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originally posted in:The Black Garden
Edited by Hobbes92:
1/3/2014 1:30:12 AM
1
The Chronicles of Alec Blackwater Chapter XV Vanquisher Awakening
Alec once again found himself in darkness, alone….yet, not so alone. A voice in the dark, neither damning nor comforting, but a voice, repeating the words: “Don't worry, I'll be here, the Darkness won't you.”
Alec couldn’t figure out who or what the voice was; it didn’t frighten him, but it did have him worried.
“We are so alike,” The voice began to say, with a deep mechanical echo and metallic grind to it. “You and I; so alike in so many ways... Time for another flashback, I suppose, a flashback into our memories. I’ll have to share one sometime, I suppose.”
Alec’s mind drifted into yet another memory…..
[b]Flashback Continued (from chapter XIII)[/b]
Spencer looked into Alecs little blue eyes and continued to talk.
“General Phlax showed me footage of…” Spencer began.
“Footage of what?” Asked Alec, eager to know what Phlax had shown Spencer.
“My father’s final moments.” Spencer said with a grin. “My father had been tasked with holding a bridge near Old Cologne, Germany. He was put in charge of forty Guardians; they needed to hold the bridge so that refugees could cross over the Rhine River, which had risen from a massive storm that had hit Europe at the time. The Fallen had taken interest in the City of Cologne, but they saw need to exterminate the human populace in order to take it for themselves, naturally. There was about 3-400 of them, the Fallen, advancing on the bridge; with orders to kill all they found, we were assuming they were ordered anyway. They overwhelmed most of the Guardians within the first hour of the assault, leaving only a few to get the job done. Soon, a few turned into three, and three into one. My father had stood his ground for the last one-hundred or so Fallen that came charging in. He was no super hero, but he held his own against those Fallen vagabonds, down to three Fallen Captains and their leader. The leader pleaded for his life, begged on his knees even, but no mercy was found for him, for what his kind had done; my father decapitated him with the leaders own blade. There was a break in the footage, it went all static like and when it came back, a squad of Fallen Dregs had found my father, but fled in fear of being killed by this furious human they had stumbled across; then the video suddenly ended. Of course, the video was hard to watch, there was static, and it had been damaged from the drone that it had been recovered from, and it had some corrupted footage because of age, it seemed.
“Phlax had told me he and some others were first on the sight; the location had been covered in fog and rain had begun to fall. As he and the others arrived, they found an amassed pile of the Fallen corpses; it was almost like a small hill, about 70 feet high. Phlax could barely see something at the top, but he was sure there was something there. About half way up, Phlax looked up to see the flag of the City flying; picking up his pace, he reached the top. As he climbed the last of the corpses and reached the top, he found my father there, leaning against the post that was had used to tie the flag to. As Phlax went to kneel down and speak, he realized that my dad was dead. Phlax said he couldn’t find any marks or wounds on my dad that would have done enough damage to cause him to bleed out. He also said there was an odd breeze that blew the day my father died, a breeze that he hadn’t felt before; a breeze without a temperature to it, neither cold nor warm, just a smooth breeze that carried the fog away.”
“What happened after that?” Alec asked.
“After that,” Spencer began to say. “Phlax came to my Aunts house a few days later with the news of his death.”
Alec looked at the statue; a question crossed his mind….
“If your dad was considered a hero, why is this statue in such a desolate place?” Asked Alec.
Spencer stroked his beard and looked from the statue to Alec, trying to decide if he should tell Alec or not of why this statue stood alone.
“Well,” Spencer began. “My father had made some public comments that stirred some of the FOTC Council and Elders. Prior to leaving for the mission to Old Germany; my father made some remarks at the briefing that didn’t exactly put him in favor with those of the FOTC Council. He said he didn’t believe in the Traveler, that it wasn’t the responsible for the survival of the human race. Many took offence to it, but others thought that he had the right to believe what he wanted. He was very set in his beliefs; I can tell you this; he wouldn’t have wanted a statue for what he had done that day.”
Alec and Spencer stood before the statue for another moment in silence; Alec looking at it with new interest.
