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Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
114
   |
Posted - 2013.03.07 21:25:00 -
[1] - Quote
GÇ£It seems like a completely different lifetime. I am no longer the woman whose memories I possess for I have become something different. Fraceska Denaard was part of the Federal Intelligence Office. A senior and respected agent in the field. It was because of her skills that I was born. I will you tell you the story of her last mission and how I came to have her memoriesGÇ¥
The room of the station had been darkened so that the unmodified eye had trouble making out details of the woman speaking. In the dim light Fraceska seemed to have pale white skin like freshly fallen snow. Her face hidden in the shadows. Either she had no hair or it was tucked under a protective cap it was impossible to say thanks to the shadows wrapping around her like a cloak against the cold.
GÇ£Please do not interrupt this tale because I do not feel adequate enough to answer questions about her lifeGÇ¥ The shadowed figured shifted her weight to get more comfortable. GÇ£She was a brutally effective weapon in the arsenal of the FIO able to retire crime lords, slavers and Caldari operatives with ease. Her mastery of weapons and combat arts made her a prime candidate for the Mercenary programGÇ¥
GÇ£I believe I asked you not to ask me questions? Why do I refer to her as an entirely different person? Fraceska Denaard died by her own hand with a bullet to the head. What emerged was no longer Fraceska Denaard and in that moment I was born and now I am an immortal. I have died over 420 times, each one just as painful as the last. I can assure you it does not get any easier. I have been trapped in a burning dropship as it fell from the sky listening to my squad burning with me. I have seen what a railgun can do to a tank, what it can do to a personGÇ¥
She fixes you with a stare across the table GÇ£Have you been in such terrible battles. Reanimation after reanimation only to look upon your own body now twisted, broken and empty. If eyes are mirrors of the soul what do my eyes show you? You will be killed in a thousand different ways. You will learn to kill in many more way ways than that. Learning to pilot and control weapons of war that no mortal man should wield, but you will no longer be a mortal man. You will have become a god. The power can go to your head. The mercenary armies fight each other for blood sport more than any ideal. You will live your life constantly in an endless state of war. Art, music and literature all the things that make us different from the beasts will be lost to you and all that remains will be the primal aggressive instinctGÇ¥
She stands up, still cloaked in the darkness but she is tall and physically fit. The tendons of corded muscle around reinforced bone. Genetically altered blood to clot almost instantly from any wound once exposed to the air. Each step has a certain predatory grace to it that comes from many wars and many deaths. You can make out a few more details now. Her body is covered by a thin plug suit that will allow direct interfacing with her dropsuit. If she has hair on her body or head iit is hidden by the cap of that thin suit. Very little is left that would tell you she is human beyond those still curvy hips and the swells of her breasts which seems like an exercise in vanity more than anything else.
GÇ£You wanted to speak to one of us, one of the immortals, before you tried for it yourself. Ask yourself can you live with forever? Once you become a god and you never be made mortal again. You will walk with other gods and shape the destinies of men. The populations of those worlds will look at you with awe and fear. Some of them will adore us as saviors and others will hate us with all passions a human is capable of.
Even the loyalty you hold so dear to you as part of the Gallente Defense Union wonGÇÖt matter. In the years to come of fighting and dying you will have seen many sides to many conflicts. The man you are today will not be the one that emerges from the tank or any other after that. Do you have what it takes to become a god?GÇ¥
She leans across the table at you now allowing you to see her face. It is pale and seemingly glows in the dim light. Those eyes are nearly all white. Her face streaked with metallic lines from implants and genetic alterations. Human in only the vaguest of senses with only that voice to give away what she once was.
GÇ£Look into my eyes. Do you see my soul? Do you see a weapon that will rise again and again to know nothing but fighting. Can you handle becoming a GOD! For that is what we are Gods among menGÇ¥ She lays a pistol on the table between you both GÇ£Shoot me now and in cold blood for you will be called upon to do much worse in the future. Shoot me and I will endorse you in becoming a god. I will show you what it means to have the power to kill worlds. Do itGÇ¥
Looking down at the pistol on the table do you have the courage to become a god? Or will you walk away and live your life as but a mortal. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
116
|
Posted - 2013.03.07 21:44:00 -
[2] - Quote
Just speculating. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
118
|
Posted - 2013.03.07 22:18:00 -
[3] - Quote
Things slow down as you pick up that pistol. It feels heavier than usual. The weight but physical and metaphyiscal. You are standing at the crossroads of your life to continue on with mediocrity or to become something more. This woman, Fraceska, has offered you godhood and all it takes is one cold blooded murder. What is one more death to the life of a soldier when you have seen so many already die and unlike this woman the dead stay that way. Everything is happening in slow motion as that pistol is brought up level with her chest.
The trigger is pulled. The bright flash creates stark contrast of light and dark for a split second. The sound of tearing meat and exploding bone. The smell of burnt flesh in such a confined space was sickening. Her chest is a mash of twisted bone and burnt meat. Blood gurgles from her mouth as ruined lungs try to work and those pale white eyes watch you the entire time.
