As Ella slowly opened her eyes, only the sight of total darkness existed before her. With slight panic in her eyes, once her mind recalled the events that led up to this, Ella shot up, only to be held back by her brother, Ulric. Using the small flashlight on his helmet, Ulric lit up the room partially for Ella to see her brother and Brutus nearby. Though somewhat reassured, Ella's ears soon picked up the cult-like chants of the police forces outside their flipped van.
[Ella] - "What the hell is going on outside? Who is making those noises? "
Whispered Ella to Ulric, who slowly took off his helmet to reveal a sombre expression.
[Brutus] - "It seems like something bad had occurred while you two were passed out. Either way, it ain't looking good. The police forces seem to have regained some ground, while the titan has completely halted all operations. "
[Ella] - "Dad... "
Expressed Ella, with worry in her eyes.
[Ulric] - "I knew I should've been there. I could've helped if I were there! "
Muttered Ulric in a frustrated voice.
[Brutus] - "Stop blaming yourself, kiddo. Ain't nothing you could've done out there. A single boy like you won't make a difference in the grand scheme of things. "
Said Brutus, annoyed with the young man's naivety.
[Ulric] - "Sometimes, all it takes is a single man to make a difference! "
Screamed Ulric in anger.
[Brutus] - "What makes you so special? What about the other 99 times out of 100 where young folks like you died for nothing? My nephew is barely around your age, yet he got shot dead in the first hours of the uprising! For what? For what exactly? Where's the glory? Where's the glory of being buried in an unmarked grave? "
Yelled Brutus as he punched the floor in anger.
The pain in Brutus' voice is raw and deep. His words sent shocks down the spines of the two naive youngsters as they looked away in shame.
[Brutus] - "I stayed away from the frontline– why? Is it because I'm a coward? "
Exclaimed Brutus as he leaned toward the two.
[Brutus] - "I'm not a fucking coward. I'm just as eager to die for the cause as the others. I took the assignment to protect you two brats because I know young people like you are the future of this world. I'm doing my part in this revolution, even if the idea of it degrades my personal glory. I do this not for myself, but for the revolution. "
Said Brutus as he shot daggers from his eyes at the siblings.
With a few deep breaths to calm himself down, Brutus turned and looked out of a slit on the side of the van to see if there was any danger outside. However, as the shadow of a SWAT officer passed in front of him, Brutus quickly retreated into the shadow to avoid being caught. Without provocation, the officers suddenly raised their rifles and gunned down a stray dog wandering through the debris.
[Brutus] - "Let's save the arguing for later. For now, stay silent and wait out the storm. We'll get out when the opportunity is right. "
Whispered Brutus while nervously taking peeks at the outside.
As the weight of the situation and the humbling lesson from Brutus settled in, Ella and Ulric shared a look at each other, this time with worry and fear. They worried about their father's fate aboard the titan, but also the possibility of the revolution's failure. To assure each other, the siblings held their hands together in prayer, hoping things would be alright by the end.
Meanwhile, below the government tower, chaos still overtook the underground levels as men and scientists remained in a state of anarchy while awaiting at least a word of reassurance from the top. As the sea of people dispersed everywhere to try and find a way out of the underground levels, Kadyn and Dane's group were finally given enough room to approach the locked main gates.
[Dane] - "So? What's the plan? You're the one who told us to wait until the crowd dissipate. "
Said Dane as he looked up at the massive gate doors.
[Kadyn] - "Psst, Mike, what's the plan exactly? "
Whispered Kadyn as she leaned slightly toward Mike's ghost.
[Mike] - "Don't tell me you seriously forgot about your own abilities. "
Said Mike as he crossed her arms.
[Kadyn] - "Huh? I– I never even mastered my ability yet. I don't even know how I managed to turn you into a ghost. "
Mike slammed his palm into his face before staring at Kadyn with a shocked expression.
[Mike] - "You have a bloody quantum decoder system in your head, Lemon! "
Yelled Mike with his arms extended in disbelief.
Kadyn immediately slammed her hand against her mouth with her eyes open wide in shock.
[Kadyn] - "I totally forgot. Shit, I guess I bought a little too much into the human side of me. "
Said Kadyn, feeling silly as she made a grimace.
As Kadyn's irises turned purple, her systems wirelessly connected to the doors' controls before immediately beginning to crack their codes.
