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Post by TRZ-Trazz on Jul 12, 2019 22:39:04 GMT -4
WAR!
For millennia, the Evil Monarchy waged a campaign of terror and domination across the universe, ruled by the wicked Emperor Grehalix, powered by the mysterious Fractured Grey Helix.
Led by Queen Viorenla, the New Order Alliance of Worlds launch a counterattack against the Monarchy following the broadcast destruction of many living planets by Grehalix’s most powerful attack: The Helix Fist.
The conflict reaches Planet Edge, where Grehalix waits, sending his Tops Bots to ambush to oncoming fleet. Trapped in the blockade, the New Order armada fights to make its way through.
Queen Viorenla dispatches two warriors to turn the tide...
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Zero
Prime
All things are possible...
Posts: 3,921
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Post by Zero on Jul 12, 2019 22:55:39 GMT -4
CAST OF CHARACTERS Noteworthy: The Grey- A malicious entity that grants its power to living vessels in order to interact with the universe. The Rook Empire- a benevolent space empire allied with the New Order in opposition towards the Monarchy. The Guardians- A galactic militia of warriors sworn to protect life and order across the universe. Now presenting: AFTER END
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Kakei
Writer
Engage at your own risk
Posts: 40
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Post by Kakei on Oct 15, 2020 22:13:08 GMT -4
After End
Chapter 1
The evil Monarchy Flagship looms over the endlessly following Planet of Edge, a world that trails the borders of the infinitely expanding universe. Approaching the enemy blockade is the New Order, a galactic resistance against Grehalix's tyranny. Ahead of the fleet are two dispatched heroes, Agent 2, latched onto the back of her ally, XJ-0. The duo were under orders by the Resistance Queen herself, Viorenla of the Stars, to infiltrate the enemy flagship, and clear it out so the Order can reach the surface, and confront the diabolical Emperor himself.
As the infiltrating team draws near, the enemy surrounds Zero and 2, unleashing a barrage of defending fire, in hopes of drawing their attacking enemy away.
“Hold on tight, 2.”, says Zero. “I’m gonna get us through this.”
2 tightens her grip as Zero bursts into speed, dodging the oncoming fire. He flies close to nearby Monarchy ships, causing them to take damage. Two fighters begin to tail.
“Got two on my six.”, Zero tells 2.
“I got you,” she replies, “keep it steady will ya?”
She turns, pressing her back into Zero’s back. She takes aim and draws her massive longbow, letting fly two arrows in rapid succession, both detonating on impact. She twists and takes aim at a fighter who was on course to flank.
Fighters fall left and right as the duo fight back. Once a good amount has been cleared, Zero spots an enemy battleship heading in their direction, inching in between them and their destination.
Zero’s eyes begin to glow bright blue. He fires an optic blast that cuts into the fighter’s armor. Zero flies right through the exploding ship and heads straight for the flagship dock.
2 leaps off Zero’s back as he goes in to land at the flagship dock. She rolls, nailing a chasing fighter just before she bounces back to her feet. She knocks four arrows and looks around, now drawn and ready to fire.
The Guardian takes aim at a group of fighters preparing for takeoff in the ship's Bay. As she lets loose the arrows, they penetrate the glass of each cockpit. They are disabled.
Zero looks around for any active combatants. The hanger is clear.
“Vio, we’re in.”
"Good to hear," the Queen comms back, "Scans are reading Detester and Whistle on the bridge. Tronix is nowhere to be found."
"They're waiting for you," Kreana adds, "Expect a trap."
“Copy that. We’ll keep our eyes peeled,” 2 replies. She turns to Zero. “Ready to breach?”
She draws her bow and sinks four arrows into the large steel door set in the hanger wall. A small red light blinks ominously from each arrow.
Zero crouches, bracing himself. The arrows sound off a loud rapid beeping, then fall off. The door opens. 2 steps through.
“What are you doing, Zero?”
Zero gets up, looking aside embarrassed. They enter a corridor.
“How do we get to the bridge from here?”, asks Zero.
"If Grehalix keeps to the same traditions as he did with Bodyguard, there should be a path straight to the primary corridor. From there is an elevator to the bridge."
For a second, Vio clears her throat, then continues. "Just… follow the signs."
