Axel
They made there way through the emergency staircase. Rising up and up in the hopes of long range transmission with Ed for evacuation, it seemed to be the only option, more so with the crowd that followed up after them.
Axel was perched, head forward, eyes narrowed as he let the power armor helmet scan the area forth. “Where clear,” He stated and as they approached Axel was the first to realize that debri had clouded the upper staircase.
“Shit,” Isaac blurted out.
“Shit indeed my friend,” Spoke Arthur as he walked to the other young mens side. “Shit indeed.”
Isaac snorted. “Wheel just cut through the floor,”
Joeseph shrugged his shoulders. “We’ve got people with us, we’re going to need to be quick about it, who knows…I doubt that we killed all the GrimGar within the establishment.”
And Joseph was close enough to hear Isaac grumble something. “Another reason why we should not have helped them,” He paused and gazed around. But luckily it was only Joeseph that heard the speech.
Joeseph shot him a look, and Isaac knew he had been made, as he tossed his gaze to the other side of the wall.
Vinnie walked over. “Whats?” Then he saw the mountain of debri.
“We can’t get through this,” Stated Arthur. “We don’t have any escvation gear.”
Axel took a knee and pointed at the rubble. “Our strength with the power armor can allow us to clear the way,” He stated and threw his head back towards them all. “But it’s going to take time.”
“Fuck that,” Stated Isaac. “It’s a miracle that this whole time more haven’t came around the bend.”
“So, it’s either mine through all this debri…or cut on a floor that we don’t know.” Vinnie announced.
Arthur nodded along, his mind working. “It’s perfect for an ambush, but everyone just needs to keep there heads down, stay quiet, and stay alert.”
Isaac sneered, but he kept his mouth shut. They were right next to the door and even now the power was inconsistent. The entrance door having a green neon light, but now heavily dillapitadet.
Isaac was the first one to approach with his rifle infront of himself. Clicking on his flashlight as the way ahead was beamed with light. “Keep tight and you’ll stay fine…,” Spoke Vinnie to the crowd. But he sighed. “But I can’t make any guarantee if you weave offcourse. The moment this becomes a fire fight…don’t try and be a hero, that’s our job. Stay out of sight and out of mind. That is how your going to help us keep you alive.”
The group of civileans either nodded, stated explicitly, etc. But there answer was the same…they’d listen, for this place was horrible now, and they’d do anything to leave.
When they entered the new floor of the hotel, it did not look as bad as the lobby was, most likely due to it being the first floor. However, Axel was able to smell the distinct taste of raw jagged metal and dust so heavy that it practically clogged the air.
A minute of walking and they came upon an opening. It looked to be where elevator’s were and there were plants on the opposing side of the elevator, the elevator, why was he…there was an open slit within the right one, the door jammed and closing on something stuck, then opening then repeat.
Isaac leveled his gun at it. “Everything okay?” On of the knights spoke to him, but he was staring at the opening, and for a brief moment, he thought he heard some laughing.
His gun started echoing, and the Executor rifle, thumped within his hands. The Executor rifle, utilized great cartdridges that while did pack a punch against ones shoulder and wrist, they released bullets that could rip a targets limb from there own body.
Isaac was breathing heavily, and his brothers who had regained there weapons, the civileans were all looking at him. “Did you kill it?” Quesitoned Joeseph. “The enemy!” He shouted, and the loudness betrayed him, but Isaac was being to quiet…out of everyone, but Isaac was silent, there was more laughter and the roaring that they heard.
There was no more sound, no blood, and for a moment as more and more GrimGar started to appear and crack open the doors of there rooms. Taking there arms, Isaac wondered, if what he heard was an enemy…or the ruminations of a worn psyke.
Henryk
Henryk holding both his sword with both hands, delivered an overhead chop that seperatetd the GrimGar’s head in half.
“Good shit, wizard!” Shouted Bricken heard.
Henryk breathed heavily as the dead and dying of the GrimGar perished and fell underneath the true brother’s wraith. However, that was when they heard the sound of gunshots.
Bricken and Gerald rose there heads upwards. “That’s coming from here.” Gerald stated.
“Probably from the upper floors,” Responded Bricken. Jamming another battery pack into his rifle.
Gerald had a look, and he made his way outside. “Christ, it’s what I feared,” He blurted out, and Henryk quickly ran to his side, Bricken shooting a look at that.
He pointed, but Gerald could tell that his tone was laden towards advise towards Henryk, he merely was the observer. “The whole building is destroyed,” Gerald stated. “Meaning, that…”
Henryk saw them approaching. He saw the smog of there cars that had crude turrents, he saw some of them leaving other buildings to join the fray, and some were even charging towards them from the destroyed streets.
“Fuck that’s a lot of them,” Replied Henryk.
Gerald drew down to his SMG in his hands and he sighed. “I’ve got like five full mags for this, but they’ll overwhelm us with attrition alone.”
“Then, this plan has to work,” Spoke sternly Bricken. “Everysingle GrimGar in miles is going to come here. We need to leave, now.”
And as the brother started to speak, they started to shoot up and up, the adrenaline fueling there worn muscles as they shot up stair after stair. As they approached, and were planning on dodging the gunfire due to it being GrimGar or could’ve been a crazy guy. However, as they approached Henryk realized something…that calibur could only be one sound, and that halted his steps.
“What are you doing, Henryk?” Bricken questioned. “It’s up there…we need to…”
“Those are the Sons of Mars,” Spoke Henryk and he leveled his hand towards the floor they were on. Even now, they could see the muzzle flash that created blast of orange playing along the walls. Like some messed up EDM concert.
