Book 2 C 10 Aftermath

I am still on my knees, my heart is pounding in my ears. I look around and see total chaos. Several people are in fetal positions, others lay dead on the ground, a few have white froth in their mouths and died of fright. Then I see them, the children, they are crying everywhere, but are fine otherwise. My mind is still in a fog, but I can feel a small relief at seeing the children all untouched by the event, they are simply scared because the adults went mad.

I then see, Julie, then Ki'Diera and finally Cindy, all unconscious on the ground, a slight red glow envelops all three of them. I can't hear anything as someone is touching my shoulder, I look up and see Alexander, he is saying something to me. Slowly I shake my head to him, then begin to remove the stuffing in my ears.

“Your Majesty are you all right?” Alexander asks again with worry in his voice, amidst the cries and scream.

“I will be ok now Alexander, see to the others please.” I say to him, my voice is out of breath.

I sling Cindy over one shoulder, Ki'Diera over the other, then take Julie in my arms, carrying all three at once, I make my way to our room carefully. I simply kick the door in when we get there and head for the big bed and lay Julie, then KI'Diera then finally Cindy on the bed. I position each carefully and cover them up, they are sleeping rather than unconscious it seems, a defense mechanism maybe. The red glow had tingled my hands and body, but right now I am so numb I can barely feel anything.

I fall across the bed and fall to sleep myself.

“Scott? Wake up.”, I feel myself being shaken lightly a soft voice calling to me. I turn over and see all three girl staring at me, they are sitting on their knees on the bed looking at me with different emotions from love to worry.

I slowly sit up. My stomach feels as if it had been kicked a few times.”I am going to the showers” I simply say and begin to leave, my uniform is soiled.

None of the girls say anything.

I move slowly to the showers, others are staggering about, the guards are helping people as best they can. I spot Rick leaning against a wall, his head is cradled in his arms against the wall.

“R...Rick”, I say weakly and place a hand on his shoulder.

“Scott, what was that?”, he turns his head to me and asks in a soft almost unbearable voice.

I just nod to him for now.”I am going to take a shower” I say to him and stagger off.

Rick looks down to himself,” good idea” he says and follows me to take one himself.

I took a very long shower, letting the warm water pour over my head. It felt good, relaxing and calming. Others were doing the same. After the shower, my strength was returning, I felt normal again, the fear has subsided.

I get dressed, my uniform is clean coming out of my inventory, that is the one perk I love from that, everything comes out smelling clean once put in inventory. I see Rick is already dressed as well and looking better too.

“So I guess playtime is over huh?” Rick asks me.

“Yes it is, it will be getting very hard from here on” I say to him, the expression on my face said everything Rick needed to know. That Dragon was untouchable to us.

“Lets see how bad it is down there” I then start to leave the shower and say, Rick only nods and follows. I stop at the door, and slap both my cheeks, then straighten my back. Taking a deep breath, I then exit the shower.

We return to the Cafeteria, where bodies and people lay all over. “Guards remove the bodies first, lets clear out the dead into the courtyard, cover them with blankets or cloth of some kind for now.”

I bend over a young woman, who looks dead, her eyes stare lifelessly into nothing. I gently pick her up and then carry her out of the Cafeteria. I exit the Keep and lay her down on the ground, other Guards have a body each and lay them next to her. Another guard comes running carrying blankets and begins to cover each one up. I head back to the Cafeteria to grab the next body.

Others are slowly regaining their senses and finally are registering what is going on. I see Julie, Doc Snow, Doc Mathews and Doc Wilson moving from person to person casting heals on them. Other Doctors are still recovering, but are finally moving too, and helping. Some of the Nurses are the first to be treated and as soon as they are able, they being to assist as well.

“We need to check each room too”, I start to say” where are all the Builders?” I ask.

Alexander comes to me “During the event they all collapsed and then vanished.” He says.

“They all died?” I ask in disbelief.

“I know not, your Majesty” He answers grimly.

“What the fuck was that, what in the hell is going on?” a man cries out suddenly.

