Freya

The moment had come after risking as long as possible for me to collect points a little over two days in all we had hit 12 chambers; I had managed to collect 136,832 points after spending very little along the way.

We had decided to go with

Catalogs class 3 biological nanites, class 2 bladed melee weapons, class 3 learning architectures, class 2 high strain enhancements, class 1 medical

23,300

Biological warfare nanite swarm from the biological nanites catalog

20,000

Healing internal nanites from the biological nanites and medical catalog

5,000

Sensory organs from nanites and high strain enhancements

5,000

Speed increasers come from high-strain enhancements and nanites catalogs

20,000

High maneuverability wings from high strain enhancements

5,000

Weapons come from biological nanites and bladed weapons

10,000

Neural implant from learning architectures

2,000

learning architectures x 40 from learning architectures in combination with any other catalog were it was helpful

40,000

1. Advanced combat

2. Advanced combat with enhancements

3. Advanced combat intelligence

4. Advanced combat emotion control

5. Advanced close combat

6. Advanced melee weapon combat

7. Advanced martial arts

8. Advanced Antithesis knowledge

9. Advanced anti- Antithesis combat

10. Advanced anti- Antithesis combat with melee weapons

11. Advanced inclosed spaces fighting

12. Advanced inclosed spaces fighting with high mobility and melee weapons

13. Advanced tunnel fighting

14. Advanced tunnel fighting with melee weapons

15. Advanced nanite weapons

16. Advanced sword fighting

17. Advanced trench spike combat

18. Advanced sword dual wielding

19. Advanced high speed combat

20. Advanced high speed combat with melee weapons

21. Advanced high speed combat with melee weapons and increased agility

22. Advanced acrobatics

23. Advanced dodging

24. Advanced dodging with acrobatics

25. Advanced projectile dodging

26. Advanced dodging melee strikes

27. Advanced Aerial combat

28. Advanced Advanced Aerial combat with melee weapons

29. Advanced threat detection

30. Advanced enhanced senses

31. Advanced enhanced senses in combat

32. Advanced tracking

33. Advanced situational awareness

34. Advanced target prioritization

35. Advanced combat focus

36. Advanced combat decision making

37. Advanced preditor’s instincts

38. Advanced stealth

39. Advanced weakness identification

40. Advanced medical knowledge

The total price was 135,300 points.

I was currently sealed in a side chamber so the implantation would not be interrupted.

They had already fitted all enhancements, all that was left was to upload the learning architectures, which is what would take me over the edge. I had also yet to buy the Biological warfare nanite swarm, so I wouldn’t have to worry about transporting it.

On my head sat two black wolf ears. My old ears may have just been there for decoration for all the good that they did compared to my new ears. We had also replaced my eyes with cybernetics so my vision was many times improved and Titania would be able to interface with them to provide support. On the back of my head was the neural implant which was in essence a port for learning architectures.

I had a new organ that replicated and housed medical nanites that would first aid in stopping bleeding then they would begin to repair the damage. I had cybernetic muscle throughout my body that focused on increasing my speed, my pain receptors had been repurposed to help control this new muscle which insured that there wouldn’t be any lag in my movements. On my back were two giant black angel wings which stored anti gravity technology which allowed for flight with a high level of agility.

Titania and I just sat in silence until I asked

“If this is the point of no return, could you please call Mia, we need to let the other guardians know that it is about to go down.”

Of course

A moment later due to my new optics and a better aug, which was one of the few upgrades I had bought while clearing chambers, when mia answered the call an image of mia appeared in front of me and she instantly narrowed her eyes and interrupted my greeting

“What is wrong?”

I schooled my expression, that was the trade off because now that I could see Mia could also see me, and Mia had always been too good at reading me if I was not careful. As I was about to make up an excuse, when titania chimed in.

It would be good to let other vanguard know what to expect when they meet you for the first time.