The duo look above the hallway. Lo and behold, there they are. "Careful, I'm detecting Monarchy signatures along the way."
“Find the light switch or breaker or something,” 2 says to Zero. She steps behind a door frame.
Zero walks down the corridor until he finds a control panel on the wall. Inside he finds several switches. Unable to read the alien letters, he punches the panel.
The lights immediately flicker and die, pouncing the corridor into darkness. This doesn’t do much to Zero’s ability to see though. He hears 2’s voice float through the darkness.
“The bastards won’t see me coming,” she says. He hears her draw her bow, and senses the arrow hovering just over his shoulder, aimed forward. “Let’s go.”
Arrows fly easily into the guards as they try to rush the hallway. The moment flashlights are on, they're useless as an arrow shatters the beam, then the lenses,of their helmets. An intercom echoes down the corridor.
"Attention: Intruders in the right wing corridor. Repeat: Intruders in the right wing corridor. Activating emergency defense mechanisms!"
Red lights flair to life as the backup generator kicks in. Mini turrets spring out of the ceiling and scan the hall until Zero and 2 are found. It takes a moment for them to register their faces before they open fire.
2 growls a moment before she disappears behind Zero. The turret’s motors whir as it jerks around, searching for its lost target. She reappears from behind a guard as he falls and smashes one of the turrets with the sharpened point of an arrow.
Zero strolls down the hall as the turret fire has no effect, laser blast bouncing off his chest. He uses his optic beam to disable them one by one.
“Those weapons were most defensive here. This must be the way to the elevator.”, says Zero.
2 reappears behind him and walks at his side.
“Maybe I should invest in some armour,” she remarks. “You selling?” She raps a knuckle on his armour. They two approach a pair of large steel doors.
“Think this is it?” 2 says, inspecting the door.
"Be extra careful, guys," Kreana reports, "Just up that elevator shaft is a full battalion at the ready."
Suddenly, an unknown voice interrupts the transmission. "But I bet you weren't ready for me!"
The doors slide open, and Tronix storms out throwing his fist like a raging bull.
2 disappears behind Zero, reappearing again at Tronix’s side.
“Who do you think you are, the Spanish Inquisition?” She asks before launching an arrow at him and vanishing into a doorway.
Tronix bats the arrow away. He charges himself up, fists pumping to power up another super punch. He launches at Zero.
Zero throws up his left arm, blocking Tronix’s assault. The impact sends a shockwave down the hallway.
“How I have longed to battle the super-man of Earth that bested the Emperor!”, Tronix breaths as he keeps the pressure on Zero.
Zero holds his ground. “I hope I don’t disappoint.”
He swings his right fist into Tronix’s face.
2 appears over Tronix’s shoulder and slams into him in line with Zero’s follow-through.
Tronix picks himself back up soon after, twisting his neck until it pops. "Now THAT was a hit!"
He charges himself up once more, cooking up another power shell into his fists to boost his strength. He tears a sharp portion out of the wall and chucks it at 2, following his attack with another charge at Zero. "Do it again, I dare ya!"
2 disappears behind the chunk of wall and reappears behind Zero.
“Maybe if he keeps ripping walls apart we can make the ceiling drop on him,” she says into his ear just before vanishing again.
“I’ll position him.”, says Zero, taking flight straight towards Tronix, fists forward.
He collides with Tronix’s chest, just stopping the massive brute. Tronix brings his fist down on Zero’s back, driving him into the floor. He then lifts Zero by his cape and slams him around into the walls.
2 leaps out from behind a column and sinks four arrows into Tronix’s arm. She ducks behind another column, purposefully leaving herself open to a hit.
The mercenary breaks the arrows off with a slight pained snarl. He throws Zero back at 2 along with a barrage of more shards of the wall.
2 does her disappear-reappear-arrow trick again but this time the arrows explode on impact. In the blast she pounces on his back and sinks two arrows as his hand holds into his armour.
Zero scans the columns with his X-ray vision and sees that the structure is weakened. “2, get clear!”
Zero punches the floor, destabilizing the supports.
2 leaps off Tronix’s back and disappears into a shadow.