“Why did we leave Albuquerque, this place is even worse!” another cries out now.

“Folks please calm down, what you saw is happening everywhere right now”. I was about to speak up, but another speaks instead. It is Cindy. “We are probably the lucky ones.”

“How can you say shit like that? Did you even see that thing?” The man yells now in anger.

“Mister I advise you to calm down right now, getting upset is not going to help the others”, Julie speaks up.

“Fuck you bitch, I demand some answers god damn it” he cries out at her.

I did not even realize it, but I had the man slammed against the walls, holding him a foot off the floor, both my hands holding onto the front of his shirt lifting him up.”She said to shut the fuck up, did you not hear?” I growl at him.

His face is pale and he is simply nodding to me”yeah man I am cool, I'm cool” he says quickly.

“Folks I know everyone is scared right now, and like Cindy said, we are probably the lucky ones at this time. Everyone saw the message for themselves. It went out to everyone on this planet. So this is happening everywhere. Right now, I need everyone to pick themselves up and help, lets get the hurt to beds and healed, remove the dead to the courtyard, and for gods sake someone help the children and get the out of here, they do not need to see this.” I say to everyone.

It took the better part of an hour, but the dead were cleared out and lined up in the courtyard. 208 people had died. None of the Builders could be found. None of the Ny'Har'en died either. We found everyone in their rooms were safe, but shaken badly. No one who had a Profession died.

We spend the rest of the day moving people to their houses and into their beds. The Elite recovered and began their patrols again. Some of the Super Soldiers gathered up their gear and headed for the portal site, lead by Montgomery.

I look at my watch. It is well past the time to start the speed ups for the upgrades.” I I am formally putting in a rush job of 59 days”. I say

KINGDOM NOTICE!You have opted for a rush job on your current upgrades

You have selected 59 days

Cost will be 354 thousand gold.

Do you agree?

Yes or No

I say “yes,”

KINGDOM NOTICE!354 thousand has been deducted from your treasury

59 days speed up will now begin!

Lights once again appear everywhere. The Builders returns. One of them looks around, then sees me and walks to me, holds out his arm and waits. I see he has no bracelet. I see the one Julie is wearing and concentrate. Moments later I have a new bracelet in my hand and give it to the Builder. He puts it on then heads over to the other Builders and in quick succession the Bracelet is replicated and all the Builders now wear one.

The first Builder returns to me “(My apologies your Majesty, it seems our previous crew was incapacitated by a Dragon, they are recovering now. We heard it was due to your quick actions their lives were all saved. Once again we are indebted to you.)” He thinks and bows his head.

"(How do we defend against a Dragon like that?)” I ask hoping there was a way.

“(Only a level 10 Fortress with outer walls, that has the mana barrier with trinary back up will suffice, but only for a few days at best, you will have to kill it eventually)” He thinks back to me.

“(But a level 10 Fortress can hold out)” I ask.

“(Only for a few days, a week at most)” He replies thinking.”(we will begin the repairs to the Keep and restore power and mana, also know all future upgrades will have a 20% cost reduction to show our appreciation for saving our peoples live)”.

“(Thank you, their quick actions saved us as well, had they not removed the mana from the walls and keep in time, I am not sure we would have made it)” I say to him.

He nods and goes to work. In short time, the windows are fixed, power is restored, and the mana is returned to the walls and Keep. I take a walk to the walls and look North to where the Dragon flew, in the distance I can see the Rocky Mountains lining the horizon. One area has an eerie orange glow to it, like a massive fire was there. Well at least we know where the Dragon is now.

Clean up goes well into the night, everyone who survived, was placed in a bed or retired to one. Montgomery eventually came back and reported, we missed 3 portals of Were-beast but they got it back under control. They simply stayed in the area seemingly waiting for orders or something and did not move after they portal'ed in. The rest went pretty easy.

“So what do you think Chief” Montgomery asks me.

“The message?” I ask.

He nods “Yes the message....”