“What now?” Alec asked with curiosity.
“Now we go home.” Spencer responded. “To prepare you for the Spartan Academy; it won't be a walk in the park my boy.... it won't be a walk in the park.”
[b]End of Flashback[/b]
Slowly, Alec began to wake up; but he found himself unable to move and he was hanging thirty feet in the air, in a tree.
“Cut him down!” Yelled a Fallen Captain from below. “Our leader wishes to speak to the weak Earthling.”
As a Dreg climbed out on the limb and cut the ropes holding Alec to the branch, he looked around to get an idea of where he might be. All he could see was jungle growth and trees; a notification was also flashing in his sight, warning him of plausible damage to his nervous system. The diagnostic declared that the brain should rest, until a full diagnostic was performed. As he was processing all of this, Alec found himself plummeting to the ground, landing with aloud crash into some brush below. His hands and arms were still restrained, he attempted to break free, but his arms weren’t responding.
“Get him on his feet,” Ordered the Fallen Captain, pointing at Alec. “He’s got business with Lord Gore‘ul.”
Two Vandals helped Alec up on his feet; he found he could walk, but didn’t have a lot of energy; the warning appeared again in his exo’s sights again. All he could do though is walk in the direction the Fallen pushed towards though. Alec wondered where Jk-Bx was; was he captured? Did they have the case? Alec also had other questions, but they would have to wait, all he could do now was play follow the leader with the Fallen. He attempted to look around, but when he tried to turn his head a Dreg or Vandal would strike him with the butt of their weapon. Alec could hear the sound of running water, like a stream; he also could hear what sounded like a water fall. The ground was soft, covered with moss and growth; the ground seemed to be moist, but not soaked. Soon, Alec’s foot struck stone, his metal boot making a loud clank as he stepped on it; the water fall had gotten louder at this point. Alec fell on the ground with a dull, metallic thud; almost falling into unconsciousness again.
“Pick him up!” The Captain ordered.
Three Dreg underlings attempted to pick Alec up, but failed in their attempts to move him.
“He’s too heavy,” Said a vandal standing nearby. “Never been able to not pick up a normal human before...”
“Maybe he’s not to human.” A Dreg remarked in a hard to understand dialect.
“We need to pick up the pace,” The Captain said, laying his hand on the hilt of his blade, walking over to the edge of a cliff, looking over the jungle in the distance. “Put a beacon on him and radio ahead so they know to grab him. Throw him over the edge then, into the falls.”
The Captain stood and looked over the jungle as the Dregs and Vandals got Alec ready. The waterfall fell into a small pond 50 feet below, emptying out into a small river. The river went straight from the pond for twenty yards then wound and wove around trees for about three quarters of a mile, then straightened out and passed by an old depot.
“Heh-heh,” Chuckled a Dreg. “Enjoy the fall.”
The dregs voice was hard to understand, like it had a heavy accent or was not used to speaking the English language like the Captain was. It took several Dregs and three Vandals to drag and push Alec over the edge. Alec hit the water with a loud splash and immediately began to sink to the bottom of the river; but was swept away by the rivers surprisingly strong current. Alec was tossed and thrown around like an action figure in a dishwasher; constantly being slammed against the bank, boulders in the water, fallen trees, and other debris. A few moments later, he was slammed up against a gate that was blocking the river; three Fallen Captains picked Alec out of the water, throwing him onto a small dock.
With the world around him spinning, Alec is forced to stand and to continue walking through what he thought looked like a large gate leading into a small compound. He continued to walk until they stopped him in the center of the compound of the depot.
