Well, to make up for posting the next chapter a day late, I went ahead and posted the next chapter a day early.
Enjoy!!!
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The Guardian
Chapter 6
Purpose
Robert Wolf awoke in the camp that he and his team had been occupying for several hours now. He happened to glance over at Valten, the fallen soldier that had been injured by the wraith of Lieutenant Mahj. He didn't look good. He was in critical condition with no way to get back to Pioneer 2 for proper medical attention. He was a strong man and was thus still fighting to cling to life. The military party had no supplies however. They were all starting to get hungry. Water wasn't a problem because of the waterfall that was created by the enormous crater just feet away.
"Robert, it's your shift." Sunblast said calmly walking back from the front.
Wolf stood, gathering his gear. His armor was still on, but he felt it necessary to grab his mechguns, shot, and the auto-rifle for the watch. He walked around the corner, staying low so that he would not be seen by anything on the other side of the small hill before him. He set his weapons down, except for the rifle, which he carried with him as he army-crawled up the hill. When he peeked his head over the hill, he saw nothing. Out of the mist about a hundred yards away, a So Dimenian emerged, searching for the men that had last been seen in this area. Robert Wolf aimed his rifle at the beast, ready to fire should it chance to see him. It wandered aimlessly for about five minutes, and then retreated back into the mist. This was the way it had been for the entire duration of their stay here. The Light only knew what waited for them inside of that horrid mist.
Back in the camp, the men that remained began to discuss what to do about Valten. All of them were genuinely worried about this newcomer to their party, even though he was a slum-dwelling informant and generally couldn't be trusted. The fact was that he had volunteered for this assignment and he had been injured trying to help them. This at least made him an ally, if not yet a friend.
"We're starting to run out of bio-foam. If we don't keep that wound filled, he's done for," Sunblast told Daigoyin.
"His body can't keep up with the blood production required. What are we supposed to do?" Daigoyin asked, his head hanging low.
"Zandor, can your resta close that wound?"
"Honestly, if it could, don't you think I would have tried that by now?"
"Someone has to go for supplies then."
"What are kidding? You'll never cover enough ground to find the necessary supplies. It would take all of us," Zandor argued.
"Well, one of us has to stay with Valten," Sunblast argued.
"Fine, you can stay with that creep. He's your buddy, right Sunblast?" Daigoyin jeered.
Sunblast got up and moved to where Robert Wolf kept watch. He kept low as well, so as not to bring all of the ruins down on top of them.
"Robert," Sunblast whispered, "we've come up with a plan. We think that three of us have to go and look for supplies. Valten may not make it if we don't find a scape doll."
Everyone on Pioneer 2 believed that scape dolls actually brought someone back from the dead. That wasn't true however. If it were, no one would ever die. But the fact was, people did die. It was inevitable. A scape doll's function was really to heal a mortal wound. If a scape doll could be activated before an individual actually died, then they had a possibility of being saved. If they did die, however, it was over. Death truly was the end.
"We can't leave him with only one guard. One of us can't handle an onslaught by ruins creatures," Wolf pointed out.
"Robert, if we don't do this, Valten will die. You guys have to go and look for a scape doll."
Wolf walked back into the camp. He checked Valten's wound. Sunblast was right, if they didn't help him fast, he was as good as dead. Without even opening his eyes, Valten spoke to Wolf.
"Wolf, go. I can't hold on forever. It hurts. I'm getting cold. Please go," the man pleaded, emphasizing his pain with a coughing hack.
"Only one of us can stay, can you hold a gun in case they breach that doorway?"
"I'll fight these bastards until the day I die," Zandor pushed out.
"Alright, just don't make that today though, got it?"
"Yeah, go." Valten slumped back against the wall. He passed out again.
"Sunblast, can you handle this? Are sure you don't want me to stay with him?"
"No, I got it. You've always been better at finding things than me. You know I have absolutely zero attention to detail. It has to be you."
"Alright; Zandor and Daigoyin, we'll split up. Try to meet back here in three hours. Alright, get a move on."
Nosca Sheen sat in a chair that Ewen had found for her. Found wasn't really the term, rather he had Dark Falz manifest it for her. She sat trying to figure out how to escape from here. So far, everything she had tried yielded no results.
"Nosca, please don't stress yourself out trying to escape. I told you it isn't possible until Dark Falz releases you," he whispered taking her hand.
Nosca pulled her hand away. "Then help me get out of here! Ewen, please... I can't stand this place."
"I understand, believe me; but you just don't get it. You can't leave. There is no door. This isn't a physical place."
"Then where is my body being held? My body can't just cease to exist."
"You're probably in a cell in the research facility on Gal Da Vol. Even if I could get you out of here, I couldn't get you out of there. Someone needs a military ID code to get in there. When I disappeared, the military deactivated my code. It's possible to reactivate it, but I don't know how."
