends."
"Onel...Sonic..." Oberi spoke and saw both look at him. "You know this man?"
"Sure do chief," Onel answered with a smirk. Letting go of the person's hand, the supplier turned toward his leader.
"He came by our village once to trade a large bag of sea salt for supplies. We also spot him at Oatisal Harbor before that too."
"Yeah. He was trading fur pelts to other shops," Sonic piped in smiling.
"This is a trader?" Zorn asked in surprise. Looking at the cloaked figure, there was nothing else seen other than its arm retracting back. For what he could spot, the fur coat was an ash gray color. Also, there seemed to be blood on the glove it wore.
'I do not like the aspect of not knowing what this man or woman looks like...it does not sit well,' the gorilla muzzled in his mind.
"Sonic?" a familiar woman called. Heads turned to the voice and saw what looked to be a caregiver coming out of one of the village homes. Slowly coming out behind her was the orphans from both villages. Seeing the blue hedgehog, she rushed over to him. Upon getting close to the child, she kneeled down and hugged him.
"Thank god you are alright!" she stated with relieved happiness. "I feared that you were...that you were..."
"..." the orphanage staffer continued. Moving back while still holding onto his shoulders, she observed him. Seeing him looked roughed up and tired, she glanced at the black figure nearby. The sight of it made her flinch a little from not seeing a face from the cloak. Clearing her throat and straighting out a little, she gave a small bow.
"Thank you for bringing one of our children back sir. I have been on high anxiety ever since we didn't see Sonic after getting off the trailer. All the children have too," she expressed with a relieved smile.
"..." the stranger replied with just turning its head a little to stare.
"..." she reacted with tensing up from the person's actions. Hearing movement, it was the blue boy who leaned toward her.
"He's mute ma'am," Sonic whispered only loud enough for her to hear.
"...o-oh...okay..."
"Ahem," Oberi stated clearing his throat a little. Though everyone glanced at him to get their attention, the cloaked being slowly moved his head as if it were a statue.
"Am I safe to assume sir that you are expecting a reward or something from saving our village and people?" he asked. Everyone saw the mysterious person give a small and slow nod. Though it caused the group lesser stress about the individual's intentions, it was what the reward would be. Especially the village chiefs.
"Ah...well...I can't say we have much from my village being destroyed by the machines. Everyone grabbed what necessities they could carry. As you can tell from the smoke, it is probably mostly a land of ash by now," the wolf man pointed out. "Also, the machines had probably already ranshacked whatever was remaining there too."
"..." the stranger replied with not moving and standing still. The apprehension that it created started to make nearby villagers' fur stand on end a little.
"I would have to say my village is in a similar footing as my comrade here," Zorn began and gestured to the areas that had the most damage. "The S.W.A.T. units has damaged my village and I have lost good men. Most of our resources would be going towards recovery and getting our people back to stable condition."
"..."
'...I feel predator vibes emitting from this person...' Oberi thought slowly closing his hands into fists.
'...almost murderous...' the ape man noted in his mind. Seeing the physiological reaction that his peer made, he did so as well.
"Both of ya' ain't talkin' the right way," Onel mentioned and gave a dismissive hand gesture to the two men. Crossing his arms over his chest, he pointed at the cloaked individual.
"Like I told ya, this here is a trader. We make offers, make a trade. It's a simple deal. Dat the language we talk."
"..." the group reacted with blinking then looked back at the stranger. It continued to say nothing and remain planted in its position.
"..." Sonic spoke looking at the cloaked individual then at the ground. Thinking he should speak up, he looked up and opened his mouth.
"...well Onel...since you are a supplier and trader for my village...you show us how it is done," the village leader stated with a neutral expression.
"Guess I gotta," the older man replied then looked at the stoic individual. "Alrighty stranger. What will it be? Same supplies like last time or something different?"
"..." the mysterious being answered with moving its left arm. Coming out of the long coat and stopping, it pointed at someone. Turning to the source, it was the child hedgehog.
"Whatcha' need from the kid?" the trader asked. Instead of answering, the pointed hand stayed in place for a couple of seconds before retracting back into the cloak. Before Oberi or the caretaker could speak, Sonic stepped forward a couple of steps.