Gerald glanced upwards, and then, down to his brother and Henryk.
Bricken brought his gaze up to Gerald. “You want to work with the Martians.” He spoke sternly.
Gerald shot him a look. “Bricken, two members of our squad are dead…we don’t have the luxury of picking or choosing our allies,” Gerald gazed at Henryk for a moment and raised his hand. “Your alright, Henryk Brown, your alright…but before this happens me and my brother need your help.”
Henryk raised an eyebrow as Gerald continued. “We don’t have the best relationship with Mars, but just make sure that everyone plays nice. I’ll keep Bricken in line so there won’t be any hostilities back at the academy and in the future, but I need to know that we’ll be safe.”
Henryk thought for a moment, to his friends…to his knight brothers. Did any of them truly have it within there hearts to do such a thing? Sure, Axel was a douche but he still helped Henryk train with blades, Arthur did come from a feudal world and sometimes his beliefs could be annoying…but he was a Knight, like a time capsule superhero of a bygone age, Joeseph was distant and quiet, but after him and Ty’s accident he always drove them and picked them up from work. Isaac can get a bit maddened during combat but Henryk saw the friendship between Isaac and Joeseph. And Ed, his friend, the one that let him into his house.
“No,” Henryk said. “You will have nothing to fear.”
Gerald was about to speak, but the younger was quicker. “You think mere words…,”
“I don’t know about Pluto and House Mars,” Henryk bluntly stated silencing the brother. “But I know my brothers…they won’t harm a hair on your head.”
And Gerald took his hand. “Then, deal.”
They made there move after that. Words were long, action was much more quicker. Henryk drew his sword into his right hand, and gripped Gerald’s…no, his plasma pistol into his grip.
The brothers ran by his opposing sides, and as they came into view, the GrimGar’s backs were all they could see. “Kill them all!” Shouted Gerald and he released his smg into the crowd. The once buckling and laughing creatures were reduced to smush, but the ones still alive were blazed away by plasma or cut and diced by the flurry of blades.
One GrimGar made his way towards Henryk, whirling and slashing a great axe. Henryk dodged a blow and slammed his blade, the blade slicing clean and hot like butter through the monsters shoulder as it buckled backwarads. Henrky only rose his plasma pistol, and pulled the trigger, bathing everything and everyone in blazing blue light.
His breath shook again, his heart beating harder and harder within his chest and he struggled with his thoughts. He was shaking. “Henryk,” And it was a different voice.
“Hey, Joeseph,” Henryk tried to smile, but his visage only made him look grim. Red upon red, and now features and strands of his brown hair were now speckled with red blood.
Joeseph’s hand went to Henryk’s shaking form. “Henryk, your okay,” He stated. “Take a breather and relax.”
“Relax after all of that,” Henryk spoke as he gritted his teeth. “We’ve been killing things all day…you all said that this was going to be an in and out mission.”
“Things change, countrymen,” Replied Arthur, and he rose his maimed hand. “Just be glad that things aren’t all worse.”
That was when Gerald and Bricken approached them. “Woah!” Shouted Isaac and he leveled his gun, and the other brothers leveled theres, Henryk quickly ran between them.
“This was exactly what I was talking about Gerald.” Spoke Bricken.
“Shut up,” Whispered Gerald back.
Henryk rose both hands between the pair. “Enough!” He shouted. “I gave them guarantee of safe passage.”
“You did what!” Isaac yelled.
Joeseph shot him a look. “Isaac, calm the hell down!” He shouted and looked at the Pluto boys. “I am sorry, my friend, he…”
“Fuck that!” Shouted Isaac. And then he pointed at the druid and the brothers. “I requgnize there colors. Plutonian, they don’t forget, you expect me to fight side by side with someone who’s going to easily frag one of us in the back?” He questioned.
“You speak of us betraying you?” Snorted Bricken. “Fucking hypicrote.”
“Watching your fucking mouth boy!” Snapped back Isaac.
Bricken only chuckled underneath his breath.
“Funny really?” Questioend Issac. “Hey, how was your planet after what Damien did to you?”
Bricken snorted. “How’s your already dead world?”
And Arthur seized Isaac’s gun before it could be raised. Shooting him a stern look through his helmet. “You are starting this and there are civileans and the innocent that need us,” Isaac was still fighting within his grip. “You are a Knight of Mars, Isaac!” He practically shouted. “Conduct yourself with more honor.”
And Issac paused at that, and his gun slowly started to descend. “Good then,” Axel bluntly stated. “We need to go.” And he had been peering out the window this whole time. For a moment, he thought he saw something flying. A great mass of debri that had formed, the trash and other litter of debri forming tendrals as he slowly backed away, it was maybe, two to three miles off.
They started running again. From there little side track, they quickly made there way back to the next floor’s emergency exit staircase and quickly cut through there. Before they knew it, Isaac was the first to breach, and light quickly came down the dark hallway.
Henryk swiftly tasted the dust and ash within the air as he heaved, his stomach chrurned as bile expelled from his guts, warm and watery.
“Fuck, that’s nasty,” Replied Axel as he shook his head.
The others spread around. Checking the corners and they could hear. “Clears all around,”
Henryk was on the roof, his laser rifle aimed, but even he torn his gaze as he witnessed the destruction. “They’ll pay for this.” He heard a young man uttur to his side, but Henryk only kept his eyes fixated. Isaac did have a point, lock onto the mission, and everything gets a hell of a lot simpler.
“Henryk, over here!” Shouted Vinnie as he waved him over.
