RECAP: In Revolution, KaW became reality for about three thousand people, all of them subjects in an experiment for Cerberus, a mind-controlling device. Once Cerberus was fully ready, The Voice launched it, and the KaW universe was deleted, taking many of the subjects with it. All that remain are Cheese, Irin, Benny, and the unnamed figure. Only they can stop Cerberus. Only they know the secret. Only they can bring Salvation. ------------------------------------------------ Chapter 1 - (1/2) Sickness ----------------------~------------------------ Just blocks away from the Cerberus Facility, Irin wept. All the events that had happened in the past... She didn't know, time had become a lie to her... Had been too much. The revolution, the troll fight, the fall of the mods... They had all been part of a cruel game, and they had lost. To her right, Cheese was busy welding metal he'd picked up during their escape. The welding beam had been torn from the arms of a dead mechanic, hell knew what had happened to him. ----------------------~------------------------- The numbers... Get them out. Get them out... GET THE DAMN NUMBERS OUT OF MY HEAD! Benny's experiences in Cerberus, those he didn't want to remember, all of them had ravaged his mind. He kept seeing the numbers, hearing the numbers, thinking the numbers... "Are you okay?" Irin asked nervously. -----------------------~------------------------ As Irin inspected the condition of her fellow survivors, she heard a buzzing. Cerberus was still functioning in the Facility. The buzzing became more and more intense, and Irin's vision blurred. Then the sickness took over. ---------------------- Hope you enjoyed the first of Salvation!
Chapter 1 (2/2) Sickness ----------------------~------------------------- Irin's vision was clearing, and the buzzing had stopped suddenly. After a few second of recuperation, she realized she was standing up in KaW... But it couldn't be... And yet here she was, in the middle of the square where Benny and Cheese had fought... Even though it seemed like the events of the Revolution had ended just seconds ago, something was different. A thick green fog swirled ominously just outside her field of vision, making a huge misty dome around her. The air was deathly quiet, with only a whisper here and there. She walked forward to a body, still alive, but barely. The mutilated creature had it's mouth moving in whisper, but Irin couldn't hear it. As she neared the dying soul, something happened. The corpse exploded from the pile of dead, and a freakishly long muscled, bloody tendril grabbed her and forcefully pulled her towards a gaping hole that had just appeared. She awoke hanging off the edge of the roof. ---------------------~-------------------------- Benny, too, had fallen into the Sickness. The voices in his head spoke louder than before, and the sky was red. All around him, numbers floated by, barely noticeable against the hellish landscape. The ground beneath and the scenery around him appeared to be covered in black paint; black paint and blood-scrawled NUMBERS. The voices taunted him, "You want the numbers to stop? You want this nightmare to end? Do as the numbers say, and it'll all end soon..." A knife had appeared in Benny's hand, and the numbers now clustered around a body just feet away... ----------------------~------------------------- "WHAT THE HELL!? GET OFF OF ME!" Cheese screamed and kicked as the scrawny, but strong man gripped hid throat, holding a sharpened piece of metal. Benny wouldn't move, and the hand around his throat closed tighter, the knife moved closer. Just a the blade touched his neck, barely any pressure applied, the buzzing ended. And Benny jumped back. "Oh my god. What did I almost do!?" Cheese explained, and Benny's face turned paler with every detail about how Cheese hadn't been able to move, chains wrapping around his arms and legs, forcing him to watch as Irin walked off the edge, and especially when Benny tried to KILL HIM (Cheese put great emphasis on that part). As the explanation ended, Irin's voice was heard. "Help me up, DAMNIT. Help me up!" The Figure went and helped her up. -------- Well, that's chapter 1. NOTE: Salvation is supposed to be dark and graphic, but I can change the story as it goes if you guys want.