Elek Tronix stumbles back into the elevator door. The corridors shake as the support beams in the walls struggle to hold themselves. Tronix tries to grip the ceiling to hold it up, but immediately it collapses under its own pressure of the ship's gravitational pull. The mercentary cries out as the ceiling crumbles on top of him.
…
On the bridge, the crew feels the shaking from the corridor below. The hunter, Detester, barks orders,to keep their level stable. "What's the cause of this madness?!"
"There's been a breach in the lower levels!" One of the Monarchy pilots responds.
"How?! The enemy hasn't even penetrated our shields!"
"No sir," Another crew member adds, "It's coming from INSIDE the ship!"
Zero bursts through the door of the primary elevator shaft, holding onto him being 2.
Detester jumps onto one of the control panels. "Guards! The Order is here!"
Doors slide open on both sides of the bridge, dispensing troops at the ready.
2 is ready with five arrows notched. She leaps off of Zero’s back and launches all five into the armour of the troops, each arrow detonating a second later. She rapidly draws another five arrows.
Right away, troopers fall one by one. Zero stands his ground, throwing away the troopers trying to get close, and blasting the rest with his optic beams. 2 flies arrows into Monarchy soldiers. Though as much as they fight, they're overwhelmed by their numbers, tackled in every direction. Detester gets himself together and clears his throat victoriously. "A shame. I expected more from the great heroes of the New Order… Grehalix overestimated you all."
“Unlike Grehalix, I value life.”, Zero responds. “That’s why I use restraint when I fight. But if you want a real challenge…”
Zero suddenly claps his hands, full force.
Immediately all soldiers are blown away by the sonic boom, along with the unsuspecting Detester. He flies straight into one of the pilots, who is thrown into his control panel. The ship shakes violently in response, causing the rest of the crew to repair the damages in a panic.
Detester sits back up completely baffled. "Have you gone mad?! Fine! Then if you wish for a challenge…"
The hunter stands low, grabbing his side as if it's taken damage. "Then a challenge you shall get!"
He puts his first two fingers in his mouth, and whistles. A small bot with tiny clamps, a single antenna, and a uniwheel, rolls into the room. It gives off a whirring sound of its gears as it places itself between the heroes and its master. With a quick salute, it rolls up to Zero.
Zero look at the small bot unbelievingly. “If this is to challenge my ethics, its not a very good one.”
Zero begins to step around to the bot, dismissing it. “No more pawns from you , Detestor!”
Detester snickers. "I agree, my friend. I suppose it's time to bring out the big guns, isn't it?"
He whistles again and Whistle charges. He hits Zero with a punch light as air. Zero ignores the hit and continues forward.
Each hit he feels suddenly gets heavier and heavier. 2 steps back in awe as she watches Whistle's transformation take place. Zero turns, seeing an unfolding beast.
The tiny bot shifts and bends and grows. Big, powerful hands instead of pinchers, legs instead of small wheels, a jaw shaped like that of an alligator's. The biggest noticeable difference is that Whistle went from only a couple inches tall, to roughly 10 or 11 feet large.
Detester grins in victory. "This creature is no pawn, XJ-0. This is the entire chess board!"
The newly formed beast looks down on Zero and roars like an angered mechanical bear, pounding away at its chest in rage. It swings a fist at Zero, so fast that Zero barely manages to bat it away. Whistle immediately follows up with a heavy kick to Zero’s chest, sending him across the room, embedding him into the steel wall.
“Vio.”, Zero calls out into his comm. “Looks like we have their full attention. Can you disable the ship’s engines with enough fire power?”
"I'm sending a full scale assault on the flagship now, but you have to keep them distracted long enough!"
2 goes to leap onto Whistle's back, but is shot back by a hunting knife flung by Detester. "I think not, little miss! Let the beast have his fun!"
2 bears her teeth and dives behind a fallen column. Whistle smashes it with ease, but finds that 2 is gone. She reappears over Whistle’s shoulder, using her grapple at him to launch herself into the air, where she knocks and fires four arrows. Each embeds itself in the ground around Whistle, their fletching blinking red. 2 lands and dashes behind a column a moment before the arrows detonate, each one making a foot wide crater in the steel floor.