[b]Continued below[/b]
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42 RepliesEdited by Hobbes92: 1/3/2014 12:38:41 AM[b]Continued from above[/b] Alec fell to his knees, his head hanging down so low, his chin was on his chest; he noticed the grass on which he had collapsed onto, with patches of dirt and rocks protruding out from the ground. Fallen began to encircle him, keeping a distance; they didn’t look to happy to see him in their camp by the hissing and growling they were making. Suddenly, two Fallen boots, with very decorative silver greaves etched with runes and vines interwoven with barbwire, stepped in front of him. “Wake up!” Growled a Fallen Captain, striking Alec across the face with the back of the Captains hand. “What are you doing here? Where is the case?” Alec looked up at the Fallen; the mask looked new and the Captain seemed shorter than the rest. The Fallen struck Alec a few more times before he was interrupted… “Enough!” Yelled a very irritated voice from behind the Captain. “He will answer to me.” The Fallen leader from the citadel was sitting under a tent, covering himself with his cloak to shield himself from the wind. He had his mask off, and had a nasty mark on his head, just above his felt eye, bruised and bleeding ever so lightly (maybe from Alecs’ shot he took at him). Alec looked over at the Leader as he picked up a flare gun looking device from a small table next to him… “Recognize this?” The Leader asked. “It’s a stun gun, a ZX-98, designed and manufactured during mankind’s ‘Golden Age.’ Clever little device, capable of incapacitating humans, beast, ‘aliens’, and machines of various sizes and species. Though, if the charge is too high, organic matter can be severely damaged; nicknamed ‘Zeus’ Thunderbolt’ by some of you humans. Interesting thought, according to the ones who captured you, you’re human; but I think we both know that you’re part machine.” The leader got up from his chair and approached Alec slowly; the Fallen Captain stepping aside. “Behold,” The Captain began to say, as his Leader approached. “Lord Gore’ul; Warlord of Solian, Conqueror of Men, and son of Salia’ul of the House of the Elder Fallen of Novis 7.” Gore’ul stepped directly in front Alec, over shadowing him with his height and size. “You Guardians are so presumptuous,” Gore’ul remarked. “Taking what’s not yours, building where you’re not welcome, and bringing war where ever you go. Release him from his bindings; he’s no threat in the state that he is in. Strange times are these, haven’t seen one of your kind of Exo since the end of your ‘Golden Age’” As a Vandal removed the restraints, Alecs' arms hung at his sides, palms down; Gore’ul took interest in his right hand, the one with the skin removed, taking it into his hands. Gore’uls' eyes burned with anger… “Alec,” Called the voice in Alecs’ head. “Let me out, I can help you.” “Who- what are you?” Alec asked in response to the voice. “Why should I?” “Because I know this guy,” The voice assured. “Trust me. Let me out…” Alec thought for a moment, considering what may happen, but with the computer warning him of plausible damage to his brain, he was in no shape to fight anyone. With a slight pause and a quick prayer to himself, Alec let the voice have its wish. Slowly, Alec fell into a deep sleep… “So,” Gore’ul began to say. “You’re an Exo, Delta Mark III. But I wonder why you wear a mask?” Gore’ul grabbed Alec by the back of the head, drawing a small blade from his belt. Placing the blade on the top of Alecs’ forehead, the Fallen slowly made an incision down and over his nose to Alecs chin, directing it to the left. He then slowly pulled back the artificial flesh, revealing the Exo face; as Gore’ul looked at the face, his expression changed from one of sternness to outright rage. “You!” Roared Gore’ul, ripping the skin off of the left side of Alecs face, revealing almost the whole left side of the Exo skull. “I remember you (Gore’ul stepped back from Alec, pointing at him)! You took two of my sons, killed many of my kin, and removed two of my arms!” The Exo rolled its neck around and rotated its shoulders; a smooth growl came from its mouth. “It has been a long time, Gore’ul.” Said the Exo. “Tell me, did it hurt? Watching your kin die at my hands? If only I had more time to finish the job….” “You,” Gore’ul began to say, turning his back to the Exo. “Your kind killed so many of us. Exos, another fact that humans are truly willing to do anything to keep themselves at the top of the food chain.” “What about you?” The Exo inquired. “You killed every human you found; man, woman….and child. I wonder why you are called the ‘Fallen,’ did your