Chapter 1:
"Where am i?"
The sun was shining so brightly overhead, on a normal day it would be beautiful.....but this wasn't to be a normal day.
"Im so happy I've finally found you!"
Came a voice in front of me.
I look down to see this little floating device right in front of me. I notice wreckage of what at first seems to be a building in front of me but it was too large. Staggered by the size of it I was lost for words. My gaze fell back to this little device that just seemed to be starting at me. I see cars, hundreds of them, this must have been a busy highway at one stage of its lifetime.
But now,
All that was left was wreckage, rusted machines, some of them filled with corpses.
The little device was saying something, I didn't take it in. I was only standing here for a few moments, but my gaze felt like a lifetime taking everything in.
"We need to move NOW!"
A roar in the distance echoed across the landscape. My senses did not know what it was but a cold shiver and a hint of fear crept into my body.
At this point all I knew is this little light in front of me was just as scared as I was.
He led the way towards this mega structure I was in awe of a few moments ago. Moving in and out of all the cars that lay still, we reached the structure or what I now realised was a huge wall, it's purpose still unknown.
I was slightly hesitant before going in. It was dark and didn't seem safe. But before I had any chance to ask any questions I felt a blast of hot air going past he back of my head. I look to the direction this wave of heat was travelling and see a patch of plasma etched into the wall.
I look to see where it came from. There was nothing to be seen apart from a glimmer, a reflection in the hot days sun.
Sniper.
My body started moving before I could even get my head around what was going on or who was even shooting at me.
I walked up a dim lit staircase with what I hoped was an a friendly entity.
So many thoughts were running through my mind. Where am I? What happened? Who am I following?
I tried asking something, but before I could say a word I walked onto a platform in near complete darkness. I could only see the light of this thing I was following and a terrible feeling came over me.
"We are in the middle of the wall, the fallen thrive in the darkness. Let me see if I can get the power on, otherwise we are going to be in trouble."
No shit I thought to myself.
What felt like an age was barely a few seconds. The sound of metal clanging and the creatures crawling echoed around my.
Then, an all mighty bang came from a far.
In the distance I could see lights being turned on. A feeling of relief came over me.
But it didn't last long.
As the light drew closer I could see things that I only saw in films. Creatures, skinny looking things, with four arms.
That feeling of fear was back now. This time my body couldn't move. My brain was trying to comprehend what I was actually seeing.
"The Fallen! They're already inside! We need keep moving"
I didn't need telling twice. A gate opened in front of me.
"Grab that gun, we can't afford to stop" said this little device.
I sprinted to the weapon and picked it up. It felt comfortable, not to heavy and not to light and even better with a full clip of ammo.
We carried on moving as the gate shut behind us. I was half looking at where we were going and half looking at the rifle. It's feel, it's look, holding it felt natural.
It was very confusing. But the whole situation I was in was also confusing.
We carried on walking down corridors after corridors of this dark place.
What ever I was following hadn't said a word and neither did I.
I still didn't know where I was going, what "it" was and why I'm being shot at.
But most importantly what happened to me.
Chapter 2:
We continued down corridor after corridor. It was like something out of a horror film, just waiting for something to happen.
I was starting to think I was in one giant maze. Until he stopped.
The light I had been following halted a few feet in front of me and as I peered past him a shadow on the wall moved out of site.
"Fallen up ahead" it said
"Be prepared for anything"
I tightened my grip around the rifle it's sight now pulled up to my eye ready to fire at any enemy that came our way.
We went down a small staircase and moved into a a new area. I scanned the area for any enemies. There was none for now. We walked across a gangway which was leading to a new room.
That's when I saw it.
This small skinny creature standing at the end of the gangway it let out a screech of noise, and started to fire.
This time though, I was ready.
I took cover behind some boxes stacked up in front of me. The bullets of his plasma rifle went straight through where I was standing, I fired a few shots and as soon as it started it was over.
Two bullets pierced his skull and his body let out a small white light before hitting the floor. His body was still. It's blue blood started to leak from his head.
Yup he's dead, I thought to myself.
Before I could ask any more questions, the device I had been following spoke.
"We need to keep moving, the rest of them would have heard the gunfire"
I walked past the body still transfixed on it. It was nothing like I had ever seen or heard of. A part of me wanted to question was I still on earth?
We continued forward and reached the end of the gangway.