Aiden rushed to there position. The radio dish appeared old, probably made during the earlier years of when this place was just a colony and just stayed, but that was not on there mind as Bracken descended onto the machinery. He whirled the compartments open and then paused, making his way to Henryk’s backpack.
“Okay, we can just replace the radio port with…,” He sighed and ran back to the radio station. Digging his hand into it’s mechanical guts, and they heard a snapping hiss as his hand retracted holding a faint item the size of ones wrist, cubic and streaming of electric volts.
“A small powered generator?” Questioned Vinnie, ain’t that a bit overkill.
Bracken went to Henryk’s back and started to work the compartments. His power pack was completely fine, but something must’ve hit one of the walls of the sewer when he drowned. Because the radio had stopped working, but now as something was chuked from the suit, the generator replaced it.
Henryk’s eyes widened. “Edward, are you there!” He shouted.
“Henryk!” Edward shouted back. “Where the hell are all of you!”
“Joeseph where we at!” Henryk yelled.
Joeseph threw his gaze over the roof. Looking for any landmarks, but instead his gaze descended upon the street signs. “We’re off Logan Avenue.”
Ed sighed. “That’s good now let me…,” There was tapping of a keyboard. “Got you, expect me in less than five!” He shouted.
Henryk nodded, and a small smirk emerged. “He said less than five!” He shouted to the crowd, and there was whoops even amongst the Sons of Mars. “We’re going to be saved.” Henryk spoke with a rattling breath as his free hand went to his features, soon the nightmare was going to end. Or, that was what they thought.
A massive bang…it echoed through and racked there ear drums. Henryk unslung his laser rifle. “Ed, come quick.” Henryk spoke, and he saw the great legions that were coming to descend upon them.
Edward
Ed had sat across the desk from Mathias, the Governor of Oceana II, and Martian Loyalist to House Mars and loyal true empress. Mathias and Ed were passing around a lit cigar as they spoke between puffs.
“Your father was a good man…and your mother was truly one of the most pleasant and funniest women I ever met,” He paused and sighed. “I know that many did not like the fact that she was a commoner, but they forget the true history,” He roused the cigar upwards. “Martian Kings take there brides, your father took his, there is an honor in the old way.”
Ed was silent at that. “Mathias, Mars can never be rebuilt.”
“Of course,” Stated Mathias plainly. “We must change and advance, this is a new dawn, and I see House Mar’s lucky star on the rise.”
Ed smiled. “Well, that’s good to hear, because we need help,” Ed grew silent. “I was told by her, that you would be waiting for me,” He paused and steadied himself. “It’s been rough not having any money at House Mars, the men are demorilized, and this bunch are broken from what happened to the planet. We need help.”
Mathias took a long drag of his cigar, and he rested his hand downwards. “I’ll help,”
And a relieved breath echoed from Ed. “What do you need?” He questioned. “You stated that you came for a mission, correct?” Mathias spoke as well.
Ed nodded along.
Mathias continued. “You must understand that House Neptune and House Mercury are vying for this place, the last thing they want are the Martian Remenants to start popping upon once again, then, there would be a threat to who truly owns the sector.”
“Could start another war,” Spoke Ed.
Mathias nodded and rose from his chair, he then directed his gaze downwards to the city infront of him. “They have been trying to pine for a royal daughter of the Oceana System,” And Mathias turned to face him.
Ed’s eyes widened. “I thought that arranged marriages were against the abhorants?” He questioned.
Mathias scoffed. “The Martians practiced it and even the Neptunians would deny it, but that aspect was followed within there history, don’t be confused by there great futuristic societies, same could be said to Venus as well. Oceana Prime, Oceana II, and Oceana III were all awarded to House Mars, but Oceana 4 was the black sheep of it all with Neptunian blue. Now, did you know that Mercury has been involved in dealing with Jacen’s pirates?”
Edward’s face grew with rage. Years passing in an instant along his minds eye. White speckled grey skin along the hot summer desert, a girl, younger than him…the smile of a sister not defined by blood, but by loyalty. The King of Mars and The Empress of The Universe.
“Your not a fan of them?” Questioned Mathias, already knowing the answer.
“You have no idea,” He bluntly stated. “After the fall of Mars…they captured me and my Ma,” He paused. “Took us to a labor camp and worked her to death. So, yeah, when I hear them it really pisses me off.”
Mathias was silent, but he continued. He was a king, he needed to hear this. “Jacen’s pirates have been causing problems on all four planets for the last couple of months, but due to the new election occurring on Oceana 4, and there more lenient nature with pirates.”
“Lenient?” Edward repeated.
“They lock them up and try to rehilbiltate them,” Mathias stated, but then he smirked. “We martian lot don’t play with no brigand. Heads on spikes, and that kept them away, but there is something brewing within the planet, I do not know what it is. But there have been more disspereneces…I don’t believe it’s brigand related.”
Ed’s eyes widened at that. “Then, what do you think it is?”
Mathias was still staring. “I do not know,” He paused and looked towards a photo on his desk for a moment, of a young girl. “I’ve sent my daughter away, the other planets have already elected governors, but I am the last of true martian stock, they are a traditional sort, I do not blame them…but if that Neptune Brat marries my daughter. The system shall be hers, Neptune and Mars, and I doubt they’ll be loyal to the latter the kin she’ll bear.”