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I agreed but instead of telling mia I said

“I am just about to go to get the swarm in place so you are probably just picking up on that, speaking of which, could you put me in contact with the person who is going to be at the front of the vanguard response?”

Mia not sounding like she bought the excuse respond with hesitant

“Ok, but you be safe ok you idiot because I love ya and don’t want to be in the market for a new best friend.”

I laughed and responded

“I love you too and I will do my best.”

I sighed and well I waited for whoever it was I would be put in contact with I told titania

“When we are done with this call I will make a recording explaining everything and if you could please send it to mia after the swarm goes off because I feel like if we told her now it would just lead to issues.”

Of course, and this obviously has nothing to do with you just not wanting to tell her.

“Psh, of course not. I am doing it this way for purely tactical reasons.”

Then the call connected and I forgot how to speak because if I was ever asked to describe my type I could have simply pointed at this woman. She was tall with thick and slightly messy blonde hair that faded into pink at the tips. She had pink eyes which shone with mischief. She was wearing a sports bra so her muscular arms and her glorious washboard abs. Which is what unfortunately I got caught staring at. The women laughed a great sound that made a tingle run down my spine. I quickly looked away and red enough to give a tomato a run for its money, and then remembered that it had been three days since my last shower.

The women stopped laughing and asked

“Well, what can I help you with? My name is Kitsune.”

Her voice smooth and sultry which was not helping me to focus I also noticed that Helena actually had fox ears which looked very soft, I tried to respond a few times and eventually managed to get out.

“I don’t know if you remember me but we spoke a couple days ago, my name is freya I’m the one in the hive who is going to set off the swarm.”

Helena nods and then responds

“In that case to you I am Helena. We definitely will owe you one for this. Perhaps as a reward for you I could treat you to dinner when this is done.”

I was now sure I had gone crazy prematurely but on the off chance I hadn’t I stammered out

“Th-that would be great.”

Before frowning and saying more seriously

“You might want to hear what I have to say before you make that offer.”

I went on to explain the plan and didn’t mix words about the fact it would leave me insane and why I had not told mia. Helena listened without interrupting but her smile gradually got replaced by a frown, and once she had finished talking helena thought for a second before replying

“I was honestly surprised when you told us this wouldn’t be a suicide mission but i guess in a away it still is. Are you aware that most vanguard get their vanguard name given to them by another?”

I nodded in response I had heard that from mia, then Helena continued

“I believe that the name Fallen Angel might be a good one for you, the angel in part due to your wings and in part due to your willingness to sacrifice and the fallen part as homage to your sacrifice. What do you think?”

Helena was still frowning which I didn’t like so I replied

“I like it, I think it sounds badass. But here I was hoping you were going to tell me you came up with it because I look as beautiful as an angel.”

Helena laughed at this but when her face settled it was still in a slight frown so I continued

“We don’t know quite what form the insanity will take so if at the end of this if you are still willing to take me on that dinner and I say no you have my full permission to put me down as I am obviously too far gone!”

Helena let out a laugh and her smirk was back which made me happy, helena responded

“Then I will be looking forward to it.”

I smiled at that and replied

“Well I better get to it.”

Helena wished me good luck before ending the call

After recording my video for Mia, I let out a long exhale as I stared at the box that contained the learning architectures and said

“Well might as well get to it.”

When I opened the the box and found one singular chip and asked

“They are all on this one chip?”

That is correct Miss Freya

I picked up before pausing and saying

“Well Titania, it has been an honor, I am sorry this is the lot that you got stuck with, being paired with a vanguard that is going to go crazy after only three days of being a vanguard.”

No Miss Freya, I must insist that the honor is mine. There is no one else I would rather be partnered with, and I will always be by your side no matter what twist our journey might take.

“Thank you”

I felt myself choke up as I said it. I let out one last shaky breath then slotted the chip into my neural implant. The next few minutes passed in what felt like seconds to me. I had the feeling of my brain being flooded with a cold sensation, then the chip was done and it destroyed itself.