God give you this name? I was made to terminate hostile threats to humanity, like your sons, your kin, even you.” Gore’ul walked around the Exo slowly, being careful not to get to close. “Me?” Gore’ul responded. “My kind? We’re simply taking back what is rightfully ours.” “It was never yours.” The Exo responded. “What shall you do now?” Gore’ul asked. “I have you at my mercy; oh, how the tables have turned. You know, some humans believe that a God made them in His image; what about you then? Would you belong to man or to mankind’s ‘god’ for that matter? What purpose could you serve greater than being that of a killer?” The Exo paused and thought for a minute; considering his next words carefully. “Long ago,” The Exo began. “A young child was placed under my security by the StarSide Echoes, she taught me many things, that I had a purpose, greater than I had even believed…” “You’re nothing but a war machine, a weapon, a tool designed to end life. An Exo ‘Vanquisher’ series; that word “vanquisher,” fits your kind well. What “greater purpose” could you possibly serve?” Gore’ul said, looking into the Exo’s mechanical eyes. “Most Exo series are created with the same purpose in mind,” The Exo responded. “Protect and secure the humans of Earth way(s) of life at any cost. Some were made as workers in place of humans were it may be otherwise dangerous for humans to work; though those like me were designed for war and security purposes….” “I never learned your name,” Gore’ul said, changing the subject. “Though no longer relevant, what is it? Your name…” “Names aren’t important….” The Exo began to say. “I bet Julia was an important name to you.” Said a Fallen Vandal, crossing his arms and leaning on a “ghost” vehicle. “Some called me a war machine,” The Exo said, standing up and facing the Fallen Vandal that had spoken to him. “A few called me friend, and even fewer called me by a real name…” “Which was…?” The Fallen Captain asked. Gore’ul shot an angry look at the Vandal, one that said “be quiet,” but the Vandal just shrugged. “You want it?” The Exo remarked. “You got to earn it.” “Gladly.” The Vandal said, stepping away from the vehicle and walking towards the Exo. Passing through an opening of the Fallen circling the war machine, he slowly made his way towards the “vanquisher,” the Vandal is stopped by Gore’ul before he can reach his challenger. “No,” Gore’ul said in protest, putting his hand on the Fallens chest, stopping him. “I won’t lose another son….” “You think I will lose?” The Vandal asked. “Exo’s are not like Humans and Awoken,” Gore’ul said. “They are tireless, powerful, unpredictable, without sorrow, and without remorse. I fear for…” “You fear for your legacy,” The Vandal remarked in an irritated tone. “Do not worry father, I have faced these kind before and they aren’t as tough as you make them out to be.” Gore’ul looked at the Exo then at his son; he knew his son was an able bodied warrior, but he didn’t want to risk losing one of his two remaining sons to a foe who had no desire but to end hostile life forms and protect human beings. But in order for the Vandal to advance through the ranks of the Fallen hierarchy, he would have to prove himself. Gore’ul didn’t fear his legacy, he feared losing another son. “Very well.” Gore’ul said, holding his head up and stepping aside. Continuing his stride, the Vandal placed himself five feet away from the Exo and took his stance, placing his hands and legs appropriately, the Exo doing the same. Slowly, they began to walk in a circle, facing each other. “Now I, Gar’ul, will have my chance to prove my-” Gar’ul had begun to say, going in for a strike with his fist. Before his fist could reach its mark, the machine dashed forward with great speed and accuracy, slamming his forearm into the Vandal’s chest, knocking him down. The Exo stood at the ready as the Vandal picked himself up off the ground, drawing its blade. Though he was armed, he was too close to the Exo, for as the Vandal turned his back to face his opponent, he was grappled and lost his blade. Taking the blade and forcing it deep under the Vandals left breast plate, the Exo began to twist and slowly bring the blade to the Fallens waist line. The Vandal fell to the ground coughing up blood, in disbelief at what had just happened. Gore’ul and the other Fallen just stood and watched as the Vandal struggled on the ground. The Exo stood over the wounded foe…. “Call to your father.” The Exo said, looking down at the Vandal. “No.” Gar’ul strained to say. “Allow me to help you.” The Exo said kneeling to the Vandals side, placing his hand on the Fallens shoulder, forcing him down. [b]Continued below[/b]
