END CITY
Chapter 4-Transcedent Fall
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"We were dust. We became gods and mocked the earth under our feet. To dust we will return mocked by our ignorance."
~~~
Back in the Radiant Highlands Andrew was frantically running through the police headquarters. Visible sweat was on his face. His breathing was short and heavy. He burst through Cobalt's door speaking before it was even fully open. Cobalt was looking at himself in a mirror and quickly put it away because he was embarrassed by his evident narcissism. Chapter 4-Transcedent Fall
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"We were dust. We became gods and mocked the earth under our feet. To dust we will return mocked by our ignorance."
~~~
"Oh Andrew how are-"
"Never mind that Cobalt! The train transporting the prisoner sent a distress signal! I went ahead and dispatched an emergency response team to its location, but in just a few minutes I lost contact with the captain!"
"Wait slow down Andrew! Losing your composure will only slow our response. We need to act efficiently!"
"With all due respect forget your efficiency! People are efficiently dying right now! So many officers are offline including Iron Side! This is not an attack, this is an execution and we're on death row-"
Before Andrew could finish his rant Cobalt stood up and stared down at Andrew. One could tell in his eyes that Cobalt knew the situation and was as torn as Andrew on the inside. Unfortunately, in his position there is not the luxury of becoming emotional. Cobalt walked out the door speaking to Andrew as he left.
"It seems Eliza was not too crazy after all. I will go there personally and see what I can do. Make sure medics are alerted of the situation, and make it clear I don't want them on the scene until I clear the area."
"Y-Yessir." Andrew let out a deep sigh as he thought of Eliza. Of course one could not name a time when he did not think of Eliza. "I should probably let her know what's going down. She might be able to help Cobalt."
Eliza was lost in a world of her own subconscious as she was rendered immobile by the rubble atop her leg. She might have remained that way if not for her phone interrupting her thoughts. The classical music ringtone coupled with the chaos made for quite an interesting scene. When Eliza read the caller i.d one could only describe her reaction as relieved sickness. In this situation of chaos familiarity was welcomed even if it was Andrew. She pondered for a few seconds on whether she should answer it, and by the fourth ring she took a deep breath and tried to act as normal as possible.
"Andrew what the hell do you want? I changed my number four times already. Do I have to get a restraining order."
"You can restrain the body but not the heart my love."
"Oh god just get off the phone."
"Well Eliza I actually called you to let you know that the train Zeke was on is being attacked."
"Ohhh really? That doesn't sound too good. I hate to say I told you so but..."
"Yeah I figured you would react that way. Cobalt said something about you being right or something. Oh yeah, he went ahead to intercept the attackers."
Eliza cursed at the top of her lungs within her conscious. If things weren't messy enough Cobalt was now heading to the situation to fix the problem. She still wasn't sure if Zeke was okay or not. Andrew interrupted her thoughts.
"Eliza are you there and what's all that commotion in the background."
"Uh, I'm making a smoothy. Gotta stay in shape."
"Oh okay. I was wondering if you would be able to backup Cobalt. I know its your day off and all but-"
"Sorry I can't do that. Chief Stone gave me orders to keep away from all matters involving Zeke. I don't want to incriminate myself or anything."
"Oh yeah, I heard about that. Well I'll talk to you later."
"No you won't. I'm changing my number again."
"You can't hide love my darling-, oh crud she already hung up."
Even though it was Andrew the phone call gave Eliza a new sense of hope. She no longer accepted death, but decided it was her will to live despite whatever choices she makes. The only problem would be escaping the rubble. She looked around to see if there was anything she could use to get free and she discovered a sturdy rod. She began to reach for the rod with a newfound sense of determination. "Darn, if only I can reach a bit further."
Meanwhile Zeke and Vulcan were clashing at the front of the train. Vulcan had just grasped of a few strands of Zeke's hair. Zeke's eyes widened and he pulled out a switchblade knife out of his pocket. He quickly severed those strands of hair and leaped backwards. Vulcan just stood in the same spot laughing as the hair strands turned to ashes within his hand.
"I was hoping to set your head on fire. That would have been a lovely wig, and I would pay a million bucks to see your scorched bald head."
"You're even sicker than I remembered. I never did like your dark sense of humor. You belong in the madhouse."
"But I am not mad, I am quite happy. It's not every day you get to barbecue a train full of people plus one giant. Yep, this is just one of those days. I would enjoy setting you ablaze if you didn't insist on holding back right now Blade."