Murder. In all of your life never have you committed such a crime. In war it was never personal you were doing your duty, but here was a woman that offered you power and immortality and you took it. Did her reincarnation in a new body lessen your crime? Absolve you of this nagging guilt that you feel? Dropping the gun you turn and flee. The Corporation she works for was nearby. What if they didnGÇÖt understand? What if they didnGÇÖt care? So you run. But the station is only so big and when they learn what you have done they will come for you. You have no wife. No children. Only your career defending the Federation as ever mattered. Your private living quarters were spacious, the pension from the Union had allowed you to live well. Not that it mattered any more. So you head to your stash. Body armor was pulled out and strapped on the oxygen tank and mask readied as well. Guns were loaded if they came for you they would pay dearly for it.
You spend the remainder of the day barricading your living space to prepare for what was to come. Was this all just a test? Would the Corporation come for you and welcome a new demi-god into their ranks? All that was answered when the door to your living space exploded in a shower of molten metal and sparks. As they came in you dove to the side with your assault rifle firing the first of the mercenaries dropped to a knee as lines of twisting energy danced over his armor. They had personal shields!
Turning your gun upon the windows you put a burst into them and the explode out into space. Sirens all over the station begin sounding. Red lights flashing dire warnings of depressurization but you ignore them. Controls for the room were shot changing the gravity as furniture and debris lifted off the ground you stayed on the move. Rounds chased after your movements as you dove behind the wall and the waiting shotgun, a weapon that served you well during the boarding of the Caldari Battleship GÇ£Merits of the State.GÇ¥ You could hear them moving through your flat as they closed in on you. A quick peek around the corner you spot four mercenaries. So this was it? At least you know you can take one of them with you.
Rolling out of cover you come up into a run leaping over the floating table, diving under the couch. Weapons fire tearing apart your living space but by some miracle you have yet to been hit. Coming up to stand against the large armored foe you slam the butt of your shotgun into his abdomen spinning the weapon so its barrel was pointed up as his head came down you pulled the trigger. 3 left.
In those delay of a few seconds the others got a bead on your form, you have remained still for too long and you feel a round tear through your shoulder, another through your stomach that just barely missed your spine. Your body is numb but you donGÇÖt care one last final act before dying. Twisting behind the dead mercenary as through rounds devastate the ruined form of their squadmate. But it allows you to get closer as you push the body forward and follow up behind it. Raising your shotgun at the second mercenary is met with an energized blade that cuts it in half. Rolling out of the way before the blades can slice you to pieces you come up with a pistol and a knife. Closing in once more you use their larger size against them and you weave through his punches. Having eliminated the threat of their guns for now you drop to your knees as he swung with his fist. That knife jammed into his knee and twists. As he falls you put the weapon to the temple of his helmet and fire.
In those final moments you feel a burning pain and then thankfully nothing as you fall to the ground with a hole through your chest. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
120
|
Posted - 2013.03.07 23:26:00 -
[4] - Quote
Slowly time began to piece itself back together. Was this death? Slowly your vision forms you are in a liquid. Panic starts to set in because you believe that you are drowning but through that panic you realize you are able to breath. Harder than normal but you are breathing. Hands moved to your chest which was still sore and numb in areas. How was this possible?
You move your hands from your chest, they feel heavy and sluggish. So weak and sick from your experience.
GÇ£Now you see what death is like. You are not an immortal, not yet. There is still much you need to prove to us before we welcome you. Science and medicine brought you back from the dead. Cybernetics and flash grown organs replaced what was destroyed. Consider this a gift from the Corporation so that your true testing can beginGÇ¥
She steps forward and pulls the handle beside the tank. The front lifts suddenly sending you and the liquid spilling over the immaculately cleaned floor. On your hands and knees as you cough and retch to get that liquid out of your lungs. The pain and weakness of dying only served to make it worse. She tosses something beside you as the liquid seemingly evaporates in front of you.
GÇ£Get dressed. You have a long day ahead of you. The Federation considers you dead in the attack on your quarters. It is being put to GNN that Caldari terrorists in response to your past with the Union assaulted your home in a suicide run. Congratulations in dying you have become a hero of the FederationGÇ¥
The plug suit conformed to your body like a second skin but it didnGÇÖt feel like a second skin the tightness was always there lingering in the back of your mind. From your neck to your feet was covered with the exception of your hands.
GÇ£You are going to meet the Drillmaster of the Corporation. A rough man than had seen lifetimes of war even before becoming a mercenary. Your skills are untested and basic compared to the life of a mercenary. You will need to grow and adapt or you will be culled and then there will be no coming back from the deadGÇ¥
As she leads you from the medical bay you realize that you are no longer on a Federation Station. Somewhere deep in the lawless regions of space where the most vicious of pirate organizations do their business far from the eyes of the four states. Looking out the glass there are dozens of ships from all the empires out there. Drakes glide beside a Talos. Tristans and Breachers practice combat maneuvers between the arms of the station. Even from this distance the great hulk of a Dreadnought drifts slowly passed. The distinctive shape of the Nyx can be seen.
