thewolfandthelionos

[thewolfandthelionos]

Chapter 2: Awaken

The escape pod departed from the ship, being launched full force towards the planet below, the girl within was thrown around like a ragdoll, giving way to even more injuries besides the limp she obtained from the explosion. Her thoughts waning to the figure aboard the ship. In a way she recognized his voice but couldn't place a face to it.

Metal on the outside of the pod began to burn up in re-entry. From the outside it would seem the pod was on fire, set ablaze by the atmosphere. The ride only became rougher the further it descended towards the planet, soon it would meet the ground!

Yet destiny seemed to intervene. The pod crashed down onto the soft sands of a massive beach. Once again, the girl was thrown around before hitting her head on something blunt and hard, knocking her unconscious...

A soft voice would echo in the back of the girl’s mind. "Wake up... you need to wake up..." and then the voice would ghost out of existence.

The girl felt a light breeze across her face, slowly opening her eyes to find herself in a forest. The weather was clear and sunny with rather humid temperatures. In that moment the forest seemed so calm. It was strange, everything felt so real, yet it didn't at the same time, perhaps the crash was playing with her senses. Then again, she couldn't remember how she actually ended up here.

"Is this a dream? Am I going mad?" thinking to herself.

The girl thought it best to explore the forest. In the distance some sort of church sat upon a hill, this is where she decided to head. Perhaps it was her imagination but as she lightly stepped through the trees, the girl could have sworn the forest was whispering to her. Too quiet to make out at first but the closer she got to the church the louder the voices became.

"Stay away. Don't go there." The same soft voice echoing once again.

The girl believed she was going mad. Finally she left the forest before coming to a large staircase which lead up to the church, placing her right foot onto the stone steps, only for a boy with ash white hair to come racing past her towards the entrance of the building!

Making his way to the top before stopping and turning around towards the girl, his bright sapphire eyes shimmering in the sunlight gazing down at her, a smile wide across his face. He was simply enjoying every moment of his existence, living entirely in the moment.

There was something strange about the boy, his features looked so familiar, almost like Ven did growing up she thought to herself. The boy turned back around before heading into the church leaving her at the bottom of the steps.

"Hey! wait!"

The girl rang out racing after the boy, in her haste tripping on the last step and falling flat on her face, the girl's forehead connected with hard stone with a slam.

"Good going there, really making yourself proud."

The girl thought as she dragged herself off the ground, rubbing the front of her head. Looking up now she noticed the doors to the church were now wide open. The boy must be inside. There was a chill in the air as the girl took her first steps into the church, candles dotted around everywhere, a small altar towards the back of the building.

The boy sat atop cross-legged his back to the door, he seemed to be praying to a statue in front of him. A beautiful woman carved into stone, underneath a single word gave the figure a name. "Alenna." The very name sent a chill down her spine, she had no idea why.

The girl slowly approached the boy from behind, finally reaching the altar.

"Hey-...who are you? Are you here alone?"

 The boy didn't seem to hear her. She tried to get his attention by reaching out, grabbing his arm, yet nothing seemed to disturb him. Only for the ground to start rumbling around her, the candles suddenly went out and the walls started to collapse in on themselves. The girl shut her eyes only for a moment out of blind fear, yet when she opened her eyes Aeran was stood right in front of her, his glowing red eyes piercing down on her.

She tried to move back from him only to notice she was now stood on a cliff-edge and there was no-where to run. His metal arm shot out towards her throat, taking hold of the girl and hoisting her up in the air before dangling her over the edge of the cliff. She was thrown into the black abyss.

"Awaken now, Amalie Verrian. Your time is now." The same soft voice calling out.

Amalie shot up in the escape pod, her head slamming into something hard, causing a flurry of pain to writhe through her.

"Not dead huh? Great." Amalie thought to herself.

She had no idea how long she was out for, yet knew Aeran would be hot on her heels.

"God everything hurts." she groaned to herself.

"Note to self, let’s not do that again." This time Amalie spoke out loud.