Ed’s eyes widened. “The Sector will have a new allegiance, and that will start to spread,”
“Two planets loyal to mars…two loyal to Neptune, now it’s equal, and in these trying times we can’t have that,” He paused. “There are enemies all around us, Ed. I am sure that there are some close to me that come from the trueblood of Mars, but they wear the chains of Neptune. My daughter must not be allowed to marry some Neptune Prince, not that Logan of Neptune’s bastard older brother!” He shouted, and his voice rocked the room.
Ed was silent. Mathias sighed, and wished to apoglzie for his outburst, but instead choose to speak again of anaylitics. “Yes, that is why we need to be smart about this…how about due to hearing about your tough situation, and feeling quite considerate that you dealt with the issue plagueing the city. A 200,000 credit stipend…”
Ed’s eyes widened, and he could’ve cried, finally! They could hire someone to run repairs on the house. He nearly wanted to pass out at the fact that Arthur didn’t need to cook in there fireplace no more, that Jacob and Isaac didn’t need to walk across the campus to play there video games, for Ty to do his homework, for Henryk to make his music…
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“But that’s not the real transaction that is coming here,” He started to walk back to his desk. And he started to type, a minute passed before he started to speak again, his eyes still locked onto the computer infront of him as he flipped the screen. “I told my assistant to wheel you out ten suits of mechs…there pilot worthy. Five for five pilots, and the other five for replacement…”
“Woah, woah, Governor,” Ed rose. “Your going to give us mechs as well?”
“No, I am not,” Stated Mathias. “This whole event did not happen. I did not give you any mechs, but there will be mechs within your transport. Along with the necessary armaments.”
Ed drew silent and gazed at the screen that Mathias turned for him to see. “That’s the mech?” He questioned. “You don’t have any martian crafts?”
Mathias’s eyes flared and he chuckled. “That’s funny my king,” He stated, and he sighed hard. “After the fall, much knowledge has been lost, many have destroyed the codexes to make more suits. So, I am afraid that you are going to have to find supply caches.”
Ed groaned. “Damn,” He stated. “I’ve got a bunch of guys that could benefit from having that firepower, not just warcasket, but personal arms as well,”
Mathias shrugged his shoulders as he handed the smoke back to Ed. “Try your luck Edward, maybe you can find something, it’s dangerous to prospect Martian crafts…we were the best of the best, so if we were killed by something out there, then what chance do you have?”
Ed’s features steeled at that. “What is the model called?” He asked.
The model infront of Edward was of bipedal design. A medium sized Warcasket with moderate armor across it’s body. It looked sturdy but sleek, utalarian, but as well held a creative edge that one could put there own flare onto it.
It was a predominately white painted mech, but had dull military blue ascents along the chest armor which looked stiff and sturdy, it’s shoulders, it’s knees were heavily reinforced, lets as well. The joints had this strange fabric covering them, making them appear far more agile.
“The guys called it the XI – MP1, but they simply called it MP1’s for short.”
Yet, Ed’s eyes drawn to the helmet. It’s visor was a dull deactivated orange, surrounded by that white. Mathias started to scroll through the pictures as Ed absorbed the new designs on screen as Mathias started to speak. “There are five total mechs, each armed with there own arnaments, the information will be stored on the command mech.”
“Command mech?” Stated Ed. “What are these?”
“Mass production mechs,” Stated blankly Mathias. “There is no Mars left sire. So, the only recruits that we are going to find can be those that can enter normal mechs. These ones, these new ones, the pilot’s heart will be in the chest.”
And Ed nodded along with that. Yet, his gaze drawn to Mathias. “Mathias,” He called out.
The Governor turned to him. “Have you heard anything about the Martian Arc Core?”
Mathias’s eyes widened. “As much as you do, probably, Sire.”
Ed sneered. “I can remember everyones reaction…he was flying so fast and he was killing them all and for a brief moment you thought he was going to win, but he was cut down and cut through the atmosphere,” Ed paused and leveled himself. “Mathias, if we are going to rebuild House Mars I need the power of the Martian Arc, it is my birthright.”
Mathias raised his hand. “You are right, sire, and all in do time, however, we cannot rush this. Luckily, we know that the craft is on Mars…reaching out is a whole other matter in general.”
Ed paused. “We just need to find a map of the capitol, that was where he had to have crashed,”
“But navigating it Sire is going to be a hell of itself,” He bluntly stated. “Before you get your wits, the monsters, or the plagues will snuff the life from you.”
Edward was silent, and his fingers rolled into fist, so useless he thought to himself. All these obstacles objecting his main goal and…
Mathias’s sigh was heavy and evident. “Take your time with this, Sire. Taking back your kingdom and carving your realm won’t happen overnight, but savor this money, and take pride in your machines.”
Edward had a small smile appear from his face.
Mathias dropped the last of the cigar in his smoketray as he rose. “Well, sire, I have other meetings and work that must be done, but let me walk you out.”
Ed nodded along as Mathias continued talking. Entering the elevator as the ground opened on the groundfloor. The same guards were astonished to find the governor laughing along with Ed. Shooting glances at there advancing backs.
“I am going to send my assistant to drive you back,” Mathias stated.
Ed waved it off. “It’s all good, Mathias,”
“Did you walk here,” Mathias shook his head. “No king should walk. I’ll just call up my assistant and…,” Mathias was digging into his phone. Ed was staring at his face, and everything started to run in slow motion.
A great light flashed infront of them all, like the sky was alight within Mathias’s brown eyes, and then the tremor came. The crowd that was within the office, the great crowd were thrown off there feet, furniture flying, and Edward could hear the cars wheeving all over the road in a desperate scramble.