Chapter 2 - (1/2) Beginning ------------------------------------------------ It had been three days since the first round of Sickness had hit the group when they first decided to move. Cerberus had become too dangerous to be around, surrounded by the very monsters that had once kept them trapped inside. Presently, the four were hiding out near an abandoned restaurant. The place seemed new, but the condition betrayed appearance. It looked as though every building within several miles around Cerberus was deserted and ravaged. Something had happened. -----------------------~------------------------ "Damn radio doesn't work! Unless... Anyone have some batteries?" Cheese had been hammering away at that radio for hours now, to no avail. Benny, who seemed calmer now, tore out three little ones and tossed them to Cheese. "We have names, you know." -----------------------~------------------------ Damn, what the hell happened? Where am I? DAMNIT! My arm! He didn't remember who he was, or why he was here, but he knew one thing: He had to get out of the burning building. All around him, flames lashed out as if trying to grab him, and walls and ceilings threatened to collapse. Nevertheless, he ran. --------------------~--------------------------- HT Mental Institution - New Haven - April 27, 2012 Audio-Log of Professor Jim Alkim, Phycologist 7:25 A.M. - "All the patients in the building are behaving normally, nothing special." 12:44 P.M. - "A few of the patients are behaving violently, lashing out at other patients and guards, while screaming random things. It's predictable, but still... Something's not right..." 3:28 P.M. - "All the patients have spiked in violence... Even the normally withdrawn ones are vicious now! And in addition to their screams, I have this annoying buzzing in my ear that won't go away!" 7:25 P.M. - "No time for a log... They've all escaped, and I'm all alone in this panic room... So cold, so much snow! How'd snow even get inside!? My friend's right next to me, cold and dead... The snow did this! Snow... Cold... MAKE IT GO AWAY!" ---------- The Voice listened to the recordings, and smiled to himself. "Some people may wonder: why do this? What does it accomplish? Well... This is only the power of gods, the ability to control one's mind through madness! It accomplishes everything, and noone can stop me!" Behind him, his advisor commented; "I liked the speech, very persuasive and all, but at the end, that just killed it. Could you possibly be any more cliche? I mean, really!" ------------------- I can't concentrate, just watched Alice in Wonderland... So much RANDOM!
Chapter 2 (2/2) Beginning ------------------------------------------------ It was their sixth day since Cerberus collapsed, and their third since the Sickness. The group had made use of an abandoned hotel, surprisingly clean compared to other buildings. ------ Irin paced around the lobby, twirling a deadly-sharp sushi knife between her fingers. The sickness had taken a lot out of her, and now every step she took was poison to her mind. She would be sitting peacefully at one second, and the next, she'd wake up to realize she'd carved a horrifying message in the wall. She shook her head to clear it, and as she did, she saw Cheese sitting in the corner. He wad rocking back and forth, whispering to himself. "What's your name?" The boy looked up, "What?" "Your name. I'm Irin." "I'm not sure if I remember my name, but I think it's Sam. How can you remember everything so clearly?" Irin was silent. ---------------------- The Voice walked across the platform and to the podium. Several different buttons appeared before them, and The Voice pressed one: Split Cerberus "Soon. Very soon..."
Chapter 3 (1/3) Return ----------------------------- The next day began quite nicely for the four, a loud shrieking followed by several thousands of bullet holes peppering the hotel. "It's about time they showed up. Just goes to show," Irin laughed as they ran through one of the open outer hallways, bullets raining right behind them, "Just goes to show how slow they are!" Several hours later, they were camping behind a billboard, which Sam (Cheese had said his name) had pointed out had "Cerberus! The future, today!" written on it. A nice fire had been made from a lot of torn wallpaper and paper from the streets and Sam's welding beam. ------------------------------------------------ - Sir, we lost him. He's with three others, and they're all fast. Recognize any of the three? ~transmitting A.R.U. Camera footage -Hm... There's Benson, the god-damned TRAITOR! Excuse me, *ahem* there's also a teenage boy... Too young-looking to be dangerous... And... What? WHAT? WHAT!? No! The spy is alive! I need you to find them, kill them, and make sure there is NOTHING LEFT! -Cerberus Communication End- "Well, ****. Looks like we've all got some explaining to do," Sam put down the radio, now fully functional. ------------------------------------------------ Some of you may notice that this is a 3-PART chapter. I'm sure you know what that means,