"He...saved me from the three bots that chased me..." he began then looked down at the ground a little. "I...asked him to help save us...from the other metal heads."
"...h-he asked me...what could I trade for his help..." the boy continued then began to fidget a little with his hands. The action made the group more tentatively and start to anxiously wonder what conversation was between the two.
"...I...I said...I did not have anything...then he asked...what could I sacrifice."
"Sacrifice?" Zorn asked out loud.
"Let the boy finish before jumpin' in," Onel said turning to look at the chief the back to the boy. "Continue sport."
"O-okay...he said...would I sacrifice myself...or the villages' supplies...to save the villages," Sonic continued pressing his hands together a little.
"And what did ya answer to the stranger's question?"
"...I..." he began then looked at the cloaked person. Feeling his eyes widen a little, there still was no face or red ring eye seen. However, he could feel the stare from it. Trying to feel courage to speak of what happen, Sonic was both excited and scared of the future outcomes from the answer.
"...I stated...I would sacrifice myself."
"..." the group responded with mixed feelings.
Hearing the boy's willingness to give himself up to save them all made the adults feel a sense of pride. On the other hand, the term "sacrifice" was too vague to know what its true context was. Turning their attention to the silent being, it made a small nod to the hedgehog. Moving its left hand out again, it offered an up-face palm. Seemingly looking like an offer, its fingers began to curl upward to form a claw position. Based on how the hand looked to everyone, the gesture did not look friendly at all.
[Chief...Chief!] a female whispered through the walkie. Zorn and Oberi immediately turned the volume down while moving it to their ears. The two could hear anxiety in her tone.
[That thing you are staring at. It's the killer from the cave when we retrieved the same child!]
"...!?" the canid man reacted with raising his eyebrows and tensing up.
"The killer?" the anthropomorphic ape whispered and did not move. "If I recall...you gave a wire to me and the other village leaders about the sighting of a killer."
"...yes...my scouts saw a being in the cave on the south point of the marathon track...it killed predators with ease and threw the head of one at them when recovering the boy," Oberi whispered back. "The boy coming out of the cave was heavily stained with gore...the animals' blood and guts...not his own."
"Well...at least this clears up the interpretation of sacrifice," Zorn whispered. Moving the comms device to his mouth, he spoke carefully and quietly.
"Code red on the black cloak. Code red on the black cloak."
"...?" the group reacted to hearing much movement around them. Looking, all the scouts, patrollers, and warriors from both villages were turning toward them. Seeing them arm themselves with both projectile and melee weaponry, they all aimed their sights toward the covered stranger. Before Sonic could react, the two leaders began to head towards him.
"Our children...are not sacrificial as a means of trade stranger," Oberi stated. Stopping near the boy, the others that were near the cloaked being moved quickly away.
"We appreciate what you have done to save a child and our village," Zorn spoke standing next to his peer. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Given that we have been informed of who you really are...I such leaving to keep things peaceful."
"..." the unknown individual reacted with keeping still. Its outreached clawed hand closed into a tight fist. Retracting it to be unseen, it continued staring at the small hedgehog child.
"If you do not leave...we will force you to-!?" the ape man began to say.
He stopped abruptly from seeing a red ring appear on the person's left eye. Its eyebrow lowered to give an imposing glare. Everyone in close proximity felt their fur hairs stand. One of the warriors appeared on top of the hut behind the individual. Jumping off with a spear in hand, it clenched its teeth toward the figure. Driving the staff down, it was going for the person's right shoulder.
Everyone saw the blade impale and go straight through the being's right arm. Impacting the ground hard, the warrior landed hard on his feet still holding onto the spear. Pulling the weapon while leaping backwards, it ripped the cloak off the individual. Getting into an offensive stance and pointing the damaged tip blade, her eyes widen with shock. So much to everyone else, a couple of people lost the grip they had from what they were holding.
"...oh my god..." Onel expressed taking one step back.
"...!?" Sonic reacted feeling multiple limps feel itchy. The part that caught him the most was the stranger's face.