"Look" it said "A loot cache, open it and see what's inside"
I went over to this green and brown box and opened it, a bright light shone out, and inside was another weapon, a shotgun.
I picked the weapon up and again it felt so natural. The questions I had been asking myself were coming back, who am I i thought, only to replaced by the question what am I?
I slung the weapon over my shoulder and proceeded forward.
I could see lights coming nearer, a part of me was hoping it was coming to an end and I would be safe. I couldn't have been more wrong at this point.
Chapter 3:
The stench was horrid. A sewage system that looks like it was working over drive, enough to make anyone feel sick.
"Trip mines" he said "don't touch the lines"
What ever I was fighting didn't want this to be subtle, awkward angles of light stitches from wall to floor. This was either very sloppy placement or they knew we were coming.
A shot was fired of in the distance.
Staring at the lasers I was not fully focused on what was ahead of me. A pack of a few fallen were ahead and one managed to get a shot off. I felt the burning sensation of his plasma pistol burn my skin the heat was something I had never experienced before.
The pain and adrenaline consumed my body. I wanted to kneel, to scream because of it, but my body took over. Not thinking I dropped the rifle and pull my shotgun over my shoulder. I slid through a gap in the mines not setting one off.
What happened next was unexpected, I turned a corner met one of these fallen face to face and before he could do anything I fired my gun.
His body flew backwards after suffering a shot so close and landed a few feet away. His friends looked and where he lay, let out a scream of their own.
Bang.....bang...They weren't screaming anymore. Their white lights faded into the air and their lifeless bodies hit the ground.
Everything then fell quiet. Not a sound. It was almost to good to be true.
And it was.
I saw him out of the corner of my eye, a new enemy, one I had only seen briefly before. That sniper.
This time he wasn't using a gun but a blade. He lunged at me so fast, I barely had time to move. His knifed scrapped across my chest. By the time his blade left my skin, it was too late. For him anyway. My fist caught him in the face, he staggered and lunged at me once more. But this time i was ready. I caught his arm and plunged his blade into his own body.
We stared at each other for a few seconds before the light in his eyes went out. It dropped to his knees and then his body hit the floor.
I dropped to my knee to take a breath. My body ached and blood was dripping from my chest. The pain was real, if I ever thought I was dreaming, this proved it wrong.
"Are you okay" came a voice in the now silent room.
"Yes, I think"
I wanted to ramble and say no but I knew that wouldn't really help and looking at him, He couldn't help.
"We are almost there, not long now" he said
All that came into my head was where is "there"? I still had a doubt in my mind that this little thing I was following might be taking me into a trap.
After getting bandaged up from make shift enemy armour and bandages made out of my clothes we carried on walking until we reached a room. But this one was different. It was bigger than the ones we had passed previously and had a bad presence about it, and I was right.
Enemies crawled down the walls in numbers each one looking for blood. One by one they landed on to the floor and one by one they opened fire. I moved quickly to the nearest cover available and fired shots back. Moving between boxes and pillars trying to make myself a harder target for the enemies between increasing difficult, this has to end soon otherwise I would be in trouble.
The fight continued for a few more minutes one by one they all fell but more came through a door way.
That must be the way out I thought.
I finished the last clip of my assault rifle and slung my shotgun back into my hands and headed for the door. Firing shots rapidly, showing no mercy for my foe's I forced my way through the door and then ran. Firing shots over my shoulder to anyone who may be pursuing me, I ducked under a fence and around a corner.
Safety I thought.
My shotgun was now staring at the doorway I had just come from, my eyes locked down its sight. I waited and listen. Nothing. I didn't take the risk of going back around the corner to check but I waited. Minutes passed until one final enemy walked around the corner thinking he had the drop on me.
He was very wrong.
The final slug fired from the chamber sending the enemy back, if there were any others around that corner they daren't come out after seeing that.
I stood up and put my shotgun away and took a few paces forward to see a new site. Buildings, tanks, trucks and the sun setting on the mountains in the distance.
My companion went ahead of me and scanned the area. Nothing, for now at least.
"It's getting dark" he said "We should take shelter in that depot, I know you have questions and I will answer them"
Chapter 4:
We settled down inside an old warehouse, and when I say old it looked ancient. We scanned the room for any sign of life or movement. There was none. I closed the door and gathered what ever I could find to make a bed and to keep warm the only light I had was my companion.