Zeke wiped some blood of his face and smiled back at Vulcan. No one had called him by that name in awhile. It was true; Zeke was holding back. Like Vulcan, Zeke had attained the power created from mankind's sin and bore the label Transcendent. Compared to the entire earth population there weren't that many Transcendent, but in Zeke's mind his existence meant there was still one too many. His arm twitched as if his body was telling him to use that forbidden power. The term Transcendent really mocked what this really was. This was nothing more than a deal with a cruel devil, for using this power had a negative effect on the body. Zeke got by without using his abilities much, and from the look of Vulcan's persona he was doing the opposite. "Who knows how many times Vulcan used his abilities? I might not be able to fight him like this. Even if I could the fight would last too long and I don't have time," Zeke thought to himself.
"Earth to Zeke! Anybody home? I'm sorry but you're not that special. If you refuse to quench my thirst I'll go ahead and off you now." Vulcan dashed at Zeke with a sinister smile. Zeke's own smirk faded and his armed twitched again and again. Finally, as if Zeke had finally been free from chains, Zeke let out a vicious cry and slammed his hand against a wall. In a bright flash a large black blade appeared in his hands. This action brought Vulcan to a momentary pause.
"You asked for this. Don't go pissing you pants Vulcan!"
"As if I would ever do that Zeke!"
The two of them dashed toward each other and met in a viscous clash sending a wave of energy throughout the train. The energy of the blast caused them to fly in opposite directions as they both were thrown into a steel wall. Zeke stood up first and seemed to be regaining the extent of his power as a child who has forgotten to walk takes his first steps again. Images of his past, and the source of his power began to flash indiscriminately in his mind. With every swing of his sword Zeke could feel his inner most sorrows pouring into a reality before his eyes. He was reliving his transcendence.
A young boy was trapped underneath the earth. His ribs were cracked and he could taste death with every breath. The only smells to by found were that of blood and rotting corpses. The sounds of wailing souls were heard from every direction. Destruction was the only thing to be seen that day. The young boy stood at death's door and cried for the final time in his life; however, that light appeared. That light gifted him the curse of transcendence and he was burdened to live. This was the most potent image Zeke could recall from that day.
Zeke was only 12 when he was thrown in Prison Zero. It was normal for children to be in jail during this era, but for Zeke to be in the worst Prison on the planet was still a remarkable feat for all the wrong reasons. Approximately 50 years ago the government passed laws permitting children to suffer the same punishments as adults if it could be proven they had a clear concept of the law. This law came about when criminals starting recruiting children to carry out their deeds knowing they would serve more minute penalties and were easier to manipulate. Thy mastered it to such an extent that the crimes could not be traced back to the criminal masterminds, and the children actually became criminals instead of coerced puppets. Although it is still practiced to some extent, this new law virtually eradicated this idea from becoming a regular criminal tactic. The reality was that children in this era had become as cruel as the adults.To defeat monsters, the government had to become as cruel and monstrous as the criminals they hunted. The new law faced public backlash when it was first initiated, but it eventually became well received by the public as felony crimes committed by minors dwindled down to the lowest numbers they saw in a millenia. Zeke's arrival to Prison Zero was merely a byproduct of this philosophy
Somehow Zeke was able to survive hell on earth for a year and the Dawn of Humankind began when he was thirteen. The underground prison collapsed burying everyone alive. It did not collapse so much as fall to unimaginable depths. It would be difficult to imagine an underground facility falling, but that is precisely what happened. There were no warnings prior to this catastrophe; it struck like lightning in a clear blue sky. The floor beneath them crumbled away and neither prayer, or screams could comfort their terror. The young Zeke opened his eyes and much to his surprise he was still alive. Others were alive as well although Zeke could only tell through the screams all around him. The traumatizing experience left him with little to remember, but there was one thing that stuck with him that day other than the massive carnage. After the fall the earth was white, and metallic. There was a faint, yet authoritative voice, and then he passed out. He would awake from a 2 year coma in a generic warehouse. It was during his two year coma that man experimented and learned ways to artificially create the supernatural abilites gained during this event. Experiments showed that the surviving humans , which was about 1/8 of the inmates, developed supernatural abilities. All Transcendent showed an increase in natural physical abilities. Some developed better immunity to pathogens, faster reflexes, greater speed, strength, intelligence, combinations, etc. They achieved these abilities by becoming part machine; however, this was not like android creation, or robotic body parts. Organic, and mechanic material seemed to be embedded within each other, and this was a scientific breakthrough of massive proportions. To this day scientist have no idea how it happened, but some practice he forbidden science even now in order to find out what caused such an evolution. The DNA of every individual seemed to bring out more specific abilities unique to the host, and at first it seemed as if there were no drawbacks, but that could be no further from the truth. The truth was that the original thought that man integrated machine into himself thus evolving , or transcending, was wrong. They were physically integrated into each other, but clear control was not absolute. If the gained abilities were used too many times the machine would evolve and exert its conscience to gain control of the host's mind. Naturally the body will counter such a forceful takeover, and the imbalance causes mental instability and unpredictable behavior. Man allowed mass tests on normal people and animals to recreate "Transcendence" and they were successful. In almost two years the negative effects began to take over and all transcendent were ordered to be killed on sight after a massive surge of related incidents. This two year period became known as the Bilateral Void. Many abnormal creatures and Transcendent live today as a result of the relatively short sequence of events. These event also brought about the current clash between Zeke and Vulcan.