The large beast stumbles as it takes the explosive hits. Quickly recovering, Whistle makes an angered metallic shriek at 2. Detester whistles at the creature to catch its attention. "The girl is not our focus, my friend! I'll take her myself!"
Detester then unholsters his sniper rifle, firing at 2. Whistle snorts an angry puff of smoke before looking back at Zero.
"You should’ve stayed on the sidelines” 2 says as she rolls left. In one fluid motion she dodges both bullets and fires an arrow that intercepts the next two bullets. The arrow, mangled now from the bullets, bounces off Detester’s leg armour.
Zero braces himself as Whistle snorts getting ready for a charge. “Come one big guy. Nice blue target right here!”
Whistle charges at Zero and lunges with jaws wide open. Zero grabs the jaws of the long snout, then quickly twists, spinning Whistle in the air before slamming him face down.
The enlarged beast pushes itself back up against Zero's strength. Zero forces his jaws open as Whistle snaps for his face. It clenches the metal ground with its feet and power struggles against the hero into a wall.
…
Detester and 2 stay apart in a fire fight, shooting once and taking shelter before the other could land a hit. Detester takes notice of Whistle and Zero pushing against each other directly behind 2's cover, giving him an idea. "You are good at your aim," Detester admits to 2, "But you are not Detester good!"
The hunter fires at Zero, which the shot easily ricochets off his shoulder and into 2's leg.
Rather than blood, black smoke drips from the wound. 2 growls and vanishes behind Whistle as he grapples with Zero. Whistle rears back for a hard strike, which launches 2 into the air again. Cloaked in black smoke, she draws and fires four more arrows in rapid succession, two down towards the fight below her and two at the ceiling above Detester. All four ricochet and fly directly at him.
Zero takes the opportunity to fire his optic blast into Whistle's mouth at high concussive strength.
The monster writhes with a metallic painful shriek as it fights against Zero's powerful blast. He sees its throat glowing red hot as it forms into molten metal. Whistle lurches forward at Zero, vomiting its fiery metal back at him.
Detester, in the blink of an eye, swiftly sways to dodge all the arrows in a dancing manner. He spins a full 360 before firing at her again.
As he turns back to centre and begins to aim, he finds that 2 is flying full force at him, a massive sword in front of her, and it’s tip pointed directly at his chest. He barely manages to twist his body for the blow to be glancing, the sharp blade missing it’s cut by millimeters. 2 crashes into the wall behind him, also missing the helm and console by mere centimeters. The sword buries itself to the crossbar in the hardened steel with 2 still holding it. In one fluid motion she pulls it out and slashes at the Hunter.
Zero steps back from Whistle’s attempts to spit up his damaged melted throat. Zero then takes a deep breath, compressing the intake of air in his mighty artificial lungs, then releases it, blowing supercooled breath, instantly hardening Whistle’s throat shut.
Whistle staggers backwards clenching his own neck, unable to roar. Zero flies overhead and brings his fist down full force on Whistle’s head, slamming it into the floor, rattling the inner workings of his head.
"You are not going to get away with this!" Detester yells, throwing down his rifle and whistling at his beast, who fights itself back on its feet. Whistle's gears grind in its neck with metal on metal screeching. It pounds the ground and prepares to charge.
Zero gets into a running start before taking off, fists out at the creature.
2 leaps in front of Detester, arrow drawn back, pointing up the hunter's chin. "It's over," She tells him, "Surrender now, and I might just reduce your sentence by a couple thousand years!"
"That won't be necessary, my lady," Detester sneers, "For it'll be you who will serve life…"
He and 2 look towards the two combatants. Whistle's body glows a dim orange as they joust. Whistle looks oddly content as it huffs and puffs with each step. Zero's eyes glow with focus. Detester grins. "... Life to the Monarchy!"
2 sees the attack and tackles Detester. "No!!"
Whistle and Zero collide, sending a shockwave across the ship. Whistle shrieks as the orange glows brighter and his body becomes hotter. Zero pushes him forward but is fought back with equal force. The shriek becomes ear numbing as the beast begins to detonate.
…
The Monarchy flagship drifts off course. Vio runs to the glass of her ship's command center. "Zero! No!!"
The bridge of the flagship shines light through the glass as an explosion grows, bursting out, and destroying the ship to pieces.
[End of Chapter 1]
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