She tried dragging herself out of the escape pod, her injuries in the explosion and crash landing not helping in the slightest. Falling clean out of the pod into the freezing cold water, it woke her up, now she climbed to her feet. Amalie had no idea where she was or what planet she was even on. Close to the beach lay an overgrown, sprawling jungle that looked like it went on for miles. Considering her options Amalie thought the jungle was her best choice to find some form of civilization and hope they had transport off world.

Little did she know that this journey could very well be her last, limping off towards the undergrowth. she spent the next two hours trekking through the jungle, only noticing now how dark it had become and that was when she heard it.

In the distance a pack of wolves filled the night air with howling, it seemed tonight The Pack wouldn’t stave...

[thewolfandthelionos]

Chapter 1: Boarded!

Aboard the ship Horizon “This is Echo Two to Command Station, we’re under attack! Send help, I repeat send help.” “Oh God. they've breached the hull...Command Station do you read me?” The comms turned to static at this moment before a voice pitched through, dark and twisted “I’m afraid there is no escape. This is the commander of the ship Dawnbreaker. Mistress Death has called for your names... Regardless, if you try to run, try to hide, try to fight us, the outcome shall be the same. You cannot evade death and believe me, Death is here. We’re inside your ship now and I know what you carry, I will not stop until I get what I want.” The comms return to static Suddenly, there was a large explosion aboard the ship, someone was trying to force their way in and succeeded in ripping an entry hole into the ship’s hull. All the lights went out, triggering the emergency lighting grid, illuminating the corridors with an evil red tint. A tall lone figure covered in black came through the hole - shielded to the teeth in weaponry - ranging from knives to explosives and some form of unknown handgun. The red tint reflecting off the man's right arm; seemed to be comprised fully of metal, sleek and matched his other arm in muscle definition and size. A squad of soldiers appeared through the hole at this moment, they seemed to be this man’s personal Death Squad, following him out of pure loyalty, like he was some form of God. Their God at least. The corridor was clear for the moment. The figure started giving way to orders, his voice silky smooth and utterly convincing, a much different contrast from what was heard earlier on the ship's comms. “Continue blocking their communications. I won’t allow a single life aboard this ship to survive besides the Target, I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of the importance of this mission.” personally addressing each member of the Death Squad. “No, Mr President!” his troops barked back to him in perfect unison. “Good now follow me.” And with the order, he began marching down the corridor to his left, it was strange he thought to himself, they hadn’t encountered anyone yet but that was all soon to change. He lost himself in his own thought for a few moments, thinking over everything that had happened in the past few days. “Three days ago, I was given a task, a mission to find a girl. The High Council explained she was someone from my past, but why can’t I remember anything about this girl? The High Council told me not to try and think on it too much, telling me it was dangerous to dig up the past...” “The past... This girl isn't the only thing I can’t remember. Did I have a life before now? All I remember is waking up three days ago...” The figure shook his head, it was like his mind was on fire, he couldn't think. His metal hand slowly curling up into a fist, before striking the wall beside him. “Who am I? Why can’t I remember?” His eyes dropped to the floor. He felt his mind being split in two and then just stood still, like a soldier waiting for orders, his eyes rose now almost glowing red, looking deep into the corridor. Sounds of footsteps made him alert to what was coming, slowly drawing a singular blade from his side. “My name is Aeran, President to Goliath Corporation, High Enforcer of the Councils Will-” Creeping down the corridor, hiding in the shadows as the footsteps got closer to him, Aeran’s heart began to pound. Was he excited in this moment? One could only wonder. It seemed the ship’s defenders weren’t too happy with the hole in the side of their ship yet only two came to fight. Noticing Aeran’s Death Squad first, taking aim towards the soldiers; it was already too late. A metal arm thrust out towards one of the defender's necks, it happened so quickly the man had no time to react. Aeran’s grip instantly snapped his neck with a loud crunch. A terrified look crossed the man’s features. The last thing he saw was Aeran’s bright red eyes. Quickly throwing the body aside he swung the blade that was held in his left arm in a horizontal slash, from left to right straight across the other defender’s throat. Blood spilling out of the open wound, falling to his knees and then the floor. A pool of blood slowly formed on the floor around him. “And I sentence you to die.”

