Atlas arrived on the bridge of the Daedalus, in a fiery haze, his armour was covered in dust and ash, and was scorched in parts, his visor was cracked and Karee asked him, “What happened down there?” Atlas said, “I ran into a lizard the size of a small mountain. I got it though, it’s in the hold currently. I will return, in the meantime, Korvan. You know what to do.” Korvan nodded and activated the Helios Beam. Atlas watched the beam strike the planet and engulf it in mere minutes. Atlas went to repair his armour, adding in peripheral sensors that would alert him of any life within 20 feet of his current location, he also linked the armour together better so it could not be ripped apart so easily, he also added technical pieces that increased the durability of his armour and made it look twice as menacing. Atlas returned to the bridge as the Helios Beam was finishing and Korvan hit the button to release the Seed of Life, and all present on the bridge watched until it impacted the planet and they were about to move onto the next planet when they were contacted by Fate. Fate said, “Reaper, you are to seek council with us immediately, it is a matter of utmost importance.” Atlas replied, “I will master, We will be there as fast as this ship can take us.” Atlas teleported to the largest engines maintenance room. He placed a hand on part of the engine’s massive casing and charged energy into it, hypercharging the ship's thrusters. He radioed Karee and said, “To the Realm of Three, punch it.” He felt the ship lurch forward at a much greater speed than he thought it would. They arrived at the Realm of Three in mere minutes. They tore through the rift that served as the mouth of the portal to the Realm of Three. Atlas stopped hyper charging the engine and he felt it slow down. He teleported to the bridge where he saw the massive towers approaching, and a presence of concern clung to everything around him. He could feel anger as well, confusion, and even fear. Karee brought the Daedalus into a near enough position and Atlas teleported to the lower platform of the middle tower, he walked fast towards the lift as he could sense the urgency in the air around him. Atlas reached the top to see all 5 brothers, and the Seer on his knees, writhing in pain.
Atlas asked, “What’s going on?” Fate looked at him and said, “The Seer failed us for the last time, he lied for the last time, and now, he shall die. Reaper, do your worst.” Atlas wanted to question the 5 but he knew that would not end well, then he thought of the Fourth brother in him, what would he think needs to be done here, or the Fire even. The Seer and the Fire are brothers after all and there must be some sort of bond there. He dug deep down within himself and asked the Fire, “Should I execute the Seer as the 5 want me to?” The Fire replied, “If it is their command let it be, I have no say in this, but there’s another that might, try him.” Atlas searched deeper down within, looking and crawling his way through his very being in search of the Fourth, he found the Fourth in the deepest part of his soul. The Fourth knew he was there and said, “My brothers make hasty decisions when they are in fear, but they make only decisions to benefit the Universe as a whole, the Seer has lied many times, this I know, they have grown weary of it now, and he will no longer be permitted to exist.” Atlas asked, “Do you know why even?” The Fourth Replied, “I do. I cannot tell you. Fate will have to as it is not my duty to question why or tell you in any way, you are the Reaper. You follow orders, nothing else.”
With that the Fourth withdrew even further, farther than Atlas could go. Atlas opened his eyes and looked at all of the 5, who were now all looking at him. He looked at the Seer, who looked at him, his eyes seeming to say do what they say. Atlas raised a hand to the Seer, he gathered energy until he could not hold it in any longer, he used his soul harvest on the Seer, as he did the Seer talked to him through the connection created. He said, “They will send you away, to a place you do not want to destroy, you will be tested, I created a little white lie, they will not stand for anything other than balance, I hope my knowledge will give you an edge on your future, goodbye Jack the Reaper.” Atlas said back to him, “Farewell friend, may your mind be at peace, I will use your knowledge and remember what you did for me.” With that Atlas started his path, and the Fourths plan for revenge was set in motion. Atlas did not even realize this was the Fourths plan all along, to swing him over to betray the 5 and become the most powerful. The Fourth also knew when his 5 other brothers planned to bring him back, ridding themselves of Atlas as he is merely a tool until they can remove the Fourth from him. Atlas did not know this, and he would continue to play as their pawn.