"Vulcan, you are going to die."
Zeke and Vulcan attacked each other with beast like ferocity. Neither one seemed to have an advantage, but as the battle moved on Zeke seemed to overwhelm Vulcan with every passing second. Vulcan was taken by surprise due to Zeke's fearlessness. He was certain that his abilities would cause Zeke to hesitate, but Zeke didn't seem worried about being touched by the devil's hand. Vulcan went for a final blow and thrust his arm towards Zeke's face out of frustration. His mind went through a vicious cycle trying to comprehend the gap in their power. No conclusion Vulcan came up with could explain why this gap was growing at such an exponential rate. "This is ridicoulous! A few minutes earlier he was covered in wounds from his fight with Iron Sides. Then he could barely keep up with my movements. No that's wrong...he COULDN'T Keep up with my movements. He only moved on instinct, but now...now he is..can he really gain such an advantage through activation only?" Zeke sidestepped the attack and grabbed a hold of the mechanical arm with his right hand. For a brief moment time seemed to stop. Zeke and Vulcan made eye contact in the midst of this exchange. For the first time during this chaos Vulcan was not smiling, for his eyes told a story of fear. Zeke's eyes did not show rage, but expressed a cold ruthlessness. Time moved again and Zeke shattered the mechanical arm with his bare hand as he clinched his fist. This revealed what looked to be a withered arm incapable of performing the easiest of daily tasks. Zeke swung his large blade in an attempt to decapitate Vulcan, and ed the fight for good. Vulcan lost his balance after losing his arm and just managed to stumble out of the way of the blade. To avoid anymore damage Vulcan launched himself through the hole he had made in the ceiling by using his rocket boots and looked down at Zeke with rage. This constrained face of his quickly turned into a smile and then that smile turned to laughter.
"I would say this isn't over, but it kinda is. Ha, looks like you're out of time. I'll probably see you again in hell!"
"Damn it! You bastard, you're just going to run away!?"
"Well yeah, train crashes are bad for your health dude." Vulcan gave a mocking salute to Zeke and zoomed off into the distance. Zeke immediately went to the control panel to see if there was anything he could do. If he didn't do anything in the next minute the train would be derailed in the middle of the city. Eliza entered the room, and saw the destruction inside along with an injured Zeke. Her natural response would have been to ask what had happened, but she already deduced the the current situation and decided there was no time. Zeke also turned toward her and say she had suffered some minor injuries and a pretty severe injury to her left leg.
"Oh, you're still alive?"
"Save it." The train seems to be speeding uncontrollably and there is no way to access the control panel, am I right?
"Yeah, but you just left out the part where we die in a few seconds."
"I said save it. I will hack into the tracks mainframe and then-"
"Eliza, we're on a time limit. Save the long explanation for the nerds."
Eliza rolled her eyes and pulled out a small computer from her supply bag. Amazingly it had not suffered damage through the ordeal. Zeke watched Eliza tap away at the computer; however, he had no clue what was going on. Eliza knew this and began to explain the situation as if he had asked her what was going on.
"I could hack into the brake system, but that will do us no good. The train is already moving too fast and when we reach the turn we will derail into Iron City. At that turn there is the option of continuing straight ahead. If I switch the tracks we can continue straight ahead as planned and then activate the breaks later. I just have to make it in time."
"Sounds simple enough. How do you know how to do this anyway?"
"All officers must be knowledgeable in the field of computers due to the technology nowadays. I went on a few dates with Andrew and he taught me how to do things like this."
"Andrew...the nerd at the front desk?! Oh god you’re a loser! Ha Ha Ha!"
"I was broke and he was giving me a free meal. Unfortunately he hasn't left me alone since then. There I got it. We should be good to go. Uh Zeke?"
"(So she just putting out for a free dinner. Damn that's cheap.)What?"
"(Maybe I shouldn't have told him. He his probably thinking of random, stupid, things)What's with the giant sword?"
Zeke seemed almost surprised to have it in his hand. He had forgot all about it. He stared at it for awhile as if it would help him foster an explanation. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing." Zeke said as he looked away from Eliza.
"Whatever, I don't feel like arguing with you." The train came to a stop in the middle of a deserted area as planned. Even with all of humanities' advancement nature was still deemed necessary. It was an amazing contrast indeed. Zeke got out first yawning as if nothing happened. His body was sore from bruises, his face full striped with blood, yet it seemed like a jog in the park. Eliza followed shortly after. It would seem she had been standing on will alone. Without a wall to balance herself on she collapsed over and fell to the ground wincing in pain.