Uncovered stood an adult anthropomorphic hedgehog with gray ash fur. There were scars on his body, but they paled in comparison to the notable injuries. It did not have a right arm. In fact, it appeared to have been ripped out based on how a scared up and tender stump remained at the shoulder joint. On the man's head, its top middle quill was also a stump. It also appeared to have been crushed and ripped off as well. The rest of them were not damaged and appeared to curl upwards towards the back of its head.
What made the tension in the air rise further was the hedgehog's face. Its left eye had been replaced with something more robotic. Almost as if crudely inserted into his eyes socket, a black screen filled the entire space. Outlining it and fused with the skin was the charcoal metal frame. Emitting from there was the crimson ring that made up the eye as it glowed eerily at them. A couple of veins curled around the eyebrow to show that it was a painful operation.
The other eye was normal making a contrast with the white sclera to the black screen. Glaring with that eye as well, it was hazel with more gold flakes in the iris. Despite the man's deformities, his physique was quite built. It gave evidence of how the being could kill predators based on overdevelopment in some areas. Not having any other accessories, he sported a blood-stained tactical glove and tactical boots.
"..." the hedgehog reacted with turning its head.
Glaring at the person that attacked him, he began walking toward the warrior. An archer released an arrow aiming at the person's left arm. Not moving out of the way, the arrow went through the arm and struck the ground. However, no blood was spilling nor did the stranger stop walking. Another shot was fired aimed at the individual's back. It went through as well with the same results.
"...H-Hey!?" Sonic called out loud. Rushing out of the caretaker's reach he got in front of the chiefs with a mixture of emotions.
"Why are you trying to kill him!? He just saved us!"
"Son...go to where the other children are," Oberi ordered as both leaders walked past him.
"All hands...take that man down," Zorn stated over the walkie.
"No!" the child stated getting angry. "Stop this! I just asked him to help us!"
"Onel, get Sonic out of here," the wolf man ordered turning his head towards the man. "I mean it."
"...fine..what-" the trader began.
Something spontaneously appeared near the small hedgehog. It was the person in the cloak. Everyone in the group blinked then looked at the patrollers that were in front of the gray ash fur being. Seeing a good number of men and women hit the ground, it was as an invisible force had pushed them either forward or backwards. Watching the child, it looked up in surprise before shaking his head hard.
"Please mister. Don't hurt anyone," he asked getting in front of the stranger. "I'll go with you as promised."
"..." the unknown hedgehog replied looking down. The red ring glowed as if bore into the child's eyes. Narrowing his eyes, he turned around and began walking away. Without missing a beat or looking at anyone else, Sonic followed and got to his left side. It was met with almost everyone re-aiming their weapons at the two.
"Boy. Step away from that man," Zorn ordered.
"..." the child responded with glancing up. The stranger did not turn or stop so he looked forward and kept moving in the same direction.
"This is your final warning Sonic," Oberi commanded with a stern tone. "You will step away from that killer and get back here now."
"..." the hedgehog reacted with clenching his teeth together. Feeling anxiety that he was disobeying; he was more annoyed at how everyone in his village was reacting.
'Why are they being this way?' he thought in anger. 'He just saved everyone from being killed by the metal heads. And instead of treating him like a hero, they want to kill him!'
'I don't get-' Sonic began when his ear picked up something.
Hearing it whisp in the wind and get closer rapidly, the cloaked person moved a couple feet forward in an instant. Hearing cries from villagers, something fast went past over his head before impacting the ground. Stopping and looking at the object, his eyes widen from getting scarred. Ignoring the calls for him to return, he glanced back to see warriors of both villages rushing them. The sight of seeing the people he thought of as home and family look like they were out to kill made him freeze. Feeling his right hand get grabbed, he looked to who grabbed it.
Only seeing a black silhouette, the environment blurred as they accelerated fast in an instant. Snatching at the hand that grabbed him to hold on, they sped away and back into the forest. Not the speed they raced at to get to the village, but still enough to entice the boy. Able to sort of withstand the winds from their pace, he glanced at the person. Instead of bobbing with each step, it almost look like he was just leaning forward like a statue. Taking a glance behind them, the sight of the village was small.
'...so...' Sonic wondered looking back forward. '...what will happen know?'