The sight of a land cruiser and supplies almost brought a tear to Chase's eyes. Unlike the evacuation tunnels, Vandresh's passage ended at the foot of a mountain, a mountain they had to cross to reach the rendezvous sight. The trek was hard, especially for the wounded and fatigued warriors. They pushed as hard as they could, trying to keep a decent pace, some had succumbed to their wounds dying on their feet trying to reach the other side. There were paths and trails to guide them but there was still many pitfalls and perilous sections, they claimed the lives of a few exhausted fighters… a common occurrence in the Harshlands but this was different. It hurt more, the indignity of it weighing Chase down, these people survived a night of horrors only to fall on the road, running from the metal tombstone that was once their home.
Chase did his best to push his people, keep them moving before Serns war machine caught up to them but morale was low. Their home was gone, they had no information on their loved ones… It was almost impossible to stay positive and focused. He could feel the distrust radiating off them, he could hear them whispering about who he truly was, pondering his true allegiances. Tensions of the desperate, trying to find a focal point of their rage and sadness. Chase was an easy target.
Should he have told them who he was? In the scheme of things did it even matter? He had his reasons… or were they excuses? A prince playing masked hero out in the Harshlands, hiding from daddy's soldiers, running from the boring life in Hardwynn City. He never sought out to lead… he just wanted to make things better. But, he had to lead, as much as they hated it he pushed until they finally made it.
It didn't help his case when they saw the naked Jontha, his body coated in dirt and dry blood sitting by a raging fire. He was tossing chunks of a body into the roaring flames, they sizzled and released a foul stench.
The weary fighters start buzzing, preparing for a fight.
Chase holds his hands out.
"He's with us…" He says as he approaches the dancing fire, realizing they had no idea who this guy was..
Hell, he barely knew him.
Jontha waves them over as he reaches down and tears another chunk off of the corpse, tossing it into the fire.
Chase looks at the mangled body, then gives Jontha a curious and worried look.
Jonth lets out a chuckle and cracks a grin.
"Rahm…" He croaks out. "We have a long history." He looks back at the anxious survivors, he could feel the tension radiating off of them.
"Calm down, I don't bite.." he says "Grab some food." He points over to a stack of containers near the land cruisers left behind for them. Their eyes hungrily dart towards the containers as their stomachs growl angrily.
As the ravished townsfolk descend upon the food crates Chase approaches the fire and slumps down, resting his head on the log Jontha was sitting on. He stared into the dancing flames as the pain washed over his body.
"Sorry about your town.. I assume that glorious structure was Vandresh's final act? I know it won't make it hurt less but I know what it's like to lose.. well everything i guess."
Jontha says, tossing another chunk of Rahm into the fire.
Chase sits in silence fighting off the tears welling up in his eyes.
"I was supposed to stay with you. When I saw the signs of Rahm's curse something took over me.. I guess even with innumerable years to heal some things are just hard to let go… from here on out I'll stick by your side, keep you safe until the final battle." Satisfied with the size of the fire he tosses the corpse into the roaring flames.
"Final battle? What exactly does that entail? Why does it have to be at Hardwynn City?" He averts his eyes as Jontha stands and stretches in front of him
"And maybe cover up a little?"
Chase asks as he slowly sits up, trying to find a comfortable position.
He labors to remove his tattered cloak, he gingerly un clasps his cracked body armor, letting out a sigh of relief as the pressure from his wounds and swollen muscles releases.
Jontha grabs Rahm's blood soaked robe and wraps it around his waist.
"Better? I'm not really used to being around people.." He says tying a knot to hold the black stained garment in place.
"Yeah.." he says as he inspects his bruised body, like before crystals had formed on his more serious injuries. The warm tingling feeling made him think of her and it brought a quick smile to his face.
"Now spill it.."
Jontha stirs the flames and begins his story.
"We threw everything we had at Sern but the armada they showed up with was… horrific. We were a peaceful people, the last thing we expected was an alien god showing up with the sole purpose of wiping out our species."
"God?" Chase asks.
"As close as one I have ever seen, it eats power…. It waits until the battle is nearing the end then finally shows itself, if the survivor is stronger than its current power it feeds on them… takes their shape. You already know about its other powers, molding dead matter into new abominations and Chosen." He jabs at the smoldering remains in the flames.
"The beloved.." He clears his throat and spits into the fire.
"Jovar.. the one who had similar powers to you was able to drain it. The problem was their true form, while weak in strength, is incredibly hard to kill, like its body didn't exist on this plain of reality, and would always return with a new form. So he decided to trap it in what you all called the Source."
"So if this Jovar couldn't kill him, how do you expect me to? Why am I different?" Chase asks, flicking a twig into the fire.
"He was a builder, our cities were made of his crystals… no need of building materials and unlimited energy. Between that and the battles he wasn't strong enough. The device your father's scientists devised… it kept your powers at bay. You can absorb energy but its release is mostly blocked. We have to make it back to your father because he has the trigger to release it."
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Chase stares at Jontha in disbelief.
"What happens to me? What happens when the blocker is removed?"
Jontha stares into the dancing flames, he thinks of his dear friend and the choice he made.
"You will be the most powerful being in the universe." He says, trying to avoid the truth. The truth that they had robbed him of that choice.
Chase tries to respond but is interrupted by a few of the survivors. They brought him some food and water, a small peace offering.
"We overheard… thats fucked up. Your own father putting something in you like that…"
The others nod in agreement. Another one chimes in.
"Things got dicey on the road but you got us through.. Water under the bridge?" He holds out a brown bottle and hands it to Chase.
"Hmph.. Vandresh's reserve.. I think this was his best batch." He takes a swig relishing the warmth as it flows down to his stomach.