Aeran mercilessly stepped over the bodies and through the pool of blood, feeling little to no remorse for the fallen. His one goal in front of him now. All that mattered was the girl. Why had the High Council sent him after one girl was beyond him but she must be important for the agenda of the Harmony?

“Captain, rig my communications to play throughout the ship, let them know fear as it stalks them.” Calling out to one of the Death Squad, the command was followed without question. As far as the Captain was concerned his God just gave him an order, there was no question in obeying it.

The boarding party, Aeran included, delved deeper into the ship, making their way past defenders at every corner. Screams of their victims played over the communications, sinking into the hearts of men and women alike, ever while knowing the invading force drew closer. Their brothers and sisters in arms giving their lives against this foe.

A certain male voice carried over the comms system once again.

“I know you can hear me and I’m sure you can hear your fellow brothers and sisters as they give their lives for nothing. If you have forgotten then allow me to remind you!”

The sounds of a person gasping for air hung over the comms. “Please...don’t do this...” all that followed was screaming. Everyone could hear a body being repeatedly smashed against some type of object until there was only silence once again.

“I told you there is no escape, nothing will save you now. I will slaughter every man and woman on this ship until it becomes a lifeless husk, all this death for one life. Think on that Horizon.”

All that remained was static as comms went dead

“I hope they were listening,” Aeran said to himself as he clutched a man with his metal arm wrapped tight around his throat. “So where is the girl then? Tell me and I will spare you.” The man struggled to breathe under the weight of Aeran’s grasp, yet spluttered out a few words. “She’s headed for the escape pods. But its no use - you will never make it in time.”

Aeran let his grasp loosen around the man’s throat before throwing him just in front of his Death Squad. “In fairness, I said I would spare you, I didn’t mention anything about them though. Captain if you would do the honours?” Slowly gesturing to the Captain with his fingers posing like a gun.

The Captain acknowledged the gesture, raising his sidearm to the man’s forehead before pulling the trigger.

Aeran’s journey to the escape pods was met with haste with what he had just learned. He had no intention of failing this task, surely the Harmony would punish him severely if he failed. It only drove him forwards, the girl was so close he could almost feel his cybernetic grasp wrapping around her throat.

The boarding party were met with a gigantic door, behind which were the escape pods. He gave an order for charges to be set upon the door, knowing it would not withstand the impact. Surely enough the door exploded inwards, throwing pieces of metal towards the defenders that lay in wait. Men and women were thrown to the ground like dolls in a playhouse, Aeran leapt forwards in an almost inhuman jump, crashing down on the scattered bodies.

Each scream reverberated around the room, making the rest of the defenders terrified. Letting a barrage of shots loose towards the defenders, bodies fell to the floor in an instant.

Aeran looked at the carnage that surrounded him, bathing in the chaos before fixing his eyes on the skinny figure that seemed paralysed in fear just a few meters in front of him. This was the girl he was sent for, she turned around and tried to run, Aeran knew what he had to do. Uttering a few words to himself as if he was summoning some kind of power.

“Alenna! Empower me. Give me the strength of harmony in this moment. Grant me my salvation!” Some form of dark power seemed to engulf the man, empowering his muscles to gain speed and strength, catching up to the girl in a heartbeat. Almost in a flash, he was upon her, the lion pouncing on his prey. Grabbing the back of her neck as she tried to run, he pushed her down and forcing her to hit the ground hard, her head hitting the metal with a thud.

“Do you think you could escape girl? You were wrong. Don’t struggle the Harmony will decide your fate.” His metal arm now picking her up by the back of her neck into the air showing off his prize. Perhaps that was his mistake.

Suddenly, an explosion went off in the room, knocking Aeran flying back onto the floor unconscious. His Death Squad all being knocked back against the wall, at that moment their necks cracked from the force leaving each one dead. The girl seemed to have been hurt the least, noticing this was her chance she limped away to the only escape pod. She threw herself into the pod before leaving the smoking ruins of the ship behind, heading towards the surface of an unknown world. She had no idea what waited for her down there, but she would soon find out.

Aeran began to come to a short while after, staring at the empty escape pod bay. His men dead, it was now just him, finding this single girl wherever she may have fled.

He was coming...