Then I stood and spun in place giggling my prior solemn mood long forgotten as I revealed in my every movement as all of those before now seemed so clunky. My new enhancement responded to my every whim. I drew my new swords which were the same trench spike style swords as my last only on these the blade was matte black and upon cutting something they left behind hyper aggressive but short lived nanites. I was so excited to get started. I looked out at the hive and almost bouncing with joy asked

“Oh Titania, could you please highlight the correct path?”

Of course Miss Freya.

I sheathed my swords then squatted down before leaping in the air. I spread my wings as I did and flapped them hard propelling myself forward. I pushed hard as I followed the highlighted tunnel.

I was eager to get there, I couldn’t wait to fight and kill, oh yes and I would kill them yes by the thousand they would die, but today I had a job to do. Yes I had a job to do and I would see it done no matter what.

Finally as I got closer to the central chamber I encountered some Antithesis; these were models with numbers in the twenties which would have killed me in a heartbeat before, now though I drew swords and flowed through them dancing from one to the next leaving only death in my wake. Soon the model twenties turned into model thirties, it mattered not to me I would not be stopped. I aimed to cripple or kill or bypass whatever got me to the objective the fastest.

Until finally I broke through into a giant chamber knowing I had reached my destination. Then Titania marked the zone in the middle representing the acceptable zone for the swarm to go. I took to the air and made for it but this time I didn’t have the air to myself.

Immediately after I was airborne, model Forty-twos, scorpion-like Antithesis that fired extremely sharp chitin spikes that would burst apart midair making them living flack guns, began to fill the air with their exploding spines. I took evasive action furiously rolling and turning while being careful to never present a good target because if I turned the wrong way to dodge one spine my 20 foot long wingspan would make me a very easy target to another.

Then a buzzing sound joined the cacophony of the spines exploding, this was caused by the model fifty-ones taking off. Model fifty-ones which were wasp like Antithesis that could spew fire, they are mainly feared for their ability to wreak havoc on ground forces. They normally move in threes and can reduce a company that is caught in the open to ashes but where also very deadly in air to air combat. I tried to bait some of the model forty-twos into shooting down some of the fifty-ones but found that the forty-twos unfortunately had good enough fire discipline to make that not a viable strategy.

I flew like only a mad woman could; I expertly avoided the spines, while rolling around flames with only centimeters to spare. All the while laughter spewed forth from me. When I made it over the target zone I began to climb straight up, and as soon as two Model fifty-ones were under me by just a few feet I allowed herself to stall which I turned into a dive. I then sliced one wing from each of the Model fifty-one causing them to lose control and slam into the ground. While still in a dive I bought and punched in the activation sequence for the twenty thousand point biological warfare nanite swarm it was big, about the size of two washers stacked on top of eachother. I let go and pulled up saving all the speed from my dive as the Biological warfare nanite swarm landed in the exact middle of the target zone.

Well done miss freya, now i recommend you leave as quickly as possible

I shot towards the entrance I had come from, I had almost made it and was starting to line up with the entrance and did realize I was too low when suddenly one of the Antithesis on the ground jumped up in an attempt to hit me. While I managed to dodge the attack the unexpected motion left me too exposed to fully dodge all the shrapnel from a model forty-two’s exploding spine which caught me in the right wing. I still managed to make it out through the entrance I had come from and found a break in the rocks that I could seal myself in but when I went to land I crashed hard due to the damage. When I got up it was clear my right arm was broken but I couldn’t feel it due to my inability to feel pain. I immediately got herself into the crack in the rock and said

“Foam please”

It came in a spray bottle

Start at the base and work up from there

So I did just that but her broken arm slowed me down and by the time I was nearing done I got the notification that the swarm had been released there was a small rush I then finished a moment later, I was beginning to think that I had made it in time when Titania spoke up

Before you finished some of the nanites got in not many but I am going to need to reprogram your medical nanites to only focus on what you need to stay alive until the clean up force moves in.

Soon after everything went dark