GÇ£As I said before the old loyalties do not mean a thing. Out here you live and die by your wits. But out here we are all gods so be careful who you kill for they will be back angry and with friendsGÇ¥
The space she leads you too is a large dome. Currently featureless and bland off to one side and elevated with glass windows looking into the space was the control station. She tosses you a pistol, the one you killed her with.
GÇ£SurviveGÇ¥
There was a flash of light and the floor began to shift. The light changed and building from the ground was a forest at twilight. With sounds of distant water heard falling against rock. Before you can look back to her she is gone. The way out has blended with the wall and lost amongst the thick foliage. The heavy sounds of footsteps moving against the rock was heard. You have to move. You have to survive. As she said there would be no coming back this time if you failed. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
127
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 01:46:00 -
[5] - Quote
When you were contacted by that shadowy agent offering you power and immortality it made no mention of being tested like this. Funny how that figure forgot to mention all of this. Standing still would get you killed. You need to move and quickly. Moving through the fabricated wilderness was easy. You have fought in nearly every environment nature could throw at Humanity and you thrived as a Special Operations Agent of the Gallente Defense Union. If they wanted to test you then so be it, let them come.
Stepping lightly and in an effort to make it harder for them to track your movements you search the ground looking for what else can be used. Finding a thick heavy branch and just a heavy rock. Using the available vines you secure the two to form a primitive club but sometimes the very basic of weapons could also be the most effective of weapons. Climbing one of trees to watch and observe the approaching mercenaries. There was 4 of them moving forward in a jagged line. They were not told from what direction you had entered from or what you were given. Perhaps you could turn this entirely to your advantage.
Moving slowly as you test the branches with your weight as try to position yourself in the direction the furthest of the mercenaries in line. Pressing yourself back against the trunk of the tree as they pass beneath the tree. You have a split second to decide what to do. Fortune favors the bold. Dropping down behind the last of the mercenaries the makeshift hammer driven into the base of their skull staggering them from the force of it. Kicking the back of their leg while already off balance you drive them to their knees. The pistol firing nearly point blank splattering their face over the inside of their helmet. Reaching for the fallen assault rifle you make for the woods once again to hide from the other three remaining mercenaries.
Whoever this Drillmaster is you hope to impress upon him that you arenGÇÖt just a stock soldier that even without enhancements you can bring down even the demigods.
This part is shorter than the others because I am interested in hearing how others would like to see the story develop. Or if perhaps someone else would like to write the next part keeping it between 750-1,000 words with our unnamed recruit taking out the next mercenary. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
127
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 02:50:00 -
[6] - Quote
Why thank you, I am glad people like what I have posted so far. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
127
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 03:42:00 -
[7] - Quote
How did you survive that barrage of weapons fire after you took down one of the Mercenaries? Was it luck? No it couldnGÇÖt have just been luck it was skill. The skills that came from a lifetime of fighting in the wars that defended the Federation from destruction. You have earned your medals the hard way, in the trenches and through the worst of the fighting. This is what you were born to do and with time wage a war that only the gods themselves could survive. The adrenaline rush was something you have not felt in years. Here in the crucible of battle did you truly feel alive.
You can hear them chasing you like hounds driving prey to their master. Passing by branches that cut and snag but you ignore them and push on. A clump of trees ahead will be a good spot for cover as you dive for the trees you feel a burning pain in your leg but you ignore it, you force it from impeding your performance. You glance around the side of the tree there are only two of them, where is the third? When you have an enemy pinned down you send in others from a different angle to attack. With only the minimal protection of the trees it would be all but impossible for you to defend from multiple attacks. The hammer was dropped to the ground spinning around the corner a burst of fire takes the shields off the approaching mercenary with the other assault rifle. Fire from both them rips the bark of the tree apart and your face is burned by the hot metal and sharp wood fragments. It has been a long time since you tasted your own blood.
Turning again you take another burst fire shot at the mercenary hitting him in the body driving him to his knees. One hand on the ground as the other holds the wounds on his chest. Blood coats his hand from ruined metal and flesh. Not worth risking another shot he would have to bleed out. It was a risk that he could be patched up. Before you can move that missing mercenary charges into your position. Looking down the barrel of that shotgun you have but a few seconds to react. Diving to the ground as you go for that hammer. The shot splintered the trunk completely as it fell to the ground. As you come up with a swing from the hammer the mercenary kicks it away tipping you off balance. The blow to your jaw fractures the bone and brings stars to your eyes. The pain was incredible but you push through it.