Chapter 3 (2/3) Return ----------------------------- "So, Irin... About that 'spy' business?" Sam was eager to know the truth, and everyone knew it. Irin sat still, as if pondering how she would say it, and then spoke. "Cerberus and Archangel have always been rivals. Both are military producers, and both are equally deadly. I'm sure you've heard of Archangel?" This was met by two blank stares, and a mutter from the Figure. "It's a top-secret team of... Supersoldiers. Heightened reflexes, strength, speed, matrix-style dodging skills, the whole thing." More staring, then Irin broke the silence. "We can slow down time for ourselves, and we were sent in as spies to sabotage Cerberus. That's it." "...Ok, but one question. Where'd that other guy go?" ------------------------------------------------ Cerberus Gunship 492, three blocks away from the survivors The gunship hovered through the streets, spotlights blazing across the empty wasteland. "All life is gone from this place, and we're the ones sent to find four escapees!? Why didn't they send Alpha Squad!?" "Shut up and look for them." As the metal beast continued through the streets, an air of tension began to form. ------------------------------------------------ The Figure stood over the gunship, investigating from a crane above. As the machine neared him, he smiled. And jumped. Latching on to the wing of the gunship, he climbed towards the back door. Struggling a little, he pried open the metal hatch, and jumped in. With amazing ease, he walked past the bullets the sniper was firing, right IN FRONT OF HIM. When he reached the sniper, still in the slow-motion state, he reached out and broke the man's neck. He then provided to the cockpit, killing both pilots with swift jabs to the neck. Throwing the bodies off the gunship, he went to pilot it. As he got used to it, he joined Sam's radio wavelength. Triumphantly, he said "Ladies, gents, most humble servants, and you ****ers at Cerberus, your Majesty has arrived!" ------------------------------------------------ Admit it. That was epic
Chapter 3 - Return (3/3) ------------------------------------------------ "Majesty!? But... But... You kinda... Died!" Sam was completely taken off guard by Majesty's re-appearance. "Have you heard anything this girl Irin has been saying, boy?" Majesty laughed, "We're archangels, slo-motion combatants, spies! We find ways to die, and live." Silence. "Anyhow, we'd better land soon. I see what looks to be a refugee camp." Sure enough, just out the gunship window, Sam, Irin, Benson (Benny) and Majesty were all looking at a camp. ------------------------------------------------ "GUNSHIP INBOUND!" The archer shouted. Everyone in the camp scrambled for cover, throwing over tables and supply crates to use as shields. Despite all the madness that was going on, the gunship hadn't fired. -------- "Sam, my boy, do us a favor and get down there, please. Wouldn't want them throwing rocks at us!" Sam grabbed a dropdown rope, swung over the edge, and rolled when he hit the ground, ending by holding the welder to the archer's face, as the archer held his bow the same way. No shots were fired, noone spoke, and the gunship hovered overhead. Several seconds passed. "Feather hunter?" "Well met under such ill circumstances." The gunship landed, and the other three walked out. As he'd been since he revealed himself, Majesty made another smart*** comment. "And you couldn't have lunged us or something about this place the whole time?" ---------------------- Majesty and FeatherHunter... Who knew?
Chapter 4 - (1/2) Preparation ------------------------------------- The next few days were uneventful. They received four reasonably large meals daily, went through hard weapons training, and talked to new friends often. "Pull!" Sam blasted the first target clean out of the sky. "Pull!" Irin beat him to it. "Pull!" This time, Majesty's throwing knife tore through the target first. As the training continued, news was exchanged. All the conversations of recent events stopped when Feather Hunter (He didn't remember his name, and that was his popular nickname) told them: "We've just received word that there're some super-soldiers in Cerberus. 'Dem brutes got themselves some fancy suits." Irin jumped at "suits." "Get me a pair of Iron Fists. I want my suit back!" "Yea. Mine too." majesty said. ------------------------------------------------ When Majesty and Irin had left, Sam went after Feather Hunter to tell him: "I'm going back to the Cerberus facility. Don't expect me back for a few days." "WHAT!?" ------------------------------------------------ About ten hours later, Sam approached the dead mechanic, wrench in hand. He was getting his equipment back. ------------------------------------------------ I can't think of anything to write...
It was a dark and stormy night as Sam approached the demonic tower. Rain fell mercilessly, pounding away at anything below. Stepping into the building, Sam immediately got to work. Scaling the wall through the plentiful cracks and holes, he quickly reached the 13th floor, the one with the dead mechanic. ------------------------------------------------ "You see 'em?" "Yeah. Let's go." Irin and Majesty sprinted across the rafters, just over the supersoldiers the refugees had described. At one point, they positioned themselves in an ambush spot. Seconds later, they jumped the soldiers.