"Ouch, I guess it was worse than I thought."
"What happened?"
"Nothing..." Eliza's pride prevented her from asking for help. Especially if it had to come from someone like Zeke. In the midst of he prideful thoughts she was lifted up off the ground. Zeke didn't say anything, nor did he look at her, but tried to put on an annoyed face. Through this mask Eliza thought she saw someone familiar. The boy she met 15 years ago. For some unknown reason they both looked back at what was left of the train. The entire back half was missing. Everything left was set a blaze and riddled with gapes and dents. Any bystander would consider it a miracle they made it out alive. The engineering behind the train also played a huge part in their success. Zeke turned back around and looked forward as he spoke. "At least we didn't destroy the entire train."
"Yeah, it’s a good thing we put out the fire before it could make it to the main power source."
"Eliza, we didn't put out the fire..."
The duo began hobbling away from the train even faster after sharing brief eye contact. The train soon exploded behind them as they made their way to Iron City. Ironically, once they reached the city Zeke and Eliza immediately went into the train station. They were thinking the same things and probably making the same jokes in their head. "Are you sure you don't want to get that checked out?" Zeke said without looking too concerned.
"Today was supposed to be my day off. Given our history, entering a hospital a few hours after this stunt is not the best choice of action."
"Jeez, everything you say sounds like a report. Anyway, this is where I leave. I really don't feel like getting on another train right now. Don't worry I keep my promises so I will take out the dragons as agreed. Don't forget we are just business partners, not friends. After this is over I don't plan on ever seeing you again." Zeke turned around and left a puzzled Eliza at the train station. She didn't know what to say after such an unexpected display. She just managed to muster up a goodbye that came out like a whisper. She hobbled aboard the train and was relieved to finally be able to sit down and rest. The beginning was finally over. "Sometimes that's the hardest part, making a decision. He's always been weird but at least he's okay." Eliza thought to herself as she drifted to sleep. Zeke walked off in an opposite direction puzzled himself.
"I wonder why I felt the need to say that. I think I explained that enough already. Whatever, I need to go steal something to eat."
A few hours after the event steps echoed in a room covered in darkness save for the lit hall. It served as a road for guests to follow. Vulcan appeared on this road trembling, and sweating. He kept his eyes on level with the floor the entire time. A few minutes of silence passed before a voice emerged from the black abyss. "Is he dead." The voice was clear, calm, and authoritative. Vulcan felt a suffocating presence and the voice seemed to be all around him.
"B-boss he-"
"SHUT THE **** UP WORM! THAT WAS ****ING RHETORICAL YOU IDIOT!" Vulcan jumped a little as he tried to control his breathing. It was clear that there was no one in this gang that would dare defy this voice.
"I'm sorry-"
"WHY THE **** ARE YOU GUYS SO APOLOGETIC! GROW A PAIR FOR GOD SAKE! I digress...it is not your fault Vulcan. It was Gorou who allowed him to live. I knew Zeke would be trouble, but I suppose he had allies. That is the only way he could survive such an ordeal. The plan was flawless.
"…"
"AM I TALKING TO MYSELF HERE!?"
"N-no sir I hear you-"
"SHUT THE HELL UP BEFORE I KILL YOU! YOUR VOICE IS SO DAMN ANNOYING! Oh....did Zeke do that to you?"
"I-Its no problem sir."
"No no this won't do. Zeke is a bit special you never really had a chance one on one. I guess I should kill you to rid you of your pain."
"No sir I can still be useful!" Suddenly Vulcan began convulsing on the floor and his body began deteriorating. It would seem that he released one last breath; however, the effects began reversing until he was back to normal. He lie on the floor staring into an empty space.
"PSYCH *****ES! GOTCHA ! I REALLY FREAKING GOT YOU! WHOA YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN YOUR FACE! YOU LOOKED LIKE A SAD RAISIN! Don't worry Vulcan I won't kill you. Consider that your punishment for failing. We will fix you right up. I have an even better idea; we will improve you. Don't worry you will be asleep while we fix you. DON'T DROOL ON MY CARPET OR I'LL SEVER YOUR TONGUE!" A sound similar to a snap of the fingers rang through the halls and then Vulcan fell unconscious.
On top of one of the tallest buildings a figure was standing on one of the taller buildings. He seemed to be looking down at the city if he was a guardian. He possessed an eye patch and smirked beneath the night sky. "So they managed to defy the odds after all. This might be the opportunity the world has been waiting for, but who would've guessed it would be them. I'll be watching them closely."
To be continued
Thanks for reading feedback appreciated!!
Random Thought: A Woman gets paid more to talk to people I don't know than the heart surgeon cutting my organs. My my, gotta love priorities.
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