"Is that how Mahj comes and goes?"
"Yes, he reactivated his ID. He can freely pass through any installation on all of Ragol."
"So he's still a registered officer?"
"Address and all."
Daigoyin strolled into yet another room full of storage crates left by the military teams from Pioneer 1. Before they opened the doors that would lead them to Dark Falz - and ultimately, their demise - they left supplies for the research teams that would follow. Those supplies were quite varied, ranging from food to weapons. If it was a research mission, though, why leave weapons? Had the ruins always been dangerous? Were the tapes that were left behind fakes? The tapes described harmless, friendly creatures. Daigoyin just assumed that someone had tampered with the tapes.
He silently looked around to see if anything was there. Demons, that is. The boxes were piled at least three high in this room. What was this place; some kind of supply cache? This kind of thing happened all the time. Hunters all agreed that they would only take what they absolutely need from these cases. Daigoyin paused before proceeding into the room.
Once he entered the room, he started working fast to check every case, one after another, none holding anything more useful than pistols. He started tearing the room apart; throwing each case that wasn't useful to him.
"Come on, come ON! Where are you? Damn scape doll! You have to be around here somewhere!"
The passionate screams of anger from Daigoyin attracted the attention of a Delsaber hidden behind some crates in the far corner. It rose silently, moving slowly toward the man who was wildly searching the boxes it was sworn to protect. It approached the man from behind, slowly raising its arm that served as a blade.
"Finally! Oh, Valten is gonna love me forever! I just saved that poor bastard's life." Daigoyin yelled as he triumphantly lifted a scape doll from the box he was searching.
As if by magic, the scape doll flew from his hands and into the wall ahead of him. Daigoyin was confused for a moment, until he released that it wasn't magic, but the creature behind him. He turned slowly, facing the demonic delsaber before him. The creature groaned out a sound that resembled a predatory laugh. It raised its arm again; Daigoyin was too slow to react. He lifted his own sword to block the strike, but the Delsaber swung in an arc to hit him in the side with the blunt edge of its arm. Daigoyin was sent sprawling to the ground. He got up quickly.
The Delsaber approached slowly, with a gait of confidence. Daigoyin stood his ground, ready to receive the Delsaber head on. When it got within range of his sword, he screamed as he swung the massive blade. The Delsaber couldn't guard itself fast enough and the blow hit home. The Delsaber stumbled, and Daigoyin swung again. Again the blade hit the Delsaber, this time in the chest. Glowing blood sprayed from the wound, but the wound immediately began to repair itself. The Delsaber stood once more. It blocked another strike from Daigoyin with its shielded arm. It retaliated by swinging hard for Daigoyin's legs. The hit connected and Daigoyin fell to his knees. Daigoyin looked up into the Delsaber's glowing eyes. It strolled forward very slowly, cocking its arm back in preparation to decapitate him. Daigoyin closed his eyes and awaited the killer blow. He had been defeated and he knew it.
"Delsaber! Stop! Release that man." A low, menacing voice commanded.
Daigoyin looked on as the Delsaber took a step back, lowering its arm and turning to walk toward the voice. When it reached the cloaked figure, it bowed, and then continued to exit the room. Daigoyin was quick to grab the scape doll and hide it in his pack.
"'Bout time you showed up. What took you so long?" Daigoyin asked the figure.
"Sorry, I got held up. What are you doing here?"
"Sorry to worry you, Lieutenant. I was supposed to be searching for a scape doll for Valten."
"I trust you haven't found one," Mahj replied with a smile.
"Of course not. I can't find any," Daigoyin explained with a grin.
"Walk with me Daigoyin. I think the time is right to eliminate our enemies. Do you know of a way to take this Wolf down yet?"
"I believe so. It's just like I told you: since you kidnapped his lady friend, he has been consumed with finding you in order to be led to her."
"Good. So it is time for you to rid him of his ignorance, take him down."
"I will do as you command, Sir."
Robert Wolf checked the bodies of some fallen soldiers. These men had been shot, but not by a photon from the death gunners or a Chaos Bringer. Man-made weapons killed these men. Why would someone kill these men? What had they seen? It was not the time to investigate this, however. Wolf cracked open another crate, but it only contained cracked armor and some monomate. He threw the crate aside, and pried open another box. He heard a door open behind him and pivoted on his heels to intercept whatever came through those doors, he aimed his mechguns at the door and waited, finger on the trigger. Zandor came through the door and ducked back, out of the line of sight of the weapons.
"Wolf! What the hell is wrong with you?!?" Zandor yelled from around the corner.
Robert lowered his guns. "Sorry Zandor. Just a little bit jumpy. I've had to fight off far too many creatures today."
"Hey man, I understand. Just don't try to shoot me again, alright?"
Wolf laughed. "Yeah, sure. Any luck finding a scape doll?"