I finally finished building a make shift bed and started to attend to my wounds.
"Where should I start" it said.
"from the beginning" I replied
And from the beginning he did. The traveller, the golden age, the collapse, the Darkness and also the Ghosts.
"So your a Ghost"
"Yes" he replied sounding pleased with himself
"And you are now a guardian. I have been searching for you for quite some time. I'm so glad I found you. I am now your Ghost"
"Why am I so special?" I replied
The Ghost or now my Ghost was very cryptic in his answer. Explaining how he was drawn to my body from half way around the world was a bit strange but there had to be more.
"You didn't answer my question, why me?"
"It's logical" he replied "your military experience, training, you are combat ready. I learnt about you while you were.........dead"
"Military training? I was in the army?" I replied
"Not just the army, you were a highly decorated soldier, worked tasks worldwide for many agency's with a near spotless record and flawless completion rate"
"Huh, sounds like I was pretty good"
"Your record shows it" he answered "some of your memory's will return. I hope it's the ones we need"
"What if I refuse?" I asked
The Ghosts shell dropped over its eye in a look of anger and then said words anyone would hate to hear.
"Then the end of the world will be sooner than we all expect"
After learning as much as my brain could handle. I tried to sleep. But I couldn't. There were so many questions running through my mind about my past, who I was, what I did, what I've done to people. Then those questions turned even more personal, was I married, have a girl or even kids. I felt a great saddens come over my body, these questions I wasn't sure if I wanted to know these answers.
Chapter 5:
"We need to move"
There was no hello or good morning, just the abrupt hit to my shoulder. I pulled myself from my pit, dazed for a few seconds before I realised where I was.
Yup, still not dreaming I thought.
I gathered my makeshift gear and my weapons, making sure they were prepared for action.
"I'm hoping we will find an old guardian ship here so we can make our war back to the tower"
Ships and a tower, sounds a lot safer than being shot at by two and four armed freaks.
I opened the door slightly, no sign of trouble. Keeping close to cover, we moved forwards towards an old factory. We reached the entrance to the factory and took a vantage point to scout the area.
No enemies, brilliant.
Agreeing with my ghost we made our way down to the entrance.
Still no enemies in sight.
"Perfect" my Ghost popped up "I'm picking up the signal of an old ship, let's just hope the fallen haven't beaten us too it"
Picking up the pace we moved faster, desperately checking room making sure we hadn't missed a beat or weren't being followed until we found it. The hallway we had followed had opened up into a massive room. A ship was hanging from the ceiling, clearly it's captain had abandoned it, or worse died.
My ghost made a move towards the ship but was stopped in his tracks.
"FALLEN!" He shouted
I raised my rifle and fired. The fallen had a clear advantage over me and at this moment more enemies appeared from another door. Stranded behind a a few boxes, plasma shots going over my head, my options again were limited again.
I started to fire back, taking careful and precise shots. I couldn't risk firing too many as my ammo was limited. One by one they fell, and the ones on the ship had raced to floor hoping to land the final blow, but this did not work in their favour.
The last enemy dropped. Or so I thought.
What I saw next would frighten most humans, especially with no experience of fighting aliens. A much taller enemy had appeared with six arms and one hell of a gun. He let out a roar of sheet terror before lining his gun up on me.
"Move" I told myself
And just as he fired that's what I did, jumping out of the way of the first few shots, I drew my shotgun and fired back but it didn't do any good. It came chasing me, firing shots where I once stood, this was not going well.
I tried to dart across the room to the other side.
I didn't make it. Taking a shot to the shoulder my body hit the floor. Knowing I was not safe I had to get up. I struggled to get to my feet, the fallen captain stood and laughed at me, thinking how could this pathetic human be any match for him.
He was muttering a language I could not understand but I knew he was mocking me.
That's when I felt it.
A feeling I had never felt before, like my body was about to burst, but no in pain but in rejuvenation. I screamed at the top of my lungs in anger and hate towards this creature, thrust my hand in the air, and out of no where appeared a pistol. Bright in colour as if it was on fire.
The creature was not mocking me any more.
I lowers my arm and aimed at him and pulled the trigger.
Bang....bang.....bang
And as quickly as the gun appeared it was now gone. And the creature lay dead on the floor.
"I'm bringing you inside" my Ghost said "we are getting out of here"
Couldn't have gone any faster I said under my breath.
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