[Kadyn] - "Why didn't you tell me earlier to do this? Why did you make us wait until the crowd dissipated to do this instead? "
[Mike] - "Well, you need a vehicle to get out, right? If you let these mongoloids go first, will there still be anything left for you to even pedal? "
Upon somewhat getting an idea of what Kadyn was doing, Dane quickly congratulated her with a tap on her shoulder.
[Dane] - "Genius idea, partner! Even I forgot you've got one of these fancy gadgets. "
Said Dane as his sentry robot girl also gave her the thumbs up.
[Kadyn] - "Yep, I'm almost there. It's just the last few digits and... "
Mike abruptly cut Kadyn off mid-sentence.
[Mike] - "And you should warn Dane to start running like a bloody madman, because those people behind you are going to trample you worse than Mufasa in The Lion King. "
Said Mike casually.
[Kadyn] - "Damn it, Mike, not Mufasa. I still get teary when I think of that scene. "
Said Kadyn in a wounded voice.
[Mike] - "Ahem! Focus on the mission? "
[Kadyn] - "Oh, Dane... Eh... "
Before Kadyn could finish her sentence, the massive steel doors suddenly cracked open, causing all the workers and scientists to turn their heads toward the loud noise. For a moment, even Dane was shocked at the sight, but Kadyn was already one foot ahead.
[Kadyn] - "Just bloody run, Dane, run for your fucking life! "
Yelled Kadyn as she took off running.
Simultaneously with the rest of the shocked crowd, Dane snapped out of his stupor as he took off running after Kadyn a millisecond before the mad crowd rushed toward the exit. With a clear head start above the rest, Kadyn turned her head to see Dane barely keeping himself ahead of the horde of raging men.
[Kadyn] - "I'm going to help him! "
Said Kadyn as she began to slow down.
[Mike] - "No! Fully speed forward! You need to steal a getaway vehicle ahead of the others. Use your Conagher system if you can, but don't ever slow down! "
Said Mike as his ghost ran alongside Kadyn.
[Kadyn] - "Ah, don't mention the acceleration thing. My bitch of a sister broke my spine, remember? I'm shocked I can even run this fast with barely any repairs done. "
[Mike] - "Keep your speed up, I'm going to scout ahead to see where you should go. "
Said Mike as he flew ahead of Kadyn before phasing through the ceiling.
[Kadyn] - "What am I going to do without you? "
Muttered Kadyn as she focused on her speed and direction instead.
At the same time, outside of the government tower, Ludovic and the rest of his crew remained catatonic in their seats with an empty expression in their eyes. Even as a few policemen intruded on the bridge and began to massacre the helpless crew with vibro-swords, not a single man moved to escape or resist.
Such is the power of a true God, a man whose hands wielded power beyond human comprehension. From the utter annihilation of armies through simple words to the rebirthing of a shattered force to that of endless zeal, Astroboy embodied the storm that could reshape civilizations. An ordinary man such as Ludovic could never hope to win against such an overwhelming force. The idea of a victory, after witnessing the power of such a storm, is inconceivable on a fundamental level for even the most fortified and defiant psyche.
As Ludovic stared blankly at the horizon, his tired mind found itself somewhere other than the present, in a place he wasn't familiar with. However, there was one unmistakable thing: the shadow cast upon Ludovic by the body of Skymninkoloss standing above him. For a moment, Ludovic took a few steps back out of shock as the colossal machine seemed to stare directly at him with its monstrous monocular eye.
Suddenly, the titan roared angrily, its voice radiating so much energy that even the soil below Ludovic began to crack and shake. Though these roars were animalistic, raw and primitive, Ludovic seemed to be able to understand the words conveyed through them. Obeying the titan's command, Ludovic kneeled before the God machine and lowered his head in submission.
[Ludovic] - "I understand you are a God, but I'm just a man– A very ordinary man. I do not possess the power or hubris to see myself capable of defeating those echoes in my heart. "
The titan responded with the cracks of thunder, followed by the howling of wind, so all-consuming that they resembled the breath of mountains.