Atlas thought long and hard on what the Seer said. Where would they send him that he would not want to destroy? He could not think of a planet he was more attached to then any other hunk of rock in space. He waited for the Three to tell him his next location. Fate approached him and said, “Reaper. Your next mission will send you home.” Atlas asked, “What do you mean home? The Daedalus is my home.” Fate shook his head and said, “Your true home. Earth.” Atlas asked, “What am I to do their?” Destiny said, “Balance it.” Atlas stood motionless and shocked. After a minute long pause Atlas said, “Surely they have not become enough to upset the balance, there must be some other reason?” Time said, “Their time has come Reaper, make sure it happens. Balance is a fragile thing after all.” Atlas looked down and deliberated continued questioning but he did not. He said, “As you wish, I will return when it is done.” The Three said in unison, “Make it swift Reaper.” Atlas walked back to the Daedalus with only one thought on his mind, a thought of a girl, the only one he could never hurt. If he did this, his promise would be broken, he would have nothing to continue on with. He made a decision there and now while walking back to the Daedalus, he would help the Fourth gain his revenge. He boarded the Daedalus and told Karee he would drive to the next location. Karee gave him an awkward look but shrugged it off and stepped aside. Atlas took the controls of the Daedalus, the ship that carried him off of his home, will now bring him back. As he started the path of the Daedalus he said, “Clear the bridge, everyone. I need time to think.”
Karee made sure everyone was out and before she left she told Atlas, “We are all here for you, should you need to talk, we will always listen.” Atlas nodded to her and she left shutting the blast door to the bridge as she left leaving Atlas alone on the bridge. He screamed within his soul, to get the attention of the Fourth, he screamed, “I’M IN.” The Fourth rose to respond and said, “Good, I will talk you through how this will need to go down to work flawlessly.” All the way to Earth Atlas and the Fourth talked and deliberated how exactly to take down the 5 without them knowing it was Atlas who had done it. Their conversation cut off when Atlas saw Earth on the far horizon. He never thought he would, in any timely fashion, return home. He thought at most he would have to wait thousands of years before he could return and balance then maybe but currently he was on the Fourths mission, not the Three. Atlas called his bridge crew back in and told Karee to bring the Daedalus around to the rear of the moon around the planet. After he looked back out at Earth he saw another ship. He looked closely and realized it was a resistance ship, it vanished out of sight and within seconds dozens of resistance ship's came out of deep space to block their path.
Atlas became annoyed, he was getting tired of these resistance fighters, their time would come soon with him and the Fourths plan. Atlas waited for a moment as the resistance ship's went into position around Earth and Atlas was about ready to wipe them clear of the galaxy when he saw his opportunity to. He was contacted by the flagship of the resistance, the “Liberte” or a rough translation of it. The message said, “We have captured your cloned spy set on this planet for your eventual destruction of it, we also have another prisoner on board that we think you might want.” With that an image was brought alongside the message, an image of a girl, Atlas knew who it was. He could not forget her face, her smile. He became angered greatly, he said to Karee, “Ready the single seat fighter prototype, I have something to finish.” Atlas teleported to Hangar Bay X where the prototype he had been working on in spare time whenever he found it. He was going to test out what it could do and crush this rebellion here and now.
Atlas climber into the menacing ship which only had one purpose, to destroy. He retrofitted the small assault ship with a much smaller version of the Helios Beam which is intended to take out large frigates, about the size and smaller than the Daedalus. He also had placed several rocket pods on it to gain an immensely staggering amount of firepower on such a small ship. He also used leftover engine parts scavenged by his crew to build a highly experimental Hyper engine which is capable of near lightspeed travel at all times not including the lightspeed mode, it also creates a nice red trail of fiery plasma wherever it goes, streaking for about 15 feet behind the ship at all times, creating great boots of speed and capable of insanely fast accelerations and decelerations. This ship also has a stealth transmitter which refracts the light around the entirety of the ship so the black of space bends around it and makes the ship extremely hard to see and also reduces the amount of plasma shooting out of the exhaust port on the rear of the ship. Atlas radioed Karee, “Open Hangar X, I’m setting out.”