The kick to the ribs broke several bloods. Still you would not quit. You would not submit. Screaming out your rage you rush the mercenary and drive him to the ground. The hammer smashing against his helmet time and time again even as he was raining blows upon your sides and body you did not relent. You did not stop until the man beneath you no longer moved. Standing slowly with each painful breath all was quiet. They could have come up on you at any time but they didnGÇÖt. Why aren't you dead? What was going on? As these thoughts were going through your head the distinctive GÇÿthumpGÇÖ of mass driver blew apart several trees and knocking you off your feet. This place wasnGÇÖt safe and you needed to move which was going to be hard.
How much time had gone by with the Mercenaries hunting you? With it always twilight. Fight after fight. All of that blood and all of the death you started to become numb to your surroundings. You would not surrender. You would not ask them to stop. You would endure until death they would not make you bow.
It could have been hours or days how everything blended together but something was different as you were approached. A large brute of a man in the raiments of war. Ornate armor clung to his already impressive height of nearly 8 feet. The armor was plated with platinum and other metals the craftsmanship was that of a master. It was clearly of Amarr make. His voice was like the thunder of the gods.
GÇ£Stand down recruit. I am the Drillmaster former Templar of the Order of the Dawning Guard. And I am here to make your existence hell. You will wish for a death that will come time and time again. There will be no respite until you either wash out or you make it through it all. When this over you will no longer be the man that you are. You will have made it to godhood and transcended all that makes you mortalGÇ¥
With his words the environment that you are in is disassembled and once more a normal facility upon a space station. Leading you to a set of doors that rumbled upon at your approach into a chamber that was dedicated to all forms of hand to hand combat. Mercenaries without their armor and how inhuman a god can look practiced with sharpened blades and lethal tactics. The room stunk of metal, blood and death.
GÇ£Fraceska? We have a contract to bring about the end of a mining uprising on some distant moon. For all their arrogance the Capsuleers require our aid like anyone else. HavenGÇÖt met one yet? They arenGÇÖt anything special without their ships to protect them. We are gods of a different kind of warfare. Respect their power and they will respect yours. Work together and we can burn down the gates of HeavenGÇ¥
Such talk from an Amarr would have surely been heresy of the most foul kind! But what did she say before all this happened? That old loyalties would cease to matter. Could one throw away all that they once held dear to cease their own destiny? All that it cost these immortals. The humanity that they lost so others could keep theirs. Was it a noble and heroic struggle? Or one motivated by the basest of human desires of power and greed. How many had died by the Drillmasters hands? How many armies were ended by the corporation? The miners whose only crime was wanting more pay and better working conditions earned them a conflict with one of the most ruthless mercenary armies of New Eden. Gauntlets should have been dyed red with the blood of the innocent. And here she proved correct once again, that murder in cold blood would be the least of what he would be called upon to do. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
127
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 03:43:00 -
[8] - Quote
When the last stars died the immortals would still be there fighting and dying for causes that no longer existed or simply because they liked it. No chance to turn back now. You have decided to walk the path to godhood and it was forever. Once you had such power it could never be returned. These thoughts banished from your mind as you were suddenly thrown across the training floor into one of the circles.
GÇ£Let us beginGÇ¥ |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
131
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 04:14:00 -
[9] - Quote
I've enjoyed typing up these little parts to the story though I am curious are people interested in seeing more? |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
132
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 05:35:00 -
[10] - Quote
The beatings continued under the guise of training. How far could they push you before finally snapped? The medical treatments to set broken bones and heal ruptured organs. They gave you nothing special when fighting against the Mercenaries, your future brothers and sisters in arms. It took time to notice the subtle differences in their movements that set them apart from each other beyond those voices.
Tria Rae perhaps the one that is the only one you could potentially call a friend in this place. The lessons that she taught were beyond just the pain of broken bones and the suffering of the spirit when exposed to some of the worst conditions possible. She taught you the martial arts from a hundred worlds and combat styles of a dozen militaries. As days blended into weeks your proficiency grew and the time you spent recovering shrunk.
Lod Morre was a former Caldari Special Operations asset that was one of the Corporations greatest sharpshooters and his lessons came from static emplacements in the training dome taking shots at the other squads fighting each other. Learning how to correct for all manner of erratic movement of the enemy and how ineffective jumping like a bunny could be. That head shot became center mass ripping apart the spine and dropping the mercenary whose suffering was heard across the comms but no medic came to his aid. He pulled himself across the floor until he came once more into your sights. A calming breath, a steady squeeze of the trigger and his head exploded in a fine mist of boiled blood and shattered bone. Perhaps next time he would not try to jump around so much and make himself a target.
Ayn Casile was the pilot of the corporation and her skills in the chair were rivaled by no other. Learning to do things with vehicles you did not think was possible. How to land in a hot LZ to drop off new troops and to provide covering fire for those already on the ground. The nuances of tank warfare. The loading and operation of all manner of turrets from blasters to missiles. And the versatile and light vehicle that could cover a great distance relatively quickly. Shooting from the passenger seat and the turret at the rear.