Edward raised his eyes on the ground for he was spared from the blast, but the broken window glass littered like snow flakes. But outside there was fire in a massive blast that rose upwards to the sky…and those great floating cars wheeved and crashed into buildings.
The ground broke from underneath them as great claws started to grasp onto the surface. The populace, the crowd, some had started to run inside the building. People were still struggling to get up from the sudden blast…but Ed already had Mathias up and working his way to the stairs. That was when they heard the crackle of assault gun fire.
People started to fall around them, it was a miracle that Ed was able to get away from the thick of it, but it was probably how they dipped around a corner. A corner, that was the only reason why they survived and the others died. He didn’t even want to think about the women and children that were in the lobby with them
People started falling as the security guards from before started to rush towards the onslaught as they passed them by. Ed not offering a second glance as…
Mathias was coughing blood as Ed kicked open the emergency door to the staircase. He laid Mathias down as he gazed downwards and…
“Fuck it nipped your artery,” Spoke Ed, and he started to take off his suit jacket and wrap it like a turnicout, but the blood still sprouted. “Mathias, Mathias, I am…”
“Protect, my daughter…Samantha,” Mathias pleaded. Tears welling within his eyes. “The last of royal martian blood flows through me to her. They’ll come after her… and the rest,” He grunted the words through pain. And for a moment his eyes glazed over. And Ed seized him.
“My king, the others…Governor Norsel of Prime and Governor Jacobson of III. They are still loyal to the house, and my death may invigorate the Neptunians or Mercurians. They will come for her,” Spoke Mathias through blood clotting his whole pant leg. He dug into his pants and drew his keys. “Take my keys and go up to my office. I’ve got my floating car within a secret compartment within the room. It opens on the outside…privacy.”
Ed took the keys and stared at them for a moment, and then put them into his pants. His gaze drifted up the steps and he debated if he could drag Mathias up there, but while he was a young man. It was over ninety flights, the adrenaline flowing through him was one of there only saving graces.
“Stay with me!” He shouted. He’d came to late to save Sir William, but he woulden’t fail to save Mathias. “Please!” He shouted.
But Mathias was already gone, his words in rambles, the last words of a dying old man. “I always wanted the best for you…for you to live the way you want to love the way you wanted,”
And tears welled into his eyes. And for a moment Ed knew that while his daughter wasen’t there, to him, she was. And that saddened Ed to the core. Was this how Sir William had died, alone, and withering…a relic of a bygone era? Was this what they were going to amount to?
“They’ll protect you with there great mechs, they’ll slaughter all those that will try and harm you, and they will restore the glory of our House. For they are the Knights of Mars.” And Mathias’s words came out in a steeple of blood.
But Ed’s features turned into determination. “Mathias, I promise you, on the honor of my father…that your daughter will have everything and more.”
And for a brief moment, Mathias smiled as he passed on the steps.
Edward rose, his hands slick with blood as he started to back up as his back his the wall. “Holy shit, holy shit,” He whispered to himself as his fingers tightened into fist. “Oh my god…what am I going to tell Daniella? He was meant to be our lifeline.”
And Ed wanted to punch the wall, but he slowly tried to steady himself as he stared at the corpse of the old man. “I can’t worry about that right now, now isn’t the time for that,” He murmured. He took a heavy breath and approached the emergency exit door, it had a thin pane of glass that one could see through. Ed pressed his back to the wall and peered through the hole. The once sunny day was now a smoggy orange.
Destruction laid in the wake, Ed able to see the hand of a woman poking from debri, as fire was chewing up the rugs and curtains on the opposite of the great room. However, as Ed continued to watch, he started to realize that someone was…
Or rather something as he saw the great bulk of the creature. Holding in one hand an assault rifle that he dragged on the ground, and in his other hand a machete that was slicked with blood. He threw his gaze around the room, his sharklike teeth draining the light as his visage passed over Ed for a moment and kept on going…then snapped back to Ed.
Ed was frozen for a moment…then it started laughing. That was when Ed started running. Up, and up, and up. He heard the slamming of the door beneath him, but he kept running. Up and up and up, he kept running. Even as his heart was thumping, even as his legs thrashed around, he kept running.
For a moment, he hopped and started slipping off his dress shoes, he was in a suit for christ sake. But then he threw his gaze back when he was on his left shoe. The GrimGar from below had dropped his assault rifle, now he borne that shark like smile and was smirking evily and laughing as it raced up the steps towardas him. “Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!” And it all became a blur to Ed.
He rememberd that they needed special permission to get into the elevator, meaning that this key was probably utilized to enter the governor’s main office, he kept running…nearly tripping, but running as his ankle throbbed but the adrenaline disspitated the pain.
Then he was up there. He whirled the key into the lock and whirled the door open, and the GrimGar was at his ankles, he dodged the machete blow and whirled underneath it. Pulling out the key and slamming the door infront of the creatures face.
The GrimGar roared as it pulled out the machete, slamming the glass as Ed started to look around the room, his gaze went towards the corner of the adjacent wall, there was a door and through the blown away glass of the destroyed city on the side the building was slightly larger. A decent sized hanger for a car.
Yet, Ed’s mind drawn to the Governor’s computer, there were things on there…he was dead and he knew he shouldn’t, but should all that knowledge go lost?
Ed shook his head and made his way towards the computer. His hands ripping the back part as the machete was relgiousily hacking chops of the door. Ed practically ripped out the harddrive and started running out the room, whirling the garage door open he flicked on the lights. Slamming the door shut and locking it.