As the large hangar door opened, Atlas was very determined, he also had never flown a ship like this so he was basically winging the entire thing. Atlas shot out of the hangar much faster than he thought he would, he made the engine much more powerful than he anticipated he would’ve. He was flying around and he was not really worried about the engine exploding as much as he was worried he would not be able to control the ship well enough to do what he wanted to with it, which was simply destroy the rebels flagships main guard ships. Atlas finally got used to the ship's handling and speed but he was in no way a great pilot. He set the stealth drive and went in towards the frigates, “Freedome” and “Justicar”, the two guard ships for the flagship of the rebels. Atlas started charging the mini Helios Beam and he got into position to where he could rip through both of the guard frigates and not hit the flagship, he overcharged the initial blast so it would tear through the first and hit the second taking both of them at once. Atlas fired the beam and disintegrated the first ship instead of punching through it and the beam smashed into the second one destroying it in seconds, this canceled his stealth drive and also debilitated the weapon for a while, how long exactly he was not sure. He did not account for the stealth drive to fail but he did route the circuitry for it near the beams travel for ease of access instead of better design. He saw the smaller assault ship's turn to face him and start firing, he placed a hand on the nearest engine part and he pulsed energy through it, he shot forward, easily able to dodge the incoming missiles and armaments.
He radioed Karee to open fire on the ship's but not to hit the flagship or damage it in any way. He would try to figure out how not to die going about the normal speed of the Daedalus in a ship a fraction of the size, he could feel the ship shaking from the immense power coursing through the engine but he was determined, he turned the ship around and pointed it near the flagship, he sped right up beside it, so close in fact he almost scrapped along the bottom of the prototype ship's hull, he used Apochrimation to teleport on board, sword already drawn and he put in the return command to the ship which would in theory bring the ship back to the Deadalus. He was on a mission now, find the girl, find his love.
Atlas made his way to the bridge, cutting down all the rebels that got into his way. He was fueled by anger, he was unstoppable by anything the rebels threw at him. He made his way to the bridge in minutes from where he landed. As he approached the door it opened, revealing a man sitting in a chair facing away from the door and looking out at the battle going on. Atlas looked around the room, he saw no sign of the girl. He spoke with anger in every word he managed to spit out before he went berserk, “Where. Is. She.” The man spun around quickly, startled, and he yelled in panic, “How did you get here?” Atlas said, “I am the Reaper, there is no place that can withhold me. I will not ask again.” The man said, We don’t have her here anymore, she is onboard our fastest ship currently taking her away to our capitol, a place even you would be unwise enough to attack alone.” Atlas chuckled at that and responded, “So there is no reason you should live then, or any of your men for that matter. Good to know.” He radioed Karee and said, “Activate all forward batteries, leave no trace of these filth.” Atlas walked to the man and grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up. He said, “You will tell me where their capital is, or I will pry it out of your mind and make you cry out in intense pain as I rip the memory out of you, your choice and you better choose quick.”
The man managed to say, “I will say nothing, and you do not have that power.” Atlas burst out laughing and said, “I destroy planets, and extinct species with naught as much as a blink of an eye, one more soul to torture is nothing compared to my true power.” Atlas threw him aside, into a wall of the bridge and held out a hand. He used Soul Harvest as he had on the Seer, taking his knowledge and all with him, however he put a twist on it. He tweaked the speed at which the lifeforce was drained out of the man, who turned out to be the Admiral of the Rebels ship force. The admiral screamed out in pain, Atlas yelled over the screams, “I told you I would, did I not? I will always get what I want, I am the Reaper of the Three, and balance will overcome you.” After Atlas had his fun with the Admiral he used the ship's console to divert a retreat back to their base to stock up, all forces needed.