All of this training was done under the watchful eye of the Drillmaster. It was into the third month of training that you were called to a new section of the station. Clearly for medical use there was a single pod with its covering still open. Standing there in a small group was Fraceska, the Drillmaster, two doctors and a tall man with tan skin and black hair. His voice had that classical gallente charm to it.
GÇ£You have done well recruit. You have survived where many others have failed. You have thrived where others have fallen. Having proven your toughness and ability as a mere man you have been chosen to take the next step to your godhoodGÇ¥
The doctors approached you and helped you out of the uniform you were wearing. Ushering you towards the tank and having you step inside of it. As the lid closed and sealed that cool thick pink liquid started to fill the tank. Even though you knew you could breath it, it was a natural reaction against drowning that existed on a more primitive level. Fighting to control yourself, you would not embarrass yourself at a time like this. As the liquid closed around your head you did not fight it. Inhaling several gulps of that liquid that filled your throat and lungs. From the interior walls of the tank machines emerged and held you by the wrists and ankles. The slight sting in your arm from an injection with its spreading numbness but you remained alert through it all. Aware of what was happening but unable to do a thing about it.
The lasers started at the back of your head. Skin was peeled away from bone and then the bone was cut apart to reveal what lay beneath. That grey-pink matter exposed only to the germ free liquid environment. It was disorienting, but not painful as that device was pushed into your brain. Nanofibers spreading throughout as it locked to your brainstem. The sensation was different as it travelled down your spine. Wrapping around your head was a device that was just as complex. It had integrated with your nervous system, preserving all that you were up until the moment of death. How long you were in that tank was unknown. It is not like time mattered since you were brought to this station. The man you use to be was dying and in his place a new god would be born with those same memories.
Coming to was sudden and painful. All of your limbs felt heavy. Your head spun and spots behind your eyes clouded your vision. Laying on a bare bed looking up at the ceiling trying to get everything to work once more. As you turn your head there is a message on the holographic screen with a simple message.
GÇ£How will you die?GÇ¥ |
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Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
158
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 16:45:00 -
[11] - Quote
Good morning!
I don't know how I do it I just type what is in my head. I will be starting Part 7 shortly enough, it is just so hard to decide either play the game or write a story about the game! |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
158
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 17:12:00 -
[12] - Quote
You spend the next day laying there getting use to this body. The discomfort in your limbs as you can feel those wires and sensors rubbing against bone and poking against muscle. Even the smallest of movements makes you acutely aware that you are losing your humanity. You lay there looking up at the white ceiling as the light remains constant. That nearby message taunting you, burning into your memory even when you close your eyes.
How could they do this to you! They approached you! They saw your skills and abilities! They treat you like garbage! As your anger grows from just laying there your adrenaline starts pumping your anger numbs your pain pushes you into action. Standing slowly your vision spins and your stomach wretches. This discomfort only pushing you further. They would pay for this. You would show them the error of their ways. The door hissed open as you approached into that empty hallway. As always the sounds of fighting filled the station. They were always fighting. Always bleeding,always dying. A way to keep up their skills but also to illustrate they were no longer human and their immortality was cheap and replaceable. For being gods they did not seem to have the greatest of lifestyles or opulent palaces and shrines dedicated to their might.
What kind of gods were they? Soon to be the dead gods. As you enter one of the armories there is a mercenary there. You look around and find one of the wrenches use to work on the turrets of the tanks. It feels so much heavier to your weakened limbs but that will not stop you. The Mercenary doesnGÇÖt pay you any attention as you get closer he is too busy readying the weapons for the next contract. The hubris of the gods knows no bounds. Swinging with all your might you drive that wrench into the base of his neck. The sickening snap of bone as the neck is shattered. Moving further then into the armory to load up. You donGÇÖt finish him off he would only revive in a short time to tell the others what has happened. Let him experience this moment of weakness of what it means to be helpless. To be mortal.
They had honed your lethality to their standards. You knew their tricks and secrets this time. They would not hunt you through the woods ever again. No! You were determined to make them suffer. The assault rifle hung across your back. Two pistols, one on each hip. Two belts of those grenades for the Mass Driver. You were ready now. Leaving the injured Mercenary in such a helpless state.
You stalk through hallways until you come to one of the dining facilities. You see several mercenaries and mortal staff. They look up at you when you enter. A mix of confusion and apprehension on their faces. Those mercenaries move to get to you, their reflexes so much better than a mortals but you are ready. The shake of the gun the GÇ£thumpGÇ¥ as the round is propelled into his chest knocking him off his feet when it explodes a short time later. Without the protection of his armor his body paints the floor and ceiling from the explosion. That concussive wave knocks the mortals off their feet, they would be handled later. Though it only staggered the immortals. Spinning to fire the next immortal dies. 4 rounds left, 6 immortals. Pointing the gun between two of them you fire. Severed legs and arms fly up into the air as ruined bodies tumble to the ground. One of the mortals rushes you. Bravely foolish. Stepping forward you ram the stock of the Mass Driver into his chest doubling him over. Adjusting that weapon slightly you use it as a club to smash his skull apart. Pulling the trigger the round ricochets off the ceiling and into another clump of people. Time is up here and you flee out of the dining hall. You run with all your might reloading such a cumbersome weapon.