It was a modest looking garage, and Ed was gazing around it. The car was in the middle, a platinum grey with black tinted windows, with an open canopy. Ed went to the garage doors that had an illuminated buttons, this one was red, the other was a dectavted green and he flicked that one on. For a moment the door opened beneath him and Ed was greeted by dust and air…he marved with disgust at the city beneath him.
“What happened here…,” He questioned with horror filling his eyes. His gaze stretching to the great fog and the crackle of gunfire in the distance. Yet, his gaze as well drifted towards something in the far corner of the expanse…great masses of debri were floating, tentacles sprouting from them, but Ed could see something peel away like a door…and a GrimGar was grabbing more and more of themselves and hauling themselves within the craft.
“Are the GrimGar, spaceborn?” Edward marved with horror clouding his vision.
Then, his minds eye was broken as the machete started hacking at the locked garage door. Ed instanly started making his way to the car, he jammed the key and turned and the power turned on as he started to float.
“Cool.” He marveled, and then he planted his foot onto the breaks. He zoomed forth towards the dock, passing by the destruction, as he experienced the early moments of the GrimGar invasion of Oceana II. They shot at him, but he would swerve through the streets…it was when he made it to the dock that he saw the more aerial presience and land based cars they started to utilize along his trip.
He deacativated the car within the massive open hanger. Whirling it to the stop as engineers and civileans had come up. They watched him with scared eyes as he descended.
“Sir, who are you?” A security officer arose from the crowd.
Ed pointed to the great transport vessal that was above them. “The guy that runs that vessal…and if you want to get off this planet. I say that you come along.” The security officer looked around at the forty something number of people.
Ed faced the crowd. “I am not going to tell you to abandon your friends and families, but I was out there and its messy,” He paused. “It’s better to seek safety right now so you won’t be detrimental to the recovery effort of others.” And his words came out as a soothing balm.
Ed drew his gaze to the mechanics. “You guys working on my ship?” He questioned.
They nodded, and one of the seniors approached. “The Governor told us to top off your ship and all your mechs as well, everything has been delivered,”
Ed went silent. “Thank you, Mathias. I will never forget the debt I owe you and your daughter.” And his mind flashed back to his promise. He may have failed Mars, William, and now Mathias…but he would not tarnish there memory, no more.
But then his mind went to a far distant memory. Of an antlered knight that beat all of Jace’s champions, the same knight that was accused of assault Jace’s sister…it couldn’t have been Henryk, but the sight of antlers now made Ed sick.
Ed waved it off, this was not the time and place for that. “Good then, we need to get the hell out of here.”
Henryk
“Move, move, move!” Shouted Isaac as he aimed his Executor rifle at the stream of GrimGar that had came up from the emergency exit stairs. His and Henryk’s laser rifle ripped through flesh and muscle alike. Gerald’s machine gun joined the fray as it hammered within his shoulder.
Arthur was busy dueling two GrimGar at once. There machetes darting along his armor as he whirled a kick that struck one across the face, and then utlizng the momentum whirled his blade down across the other’s stomach.
“How many more minutes do we have to hold out!” Shouted Bracken as he ejected another pack.
“Fuck if I know little brother,” Stated Gerald, he reached for another mag but his face formed into a sneer. “I’ve got one last mag left and then I’m finished!”
“That was always the issues with you Plutonians,” Snorted Isaac. “You lot never understood the glory and necessity of the melee.”
Axel lined a shot snapping through a GrimGar’s throat as he went to his belt, chucking a grenade as Joeseph’s axe sliced through flesh and bone alike.
The little girl screamed. A GrimGar took his aim and…
Issac came rushing towards her. Grabbing her and whirling her around him as his armor soaked up the crude bullets of the GrimGar. He then leveled his great rifle and pulled the trigger, this time he had far more control, the two bullets tore through two adjacent parts of it’s chest cavity. Isaac scooped the girl up and dropped her to where the other civileans had went to be shielded.
“He should’ve been here a minute ago!” Shouted Henryk.
Bricken slammed his hand hard along a piece of steel vent equipment. “Damn it!” He shouted. “We need Warcasket heavy support!” He shouted. “…or tankes, or LMG’s, or heavy arnaments or…”
“That would be super sweet!” Cheered Isaac sarcastically. “You also want a cake!” And as he pulled the trigger a GrimGar’s head was knocked clear.
Then, the boom came, the whirring of engines started to echo within there ears as there transport brushed away the already meager and destroyed buildings. “I’m here!” Shouted Ed into Henryk’s radio. “Henryk, is everyone there?” He shouted and he started rapidly approaching towards them. “I am going to open the lift. Get you and all the civileans with you on this vessal stat!” He shouted.
“Come on everyone, let’s go!” He shouted.
He ran towards the civilean’s side as he popped upon a shot with his plasma gun that torne through the GrimGar. Here he was saving the innocent…fighting.
“Like a real knight,” The Girl spoke to him. The little girl in her moms arm smiled at him, and in her eyes he saw Diana and Jennie, his own sisters. Was that why he was doing this? To help those in need. And he smiled at that…squire, knight, there was honor in that. And he was glad to be apart of a bigger thing, and had his brothers along the way as well.
The transport doors opened onto the side as the civileans came first. The rest firing off there final shots as… “Out of ammo!” Gerald shouted.
“Then get on the vessal!” Shouted Vinnie as he seized Author and the others scrambled upon the ship. Yet, Henryk lingered, fireing shot after shot of red fury into the growing crowd.
“Henryk!” His name sounded like he was underwater. One jumped up on a piece of vent and tried to jump ontop of him, he whirled his opposing hand to his plasma pistol and shot forth, the blue beam burst a whole through it’s chest as it collapsed mid air to his side.