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He planned that after his little Earth visit to wipe them out once and for all. Atlas called for a tracker to be put on the Flagship so he could cement the location of the Rebels main base and hubworld. He set the autopilot on the flagship for the retreat coordinates and reboarded the Daedalus. He told Karee when he arrived on the bridge, “Do not follow them, we will deal with them later, we must restore the balance first.” Atlas waited as Karee brought the Daedalus into range where he could make an entrance. He told Karee to open the cargo hold doors and hover for a bit, he would make a grand entrance back home. Atlas teleported to the cargo hold as the doors were slowly opening. Atlas noticed the large amount of troops amassed near the Daedalus, and a great deal of people waiting. He jumped from the cargo hold and sped down hundreds of feet, ready to do what he was here to do. He landed in a large open area around a half mile away from the group that had gathered. He waited in the position he had landed until the military trucks surrounded him within minutes. He went from the kneeling position he had landed into a standing position. He looked around at the surrounding soldiers, spinning in a full circle. He focused on a particularly different vehicle that seemed more reinforced and more armoured and he approached it and was met by a group of men who were hesitant to approach.
The man who had been brave enough to get closest to him spoke with at first a shaky but then confident voice. The man said, “I am Gerault Erwin and I am a scientist on this planet, which we call Earth. Do you understand me?” Atlas chose to screw around with them and instead of speaking he would try to convey actions with motions. The man continued, “Where are you from? How did you get here?” Atlas pointed at the Daedalus which was still clearly visible and dominated most of the sky. The scientist went on, “Can you speak our language since you can understand it?” Atlas nodded and started to mess around with his helmets voice system, he converted his helmet into a computer like voice that would make it seem like he was a vastly superior lifeform using a computer like device to relay communications. Atlas spoke, “I speak for our race which is approximately 10,000 light years as your species calls it, away. We have been watching you for a long time.” The scientist asked, “Why have you been watching us?”
Atlas said, “To determine whether or not you would become a threat, but you have not discovered the means to interstellar travel so we are not worried, your weapons are not great enough to harm us.” The scientist looked around at the other's around him and asked, “Do you have a name, and could you tell us why you are here?” Atlas said, “My name cannot translate to your tongue, but you can call me by the name most of the galaxy knows me by, Atlas. I have another thing to tell you as well……” Atlas paused, raising the scientist's curiosity, “.....I’m…” he slowly changed his helmets electronically generated distorter to revert to his normal voice and continued, “.... not as much an alien as you think.” The scientist looked around mildly panicked and asked, “What do you mean by that, and what is happening to your voice?” Atlas filled his helmet full of mist and when it was full he took it off, creating a mystical reveal. He said with a voice he barely remembered having, “I. Am. Human.” The mist dispersed as he finished his sentence and revealed his face, causing surprise throughout the group assembled.
The scientist exclaimed, “How is this possible?” Atlas asked, “What year is it, I must know, how long have I been away?” The scientist said, “2024, how long has it been?” Atlas said, “7, 7 years it has been. Let me get more comfortable.” Atlas arched his back and threw his elbows back, putting his armour into the spinal sheath, leaving him in more normal looking clothes. “That is much better, I don't look so menacing now do I?” The scientist said, “You came from space and claim to be a human, menacing is all that you are.” Atlas laughed at that and said, “Calm down then, Gerault, right?” The scientist responded, “Yes, Dr. Gerault Erwin.” Atlas said, “I remember a paper you wrote to me a long time ago when I sent you a thesis I worked up about alien life.” Gerault said, “Really? I don't remember anyone named Atlas writing me before.” Atlas said, “Ah, you did not listen to what I said earlier. Atlas is the name the galaxy knows me by, my Earthly name, is Jack.” Gerault said, “Well Jack, it’s good to meet you.” Atlas said, “It’s good to meet you as well, as well as being back home in many a long year. It feels like it has been longer than 7 years, mainly because it has been but….” Gerault cut him off, “What do you mean by that?” Atlas said, “Time is relative remember. I found it applies to all objects in the Universe, not only the beings. Time is different with every planet you go on and every place you go there is a clock ticking at a different speed. That's not the only kicker I have to tell you thought, wanna hear my secret?” Gerault asked, “What might that be?” Atlas laughed and said, “I’ve been dead for the past 7 years.”