[Ludovic] - "You might be the veteran of many great wars, with your presence striking fear into the heart of your enemies, but these experiences and bravery are not mine! "
Angered by Ludovic's weakness, the titan slowly raised its cannons and aimed them at Ludovic. All the man on his knees saw was the sight of a world consumed by the heat and light of the sun before he himself was bathed in the apocalypse. Ludovic could feel his skin melt, his organs being incinerated, and his bones being turned to steam, yet when the chaos came to an end, he was still alive and whole where he kneeled.
With the sound of a thunderstrike, the titan called to him once again before its massive war horns disturbed the world with the hateful yells of eldritch horrors. Yet, this time, after the titan conveyed its message, Ludovic's head was no longer lowered in submission.
[Ludovic] - "I– I'm no ordinary man, you say? All this power, this Godhood, is not yours alone. From the moment I sat in that throne, I'm no longer just a man... Perhaps you are right. "
Said Ludovic as he internalized the logic of the titan's words.
Slowly, Ludovic stood up and stared up at the sky, where he dared to look into the titan's eyes with not fear, but respect. Earlier, when he was caught in the titan's blast, Ludovic felt the fear and dread of the war machine's victims and the wrath harboured by the titan's soul. All this time, Ludovic was paralyzed in fear as he witnessed Astroboy's power, yet he never realized that he also commanded the same storm that terrified him so much. He might be a mortal, but the titan is not.
As the memory of his incineration in the plasma beam resurged in his mind, Ludovic finally understood the boiling anger within the machine's core. Astroboy might have defiled the crew of the titan, yet the God Machine itself was insulted. No filth claiming to be a God, such as Astroboy, can get away with disrespecting the God Machine and walk away without consequence. With one last roar from its horns, which shook the earth, Ludovic nodded and accepted his destiny with fear or doubt.
[Ludovic] - "Then allow me to guide you to the slaughter! Allow me, your chosen Titan Lord, to avenge the disrespect put on your name by that son of a bitch! "
Yelled Ludovic as the flame of defiance reignited within his eyes.
Suddenly, in the present, Ludovic awoke from his coma just in time as one of the officers struck at him with a sword. Acting quickly, Ludovic rolled out of the way before pulling out his personal pistol and shooting the assailant dead. As he stepped before the railing, the other few crazed officers looked up only to see the barrel of a gun pointed at their faces. Without hesitation, Ludovic pulled the trigger as he mercilessly exterminated the brutes.
Meanwhile, interrupting the moment between KD-554 and Astroboy on the balcony, the governor of the city rushed in with a panicked expression.
[Governor] - "My lady, the underground levels are in total chaos! They have somehow managed to open the main gates, and they're currently pouring through the tower. "
Screamed the governor in a panic, with his pistol already in his hand.
At first, KD-554 seemed unbothered by the news. However, as her tongue tasted the wine, she abruptly remembered that Kadyn and Ari are also down there. In a visceral reaction, KD-554 spat the wine at Astroboy, but the droplets simply bounced off his body without ever touching him.
[KD-554] - "No! This bitch! She shouldn't be able to... "
As the memory of Dane restoring Kadyn to full health hit her mind, KD-554 finally understood that her sister was probably healthy enough to escape.
[KD-554] - "This son of a bitch Dane! This fucking piece of shit! He dares to play those mind games with me! I'm going to skin him alive! "
Yelled KD-554 in anger as she crushed the glass cup in her hand.
[Astroboy] - "With how unfamiliar they are with the layout of the underground system, she couldn't have made it very far. Governor, initiate a full lockdown of the tower's external entrances. "
Said Astroboy calmly as he swirled his wine.
[KD-554] - "What are you waiting for? Assist me! "
Yelled KD-554 as she rushed toward the door.
[Astroboy] - "I presume you are perfectly capable of capturing her yourself. "
Said Astroboy, while he also began to follow KD-554.
With a growl of anger, KD-554 morphed a lance out of her body and threw it at Astroboy's neck. However, without even a flinch on Astroboy's part, the lance instantly shattered upon contact with his skin.
[KD-554] - "I want her captured alive! Especially that snake-faced Dane, that rot-infested inbred rat shit! "
Yelled KD-554 with rage burning in her bright red eyes.
Meanwhile, down in the lower levels, Kadyn followed Mike's instructions while leaving large arrows on the walls for Dane to follow using her wrist blade. Finally, after running through so many unmarked hallways and flights of stairs, Kadyn finally reached one of the tower's motorpools. With relief washing over her face, Kadyn rushed toward the first vehicle she saw, yet Mike abruptly appeared before her to stop her.