"No, you?"
"Not at all. There doesn't seem to be anything useful here. Valten's running out of time."
"Yeah, tell me about it. Too bad that guy had to go and get himself involved."
"I know, I may not like the guy, but I can't stand the fact that I almost got him killed."
"You ever wonder what it's like to die, Wolf?"
"Yeah, I guess. I don't really think about it much, it gets in the way of my job."
"Well, it sucks man."
"Yeah, very funny. I don't care how 'all-knowing' you think you are, how would you know..."
"I do. It's so cold."
Wolf turned out of sheer confusion only to find that Zandor was two feet away, aiming a pistol at his chest.
"What's going on Zandor?" Just when he finished the sentence Zandor fired at him. Wolf fell to his knees then crumpled to the ground, breathing hard. He tried to cast resta to stop the wound from spreading, but Zandor pinned his arm to the ground.
"What have you done?" Wolf said struggling for air.
"See, that's your problem Wolf. Even when something becomes painfully obvious, you still don't get it. So just how painfully obvious is this?" Zandor asked, grinning, then he grinded his heal into the wound.
"Why?" Wolf demanded with a gasp for air.
"God, you're a moron. Don't you get it, yet? I work for Mahj, genius. I can't believe he was so worried about you. You're too damn trusting. Even when I killed our only lead at the bank, you never questioned me."
"The needle. You killed him," Wolf growled, glaring at the man.
"Yes, thank you Commander Obvious. So, a simple pistol at the hands of a Force destroys the great Robert Wolf. Some ranger you are."
"You're going to pay one day. Someone will figure this out and kill you."
"Oh, look at me: I'm trembling in fear. I can't die, you fool. I serve the great Dark Falz. If someone kills me, my soul will be spared and I will be born again, just as powerful as before. I have nothing to fear."
Robert Wolf could feel life slipping away from him.
"It has always been my purpose, Robert. To kill you."
"You were my friend. I trusted you," Robert whispered with rage. Blood began to trickle from his mouth.
"And that made it so easy. Man, you're gullible. 'Oh, I hope we can be friends one day, Robert.' 'Oh, sure, everyone in my unit is my friend.' You made it fun as well, jackass. Thank you."
"Robert, I found a scape doll for Valten!" Daigoyin's voice carried through the hall. When Daigoyin turned the corner, he saw Zandor standing over Robert's dying body. Wolf looked to him in pain.
"What the-- Zandor, you work for Mahj as well?" Daigoyin asked as he slowly approached the figures.
"Yeah, he wasn't sure if you would do it."
"Well, he was right." Daigoyin took aim at Zandor with a pistol he had found in the last room. Zandor stepped back, raising his own gun as well as his left hand in preparation to launch a technique. Daigoyin snapped off a shot and Zandor stumbled back. Another shot and Zandor fell to his knees. Daigoyin came to point blank range and fired five more times into Zandor's face. The man fell, twitched, and did not move again. Daigoyin turned and ran to Robert's side.
"Commander... Robert can you hear me?"
"I would have thought that you would betray me." Wolf whispered weakly, forcing a smile.
"Mahj told me too, but I was working both sides. I was spying for you, looking out for you. You had no idea how big this was. I couldn't tell you what I was doing, because someone else in the unit was a traitor. I had to find out who before blowing my cover."
"The scape doll?"
"I already took it to Valten. He's starting to come out of it. He's going to be okay, Wolf," Daigoyin whispered as he took Robert weakening pulse.
"Good. That's excellent work, soldier."
Wolf let out his last breath and his head dropped to the side. Daigoyin choked back the tears. Then, a single tear starting to flow, he picked up the body and carried it back to the camp.
Mahj was grinning from ear to ear when he heard the news. But he was almost unsure of what he had heard.
"Say that again, Zandor. You are sure that Commander Wolf is dead?"
"Yes, sir. He died almost twenty minutes ago. But there is more news. Bad news."
"Do not tell me Zandor. I don't wish to be troubled now."
"Sir, I would like to be returned to the mortal realm. I have a score to settle."
"Zandor, I don't care how you died or who killed you this time. That doesn't matter to me now. So don't even bother me with it."
"I have work left to do."
"You see Zandor that is where you are wrong. You have no more purpose to your life. You have done what I asked of you and now I have no more use for you."
"What are you saying, Mahj?" Zandor asked slowly, fear filling his mind.
"Your continued existence is not required." With that Zandor's wraith faded, and simply ceased to be. Mahj let slip a grin. "Fools; all of them. They never realize that they are all disposable."
Daigoyin walked silently into the camp, cradling the fallen soldier in his arms.
"Daigoyin! Did you find Wo--" Sunblast recognized the form of his fallen friend. "Oh, god. What happened?"
"Zandor betrayed him. He's, he's dead, Sunblast."