Isaac seized him and dragged him into the hold. “Henryk, what the hell was…,” Isaac began, but Joeseph slammed the door to the transport shut. The door started to wind open and Edward started to break free of the cityscape and start whirling upwards to the sky.
“Is everyone…,” Henryk began breathlessly. On the floor and his back pressed against the wall of the transport.
Arthur nodded along. “Yes, everything is alright…we survived this.” And there was a silence in the air at that.
“Not everyone,” Gerald responded with a shrug. “I lost two of my guys…and god knows what this experience is going to do to the planet. Hell, I pity the children.”
And as Gerald spoke those words Henryk’s radio boomed. It was Ed. “Guys, I need everyone up in the cockpit right now!”
All of them raced, but Vinnie’s hand came halting Arthur. “You can’t do anything right now. Your going to sit out and get treated in the med bay along with the rest of the civileans.”
Arthur could only sigh and register defeat. The rest raced into the medium sized command deck. Ed manning the ship’s controls. “We haven’t broken atmosphere yet?” Questioned Bracken.
Ed sneered. “We’re going off with the other civilian and military crafts that have been fleeing off planet,” And as they spoke they saw them, more and more in the distance arising.
“It’s a mass exodus,” Commented Issac.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Axel murmured as he rose his finger to the numerous ships outside. “Smuggler, military, police, medical there all…”
Then, black dots started to appear to the side of the great contingent of fleets, and on there side possibly a mile off. It caught the ship to beep for the undidentfied craft.
Those great tendral things. They were getting closer and closer to the fleet of ships…and then rockets and gatling gun fire were tearing them down from the sky. Men, women, children, families, co-workers, were all getting shto down and burning alive. There ships exploding and debri raining downwards as the Sons of Mars and Squad Pluto could only recoil in stunned horror.
Ed acted quickly. “I want everyone on battlestations!” He shouted. “There are turrent encampments along the vessal…also, there are Warcaskets.”
“Warcaskets!” Shouted Joseph astonished, and the others were just as equally surprised. “Where the hell did you…”
But Henryk had already broken off into a sprint. Running past everyone as they already knew his destination. Axel sneered, and drew his gaze back to the fleet that was being pluked out of the sky, and quickly ran to the join Henryk.
“There is no time, Joeseph,” Spoke Edward. “These things are killing the populace mercilessly, we’re knights!” And his voice boomed like an arrow. It invigorated them all, and they took there battle stations.
Henryk opened the hanger doors. Now, before it was sparse and empty, now it was laden with gear and mechs. In a long hallway like strip the heads and chest of the mech’s were visible and open, he walked through them all, there was no time for specfics.
Henryk slinked his way into one of the mechs with a massive tank cannon on it’s right shoulder. He heard footsteps folling behind him.
“Nice pick, druid,” Stated Axel as he ran by his side. Taking one without any of the additional arnaments or upgrades to the model.
“Wish I didn’t leave my sword back at the hanger at the academy,” Stated Henryk. “Would’ve been useful having an Evisceration Blade about now. Especially mech patterened.”
Joeseph and Isaac both came into mechs of there own. They flicked on the power and the radio, flicking through the pilot presets. “Damn these presets,” Snorted Isaac. Flicking through them. “So many damn different ways to pilot a mech…but the one you want the most.”
Henryk’s mech’s visor bursted with orange light. The mech’s hands rising and leg’s moving around, Henryk started playing around with his mech’s thrusters. “Look’s like the druids got it,” Replied Joeseph.
Then more footsteps approached. It was Gerald and Bracken.
Bracken quickly rushed to speak to him. “Henryk, I am a pilot as well…lend me one of your mechs for this battle and I’ll aid you.”
Before Aiden could respond, Isaac’s voice roused from his mech in the corner. “…and who’s going to pick through the slag of the mech when your dead in it?” Questioned Isaac.
Bracken shot him a look, but Isaac only chuckled.
Henryk leveled his eyes. “Fight with us, Bracken.”
“Are you kidding me?” Spat Isaac. “Joeseph you allowing this?” He bluntly stated.
Joeseph only just shook his head. “…any decent pilot right now is going to be worthwhile.”
And Bracken’s features turned into a smirk. “Trust me, you won’t regret this.”
Time was of the esscense and Henryk’s expression darkened as he worked the controls of his arms. “We don’t have time for this. I’m ready to sortie!” He shouted. “Ed, clear me!” He shouted.
Ed flicked a button and flicked it. All the hanger doors opened from behind the mech’s as the stub arms of the vessal went to the work. “Henryk, the Warcaskets are space combat worthy.” He spoke.
And Henryk smirked. “I don’t know how you pulled this off,” He spoke as he felt the weight of his arnaments clink to his mech. His hands greeted an elongated sniper type rifle with a big scope and…laser operated. The left drawing upon a machine gun with a folded stock.
The backpack worked a stub arm that handed a shield into his backpack’s arm and it loomed to protect the left side of Henryk.
He was shot forth from the vessal, Henryk staring through the view port as the cockpit closed, he seized his controls and throtteled forward. His mech responded and blue fire came ignited from his back. The other’s followed suit, they shot forth, like ravens along the diseased sky as they descended upon the clumps of debri that the GrimGar have somehow harnessed into working machines.
The GrimGar started firing, roaring as they took evasive manuvers to avoid there rocket and machine gun fire. This was the real deal…peoples lives were at stake, and that earlier hesitation had zapped away from Henryk. He whirled his machine gun forward and pulled the trigger, the debri vessal exploded under the weight of two shots. The other adjacent was put down by one shot of his laser rifle.