“We need to be vigilant more than ever, we will probably encounter new monsters or creatures now, not before seen and they will be much harder than before” I say to him “Focus fire one till we know more about them”

“And if that does not work?” he asks

“Run like hell then, get back here, we will make out stand here with the help of the walls and the barrier” I say to him. “Until we know more about anything that is going on we are in the dark once again, our lives are in great danger” I say then look to the north absently.

“How do we deal with that thing?” Asks Rick

“We kill it” I say to everyone present.

Rick, Bre'Tirgan, Cindy, Julie, Ki'Diera, Alexander, Montgomery and a few Civilians who were listening in, all gasp out loud at the same time.

“That is impossible!” someone says from the people gathered.

“Sigh right now yes it is, but everything we do from here on, is with that goal in mind, we must grow stronger improve our skill and levels. Alone each of us can not do it, but together as a community we can” I say, I feel my leadership skill kicking in.” we will all have to do our part to become stronger”

“What about the dead?” asks someone.

“We can have Doc Snow perform the resurrection, but we will need sacrifices.” I say to all gathered.

“Sacrifices what does that mean?” someone asks

“You have to offer a part of your soul to be given to the person brought back, after that you are both connected by a soul link. Your mind body and soul will forever be connected and if one dies so does the other from that point on. You are forever linked.” I say to them.

A light murmur goes up people begin talking

"Give up part of your soul?? No way....."

"Really it can be done?"

“My wife..she can be brought back?”

“Know this if you do this, It will be forever, no second thought after.” I say to the crowd,” Go sleep on it and tomorrow I will ask Doc Snow to begin the Resurrection.” I say to then all then turn back to my group of people at the table

“So Chief how do you plan to deal with that thing?” Montgomery asks again.

“I had a premonition of sorts, in it, it was 8 months later, we had a level 10 fortress and thousands of people. Other events took place in the dream, and thus far, all events have come true.” I say slowly, pause and decide to reveal it.

“Rick and Doc Snow were killed in my dream” I then say

“I was?” Rick asks shocked.

“Yeah, friendly fire accident in the 7th month shortly after Doc Snow dies helping one of the female victims in child birth.” I say to him.

“Wow....um hmmm.....” Rick is stunned.

“Can we stop these events from happening?” Asks Bre'Tirgan.

“I do not know, Julie, Cindy, Ki'Diera and I have been thinking of ways, but so far all has gone according to the dream thus far.” I say grimly

“Chief!! We found someone” Foutz comes running into the Cafeteria yelling to me.

I look to him, he seems excited “a survivor?”

“Foutz smiles and says “Eddie....we found him passed out at the 3 KM in the East of here, we put him in the infirmary for now. Doc Mathews is with him.”

I get up and rush out, heading for the infirmary. I have a lot of questions for Eddie, why did he fake his death, what happened on the roof, why did he run and more.

I enter the infirmary and see Doc Mathews writing on a clipboard standing over Eddie. Eddie is awake, when he sees me he looks away, shame is seen on his face almost immediately.

I can not let him find out

I am reading his mind this time, no more secrets from him, I will know the truth.

“Eddie I am glad you are ok...after the Drow we thought you were dead.” I say to him

How do I tell him I am a coward and ran?

“Uhh yeah, I got away” He says to me not looking at me.

“Eddie you have to explain somethings to me, what happened on the roof?” I ask

NO!! NO!! I can let them know I killed them and ran. How do I get out of this mess

“Eddie?” I ask but feel anger and sorrow swelling up in me. My friend killed them, my friend was a murderer.

“I do not remember gunny” He says slowly.

“Don't give me that shit Eddie, I am the one fucking person you never lied to....please do not start now.” I say to him.

He sighs then looks to me “Gunny you remember when I left the Marines?” He asks in a soft voice.

“Yeah, I never understood that one, but I did not think to question your decision at the time” I say to him.

“After the last mission, something in me snapped, I got scared, I had enough and wanted out” He says, then looks away again” all the killing, that last mission we lost a lot of good people. I almost died too, but you got to me in time and saved my ass.” he continues.