"But, he can still be brought back though, right?"
Another tear slowly rolled down Daigoyin's cheek. Sunblast had never seen Daigoyin cry before. It was at that moment that he realized that he was crying too.
An area made completely of light surrounded Robert. He knew that he was dead, now. This was the Sanctum of Light. The area was empty except for a haze in the light before him. He walked up and touched the haze, which immediately rippled in response. He didn't know why, but he knew that he was supposed to walk through it.
Once he did, he saw a woman from his past. She was slightly shorter than he was. Her long, bright yellow hair fell past her shoulders and down her back. She wore a dull gray armor that covered her torso and thighs. The bracelet on her right wrist glistened among all the light. Robert stared in disbelief into the turquoise eyes of the old friend.
"Hello, Robert. I would ask how you've been, but if the answer was 'good', you wouldn't be here."
"Ayame?" He blinked to make sure he was seeing correctly. "What is this place?"
"This is the Light. You have become one with it now. But if you so choose, you could choose to forego that in favor of a much grander design."
"What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You see Robert, everyone has a purpose to their life. There are points in life that determine what our purpose will be. The decisions we make decide what we are meant to do. Essentially there are two paths we can take. The first path is the easy path. It is the path of the Dark. Those that go down that path live out a cursed existence, to dwell forever in a torture pit called Hades. The other path is considerably more difficult, but is ultimately much more rewarding."
"The path of the Light, right?"
"Exactly. Robert, you chose the path of the Light, and it has made you strong. The path of the Dark would have also made you strong, but in a different way. You see, you never realized just how powerful an individual you are. You chose to remain humble instead. Because of this, you are a true servant of the Light. Those that realize their potential usually choose to obtain personal benefit from it. This leads them to become servants of the Dark Lords. Instead of personal benefit, you chose to help others with your strength. Do you know what others call you because of this?"
"Yes, my call sign is the Guardian."
"The Guardian. The name couldn't be more fitting. A guardian is a protector of the innocent. This is why you stand before me now. Everyone who chooses to serve the Light has a choice. They can choose to go on to an eternity of bliss for themselves, or to bring happiness to others. Thus I now give you that choice."
"Wait, why you?"
"When I died, I was given my choice. I could either go on to heaven, or I could do my part in the never ending battle between good and evil. I chose to serve. You see, in the last moments of my life, I realized a gift within myself. I knew a language that very few people today know. It's called giogata. It also happened to be the language that the Light is most comfortable with. Therefore, the Light had a sort of, job opening for me. Now, I am the messenger of the Light. I offer the choice."
"What is my choice?"
"There is only one true warrior of the Light at this time: Hikara, the Protectorate of the Light. His purpose is simple, at least in description: to ensure that the Light does not fall to the Dark. There are still tasks that he alone cannot handle, however. There is a war coming, Robert. You know this all too well because you are at the forefront of it. Your unit is the only one that knows about the danger that is being brought against Pioneer 2. The Light needs a Guardian of the Innocent; someone to stop the Dark from winning this war. If it does: everyone on Pioneer 2, and in effect all of mankind, will perish. You must stop the Dark's chief servant from succeeding."
"Mahj," he growled, knowing the answer with the help of the omnipresent Light.
"He is a dangerous man, equally as powerful as you, but with one advantage. As long as the Dark has use for him, he cannot die. You have to stop him. In order to do that, the Light is willing to grant you the same ability. The light will grant you one more skill and the rest is up to you. You will be able to save the lives of the innocent, even those that suffer from mortal wounds."
"What are you saying? I can stop death?"
"In a matter of speaking, yes. Your ability will be limited, however. Think of your power like reverser. It is essentially the same as a scape doll, but as long as a soul has not been claimed by Light or Dark at purgatory, you can bring them back to their body. Now, this path, if you choose to walk down it, will not be easy. You may not succeed, but those that fight for righteous causes will stand a much greater chance of succeeding if you fight with them. The choice is yours: to serve or let someone else take your place. Either choice is understandable. After all, one path results in happiness. The other results in much toil and pain for you."
"I will be the Guardian of the Innocent," he said, standing proud.
"Good. You will live once more then. I wish you the best of luck, for your life now has purpose."
"Ayame! He has made his choice. It's time to let him go." A male's voice called out.
"Coming Kuberr. Don't worry about those that you can't save. You will meet them again in this place."
"I'm happy for you. You found Kuberr after all."
"Helping me avenge Kuberr was one of the most righteous things you have ever done; at least to me. You must understand one thing before you go. With the power to give life comes the power to take it away. This war will result in many deaths. Be sure to save the innocents that you can, but do not be afraid to punish the cursed."
Ayame picked up her sword and walked away, fading and once more becoming a part of the Light.
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Expect the next installment in 2-3 days.
Until next time,
-- Robert_Wolf
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