Sirens wail throughout the station. The lights darken. Doors seal to create a maze of halls and rooms. But this can work to your advantage you would take a few more down with you. Your anger clouding your judgement. Your rage giving you lethal purpose. You would die as a hero-king of the stories. Proudly and on your feet with the bodies of your enemies lying dead upon the ground. You would be that Hero-King. You would fight the hypocritical tyranny of these gods. Now you scoff at the notion of these gods. These gods would pay for the suffering and pain they caused.
You choose to die on your feet. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
160
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 19:53:00 -
[13] - Quote
You remained mobile as you were able. That constant pain and numbness was slowing you down no matter how far your anger and your rage carried you. The mortal body could only take so much. And that is when it came to you. End their reincarnation. In the stories even gods could die. And now these gods too will feel the wrath of what a single, simple mortal can do with sufficient motivation.
You moved through darkened maze. If they wanted to they could have trapped you in one location but they did not. It was more fun. More sporting this way. Another training exercise for them with your life on the line. They came from the other doorway across the room. A shot from your Mass Driver drove them into cover they were armored now and killing them would no longer be that simple. Moving to the side entrance in an effort to get to the reanimation tanks.
Another shot of the mass driver cleared the hall enough for you to get to the safety of the next room. 4 rounds left. No time to reload those spent tubes you must keep going they are right on your heels. The world explodes around you as rounds zip passed your body. You are numb to the pain that it has caused. The side of your face burnt. The eye socket broken and the eye all but a mash of jelly. You would not quit. Reciting the Federations anthem to yourself as you continue onward. They would not strip all that you held dear. You were Gallente. And you were proud of what your people have done.
They were coming down the hall you go to raise the gun but your right arm doesnGÇÖt respond. Glancing down it was useless. Held to your shoulder by muscle and tendons alone. The bone was shattered with multiple compound fractures and yet you did not care. Let them come. Bracing the Mass Driver against your hip the last four rounds are sent down the hall. Exploding amongst the throne of mercenaries and mortal troops. Empty, you toss it aside. Pressing yourself against the wall you twist ever so slightly and that assault rifle is drawn. Backing down the hall towards your target. Burst firing as you go. The familiar glowing GÇ£popGÇ¥ when the shields go down. Another burst and a fallen body. You scream out your pain, rage and hate. And you begin to sing the anthem of the Federation loudly once again. Another shot to your stomach drives you to knees. The pain was burning your fingers go numb and the rifle drops from your grip.
Focus. This is not how a hero-king would die. No! Pushing yourself to your feet you draw the pistol and begin firing down the hall. But at last you reached the chamber. Spinning into the room you seal the door behind you. But they are already waiting for you.
This is the end. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
160
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 21:01:00 -
[14] - Quote
They were standing there waiting for you. The Drillmaster, the unknown man from the first meeting and a woman with deeply tanned skin and long black hair. It wasnGÇÖt until she spoke that you knew who she was.
GÇ£The most unique approach to this test that I have yet to seeGÇ¥ It was Fraceska.
GÇ£His anger will be a liability. A danger to the corporationGÇ¥ The heavy voice of the Drillmaster spoke
GÇ£We push them to the breaking point. We want to see how they react to stress. This is how he reacted. When finally pushed too far and instead of backing down he rushed at his perceived enemies. In combat he will never retreat and never surrenderGÇ¥ They were speaking as if you werenGÇÖt even there! Outright ignoring all that you have done.
Your working arm has become so heavy. It is harder now to raise that pistol. Harder now to even move. But you will remain standing! You will not fall upon your face and bleed out like some helpless animal. Readying yourself for this final fight. Yet a strange calm of acceptance of it all. Narrowing your eyes as you study them. Two of them are unarmed and lack armor. The massive bulk of the former Templar is the greatest of threats in this room. Breathing is harder now the anger and rage is bleeding away but it is then that you notice how inhuman it all looks. Silver fluid, twisted wires and broken mesh. What did they make you into? What kind of puppet of human flesh had you become? The horror at the realization of just how far from humanity these gods have become.
The unknown man from earlier time speaks GÇ£So then we are decidedGÇ¥ Fraceska and the Drillmaster both nod in agreement GÇ£It is decided. You have been chosen. You will leave your mortality behind. The path to immortality is yours. Transcend all that you are and entire worlds shall tremble in passingGÇ¥
Before you can react Franceska draws the pistol that was attached to the small of her back. That burst of fire hits you center mass. Acutely aware as your sternum shatters piercing your heart and lungs with bone fragments and it knocks you off your feet. She approaches you and kneels beside you.