[Kadyn] - "Jesus, dude! What the hell are you doing, scaring me like this? "
Exploded Kadyn in frustration.
[Mike] - "Take the armoured car parked all the way near the entrance, you'll avoid being swarmed once the horde rushes in, since they'll all go for the first vehicle they see. "
Thinking quickly, Kadyn abandoned her first pick and dashed toward the truck furthest away from her near the exit.
[Kadyn] - "I hope you're right, smartass! "
Muttered Kadyn between breaths.
After Kadyn violently collided with the truck to halt herself, she quickly extended her blade and cut apart the lock system with surgical precision. Once inside, she quickly hacked the controls and activated the vehicle just in time as Dane and his sentry girl reached the area, followed closely by the horde of fleeing men. As soon as Kadyn drove the truck out of its parking spot, Dane reached the back doors and leaped in, followed by his sentry girl and Ari's body.
As a few fast runners also tried to jump in, all of them crawling at Dane's legs and the rear of the truck, the sentry girl immediately pointed her armed left hand and shot the few madmen dead. As Kadyn drove forward, she could see the horde already swarming the few vehicles behind, including the one she was initially going to choose. Not only can't the other cars drive, but the horde also began to violently tear each other apart for a place in the vehicles.
As the truck rolled forward without any obstacles, Dane and his robot quickly shut the back doors of the truck before breathing a sigh of relief. After resting Ari's still unconscious body on the ground, Dane moved to the small window connecting the cargo area to the driver.
[Kadyn] - "Everyone on board? No one left behind? "
[Dane] - "Ain't no stragglers! *Gulp* All on deck, miss. "
Said Dane before taking a few heavy breaths.
As the truck rolled forward, Kadyn couldn't help but feel like the truck was moving at a speed disproportionate to the amount of power she was pushing into the engine.
[Kadyn] - "Why is this bloody thing so fucking hard to accelerate? "
Cursed Kadyn as she kicked the gas pedal in frustration.
As she turned to the passenger seat, she saw Mike casually pointing at the handbrake handle beside her thigh. Upon seeing how the handbrake light was still on, Kadyn grunted in annoyance before releasing the handle.
[Mike] - "You clearly don't drive often. "
Said Mike casually as he relaxed on the passenger seat.
[Kadyn] - "Well, obviously! The few times I rode in a bloody car, you were the one driving me around. "
Cursed Kadyn as she turned toward Mike.
In a loud crash, Kadyn's distraction caused her truck to ram through a few parked sports cars before she managed to regain control.
[Mike] - "Hah... Wome- "
[Kadyn] - "Don't you fucking dare, or I swear to God, Mike! "
Interjected Kadyn while shooting daggers in Mike's direction.
With raised palms, Mike refrained himself from speaking– Not wise to argue with a stressed and angry wife.
[Kadyn] - "I fucking wish you were here, so you could– Urgh! Once again, if you were, we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we? "
Muttered Kadyn with clear irritation in her voice.
[Mike] - "I wish too. To be honest, I shouldn't be relaxed and cracking jokes while you're running for your life. I guess it's because I used to tease you while you panicked in the past. But then, you were never in danger in any of these situations either, unlike now. "
Said Mike as he changed to a more sincere voice.
Mike's words made Kadyn think for a moment before a slight smile appeared on her face.
[Kadyn] - "That's why you should continue being this way. I know when you are casual and relaxed, it means I have nothing to worry about and that victory is assured. It makes me feel safe, just as when you were still around physically. "
Said Kadyn as her smile grew larger.
It was heartwarming for both Mike and Kadyn to see themselves so well understood by each other, despite having been together for less than a decade. Every little detail, every little gesture, quirk and action communicates so seemingly between them as if they've known each other for a lifetime. As Mike reached out to touch Kadyn's cheek, she instinctively leaned toward his hand and smiled as if she could feel his touch.
[Mike] - "I wish I could feel you. "
Said Mike with regret in his voice.
[Kadyn] - "But I feel you just fine, dear. "
Said Kadyn enthusiastically.
However, as the truck sped through the multiple levels of the underground parking toward the top, the exit connecting to the outside was already sealed shut. Worse off, Astroboy and KD-554 were already on their way to the underground levels in the elevator.
To be continued...