Merth, also called the city of resources. At least called that before the Orts of the MONARCHY found their way into the city. A city bustling with life in one minute turned to one devoid with life in the next. The Orts had devoured all souls of those all they had bitten, no survivors were left and so the story of the "Merth Massacre" as if had been called was gone with the souls of the devoured
Today was the Merth raid, everyone got ready in-time for the raid. Alex and Mick quickly went off to where the support team was stationed. "Well don't you die on us, ha-ha" Alex said before sprinting off. Boy, was he caring.
"Um D-Dan, stay safe okay, I don't want you to do anything risky today" Stacy said with a hint of sadness in her voice. Yes, she could be a brute at times. But we all knew she cared the most for me. Maybe I'll do a bit of risk to get attention. He-he
"Er, yeah I'll stay safe I guess". I replied and, and we all went for the final briefing.
"I know the order was to kill everything in sight" Sir. Henry began with his normally loud voice. "But I won't want to lose anyone. Remember any fatal injury or wound, fall back to the support team stationed with your squad." He continued. "Now to Merth, CONQUER!!!" he bellowed finally.
My squad consisted of me, Dan Tracy, Stacy Walters, Luke Fletch who was considered one of the strongest high forms, Abel who later got drafted because of his talent (if only he was down to earth), a support team of 3 and 3 high forms to guard them. We were a team centered on speed and technique. There was no going to be room for wasted movement.
And so, the journey began to Merth. It was my first time outside the resistance city and I began to look around with curiosity to see what I could find and I found…. Desolate couldn't even begin to describe the situation outside the city. Trees, Dead, Craters everywhere, no single life form was outside this city. The MONARCHS and Orts had decimated this world turning it to a wasteland.
The journey was to take 3 days. Each squad had their mobility vehicle; we were at the frontline aiming to throw the Orts of stance. They could be calculative at times. Once they saw a strategy fail, they changed to another. They weren't just fiends but intelligent ones at that. This was not going to be an easy raid.
"Hey Dan, just because you beat me at hand-to-hand combat doesn't mean I'll suddenly warm up to you and try to save your ass if you are in trouble" Abel began. I knew there was concern in his voice and I smiled about to thank him before- "why don't you worry about yourself weakling" -Stacy cut me short. Man was she scary at times. Even her smile seemed to have a bit of evil behind it. Thank God I wasn't on her bad side.
The leader for our squad was Luke. Everyone was to take his words as the words of Sir. Henry. He was a born strategist if you ask me plus he carried himself in way that screamed "Finesse".
We arrived at Merth three days later. The strategy for our squad was to go in with stealth, thin down their numbers and leave the rest to the reinforcements which will come in 10 minutes after we've entered. In other words, we were the vanguard. It seemed like an impossible job but with the people on the squad we were the best possible choice.
I readied my gear and saw Stacy walking up to me and was about to wish her luck when- "I'm serious Dan, be safe. I don't want to lose you" -she pulled me into a hug and whispered those words in my ears. Of course I was going to play safe, but if the situation called for it, I was going to let off a little, of course not to die.
"I'll be safe Stacy, don't you worry you brute" I said laughing it off. And those words earned me a well-deserved punch to the gut. Yup, pretty much well deserved.
And we were off into the city. 10 minutes and reinforcements will come. We took to the sewers so as not to drag attention and to catch the Orts off guard with an attack right at the middle of their pack. The sewers were surprisingly clean but I guess it should be expected since the city was devoid of life.
"These sewers are clean. Too clean" Luke said taking the words out of my mind. "Anyway, we rise to the surface and begin our attack at the next opening" he said. And I took my position at the front. The formation was simple. I started the attack with my light attacks, Luke behind me to finish off any stragglers, the support team behind us both with their high form guards and Abel and Stacy at the backline protecting our backs and ready to switch to the front if the need arose... A solid formation if you ask me.
"Ok that's the next opening, we go up in 5" Luke said finally, and the attack began.
There they were. Orts. Black formless bodies, with a liquid that seemed like spittle which dissolved whatever they dropped on, Aura that induced fear and those eyes that seemed like fire burning a bush. The Orts were expecting us and deep down I immediately knew the plan was bad. We were supposed to arrive at their middle but, now they surrounded where we were supposed to rise form. Truly intelligent fiends.