GÇ£You are not yet dead. Savor this moment. Exalt in the knowledge that you will be reborn time and time again. Look into my eyes and know what exists beyond the gates of the dead. You will fight for a thousand causes none of them your own. You will die on worlds you have no knowledge of. And you will kill those you have never known. We are the immortal mercenaries of New Eden. War is our life. War is our calling. Like the Phoenix you will rise from the ashes of your own death time and time again. Completely reborn and just as strong as you were before and with all the knowledge you carry with youGÇ¥
She places her cool hand upon your chest as it slowly stops. You notice now that others are around you looking down upon you. They have come to watch this moment. A tribute to you having joined the ranks of the immortals.
What is it like to die? In that darkness between life and death there was nothing. The dead know no time. It could have been a second or a thousand years it was all the same to you. There was a bright light in front of you. The prophesied gates of Heaven that the Amarr preached about? That momentary elation that the afterlife did exist was ripped from you so brutally. The sensation of falling and the jarring suddenly as your eyes opened and your whole body shook. You were an Immortal. The afterlife and mortality were no longer your birthright. Doomed or Exalted to live forever was determined by the motivations of each demigod.
The heavy liquid created your rebirth. Standing on the other side of the tank was the armored forms of Fraceska and the Drillmaster. Beside them was Tria Rae, Lod Morre and Ayn Casile. The tanks lid opened suddenly spilling you out onto the floor rather unceremoniously. Tria and Ayn knelt down to help you stand and remained on either side of you.
GÇ£You have died twiceGÇ¥ Fraceska starts to say GÇ£Once as a mortal and we brought you back. And now again to reborn as a mortal. Mortal to Immortal. Man into God. Few have reached this exalted state amongst the teeming masses of humanity. And you stand before us, but your training is not yet complete. Death is our constant companionGÇ¥
In these moments you take a look around the medical chamber dozens of tanks held clones that were not yet ready to be activated. You begin to struggle when you see Fraceska raise that pistol and pointed directly at your chest. The burning pain of the impacts that rip your muscles and bones apart. The two women release their hold on your dying form letting you drop to the ground. It was the start of a brutal cycle.
They hadnGÇÖt even picked up your old body which was disconcerting to see when you emerged from the tank. Empty blank eyes held no traces of a soul as you could see yourself reflected back in the,. What have you become? They held you in place as the Drillmaster closed in on you. The hammer strike to your unprotected abdomen ruptured organs as you dropped to the ground they beat your form without mercy. Bones shattered, muscles torn from bone, joints dislocated as they kicked and punched at your helpless body.
This process continued for hours as your empty bodies lay outside the tanks they emerged from. It was to impress upon a vital point of how far you have come. How you were no longer mortal. With each death at the hands of your allies. Each rebirth showed how little life actually mattered. How quick and transient that it was. The only constant in the universe was pain and suffering. War was Humanities birthright and you have become a god of war. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
160
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 21:01:00 -
[15] - Quote
You remembered each death they inflicted upon you that day with bitter emotion. Emerging from the 20th tank you have resolved they would be reviving with you. As you stumbled from that tank you dropped into Ayn Casile driving her to the ground. Wrenching on her leg until you heard a comforting snap as the femur broke. Twisting her leg you smashed it hard into the ground to break the knee cap. Lod Morre more rushes at you but you jump up, wrapping your arms around his waist you drive him to the ground. Moving your hands quickly to pummel him. He had left his helmet off. Foolish mistake. Your hands wrap around his neck as you start to bash his head against the ground until the familiar cracking is heard. You donGÇÖt stop until the grey-pink brain matter as oozed out onto the floor. He would remember that death.
A kick from the Drillmaster sent you flying. Landing hard against the ground only your bodies stop you from going further. The floor slick with your blood. Holding your side as you stand up. Tria Rae was pointing a shotgun at your chest. Fraceska was unreadable beneath her suit. The Drillmaster waved them both off and he stepped forward.
GÇ£You have been waiting for this boy. Now is your chance. This will be the only time you ever get itGÇ¥
Provoked no further you leap towards the mountain of a man that was the Templar. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
160
|
Posted - 2013.03.08 21:03:00 -
[16] - Quote
Sooo I am now approaching the 10th and final act of the story of a mans journey from being mortal to become an immortal. Anything special that would like to happen?
Should I continue with character in future stories? |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
160
|
Posted - 2013.03.09 00:20:00 -
[17] - Quote
He was armored you were not but such things would not stop one so determined. You rush at him but despite his size he was quicker than even your enhanced reactions. That thick gauntlet lifted you up by the neck and applied just enough pressure that it was hard to breath. Your vision began to swim and darkness at the corner of your eyes.
GÇ£Again he shows such brutal aggression. Can we have this on the field of combat?GÇ¥ He gives you a good jerk and your body shudders like a rag doll. His strength is too great and you can do nothing. The kicks and punches donGÇÖt even affect his armor. The feeling of helplessness felt so wrong. It railed against your nature.