Chapter 4 (2/2) preparation ------------------------------------------------ The Cerberus soldiers didn't stand a chance. Unseen, Irin and Majesty dropped down from the rafters and landing foot-first on their heads. While the freaks in armor were stunned, majesty finished them with a few quick jabs to the neck. "Dress rehearsal?" "You weren't like this in KaW..." Majesty was silent as they donned the suits they once wore. The Archangel suits. ------------------------------------------------ Sam slowly made his way through the 13th floor. At every corner a light would fall or a screen would flicker. Trying to remember where the mechanic had been, he stumbled around in darkness, his flashlight barely illuminating the area. At long last, he found the mechanic. But something was different. The mechanic had been in a corner last time.... And he'd been slumped on the ground... Now the corpse lay next to a long wall, blood dry on his face. The man, who appeared to be only twenty, had written in blood 'The Voice Is a Lie' on the wall. At the end of the sentence, a huge red splatter was present, indicating the poor soul had beaten his own face in. "how... Pleasant" He told himself as he proceeded to pull open the heavy armor, revealing a keypad. Quickly typing in a code, he opened the suit farther, until he took the body out and activated the self-cleaning system. He then went into the suit, smiling at the feint of nostalgia that the suit gave him. ------------------------------------------------ The Voice -Accessing Memory Banks- -Memory Found: XPU58W -Accessing... -Access Granted ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ John worked at a weapons facility, testing a special kind of weapon. For several years, the company Cerberus had been trying to make a time weapon, being able to alter the course of time itself. All the attempts had failed. "Initializing test X53." The room was sealed, and the bomb was activated. In the middle of a large circular room, a tiny glowing barrel starting ticking. All around it, objects were thrown in random directions. When the timer hit 0, the bomb exploded. All went still inside the chamber. The bomb had simply disappeared, and everything around it was perfectly frozen in time. "Mr. Daleson, we need you to take a look. Good luck." Reluctantly, John put on the Hazard Suit, and entered the chamber. There was an air of otherworldliness in the closed room, with everything suspended halfway through a motion. He wandered around the room for a few minutes, carefully investigated each object, and gave the OK sign to those outside the glass. Then, the incident occurred. The spot where the bomb had been IMPLODED, sucking everything towards it, and taking John with it. -Memory Lapse... -Locating next Fragment -Fragment found "Can we fix him?" "Are you mad!? Half his body is broken!" "We could..." "No. We can't. It's too risky. Z1 and 2 were barely detained." "But we have to! He knows the things we need!" "Very well then..." -Error, Memory interference -Aborting memory -Reverting to Normal Mode The Voice awoke, saying nothing. Carefully, he stood up and stretched, sore from a long week of sitting. As he stretched, he noticed his arm and leg, both machines, and remembered. X3. ------------------------------------------------ I tried to use big words.. I'm not too good with them XD
Chapter Whatever - (1/2) ------------------------------------------------ Standing above the once suited soldiers, Irin and Majesty checked the suits for damage. -Performing Maintenance Check -Check Completed -Suit online "Ok, we should head back." ------------------------------------------------ Sam's suit wasn't done bolting itself up, and he was becoming impatient. His annoyance ended when the last buzz sounded, and the machine allowed movement. He began to walk, welder in hand, when he heard a voice. "He lies..." The holographic display inside his helmet flickered. The voice's location was indiscernible, until it spoke again. "He walks among you, but he isn't one of you..." Directly behind him. "Who are you!?" He spun around, only to face the mechanic. Every gory detail had left his body, and he stood fine, wielding a heavy spike-gun: extreme equipment used only for underwater construction. "You're dead! It's the madness! You're not real!" He shouted, clicking uselessly at the somehow jammed welder beam. "Oh, am I, now?" At that moment, Sam experienced his first spike to the head. ------------------------------------------------ Accessing memory banks--- Memory Found --- WARNING - Encrypted - -Override- -Accessing... -Accessing memory AC8103 An operating table. John was on an operating table, surrounded by every surgical tool imaginable. Blades and needles, even lasers, all pointed at him at menacing angles. He tried to move. He couldn't. To his right, a sign blinked: -Initializing X3 movement systems- Then a sudden rush went through his body. He felt bodiless, as if he wasn't there, then he returned. His arms and legs could move now. He did so now, not noticing what had happened. After about thirty seconds, he saw it. His right arm and left leg were mechanical. And he saw differently. There were words at the corner of his vision, and it was as if he was looking through a computer screen. -Welcome, John. This is your bio-processor. My goal and purpose is to keep you alive. You must complete your task.- John stood up, and began walking towards the exit. No doctors or bio-engineers stopped him, simply congratulated him for a fast recovery. As he reached the test chamber, his vision/screen flickered eratically. -override- -Initiating logic systems- -New objective set- John could not resist. The machine had taken over.