"The plan is a failure" I said to Luke immediately after launching an attack on them. "We need to fall back" and said unleashing a barrage of light arrows on them hoping to buy us time. Looking at my watch we had only 3 minutes before the reinforcements came into the city. It felt like forever. Each of us on our squad fighting for our lives. We used all the techniques and what not from The Guide system but results were not forthcoming then it dawned on us all.
Deep down I knew, we knew it was all wrong. The Guide system was wrong in all aspects. From starting out as a cadet to the ethos to have for success, The Guide was all wrong. How were we going to win against the "MONARCHY" with all that redundancy from the system. Even my supposed "Self-improvement" system wasn't bringing forth fruits. So much for the techniques I spent weeks to hone. We were soon going to start losing numbers.
And then what I, we all feared began to happen. A high class supposed to be guarding the support team tripped and fell and before anyone could help him, he got beaten by an Ort and his soul got devoured. It happened all in an instant. He tripped and fell. An Ort bit. His soul got devoured and before we all knew the support team and their guards had gotten devoured. We were supposed to be the strongest and quickest team but we couldn't even kill an Ort. So much for the "Centered on speed and technique" squad. In the face of true power, we were helpless.
"I-I-I can't j-just die l-like t-this" Abel stammered in fear and began to run off without a plan. "Stop Abel, don't run off without a pl-" without a plan was what I was about to say. But before I could even complete my words an Ort got to him. And thus, Abel had his existence erased from this world.
"You monsters!!!!" I screamed imbuing my katana with light and taking an aim at the Ort. I swung. And heard a shattering. My katana broke. The Ort was strong. I was weak. That was all I thought as I got knocked back. I glanced at my watch and it was remaining 20 seconds. I could buy enough time.
"Hey Luke, take of Stacy will you. We have 20 seconds till the reinforcements; I can buy that much time with my throwables ha-ha" I said laughing off the pain. I took out a grenade and imbued it with the water element.
"I'll cause an explosion for you both to run, a water type explosion. Be fast so the flood won't get to you" I continued
"Don't try to be a hero you fool, we came here together we're going to go back together" Stacy said while hugging me, crying. I wish all that was possible. I knocked her unconscious and gave a signal to Luke to carry her.
"Thanks man" I said to him smiling. And he took her and they were off.
"Ooh it's about time the reinforcements start the attack" "Time to give them a flashy entertainment" I said to myself and threw the grenade at the Orts and blacked out.
I wish I was stronger. I wish I didn't have to die that way. I wish I could see Stacy one more time. I wish… I wish….
"Dan Terry"
I heard a voice. Maybe I'm finally in the afterlife.
"Dan Terry"
I heard it again. This time it sounded impatient. I flicked my eyes open and I saw it. The source of the voice. A presence that induced fear. It looked like the culmination of a hundred Orts.
I looked around. I wasn't in Merth. I wasn't in the resistance city. Then where was I?
"Dan Terry" it said for a third time. "Where am I?" I managed to reply.
"You are at the point. The place where all existence comes to and goes from. Here you are in a state of death and life" it said.
Thinking of it, I couldn't feel my body.
"Your soul found it's way here with the souls of the Orts" it said. "I am the pack leader of the Orts" it continued.
The pack leader of the what? And I'm in my soul form? Seems I got bitten by one of them and it seems the explosion got to them. Maybe we should've started the attack with the explosives.
"So, I guess I'm dead huh?" I replied. I didn't want to believe it. I was weak in the face of true power.
"You are in a state of life and death at the moment. I heard your wish to become strong and I will grant it to you" he said. "You will have the power of the Orts and indeed become stronger. I am the culmination of all the Orts in that city. With me you shall always evolve in power. I want to see what kind of life you can live with this power. The presence of the Orts shall be with you" he finished. I was about to ask some questions when a blinding light shone and I blacked out once again
I woke up and I found myself in a hospital. I guess I survived then.
[YES, YOU DID]
Yes, I did.
Wait there wasn't anyone in the room with me. where did that voice come from?
[IT IS ME]
You who?
[THE LEADER OF ORTS IN THAT CITY]
Oh yeah, I remember him saying "the presence of the Orts shall be with me" but was this what he meant?
[YES. I AM NOW A SECOND MIND IN YOUR BODY]
Sounds creepy
[AND WITH SUCH, MY POWERS AND ATTRIBUTES ARE NOW YOURS]
I see so that's how I survived the explosion and attacks with my body intact huh
Maybe I can get stronger now. No. I will get stronger now. To be able to defeat the MONARCHY. To be able to protect Stacy. I will get stronger.
[YES, YOU WILL DAN]