GÇ£He will make a good scout. Effective and lethal. How better to destabilize the enemy than to assassinate their leadership and CIC? We will give him a chance to prove himself to usGÇ¥ With that the Drillmaster released his hold upon your neck and dropped you to the ground.
GÇ£In time you will earn your rank. Be given better clones than what your conscious thought currently inhabits. Newer weapons and armor. You have a fondness for the up close weapons so we will give you a role that fits with thatGÇ¥ She would walk around you looking you over GÇ£You donGÇÖt want to use your old name? What should we call you?GÇ¥
That laughter issued from her helmet GÇ£Oh really, you donGÇÖt care? Then we shall call you Faceless. You are the ghost that will hunt down specific targets. An anonymous figure no one knows about. This is where your saga beginsGÇ¥
Franceska helps you into that plug suit. This material would help you interface with the suit that you wore. The plugs in your neck and down your spine were similar to those of a Capsuleer. Ports in your arms and legs would give you absolute control over the armor that you would come to wear. The inner gel layer of that plug suit would relay vital biological data to the drop suits onboard computer and allow the combat controllers complete access to your physical status during a battle. Man and Machine fused together through genetic engineer and cybernetic enhancement. The next stage of evolution for Humanity.
As you left the reanimation room you passed by another in which those that you have recently killed were being cleaned off by attendants and fitted with armor. Passing through sealed doors to a deeper section of the station. And what you saw was awe inspiring. Upon the walls were large slabs of marble. Images of epic battles burned into them. At the center of the room was a statue that could have come out of Amarrian religion. An angelic figure holding a stone tablet etched with 10 names and a battle. The founders of the Corporation and the battle in which brought them together. But that story is for a different time.
The other immortals had returned for this event. Set out in neat orderly lines as you are lead to the center. Connected to a number of devices was the suit that you would come to wear. It would be part of your body thanks to those implants that made it respond just like it was your own. Sitting on the table was a helmet, a pistol, a shotgun and a Mass Driver. The suit was currently opened and the mortal technicians bade you forward. They helped you into a heavier undersuit that was worn as padding between the plug suit and the armor. Parts of it inflated to further add to muscle strength. With those ports embedded into your flesh the bonding was complete.
As you step back into the armor it begins to close in around you. The bolts seal shut as auto-bolts spin and lock into place. The gauntlets sliding over your fingers as the mechanics of the suit twist around your wrist to provide support. As your arms and legs are armored the abdomen and chest guard slide together. Those scale like pieces connected to each other through mechanical tendons stiffen and lock in place. Over that is the contoured outer shell to give the armor a more seamless look. They offer you the helmet and you put it on. For a second your world is once again in darkness. No light or sound can reach you. Power flows through your suit and it is linked together. The visor displays all relevant data. So this is what the power of the gods was like.
Fraceska steps forward and offers you that pistol which is secured at your lower back and then motions to the table. For the missions that you will be given the shotgun will be the best bet and if it needs to be switched out the bodies of the fallen will no longer need their weapons.
GÇ£We welcome Faceless into our organization. He shall guide our squads forward through the worst combat towards the most vital of targets. We welcome you into our ranks brother. All parts of this station can be explored. But we can never rest on our laurels. A lot happens in New Eden. Rival corporations and Capsuleers. Pirates and the 4 Empires. We live in a dangerous galaxy. A profitable galaxy. The battle barge is being prepped. The mobile command centers are already docked and locked into position. Welcome to godhood. Now saddle up. You have 1 hour to prepareGÇ¥
You have made it. You have become an incarnate god of war. You will fight wars that are not your own. Causes that you have never heard of. People and fellow mercenaries you have never met will die by your hand. The power of it all. Thinking back to the beginning was like looking through a broken and twisted mirror. How much everything has changed when mortality was left behind. The first chance to walk a battlefield as an incarnate god to rain down your wrath against those who dared to stand against you and your corporation.
You look down at the tablet she had handed you... |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
160
|
Posted - 2013.03.09 00:21:00 -
[18] - Quote
GÇ£Uprising of militia guard at colony world. Rallied behind striking workers. Area must be purged so it can be resettledGÇ¥ So is this the battle gods fought? Miners and guards angry over wages and housing? How heroic do you feel? Insulted to be asked to perform such a task. Dismayed at the acceptance of such brutal work. Anger at your own willingness to do it. Thankfully that helmet hid the emotions that ran across your face from the others.
GÇ£Good you understand. One Hour. Be readyGÇ¥ |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
160
|
Posted - 2013.03.09 00:39:00 -
[19] - Quote
After 16 pages and nearly 10 thousand words the short story has been completed. Thank you everyone for the reads and likes. It was great fun typing this story up. |
Fraceska
Opus Arcana
Orion Empire
160
|
Posted - 2013.03.09 01:30:00 -
[20] - Quote
Thanks! Glad you liked it so! :D |
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