The others join them around the fire and Chase passes the bottle to Jontha.
"I would like to know more about him, he seemed like quite the character." Jontha says, passing the bottle to the person next to him.
They laughed, they cried, they told stories of Vandresh, Kimiko and countless others until one by one they fell asleep.
The next morning they packed up their vehicles and headed out to meet the others.
She could have killed them all she thought as she vanished into the ether. To everyone else it seemed instantaneous teleportation, but for her it was a matter of traversing the timeless mirror world, luckily it had its own set of physics, gravity was strange.. allowing her to fly and reach locations much quicker.
She couldn't understand why Sheena cared so much about capturing this guy. She was the greatest Warlord of the Harshlands… this all seemed petty. Kill them and take their shit, that's the way they treated any trespassers, but this? Taking in hundreds of refugees?
"Weird." She murmurs to herself, the words echoing in her empty realm.
After some time she reappears behind the cryomancer and their men cooking some large animal over a fire.
"Blizz, they are on their way.. maybe a day out. The target is definitely with them!"
"Shit!" He yells, startled by her sudden appearance.
He sighs, mainly in embarrassment as the rest of them chuckle but soon cracks a smile.
"You heard her folks, we'll be home in no time!" The group of marauders cheer in anticipation of another ambush.
The massive living fortress comes to a halt and opens its maw. Sern hovers out, staring in disdain at the shining metal structure before him. Rage wells up through Sern's eyes and they release beams of unfathomable heat at the mass of metal. The beams split and reflect off it, tearing into the landscape and an encampment of wounded Sourcers and fresh Chosen.The defiance of this sight made Sern even angrier.
Sern floats down to the clearing below and the sound of praise grows louder and louder.
They knelt and chanted hymns in Sern's name as it reached the earth. Sern remained hovering though, It would never step foot on this disgusting planet,the mere thought of it brings a scowl to his face. Sern enjoyed being worshiped but not by these filthy humans, Sern couldn't wait until every last one of them was gone, Sern would make them in its design and together they would face HIM. He left Sern trapped in that crystal… Sern was alive… conscious for eons in its prison. The Usurper could have freed them, it owed Sern that much. Without Sern he may have not claimed the throne. Abandoned…. Sern would have their vengeance and carry it out with the very thing they was sent to destroy.
Before Sern were The Patchman and Kara, they knelt and held their heads down. Kara wobbled, barely able to stay upright as her wounds pulsed in relentless pain.
"You humans are…. Pathetic. I conquer worlds… whole solar systems and you lose to this FUCKING PLACE!" Sern screams, the strange vibration from its mimicked vocal cords cuts through them like saw blades.
"We couldn't have predicted what happened my lord.." Kara shakes out as Patchman glances at her in disbelief.
Sern floats in front of the injured Kara, the borrowed face twitching in hatred. Sern's eyes glow and the air shimmers around it, Patchman and Kara struggle to breathe as the oxygen burns around them.
"Thousands… you lost thousands of my troops." The ground around Sern begins to smoke.
"You lost my Chosen, you lost all the new vessels and you lost…. RAHHHHMMM!!!!!!"
Molten hydrogen erupts from Serns mouth as it screams Rahms name. The volatile flow flies between the pair and melts a group of Sourcers behind them. They wince in anticipation of their unpleasant unmaking but are stunned when they remain unscathed.
"Your little side quest cost us valuable resources, Rahm was irreplaceable… you are lucky I still need you two filthy creatures… If you fail me again I will remove you from this world.. you will not be remade."
Kara lets out a whimper as Sern floats between them towards the bubbling pile of flesh. Sern flicks a seed into the mass of charred flesh and moves their hands like a conductor. Black lines etch themselves across Serns "skin" as the dead tissue wriggles and forms a new horror.
The Sourcers cry out in reverence, to them, they had just witnessed a miracle. Their God had performed a miracle even when they had failed Sern.
Sern turns from their latest creation as the newly born Chosen screams and howls as its body twists into shape. Sern hovers in-between Kara and Patchman stopping between them.
"Pathetic.." Sern says sharply before flying back into his fortress. The words stabbing Patchman deep as tears pour from his eyes.
He digs his nails into the palms of his hands but the pain barely registers…. Nothing could ever compare to the pain of failing his God..
"Never again." He whispers as blood drips from his clenched hands.
Later
Ian chokes as the black shadows retreat from his lungs and he is suddenly on steady ground. He notices the smell first,delicious street foods and hot garbage,followed by the buzz of people and the sounds of transit. He sees people walking past the cones of light the street lamps provided.
"Im.. what??? This is Wall Town.. how?"
Patchman doesn't answer his question as he looks around the dirty alleyway. A door slowly opens and the silhouette of a woman appears in the light. She nods towards Patchman and he jabs his knife into Ians back, directing him to the door.
"I'm moving you fucking creep.." He says as he reaches the woman.
She grabs his head with both hands and he feels a strange buzzing, the buzzing then turns into voices…
"We are now linked." The voice echoes in his mind.
"Good." Patchman's voice comes through.
"If you try anything stupid we will know immediately. Sandra is your handler now… stray from the plan and she will flood your brain with so much noise it will liquify."
"These motherfu.."
A sharp pain rings throughout his head.
"She can read your mind you imbecile…" Patchman, Sandra beams a wry smile at him.
"Get to work.. we will be arriving very soon." He says sinking back into the ground.
"Oh and welcome home." Patchman cackles as he disappears into the shadows.
Sandra moves to the side and waves Ian in.
His jaw drops when he enters the building, hundreds of Sourcers scurried about. On the wall was a giant map of Hardwynn City littered with dozens of red markers. Sandra walks up behind him pointing at the map.
"Where should we start?"