“After that I was not the same as before and my time was up, I decided not to extend and get out while I could I felt my punch card was done and I had no more space left on it” He says”So left the Marines”

“Eddie what happened on the roof?” I ask again.

“Gunny I told you when the event started, I was in my window shooting the beast?” He says to me, now a tear begins to form in his eye.

“Hah, sigh, god damn it.....” he sniffs and wipes the tear away. “.I shot the beast alright, but i also shot the people too” he confesses.

The news stuns me, I am floored now.

“Why Eddie?” I ask

“The creatures were everywhere, people were running all over, after I saw there was no escaping, I started to shoot the running people. The beasts pounced on the bodies and began eating. Several of them attacking a body, ripping it to pieces goring themselves.” He says recounting the events.

“Once I saw a chance and the beasts were all feeding, I made my escape. I got to Fort Carson, the military had already pulled out. I was let in as a former Marine even given weapons and assigned a duty. Not many were left at the base. I took up a position for sniping and watched for the beast, I was so damn scared. There was no where to run, they were everywhere.” He says

“Then the next wave hit, the guys at the base were fending them off, one of the creatures had jumped on the roof with me, looking for a snack, but I was able to kill it, I was at my wits end. I figured if the beasts were busy eating they would not look for me, so I began to pick of the people to help the beast find a meal so I could hide.” He says then.

“I killed them all and the creature ate happily ripping and shredding them to pieces.The guys were so busy fighting off the beasts they never saw me coming.” He laughs. It is an eerie laugh.

"Then you showed up, and things started to change, it felt like old times again, my courage started to return and I felt I could make it once again. But then we got caught by the Drow, Gunny I nearly shit my pants when we woke in that cave and I saw those people. And the invisibility act? Really Gunny, how do we even go against that?” he asks pleadingly.

“Then you made the deal, I thought you were fool to sacrifice yourself like that, I even cursed you for doing something so stupid. We got back to Fort Carson and a few of them died on the way, and my fear took over once again, but you showed up as if nothing was wrong smiling at us.” he says continuing his story

“We got here and I was hoping this place was safe, then the were-beast thing hit. Can't we just live in peace for gods sake?” He says looking up at the ceiling.” you chose me to go on the mission with you, and the night before you helped get this profession, I played with it and found I could impose a face I saw before or my own face on my helmet. A disguise feature of the uniform. I played with it for a bit before our mission.” He sighs.

"Then we were in that shop and the were-beast came. I did my duty and started to take them out. Then one of the Drow appeared and killed what's his name next to me, I freaked out when they showed up and became visible out of thin air. I got off a shot and killed the drow. The other guy, forgot his name looks shocked at his dead companion. I saw more Drow moving about. I just killed him then. I do no know why, I just did it. I cut both their heads off and the Drows. As I was removing the heads, Hawkens, that was her name right, rushed up to us and saw me. Why the fuck did she have to come up there and see me?” he asks now crying.

“She asked me what I was doing and she about to yell out. Before I knew it I had already grabbed her and my hand over her mouth and my knife was in her heart before she knew what happened. I then removed her head too. I put the Drow head in my helmet then imposed my face on my helmet and threw all four over the side as you guys were being captured and I ran. God I ran as fast as I could to get away from there.” he says and then lays back into the bed.

“I hid out in the city, It seemed to be the safest place now. Food was plenty, till that thing showed up and you all found me. I was doing pretty good for myself..........” He sighs.

Disgusted, I leave the infirmary, I look to the Guard, “confiscate his stuff, put double guard on him at all times, he is under arrest for murder and treason.” I say to the Guard who nods. Alexander, Rick and the others were there as well and heard most of the story, all had pale faces and were in shock.

“Scott, I am so sorry....” Julie says quietly putting a hand on my back.

“My friend died, that monster is not him,” I say and walk away. Julie, Cindy and Ki'Diera follow, Alexander enters the room and confiscates all the items laying around Doc Mathews had removed from Eddie while he was unconscious.

“What are you going to do Scott?” Cindy asks

“Only one thing left to do, when you see a monster, you kill it.” I say coldly.

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