Gerault kinda chuckled and soon found that Atlas wasn’t joking. Both Atlas and Gerault spoke for a good while before Atlas got to the part he found difficult to deliver. He started by telling him of his life up to the moment he and the Seer left Earth, he left out all details about the Three and told his story up until he arrived at Earth once again. After telling the story Gerault asked him, “What about those other ships, we saw hundreds of them in the sky, and they were attacking the ship you have.” Atlas said, “Well as I said, the people I work for whom I still cannot name at this point, are in somewhat of a disagreement with that group. Speaking of my ship, I call it the Daedalus, what do you think?” Gerault said, “The ship is very large, was it always like that or was it slowly built up?” Atlas said, “It was no larger than that helicopter over there when it carried me off of this planet, I built it in the behemoth it is now with the help of my crew, a race of super intelligent and extremely fast builders whom I saved, the Nebrechions, if you remember them from my little story.” Gerault asked, “So why did you return, other than to mess with us a little, what exactly has happened that you felt you should return.” Atlas said, “My business brings me here, sadly. I don't understand why it brought me here either, I stand by my words earlier, Earth is not much of a threat to the Universe.” Gerault asked, “Do you know how big the Universe is, you seemed to have been everywhere?” Atlas said, “I do in fact know, it is not infinite as you may think, their are ends to it, for a specific reason which I cannot explain. It may as well be infinite as big as it is, anyway, how goes life here. I remember some minor things going on when I left.” Gerault said with a sigh, “We have been taken over, our government failed and the strongest took over, they allowed us to continue our research thought, these soldiers are our private militia though, they are separate and are good people.”
Atlas said, “I could help with that problem.” Gerault asked, “What do you mean help? Like attack him? He has the support of nearly all of the world.” Atlas laughed and said, “I have a really big gun….” Gerault said, “What will a really big gun do against thousands of nuclear weapons?” Atlas laughed and asked, “Want me to show you the power of the weapon?” Gerault said, “I would actually, what do you call it?” Atlas said, I call it the Helios Beam, not after the god but after the system in the middle of the Universe. The largest cluster of stars in the Universe, full of power and highly dangerous should it go boom. I’ll call in a smaller ship, which has a smaller version on it, which I used to obliterate two ship's in the earlier fight. I haven’t even named this one yet, it’s a prototype.” Gerault and Atlas waited as the ship sped into view within seconds after Atlas called out for it. Atlas climbed in and had Gerault get into the passenger ship. Atlas said before they took off, “Keep your hands and feet inside the car at all times, and make sure your seatbelt is firmly latched….” Gerault said, “There’s no seat belts.” Atlas laughed and punched the throttle on the ship, and it was sent flying through the atmosphere towards the Daedalus which was near the moon now, getting into position for the helios beam.
Gerault was nearly crushed by the G’s let off by the ship accelerating when Atlas pushed a button and the chamber pressurize and the force was eliminated. Atlas said, “Sorry about that, I normally wear my armour when I fly small ship's so I don't need it pressurized. My armour is basically a survival suit, near indestructible and very comfortable. It was compressed into the spinal implant that I have, it was the most painful thing I have ever felt actually, and it was almost ruined on the last planet I visited.” Gerault asked, “I thought we were going to see the small one? Why are we going on board your ship?” Atlas said, “I forgot something which I probably shouldn’t have. I won’t be long, wait here.” Atlas teleported onto the Daedalus and he went to the armoury where his sword was, he facepalmed that he forgot it before he went to Earth and missed out on the even cooler entrance but it was too late now. He teleported back into the prototype ship in which Gerault was getting worried and jumped when Atlas teleported back in. He immediately asked, “ How did you do that? Is that a sword?” Atlas said, “All in good time Gerault, in good time.” Let's go shoot a big gun then eh?” Atlas flew to one of the cities he remembered, but they were different. Atlas asked, “Where is a really important place for this new government?” Gerault said, “Well their capital for one but no flying vehicles other than military are allowed to fly over or even within 200 miles of the city.” Atlas said, “Good thing I got a spaceship then hmm? Besides, they can’t shoot what they can't see.”