The weapon boomed with power…creating a bronze-orange beam that striked and made a hole that pierced the laser forth and into the ground.
“Be easy with that one,” Regarded Axel from Henryk’s radio. “These laser arms pack quite the punch.”
“No kidding,” Snorted Isaac as they started to throttle forth towards the vessals traveling. Eyeing the wave of Grimgar that were following after them with there crude vessals.
Ed radioed straight to Henryk’s mech, “Multiple hostiles are approaching us…defend us!” He shouted loud.
“Alright, men, fire!” Shouted Isaac.
There was a carphony of bronze and orange lasers darting through the skies. The Grim Gar’s large vessals were pierced and exploded after each shot, but Henryk drove his gaze towards an approaching squad of three that were making there way along the gulf of the vessal.
He ignited the thrusters of his mech, challenging the speed of the martian transport shuttle, as he circled past the command area he knew Ed and the rest were watching him. As he whirled around the corner he saw the three approaching Grim Gar making there move. One even latching it’s tendrals into the hull of the vessal.
“Henryk, structural damage!” He shouted.
Henryk did not speak, instead he acted. With a series of buttons, he slammed hard on a big red button. The tank cannon along his right shoulder released a devastating howl as the explosive grapeshot ripped through the approaching Grim Gar.
The leading one was ripped from the sky. The explosion swallowing the second one, but the third appeared relatively unscathed as it’s breathren fell through the sky. Henryk charged with his trhusters and wielded the stub arm of his shield, smashing the GrimGar vessal head on and breaking them clear and away from the vessal.
The GrimGar returned fire. It’s front almost like a makeshift cannon started to blast…orange energy?
Henryk darted past the orange blast on his trhusters, deftly manuvering, and dodging the incoming blast approaching. He swiftly started to return fire with his machine gun, but he…
“What?” He questioned, tapping the trigger button, did he forget to set the machine gun preset? Yet, that didn’t matter as the ship came hard, it’s pincers connecting through the body of Henryk’s mech.
Henryk grunted as the ship started to tear him into the air, further and further hire.
“Henryk!” Shouted Ed. “Joeseph, Axel, Isaac!” Shouted Ed. “Henryk is…,”
However, Henryk did not have the time for that. Sweat appeared on his brow as within the black gullet of debri, a laser shot was being charged to be aimed point blank at him. He grunted as he whirled the stub arm containing the shield infront of his cockpit and his helmet…
“Henryk…,” Isaac’ murmured his name over the radio, Axel, and Bracken as well whirling across the side of the vessal as all throse apparent. Even Arthur in the med bay was pressed against the window as…
The blast came forth, the paint of Henryk’s shield…white and blue was quickly blasted off to a weathered grey, and in some parts blackening as Henryk even felt the intense heat. He shut his eyes to spare his retinas’s, but he still felt the pressure of the blast…the way his mech shook.
He was taking heavy breaths, his mind going to the protocol book…but no! While this was mech, this was a mech, he had been piloting his whole life. He didn’t need anything fancy before to save Logan or beat Piper…he was good. And the pride alone made him smile.
“Eddy!” He shouted over the haze.
And Edward was frozen still at the display. But he could hear Henryk. “Play some tunes.”
And Ed complied, flicking on the radio, but even within the great cosmos there was frequencies to be found. The initial riff of a song opened, the bangs of the drums echoing within there eardrums, and Alex and Issac were shocked at the sudden music, but Bracken’s lips were inching into an entertained smile. “Let’s see what you’ve got…druid.” He proclaimed slowly.
Henryk dropped the machine gun…it was dead weight, but during his check within the mech, this machine had a melee weapon. He wielded the stub arm…half peering open and half not, and with a howl he wielded the weapon into his hands. The weapon ignited in a snapping hiss, and he plunged forth instinctiviely, the light ceased as his laser sword pierced through the front of the vessal.
“Your just some cobbled together trash!” Henryk shouted.
The shield was practically rust and nearly burnt through, but the arms were still onto him as the ship started to smoke and then explosions started to appear. Henryk in a flurry of slashes sliced off the appendages and blasted away, the ship rippling into a wild and messy explosion behind Henryk.
Henryk released the shield from his stub arm. Watching it fall and fade away into the cityscape.
“Woah,” Muttured Axel. “For someone in a new mech, he adapts easy.”
Isaac snorted. “But that has always been Henryk,” He paused. “We may have witnessed history.”
“Witnessed history?” Repeated Bracken.
However Axel’s features contorted as the trio hovered as Henryk moved towards them. Ed had already gave them the order to further defend the ship. The city was now slowly beginning to look small, but they’d need them to help defend them if these damned creatures could breach atmosphere. The radio was already off…now only being shared by Axel, Bracken, and Isaac.
Axel spoke. “Ai, one successful mission does not make an Executor.” He spoke firmly.
Isaac chuckled. “Weren’t you crying that he died under your watch?”
Axel’s features sneered, and Isaac continued as he watched Henryk’s form approach. “The Martian Executor’s, before, they have always come at our darkest times…the Xeno Wars, they have been forged under trials by combats before,” He spoke the name with reservence. “They always led a golden age…even Damien himself for the short time he was loyal, but Henryk,” He paused, and his gaze even lingered on Bracken himself. “We fought like Martians today…there is pride in that.”
And Bracken’s eyes widened at that. His gaze narrowing at the coming mech. “So, you’re an Executor candidate.”