Atlas activated the stealth drive again, hoping it would work in places other than space but he soon found that flying past several military aircraft he was completely unseen. He and Gerault flew up to the city limits, and they both hated what they saw, human slaves, Atlas knew they would not be saved from the smaller Helios Beam being shot but he hoped it would ease their suffering, his human side was returning the longer he spent here. Gerault said, “That building over there, the tall black one is the center of their chain of command, it is said that no weapon can fall it.” Atlas said, “They haven’t met me yet then. This is going to be a light show, but I am not sure on the blast radius, the original was meant to destroy planets, im not sure what this one will do.” Gerault said, “That is the same with most of our recent experiments, we have had some, let’s just say, unfortunate happenings.” Atlas pushed the button to charge the small beam weapon, and before it fired the stealth field went down as it had before, Atlas mentioned, “It’s supposed to happen, don’t worry, there won’t be much left to chase us anyway.” The beam fired and hurtled at the building, smashing into it and causing it to disintegrate on impact and release a magnificent explosion which eventually engulfed the entire city and even 50 miles away from the city. The crater it left was massive and Gerault sat in shock, while Atlas praised his weapon. He said, “My gun did the job, even with the unfortunate deaths of the innocent, time will bring only more sadly.” As he and Gerault made their way away from the blast crater, hundreds of military planes and attack vehicles swarmed the scene, Atlas thought of this as a good opportunity to reveal his true mission on Earth.
Atlas said, “Gerault, I have not been totally truthful with you. I am not here for a mere visit. My business is a grim one, as in Grim Reaper. I was tasked with a job, to keep the balance, and the balance is on a Universal scale, meaning, any planet that is no longer required on a universal scale, is cleansed of all life and everything, I then populate it with some of the most basic organisms to restart the evolutionary chain. Every planet I show up on, ends and begins in the same day. All life gone until I replace it. I am here because I was told to, I am however willing to spare some of the greater minds of this planet and possibly a few more than that. I would also like to find whoever's in charge of this country now, so that I may, speak with him for a while.” Gerault said, “So you kill planets for a living? That must leave some sort of regrets behind.” Atlas said, “Not really, I see it as needed, and I restart the evolution of life on every planet, although after I destroy it. I see it as necessary although my thoughts are changing, because I cannot find any reason as to why I must take Earth in the name of balance, Earth should be millenia away from that point and there is nothing that deems it over worthy. That is why we came up with a new plan.” Gerault asked, “What do you mean by we?” Atlas said, “Right, their youngest and strongest brother had his physical self destroyed after he let greed overcome his role, he did what I do now, keep the balance by destroying and recreating life on planets on the verge of collapse. He traveled the galaxy in search of one who could bring him back to his physical self and get revenge on his brothers, me. I did not want to help him at first, but seeing recent events that have unfolded, I may yet change my mind, now if you’ll excuse me, I have an army to get rid of.”
Atlas teleported out to the bottom of the ship, while it was still in flight but put into a hover mode. As he fell he donned his armour and drew his sword charging it with electrical energy. He slammed the ground as the blade reached the power limit it could hold, and it released an EMP like burst that disrupted all electronics in a radius around him, he wasn’t exactly sure how large it was but large enough to take down the incoming helicopters. Atlas looked and saw the prototype was still functional which he was both happy and confused about, being that it ran with electricity. Atlas shrugged it off and scanned the horizon, with no new threats he teleported back to the prototype ship, and both he and Gerault flew back to where Atlas landed on Earth. For a couple days Gerault and Atlas talked over how Atlas would take the capitol, and it ended up with Atlas saying he would march on it alone, on foot, and he would level it. Gerault when he heard this said, “That is not wise at all, they are not afraid to use the weapons that are meant to level mountains.” Atlas simply laughed and said, “I’ve fought lizards the size of mountains and won, I will not be stopped by weak weapons, besides, They can't shoot them if they’re dead.”